Homework - I Mean, Working At Home

Whether downsized, outsourced, or sick and tired of cubicle hell, more people are earning their living by working at home. The work at home industry is booming with a diverse lot of income earning opportunities. People of all skill and education levels can find a niche in this market. And the driving force that allows such an option is the Internet.

Telecommuters

Internet technology has enabled former office rats to do their work at home. Armed with a computer, fax, and telephone, employees from back office data entry to management staff are able to perform part or all of their jobs at home. The telecommuting option is appreciated by workers as it allows them more freedom and control over the work day and more time to spend with families. Companies find that this set up often improves employee morale and productivity.

Net Work

Earning money via the Internet has become an increasingly popular option in the work at home industry. Chances are you know someone who sells merchandise on eBay. Many online merchants are working out of their homes. The Internet offers a wealth of opportunities for writers to earn a living at the keyboard. People with an Internet-based career often start on a part-time basis while working their regular office gig. Once their "web job" takes off, they escape the office grind for full-time work at home.

Home Base

Another option in the work at home industry is a home-based business where you go out in the field to provide services for customers. This is a wide open opportunity - think of any product or service that people need and, viola, you have a business. Again, with the Internet, advertising for your home business is no longer a burden. For example, the senior population is exploding. Start an elder service that helps seniors with light housekeeping, grooming, and transportation. Two career families and busy folks in general equal a business for you running errands such as shopping, chauffeuring kids, and picking up dry cleaning.

You can strike out on your own with these home-based businesses or buy a franchise. Franchises offer a brand name people know and trust along with marketing support from the headquarters office. Start up costs can be out of reach for a lot of people, however, there are hundreds of franchise options in the work at home industry that will fit with small budgets.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do your research before you plunge into any work at home opportunity. Talk with others who are working at home. Check out franchises or Internet opportunities with the Better Business Bureau. Despite the scam artists, there are thousands of options in the work at home industry and one of them will suit you.

Does No Degree Mean No Job? Not If a 'Degree Equivalent' Will Do

Often, while perusing the job postings, you'll see listed under the requirements section wording such as "Bachelor's degree or equivalent."

Does this mean that those without a degree need not apply? Not necessarily.

Although many corporate cultures require that their employees be degreed regardless of their position or length of experience, others will allow the degree to be trumped by industry experience. This is especially true for those job postings that have a degree **or equivalent** tagged to them. As such, you may have a chance when you lack the degree. Generally speaking, a degree will usually be mandatory for those younger candidates lacking solid, relevant job experience. The operative word here is "equivalent" and how that is defined.

Sell Results Instead

While these employers may have different requirements for equivalent experience, a good rule of thumb is to demonstrate past performance and proven results in your previous work. To accomplish this, your goal is to show how you either make money or save money for your employer.

From your past work experience, develop as many specific instances when you actually have done so. If you can attach a dollar-value to several of those, so much the better.? Put these in your resume.

Here are some actual examples:

• "Responsible for generating 13 new accounts by creating database and mailing piece."
• "Increased revenue by 38% from new social market bookings."
• "Chaired meetings and headed the negotiation discussion that resulted in the settlement of a long protracted contractual and legal issue with the subcontractor and client."
• "Improved cash collection and debt aging from average 100 days to a more manageable 30 days and realized savings of about $276,000."
• "Reduced turnover by 45% over previous management within 15 months through my training program and development plans."
• "Won the Leadership and Excellence Award in 2007 for outstanding achievements during my project management role."
• "Increased our customer satisfaction survey scores by 32% on average by training my team on the proper way to provide a great customer experience."

Showcase Your Main Strength

You should also have a USP (Unique Selling Proposition) near the top of your resume. Also called a "Personal Branding Statement," this is a short, one-sentence "pitch" that describes who you are in about 15 seconds. Your USP should state the single greatest strength you offer and the biggest benefit that you bring to an employer.

Example: "Hospitality business development professional with a strength in creative sales and marketing techniques that generated $500,000 in new revenue for my employer in 12 months."

You can outweigh the formal education by showing exactly how your specific work has benefited your previous employer. The bottom line is that employers today, more than ever, want to have problem-solvers on board. Though you may have no degree, you can prove yourself a resource that fits into their larger profit and loss picture. If you can demonstrate that, you can get hired.