Telework options, or working online from home for an employer you may never meet, are expanding rapidly and are allowing people to move out of crowded urban areas or remain in small communities. If you are considering this type of work, here are some of the skills you will need in addition to high-speed internet:
- The ability to identify scams [for example, www.scamadviser.com].
- The ability and interest to search globally for opportunities.
- The ability to market oneself online.
- Experience in working in virtual teams.
- Strong soft skills, especially self-management & time management.
- Basic business record-keeping & billing skills.
While traditionally most telework occurred through call centers, There are many types of telework to consider. Here are a few examples of options:
- Customer service [for example, www.contractworld.jobs]
- Translation services [for example, www.translation-source.com]
- Transcription services [for example, www.findtranscriptionwork.com]
- Virtual assistants [for example, www.virtualassistantjobs.com]
- Micro work/crowdsourced [for example, www.clickworker.com]
- E-tutoring [for example, www.aim4a.com/tutors.php]
- Blogging [for example, www.guide.about.com]
- Mystery shopping [for example, www.jobslinger.com]
