Stay-at-home moms and work-outside-the-home moms both regularly dream of finding the perfect work-from-home job. Whether you are currently staying home or are employed elsewhere, you do have the ability to find your dream work-from-home job when you are ready to start the process.
Your Skills
Make a list of your skills and qualifications—are you a nurse, teacher, graphic or web designer, writer, fast typist, hair stylist, good on the phone, or are you fluent in another language? Are you looking for 40 hours a week, 20, or 10, from an outside employer? Put together a resume—or different resumes for different types of positions you are interested in. Or does your dream involve owning your own creative business? Do you have a strong background in a craft? Are you ready and able to put many hours into building that business, with little reward at the start? Starting that business sooner will pay off sooner!
Network
The easiest and often the best way to find any job is to use your network of friends and acquaintances. Let your family and friends know you are looking for from-home work. Post on your Facebook page, and reach out to mom, alumni, hobby, professional, and other networks you belong to, as is permitted within those groups. You can also find a variety of from-home jobs (often short-term) posted in such Facebook groups—these jobs are a great way bring in some income while growing your network. Let everyone know the sort of work you are looking for. If you don’t have one, make a free Linked In page. Keep it up to date and add contacts that know your skills.
Online Searches
Indeed is a well known US-based site for all kinds of job listings. You can create an account for free, upload your resume, sign up to receive email notifications of new postings that contain your chosen keywords, and you can read reviews of different employers. Searching using key words such as “remote” or “home-based” with words associated with your skills will get you started—adjust your searches to fit the commonly used keywords in your fields of interest.
You can also register for free at Dream Home Based Work for access to weekly job leads, tutorials, articles, and links to dependable employers for everyone—from those with no experience to teachers, writers, translators, and customer service agents. Many jobs are region-specific. With thousands of followers on Facebook, you will have competition for the best jobs, but the many articles offer information on the different kinds of work-from-home opportunities out there.
While Craigslist is known for listings of many jobs at a local level, there are also a lot of scams. Be very careful—and remember if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
Build Your Own Creative Brand
There have been some hugely successful mommybloggers, but it is very difficult to gain an audience. If you have a marketable skill that can be displayed visually—quilting, sewing, photography, nail art—and you have the time and perseverance to create original content and grow an audience, you can build your own creative brand using blogs, Instagram, and Youtube. Your end goals are blog sponsors and ad revenue from your blog and Youtube. It can take a year or three to build up an audience, but you can be quite successful. You get to set your own hours—but it is a lot of hard work.
If you are good with nail art, hairstyling, or makeup, you can have clients to your home. Start with friends and family, take some good pictures of your results, and reach out to your networks. A Facebook page or Instagram account will give you more exposure to build your business.
Beware of Scams
There are a lot of scams out there taking advantage of those who want to work from home. Research companies you are hoping to work with, and read reviews of them. No legitimate job will require you to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on training, classes, or inventory. No legitimate job will send you a large check to “set up an office” or require you to wire the money (checks don’t clear, and you will be out any money wired). Also beware multi-level marketing businesses. Yes some people make money—by recruiting more people. Most people break even at best.
Business Licenses and Tax Implications
Depending on where you live, there may be local regulations requiring a business license or registration if you are a contractor, freelancer, or business owner. The cost is likely negligible (and there may be no cost)—but the penalties are can be significant. Contact your city, town, or county to find out what you might need.
Similarly, when you begin making an income, you need to consider tax implications. If you are not classified as an employee—meaning your employer(s) are not withholding taxes—you become responsible for paying those taxes, and you may need to estimate taxes on a quarterly basis. Your total household income, amount made that was not subject to withholding, and where you live all directly affect this. You can research this yourself, or ask around to find a tax professional who specializes in small businesses and the self-employed to make sure you aren’t subject to fines, which can be significant.