Q: How do I tell if a job is legitimate or a scam?
Legitimate work-from-home positions will not promise exorbitant rates for minimal work or ask you to pay in order to start working. If you are approached with these kinds of offers, you should avoid them. Do not hand over personal information or money.
Q: Do I need any special equipment to work from home?
Generally, you will not need specialist equipment for most work-from-home positions, other than a computer, phone and a reliable internet connection. If more is required, the hiring company should provide it to you or otherwise cover the cost of acquiring the work equipment.
Make sure you have a dedicated workspace and work equipment with minimal distractions so that you can focus. Set up a work-only portal on your laptop (if your company didn’t provide you with one) and make your workspace somewhere in a not high-traffic area if you live with other people. You don’t want to be constantly interrupted by foot traffic in your dining area or kitchen while you’re trying to concentrate.
Q: How do I find a good work-from-home job?
Just like when applying for an in-person position, the best thing you can do is draw from your personal experience and find an industry in which you have a particular interest and qualification. Do some introspective research and make a list of your best skills so when you’re looking on job boards you know where to start. Check the job descriptions carefully and look for matching skills and qualifications to see if the role will meet your needs, and if you will meet its requirements.
If you have a friend who works from home already, in a similar field you’d be interested in, you should ask them how the application process was and if they know of any positions. If you do not know anyone working in a remote position, set up different job alerts with various sites and take a look at resume examples from industries you’re interested in to make sure that your resume is a good fit.
Q: Do I need to submit a resume for a work-from-home job?
Yes. Unless you are applying for a freelance position or contract and the employer specifies that you don’t need one, you should count on being required to submit a resume. You can use ResumeHelp’s resume builder to make sure your resume is professional and effective.
Q: What at-home jobs are legit?
With changes in the working landscape more opportunities than before are able to be done from home and many newer industries are popping up like being a virtual assistant or gig shopper so the job you’ve been looking for could be an email away. However, the risk of finding a scam has also increased, with even tried and true work-from-home jobs like call center representative and technical writing offers can be subject to fraudulent copycatting.
The best thing to do is research the company you are applying to, not just to benefit your resume or cover letter but for your own protection. Here are some key tips to keep in mind when job hunting for your next WFH job:
- Check the official company website: Even if you see the job posted on a job board or LinkedIn, always check the company website to make sure the post is legitimate and that they’re not looking for internal candidates only.
- Get the interview: Even a work-from-home job requires some sort of vetting process on both sides, whether it’s a quick phone interview or a video call. You should also be put in touch with the management team or HR department so you can ask relevant questions about the position and confirm details.Remember, if things strike you as a bit too good to be true, they probably are. If you’re immediately hired without speaking to anyone, the pay is out of scope with your industry and you’re unclear on the day-to-day practices. It’s time to double-check that offer.
- Verify your emails: If the sender address seems off and there are numerous spelling errors this is a red flag. If they are immediately insistent on you giving them your personal information (Social Security Number, bank account number, credit card, etc.) via email or text this is also a bad sign. Always check the header of the recipient email to make sure it’s a legitimate address before replying or submitting anything:
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- You can do this by either by clicking “show original” (on Gmail) or “view source”
- Next, find the line that says “return-path.”
- This will show the “true origination point” of the email and that’s a good starting point to confirm if the sender is legitimate.
- No downloads: Don’t click on any links or attachments unless you can verify them first. Offer letters usually come after a formal interview so instantaneously getting one is a warning sign, along with any coercion into downloading specific software or programs onto your personal computer without completion of the hiring process.
- Don’t move your money around: Never immediately send or accept checks or epayments. Anytime you’re asked to take a check, put it in your bank account, take the money out immediately and send it somewhere without being able to verify transactions or wait for the check to clear from your bank, that’s going to be a scam.You can use the Better Business Bureau as a resource to confirm the legitimacy of the company and if you can, make sure you are checking how long the page links you’ve been sent have been active. If the offer is from a legitimate and reputable company but the website has only been up for a few months or less it could be a phishing scam.
Q: What are the best jobs for working from home?
Copywriting, medical writing, technical writing and other mainstream writing occupations are remote jobs that have the highest yield as you don’t need to be tethered to a phone or require a lot of specialized equipment. Even if you’re not a wordsmith there are many industries and jobs that can be done remotely which is beneficial for both workers and companies.
Everyone’s work situation is different whether you’re people-centric and just moved to a new place or have to work from home to take care of your family. There are many different opportunities across the medical, administration, science, education and entertainment fields that could be a great match for you. These are some of the top work-from-home jobs available today:
- Software and Web Development
- Marketing (specifically social media development, SEO and SEM)
- Project management
- Design
- Portrait and product imagery photography
- Customer service and virtual assisting
- Event coordination
- Voiceover specialist
- Bookkeeping, accounting and payroll management
- Data entry and management
- Virtual tutoring
- Translator or interpreter
- Product and website tester
- Remote recruiting specialist
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