Spring Break
Bunny slippers, but no water cooler; working from home has benefits
Larry Burge
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: News
After working in marketing and as a client service agent with Internet companies for about 10 years, Sandra O'Malley, FlexJobs.com online research and marketing manager, said she found a part-time job at Flexjobs.com so she could spend more time at home with her children, family and friends.
"Telecommuting offers a great opportunity for people who are in particular life stages, a parent, people with a disability, or being passionate about being green minded and not wanting to use a car to get back and forth from work every day," O'Malley said. "I'm a mom and have a lot of friends who are moms also. It's very appealing to have a job with a flexible schedule, to be able to work from home some or at least part of the time. Telecommuting isn't for everyone. But it can offer part time employment while a person looks for full time work. Because it offers flexibility that, a traditional job often can't offer. Working from home, for instance, a traditional job seeker can take phone calls from perspective employers, schedule interviews while they're working in a temporary part time job from home."
However, before any graduate takes a giant leap into the virtual work community, the candidate should determine if telecommuting fits. Ideal candidates will benefit from skills in self-discipline, self-motivation and being natural organizers and skilled at time management.
Candidates also should find out about fringe benefits that traditional employment provides that can be missing from some work from home jobs. These benefits can include such things as insurance, job security, retirement or contract labor where they must pay both sides of Social Security if considered a subcontractor by the IRS.
One caution in looking for online employment is to beware of computer scams that either promise a job if the virtual employee pays money up front or does not pay for work after the employee submits it back to the company or individual.
To avoid this, online job posting companies such as Flexjobs.com, make the following suggestions:
"Telecommuting offers a great opportunity for people who are in particular life stages, a parent, people with a disability, or being passionate about being green minded and not wanting to use a car to get back and forth from work every day," O'Malley said. "I'm a mom and have a lot of friends who are moms also. It's very appealing to have a job with a flexible schedule, to be able to work from home some or at least part of the time. Telecommuting isn't for everyone. But it can offer part time employment while a person looks for full time work. Because it offers flexibility that, a traditional job often can't offer. Working from home, for instance, a traditional job seeker can take phone calls from perspective employers, schedule interviews while they're working in a temporary part time job from home."
However, before any graduate takes a giant leap into the virtual work community, the candidate should determine if telecommuting fits. Ideal candidates will benefit from skills in self-discipline, self-motivation and being natural organizers and skilled at time management.
Candidates also should find out about fringe benefits that traditional employment provides that can be missing from some work from home jobs. These benefits can include such things as insurance, job security, retirement or contract labor where they must pay both sides of Social Security if considered a subcontractor by the IRS.
One caution in looking for online employment is to beware of computer scams that either promise a job if the virtual employee pays money up front or does not pay for work after the employee submits it back to the company or individual.
To avoid this, online job posting companies such as Flexjobs.com, make the following suggestions:
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