I’ve been getting a lot of press lately on my books and random job lifestyle. This has led many people to my site and blog (Yea! Hi and welcome!) and inevitably I’ve received a ton of emails. So, to help everyone out, (and spare my poor hands from carpal tunnel) I’ve compiled a list of common questions regarding work at home jobs and the stuff I do:
- Are there real work at home jobs? Yes. It depends on your interest and skill set, but there are companies that do hire people to work from home. In The Work at Home Training Program I offer over 700 companies and resources for work at home and random jobs, as well as ideas to make income outside of a traditional work environment.
- Do I have to know the Internet or have a computer? Yes. At least, 95% of the time. Work at Home jobs are becoming more popular because companies can save on overhead since most people now have computers and Internet access. It will only increase your marketability if you have skills that people will be willing to pay for. Don’t know how to use the computer, Internet, or common programs like Word, Excel, and Outlook? You simply won’t be in as much demand.
- What work can I do at home? Well, it depends. What can you do? “Work at Home” isn’t a career path in and of itself. No one ever went to college to study how to work at home. What you need to do is take your current skill set (or learn a new one) and translate that into a job that you can do at home instead of in an office.
- Are you going to try to recruit me for a get-rich-quick company? No. While I’m a huge fan of MLMs/Direct Sales/Network Marketing companies, I’m not pitching one. I do believe that people should develop an entrepreneurial mindset, and MLMs are a great “business in a box” but not everyone is cut out to be their own boss. I talk about MLMs in my book, but as an educator, not a salesman.
- How much money can I make?/Can I replace my full time income? Well, that’s up to you. I consider these jobs extra income: a bridge to more lucrative endeavours while someone is unemployed, retired, going to school, staying at home with the kids, or just trying to make extra money to pay off debt or get more in savings. But the joy of being self-employed is that you set your own rules. There are certainly people who make a full time income off of eBay or as a virtual assistant. I make no income guarantees nor do I place income limits…that is completely in your own hands. (Scary, huh? You are actually the master of your own fate!)
- How much money do YOU make? Enough to keep a roof over my head, food in my belly, money in savings, and have fun every now and again. Keep in mind, I’ve been doing the “Random Job” life since 1999. I’ve developed skills that get me more money for my time. I wrote books to create residual income. If I didn’t like what I was doing, or couldn’t live off of what I made, I simply changed direction.
- Do I have to pay money to work from home? Depends on what company you work with, and where your interest lies. If you want to start selling things on eBay, then yes, you’ll have to pay fees to list your items. If you want to do Mystery Shopping, then no, you just sign on with the companies. Some companies will charge for training and background checks, but they generally take those fees out of your first few paychecks…some don’t. Again, it all depends.
- Can’t I just stuff envelopes at home? No. That’s a scam. 🙂
- I saw this job offer…is it legit? If you have to ask…probably not. If you want an in-depth evaluation of a job offer or post or business opportunity, ask away and we may feature your question in an upcoming article or video.
- I have (or know someone who has) a disability. Can I/they work from home? Again, it depends on their skill set. People get hired because of what they can do…not what they can’t. Instead of limiting yourself based on what you can’t do, think of what skills and assets you have, and go from there. I recommend that you check out local programs in your area and see if there are any job-placement agencies that work with people who have special needs. If you’re not sure where to get started, you can contact the US Department of Health and Human Services for guidance.
- I live in Europe/Africa/Australia, etc. Do you know companies that would hire me? In my books and classes, I focus mostly on my own experience which has been in the US. That doesn’t mean that companies wouldn’t hire you if you lived elsewhere (ie: Amazon and Google have satellite locations world-wide) or that you couldn’t get freelancing work that is location independent. I just don’t have experience specific to your location.
- What kind of job can teachers/lawyers/nurses/engineers do from home? Wow. That’s a tall order! I wish I had the time to counsel you on your career path, but unfortunately there are only 24 hours in a day and I am just one person. I really recommend that you get the training program. I divide it up based on interest and skill set and list over 700 ideas and resources to get started. You may find some jobs in different fields that suit your interest and skills just fine.
- Is Mystery Shopping real? Yes. I’ve been shopping since 1999 and have worked for over 150 companies in 9 states and 2 provinces. It’s real. Refer to the Mystery Shopping FAQ for more information.
- Do you have listings of companies that hire people to work from home? Yep! In The Work at Home Training Program, I provide over 700 ideas, resources, and companies that hire people to work from home, or in a flexible job environment.
- Why do I have to pay you to get this information? Ummmmm…you don’t. I provide a ton of free information on this site, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. If you want more than what I provide for free, then take the classes or get the books. If not, no worries. My feelings won’t be hurt.
- Can I just hire you to help me get a job? Oh, I wish I had the time and resources to help everyone! But, I’m not a job placement agency or employment recruiter…I’m simply someone who has been there and done that, so now I teach others how to do the same. I don’t have the means or resources to help people develop skills, work on their resumes and job hunt. I wrote two books explaining what I know about avoiding scams (including all the technical nitty-gritty stuff like tracing emails and tracking IP addresses) and finding work, and that was my way of spreading information to as many people as possible. I also teach classes in the Seattle area, and offer online classes to get the information out to a national audience.
Think about all the extra money you could make by being a mystery shopper, starting your own business, or working from home for a legitimate company. Take control of your income and check out our LEARN page for a list of classes, books, and more!
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