I have written here often enough about work at home scams. Recently I had one try to contact me. I didn’t fall for it, of course, but I had a little fun confirming that this amazing job offer was in fact the scam I knew it to be. I’m sharing this story of unmasking a work at home scam so that you can see how tempting scammers try to be. There will be screenshots.

I knew from the moment I opened the email that I was going to have some fun with this. It’s not often I get such a perfect example of a scam. It was well tailored to my career interests in remote jobs working for someone else. They claimed that I had applied on Indeed. That is one of the problems with online job hunting – you and the scammers are in the same places, and they know what you want. They can look perfectly legitimate at first glance. But then…

The Work at Home Scam Email Unmasked

I knew from the moment I opened this email that the job was not real. I’ll quote it here, with the company name and other info redacted. Take a moment and see if you can figure out what’s wrong:

Hello Stephanie

We acknowledged the receipt of your application via Our Indeed job board and we want you to know that your service is required. We feel that your qualifications are in line with being a suitable applicant for the available Content Creator job. I have included a concise description of this position in the attachment below. 

Job ID: Content Creator

Company:  *********
Company Website: *********

Functional Area: Creatives.
Wage: $85./hr.
Type: Full-Time Job.
Location: USA (can be telecommuted)

Note: Following our newest online screening method introduced by the Better Business Bureau considering the Covid-19 pandemic, You are required to sign up for “MICROSOFT TEAMS” business messenger on your Mobile Phone or Personal Computer. This is also our official secure channel for online business interview conduct so visit Microsoft teams website on any browser to sign up. Proceed immediately to set up and then add your interview manager up on MICROSOFT TEAMS business messenger with

Email:**********************  Name: ********* ******. I will be your interviewer and I will also provide you with a thorough description of the open positions and their duties attached to this email. If you run into difficulties setting up your account with Microsoft teams, send me a reply and I will provide you with needed assistance.

Thank you, and best of luck with your interview!
******** Talent Acquisition Team

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:
This is a transmission of ********* and may contain information that is confidential and proprietary. If you are not the addressee, any disclosure, copying or distribution, or use of the contents of this message is expressly prohibited.

CAUTION:
Internet and e-mail communications are ********* reserves the right to retrieve and read any message created, sent, and received. reserves the right to monitor messages by authorized  Associates at any time without any further consent, Your reference code is (EHR-109), this will serve as your identification number throughout the online hiring process.

Best Regards,

******** *******
*********

Talent Acquisition Team

There was also a PDF attachment. I have redacted a lot of irrelevant information, as this scam was imitating a legitimate company, and I do not want their name dragged through the mud by this. It’s not their fault. If the email wasn’t enough to tell you what was wrong, these might do it.

Do you see it now? I hope so, but let’s review the signs anyhow.

The Anatomy of a Work at Home Scam Email

The first thing I noticed was the request to use Microsoft Teams… excuse me… MICROSOFT TEAMS. I’ve used Teams before on legitimate interviews, but it can be a sign of a scam as well, especially in all caps like that. Also, most people don’t capitalize mobile phone or personal computer. The pay rate was a clue as well. It was rather on the high side. Also, the email address used was similar but not identical to the real company’s domain. Add in some grammatical errors, and I knew what I had.

Blog post inspiration, for those who are wondering. That’s what I had.

The point where they said my service was required also caught my attention. Seriously, who would say that to a job applicant??? And of course, when I’ve had legitimate remote job interviews, they’ve discussed a time with me and then sent a link to join them in the online meeting.

I use Gmail, which scans attachments, so I felt comfortable opening it. Opening attachments can be a risk, so I rarely do so. But this time I wanted to see what more they had to say. It was gold, pure gold, at least when you’re looking for a scam to mock.

I particularly loved the equipment section. Who wouldn’t love an employer who provided you with all this?

Ϡ iMac 2021 24” (M1 Chip Processor)
Ϡ MacBook Pro 16” Core i7
Ϡ Company branded HP Color Laser-Jet Pro
Ϡ Jabra Engage 65 Mono Wireless Headset System
Ϡ Fellowes Power-shred MS-450Cs
Bundled Software List:
Ϡ Virtual Presence 2.0 Video Conferencing Pro
Ϡ Adobe photoshop, light room, final cut pro, Norton
Ghost v18.0 & Office 365 Home Premium

I mean, an iMac and a MacBook Pro! Sounds great!

But this also leads to the exact point where the scam would hit anyone who fell for it. Check this part out:

Upon hire, you will start with pre-training which is an integral part of your startup period where you’ll complete various task(s) assigned by your team leader and complete all customary steps to have your home office set up and get you started. To compensate for your time and effort on these tasks you will be rewarded with a sign up bonus which comes included in your start up funding.
A thorough background check will be completed before your supervisor assists you in applying for your start up funding from finance. Once the application is approved, you will receive your start up funding which is to be used to procure your working equipment and software suites pack to get your home office set up and so you proceed to training immediately. You will be receiving your shipment via FedEx transit and following this our authorized vendor’s installers will connect with you over the phone to arrange a convenient time with you for them to come over to set up your workstation on the next business day from the day you receive your shipment and they’ll provide you with any technical assistance you might need with the use and management of any of the equipment installed and setup for you.

If you aren’t familiar with this type of scam, it’s called a fake check scam. It’s one of the classics.

They send you a check. You deposit it and buy the equipment from their vendor. Not only do you never receive the equipment, but the check bounces and you’re on the hook for the entire amount. The scammer has their money because you paid the vendor, but you’re out however much you paid. The check bounce can take weeks to months, so you may not even realize what happened until it is much too late.

That’s why they offer such a wonderful home office setup. It allows them to send you a bigger check, and they get all that money from you. Some will even have you send any excess back to them, so you lose even more money. And don’t forget the fees your bank will charge for all this. All those awful, awful fees. It’s a nightmare.

Sometimes your bank account will even be closed as a result of falling for this kind of scam. It makes you look like a bad risk to your bank, so they don’t want you as a customer anymore.

If you want to learn more about this, the FTC has a great resource about the fake check scam and what you should do if you fall for one.

And of course, their direct deposit form is a risk as well. It could expose you to further fraud.

There are a few other points I could make from the PDF, but these are sufficient to make the fraud obvious. You can work at unmasking a work at home scam yourself if you want to give it a go.

Doing Your Due Diligence

Now, I want to make it clear that I checked very carefully that this was a scam before writing all of this. That’s because I would hate to post this and be wrong. This kind of due diligence can save you from work at home scams. All I had to do was find the real company and an appropriate person to contact about it.

Which I did.

Unsurprisingly, the company was quick to confirm that it was a scam. They were pleased that I had taken the time to contact them and asked that I please report the scam appropriately. Which I also did. For reference, in the United States, that’s:

• FBI – Internet Crime Complaint Center (C3) –  https://www.ic3.gov/  
• Federal Trade Commission –  https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  
• Your state’s attorney general’s office consumer protection division.

Don’t bother with places like the Better Business Bureau. They’re irrelevant for scams in particular. After all, it’s not this particular business running a scam – it’s someone pretending to be them. If you have a problem with a business in your state, you’re better off going to the attorney general’s office consumer protection division, rather than contacting the BBB.

For remote work job offers, there are several items you can check, as I did above. Domain name, email address, job description, starting salary, grammar… these things can give solid hints about whether or not the job is legitimate.

You can also ask friends or family members what they think, especially if you aren’t sure that you’re understanding the job offer completely. Someone who doesn’t stand to gain from the opportunity may see more clearly than you do. Take your time; few legitimate job offers are that urgent, especially in the first contact before any interviews. Scams, on the other hand, are almost always urgent, so they can get you before you have time to think.

Staying Vigilant in the Digital Workplace

The increased demand for remote work that Covid-19 created helped increase the sheer volume of work at home scams out there. Scammers are quick to spot a need they can exploit. Whenever lots of people are out of work, more scams pop up.

That’s why I decided to unmask this work at home scam in detail. Hopefully, it is helpful to see exactly what these scams look like.

As you seek remote work opportunities, be alert to the risks. Any job opportunity that sounds too good to be true probably is. Scammers know that greed and desperation are their friends.

I would love for my readers to share their experiences with unmasking a work at home scam, whether they fell for it or not. The more we help each other learn, the more other people will have a chance to avoid being scammed. I generally suggest avoiding naming names unless it is a company that is consistently scamming job seekers. A situation such as the one in the email I received, I don’t think it’s fair to the company whose name was abused to include them in a discussion like this. Naming and shaming only works when it’s about the people at fault.

The post Unmasking a Work at Home Scam: My Firsthand Experience appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

Remote job interviews are becoming more common as the trend towards remote work continues to gain traction. If you’re looking for a remote job, you must prepare for your remote job interviews just as you would for in-person interviews. Remote job interviews may occur over the phone, video conference, or email. Each format requires different preparation. Here are some tips and strategies to help you prepare for remote job interviews.

Being prepared for your remote job interview is a vital part of remote job hunting. After all, you’ll never get the job if you don’t pass the interview.

Do Your Research Before Your Remote Job Interview

A part of preparing for remote job interviews is to research the company and the position you’re interviewing for. Look at the company’s website, social media pages, and other online resources to learn about its products, services, culture, and mission. Use this information to prepare answers to questions about why you’re interested in working for the company and how you can contribute to its goals.

Pay special attention to any big news the company has released recently. Big news in the industry as a whole may also be relevant. It shows that you are interested and keeping up to date on things that matter to the company.

Your Appearance Matters

This is more than just your physical appearance. It’s not uncommon for employers to consider your social media presence. People have been fired for things that have come up about them on social media. Do your best to prepare your social media for the possibility that employers will look it over. The legality of asking for your social media account information varies from state to state as well as country to country, so know what applies in your area.

Of course, your physical appearance matters too. Dress appropriately for the position you’re seeking, not as if you’re lounging at home. It doesn’t matter if you’re able to work in your pajamas after you get the job. Interview time is the time to impress.

Test Your Equipment

If your remote job interview will take place over video conference, test your equipment beforehand. Confirm your computer, webcam, and microphone are working correctly, and that your internet connection is stable. Download whichever video conferencing software you need before the interview, such as Zoom. You don’t want to be late for your interview because the installation is running slow.

Choose a Quiet, Private Location

Find a quiet, private location for your remote job interview. This could be a home office, a quiet room in your home, or a private room in a library or coworking space. Make sure the location is free from distractions and that you won’t be interrupted during the interview.

Some software allows you to change your background for the call. This can be helpful if your surroundings aren’t entirely professional in appearance. Don’t replace your real background with something unprofessional during your job interview. There’s a time and a place for that Star Wars cantina background, and a job interview isn’t it.

There may be times when you have little choice about where you interview. I once had to interview in my garage, because we were having emergency work done in our bathroom. The garage was the quietest place available, as I couldn’t leave with the workers in the house. I apologized in advance for any distractions, as my cats were out there with me to keep them out from underfoot for the workers. Somehow, I even kept a straight face at the end of the interview as one cat started to attack my hair from behind my chair. I didn’t get the job, but it wasn’t because I gave up.

Turn Off Distractions

You need to show that you understand the interview is the priority. This isn’t just a rule for in-person interviews – it matters for virtual interviews as well. Potential employers can tell if you’re not giving them your full attention, and they certainly don’t want to hear your cell phone ring or other inappropriate background noises.

If you have small children, you can’t turn them off, but you can plan ahead so that they aren’t a distraction. Having a family member or friend watch them is ideal, but not possible for everyone. This may well be the time for using electronics as a distraction, so long as the sound doesn’t interfere with your interview. Do the best you can; after all, you’ll have to deal with kids as distractions if you get the job too.

Practice Your Responses

Practice answering common interview questions, as well as questions that are specific to the job you’re applying for. You may also want to practice answering questions over video conference or phone, as these formats can be different from in-person interviews. Practice speaking clearly and concisely, and avoid using filler words such as “um” or “like.”

I like to look up common interview questions for a given job title online and type up my own responses. I keep this open during the interview – obviously, a dual monitor setup is helpful for this. The main thing is to put some thought into your responses, and it’s easier to do so well in advance.

Some people have found it useful to practice for remote job interviews with ChatGPT. Let’s say you’re applying for a remote customer service position.You might ask it “What are some common questions I might be asked in an interview for a remote customer service position? Use this job description as a guide.” and then use Shift-Enter and paste the job description from the employer’s site. Don’t use just Enter, or ChatGPT will start answering before you get the job description in. Hit Enter once you have all of the information added in, and ChatGPT will start to answer.

Here’s a simpler prompt and response as an example:

What are 5 common questions for remote customer service job interviews?

Certainly, here are five common questions that you might encounter in a remote customer service job interview:

Can you describe your experience with remote work or telecommuting?
This question helps the interviewer gauge your familiarity and comfort with remote work setups. Highlight any previous remote work experiences, your ability to manage time and tasks independently, and your proficiency in using remote communication tools.

How do you ensure effective communication and collaboration while working remotely?
This question assesses your communication skills and your ability to work as part of a remote team. Discuss your strategies for staying connected with colleagues, sharing updates, and addressing potential challenges that can arise from not being in a physical office.

Can you provide an example of a challenging customer interaction you’ve handled successfully?
Interviewers often ask behavioral questions like this to evaluate your problem-solving abilities and customer service skills. Share a specific situation, explain the issue, the steps you took to resolve it, and the positive outcome achieved.

How do you manage your time and prioritize tasks in a remote environment?
Remote work requires strong time management skills. Describe how you organize your tasks, set priorities, and maintain a productive work routine. Mention any tools or techniques you use to stay on track and meet deadlines.

What steps do you take to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction in a remote customer service role?
This question assesses your customer-centric approach and your ability to provide excellent service despite the physical distance. Discuss how you personalize interactions, actively listen to customer needs, and ensure they feel valued and supported throughout their interactions with you.

Remember, in addition to preparing answers to these questions, it’s a good idea to research the company and its customer service philosophy. Tailor your responses to align with the company’s values and the specific requirements of the role.

Interview, Even If You Don’t Think You’ll Get The Job

Insecurity and imposter syndrome can hit anyone. It’s especially true when you’re interviewing for a job you’re just barely qualified for.

Remember, however, that they chose to interview you for a reason. They saw something in your cover letter and resume that they found appealing. You don’t have to reject yourself for the job – let them reject you if you aren’t what they’re looking for.

Every failed interview is practice for the one that will get you a job. Remember that, and do the best you can no matter how unqualified you feel. Act confident. Look confident. You might be surprised by what happens.

Follow Up

After your remote job interview, send a follow-up email or message to thank the interviewer for their time and express your continued interest in the position. This shows that you’re professional and interested in the job, and can help keep you top of mind as the company makes its hiring decision.

Preparing for remote job interviews takes time and effort, but it’s essential to help you stand out as a candidate and increase your chances of getting the job. Use these tips and strategies to prepare for your next remote job interview and set yourself up for success.

The post Preparing for Remote Job Interviews: Tips and Strategies appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

Remote job hunting has become increasingly popular, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote jobs provide flexibility and work-life balance that is hard to achieve with traditional jobs. However, finding remote jobs can be challenging. This article will provide updated tips for finding remote jobs.

Focus On Your Goals

What are your career goals? I don’t mean the cliche of “where do you see yourself in five years?” Not everyone knows that at all times. But overall, where do you want your career to go right now? Do you want part time work or full time? Flexible work hours or a set schedule? Do you have a long term plan for your career?

Remember that your long term plans don’t have to all be about a fabulous career. We don’t all dream of being a Fortune 500 CEO. It’s entirely reasonable to want a career that has benefits and pays enough that you can enjoy your hobbies, have fun with friends and family, and so forth.

Use Social Media and Networking

This may be one of the most important remote job hunting tip I can offer! When you’re looking for work, let people know! It doesn’t matter if they’re in the industry you’re aiming for – they may know something or someone you don’t.

Networking can be in person as well as online. Talk to friends and family about what you’re looking for. If it won’t risk your current job, share that you’re looking on social media as well. Not just on LinkedIn – mention it on other social media as well.

Write A Strong Cover Letter And Resume

Sure, you can write your own resume. You may even do a good job of it. But it’s also possible that you need help to create the right resume for the job you want.

When your job hunt isn’t producing results, getting someone else to look over your resume and make improvements may change things. There are loads of professional resume writers out there. It can be hard to choose the right one.

Paying a professional isn’t your only option. You could post your resume on r/resumes and ask for feedback. There’s no guarantee that you will get any useful responses, but you can also look at the resumes posted by other users and the advice they got.

A new option is to use an AI resume writer, such as ChatGPT. While these are far from perfect, you can get some pretty good resume advice if you use them correctly. Make sure it gives you an accurate resume, of course!

Post Your Resume Online

Indeed, LinkedIn, etc. This may not get you much of anywhere, but there’s always a chance. Be cautious whenver you get a response, however. While a legitimate recruiter in your industry may contact you, there is also the risk that a scammer will. Make sure that the person contacting you is who they say they are and represent the opportunity they say they do.

Check Company Websites and Job Boards

Most companies post their job openings on their website or job boards. Now that more companies are open to remote workers, you have a lot more options during your remote job hunt.

It’s easy to start with the usual job sites, such as LinkedIn and Indeed. In fact, those are perfectly valid choices, as they will allow to you search for jobs that say they are remote. But there are lots of websites that specialize in remote jobs. Here are some to consider:

• FlexJobs: FlexJobs specializes in remote and flexible job opportunities. They have a vast database of remote jobs across a variety of industries. There is a membership fee.
• Remote.co: Remote.co is a job board that focuses exclusively on remote job opportunities. They work with companies across many industries.
• We Work Remotely: We Work Remotely has been around for over a decade. They don’t pull their listings from other sites – companies have to pay them to list their jobs. They have a community on Slack for job seekers.
• Working Nomads: Working Nomads is a job board that focuses on remote jobs for digital nomads.
• Remote OK: Remote OK is a job board that features remote job opportunities across a variety of industries. They have job postings for both full-time and part-time remote jobs, as well as freelance and contract opportunities.
• Home With The Kids Job Board: You didn’t think I’d skip mine, did you? The Home With The Kids Job Board offers a variety of remote job listings and links to companies you can check to see if they’re hiring.

When in Doubt, Apply

It’s easy to get discouraged when you see a long list of requirements for what otherwise sounds like your dream job. It looks like they want someone way better than you.

You need to remember, however, that job postings are more of a wish list in many cases. Employers list every skill they want their new employees to have, but know that they may not get it.

I don’t mean you should ignore the truly vital job requirements listed. If the job requires that you speak a particular foreign language and you don’t, you probably shouldn’t apply. But if you have several of the skills they want but are missing a few, it may be worth applying anyhow. Customize your resume to emphasize the skills you do have and give it a try.

Be Realistic About Your Work Conditions

It’s easy to fantasize about how working at home will go while remote job hunting. You’ll do an amazing job, both as an employee and as a parent to your kids. You’ll handle all distractions deftly so that they don’t interfere with your productivity. It will be the best decision of your life.

The reality of remote working is often different from what you might expect, especially if you have kids. There’s an excellent reason why many work at home parents still use daycare. Kids have needs that don’t go away just because you need to work.

Also, consider what it really means to work at home. The TV is right there. So is your personal computer and phone. And then there are the household chores just begging to get done. Don’t even get me started on the temptations lurking in the refrigerator and pantry.

Practice keeping to a work schedule while remote job hunting.

Don’t Settle Unless You Have To

You may desperately need a new or better job. It happens. There are times when you should settle for the job you can get, rather than the job that you want. The simple reality is that you need to earn money to pay your rent or mortgage, buy food, and so forth.This doesn’t mean you should always settle for the easy to get job. If you can afford to have a longer job hunt, make the most of it! Keep looking for the kind of job you really want.

That said, if you have to settle for a lesser job because you flat out need the money NOW, don’t feel bad. Lots of people work jobs because they need the money, not because they love their work. Remember, you can keep looking even after you get a job. Settling for less doesn’t mean you have to stop remote job hunting, especially if you had to settle for an outside the home job to pay the bills.

The post Remote Job Hunting 101: Strategies for Success appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

It’s wonderful when the kids reach school age and you’re working at home. Suddenly you have all this time to work on your job or home business. But then winter comes, and sometimes that means you get hit by a snow day. It isn’t always fun to cope with snow days when you work at home.

Unlike regular school holidays and weekends, you don’t always get much warning for a snow day. Most times, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what’s coming in the weather forecast, but not always. We don’t get much snow here, but I remember one day when snow wasn’t even in the forecast, but it started snowing right at the end of the school day. That made pick up time… interesting. I was picking up several kids that day, and walking them to my house, five minutes away. I grabbed every jacket in the house, and all the gloves, and it was a good thing I did because none of them had jackets with them that day. Got them home, made hot chocolate, and it was all good.

If snow days are a normal part of your student’s school year, you need to have plans in place so you don’t lose more work time than you’re willing and able to give up.

You might want to play in the snow too, time permitting.

Plan Ahead For Snow Days When You Work At Home

Planning ahead for snow day activities will help you to cut down on lost productivity. What can the kids do when they aren’t at school on a day you’d normally be working? How much can you reasonably expect to get done?

Have several activities planned that the kids will enjoy. They probably won’t want to play in the snow all day, although that may take up a part of the day. If you can do that early, you may even tire the kids out, which should give you some clear time to work.

Snow days are special to kids, so keep it fun for the most part. You may get some great ideas for things the kids can do when it’s snowing just by asking them in advance what they would like to do when it has snowed too much for them to go to school.

Art and craft supplies are great when kids are of an age to enjoy using them without making a gigantic mess for you to clean up later. Keep up a good supply of the things your kids like to use the most, such as:

• crayons
• paints
• coloring books
• colored pencils
• glue
• scissors
• play dough
• beads.

Remember the television and computer for the kids too. They may be quite content to take it as a day to veg out. Just make it a special day without the usual limits on screen time if you like. An occasional day of too much screen time probably won’t hurt them… unless they get a little too wild with their video games or something.

Of course, it’s entirely possible that the kids may have their regular schoolwork to do as well. If their school does remote classes rather than give snow days to the kids, your kids may have a schedule of their own to adhere to. If they’re good about it, take advantage and get your work done at the same time!

Get Help

If the snow is bad enough that your spouse is home, enlist some help in caring for the kids. There’s no rule saying you have to do it all just because you’re the one who’s usually home with them. If your spouse has an extra day off because he or she can’t get to work (and don’t work remotely too), make sure they understand that you are at your work and need to work, so they get to deal with the kids. Tell the kids the same.

If you have local enough family or friends who would be willing to take the kids for the day, that’s another option. This may not be possible if the snow is too severe or no one lives that close to you. Take turns, and you’ll all benefit.

You may also want to invite a friend over for your kids. So long as the situation doesn’t cause a lot of arguments, having an extra kid over can actually help. It keeps the kids from asking you for things to do.

Know Your Employer’s Policies

If you work for someone else, you need to know what your employer’s policies are for days like this, especially if you don’t always work at home. Do you have flexibility or not? Some jobs give you a lot of leeway, but others don’t. You should already be aware of the rules if you regularly work from home.

One of the most important things to consider in many jobs is background noise. Whether you’re in a work meeting with coworkers or on the phone with a client, you may need to keep the kids quiet. Planning ahead is a huge help. So is a home office with a door you can close. Put up a do not disturb sign or a clock saying when you’ll be available so the kids know when to leave you alone. I made a Beware of Dragon sign for my door to have a little fun.

Be sure to communicate with your employer if you need to change your routine due to your kids having a snow day. Communication is vital when you work with others, especially if you have to make sudden changes in your routine.

Consider Taking The Day Off

If the kids are going to interfere too much with productivity, consider taking the day off. You may be able to make it up over the weekend, or just think of it as a plain old day off. Especially if you’re working for yourself and don’t have any immediate deadlines, there’s no reason to not enjoy the day a bit yourself.

Don’t take it off if it’s going to make things too hard for you later. Sometimes you really need to work. If that’s the case, find a way to make it happen.

This may include taking the daytime off, but staying up and working into the night. For some people, that’s the better work option anyhow, but if that’s not your habit it can be a tough choice to make.

Snow Days Make Treasured Family Memories

While you don’t have to make every snow day memorable (impossible if you get a lot of them!), do remember how much kids usually love their snow days. Find ways to make snow days fun when you work at home, even if you can’t participate that much yourself. Children have this awful habit of growing up too soon. Fit some fun in when you can.

The post How to Cope With Snow Days When You Work At Home appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

For one reason or another, envelope stuffing is one of those jobs that a lot of people look for when they want to work at home. Usually, they become quite discouraged by the lack of such jobs available. Aren’t there any legitimate envelope stuffing jobs out there?

Sorry to say, not really, at least not when you see them advertised. The usual “envelope stuffing job” you see out there is a scam. You put up ads around town, in the newspaper or online, then mail people instructions on how to do the same for a fee. It’s not a legitimate job and it can get you into trouble. Just take a look at this article on the FTC’s website about a promoter of an envelope stuffing opportunity and the legal trouble he got himself into.

What Does The Envelope Stuffing Scam Involve?

Your basic envelope stuffing scam is pretty simple. You see an ad somewhere for an envelope stuffing job. It says you can earn a few dollars for every envelope stuffed.

What a great opportunity! Almost too good to be true.

Actually, entirely too good to be true.

You send away for the information, paying a little money to do so. You get back a package teaching you how to draw others into envelope stuffing.

That’s right. No employer. No instructions on getting employers to hire you to mail things for them. Just instructions on scamming others as you have been scammed.

Why Are Envelope Stuffing Opportunities Always Scams?

The reason why these opportunities are always scams is because machines stuff envelopes faster and cheaper than humans can. It’s simply not cost effective for businesses to regularly hire people to stuff envelopes for them.

If you think about it, the claim that you can make a few dollars per envelope stuffed doesn’t even make sense in terms of legitimate advertising. Just think about it. Does it really make sense for a business to pay $3 or so per envelope stuffed? Not even if you include postage for a standard letter. A machine can do it for far cheaper, and the business can probably get bulk rates on their mailings.

Don’t Believe The Testimonials

Just because an opportunity has testimonials from people who say they’ve earned good money through the opportunity doesn’t mean they have. Testimonials are easy to fake. They’re just words. Anyone willing to promote an envelope stuffing scam isn’t going to stress about the laws against using false testimonials.

Aren’t There Any Legitimate Envelope Stuffing Jobs At Home?

Once in a long while, you can find a business willing to hire an individual to do their mailings for them. The pay rate is naturally far less than what you see in an envelope stuffing scam.

Some office jobs may also include envelope stuffing as a part of the job. Just a part. That’s because most jobs really don’t need it done enough to hire people as their only job. If they do, they’re probably going to have machines do it. There may also be mail room jobs, but once again, that’s not what the scam ads mean by stuffing envelopes.

If you want to earn money mailing out advertisements for other businesses, you’ll probably have to make your own opportunity. Contact small, local businesses and see if they’d like help in that area. You might find something. It won’t be as easy as the scams like to make it sound, as that’s a lot of work to just find someone to hire you, but it may not be impossible. Just don’t call it envelope stuffing when it’s really about helping a business advertise.

Don’t worry, however. You have plenty of alternatives to stuffing envelopes if you want to work at home. Finding legitimate work at home jobs has always been a challenge. Don’t trust anyone who makes it sound exceptionally easy. Take your time and don’t get scammed.

The post Where Are The Legitimate Envelope Stuffing Jobs? appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

Scams are a huge problem for work at home job seekers. Business and job opportunity scams in general are in the FTC’s top 10 fraud complaints. The number of complaints soared during the COVID pandemic, unsurprisingly, as many people were desperate to find work, especially remote work. If you’re looking for a way to work at home, this guide to scams should help you avoid many of them.

These scams come in a variety of types. As you can see in the graph below, scams involving jobs and employment agencies increased greatly during the pandemic. Other categories increased as well, but not nearly as much. Business and work at home opportunity scams pretty much bounced around their usual levels.

According to the FTC, the percentage of people reporting a financial loss from these scams is at about 33%, with a median loss of $1800 for the most recent numbers. You can find the graph here.

Obviously, most of us don’t have $1800 or more just lying around to lose to a scam. That’s why job seekers need to keep alert as they look for work.

Here are some ways to recognize that someone might be trying to scam you as you look for a work at home job.

A Helpful Guide to Scam-Spotting

They Really Want Your Bank Account Information

There comes a point with a new job where you will probably need to share your bank account information with your new employer. It’s reasonable to share your bank account information when you’re signing up for direct deposit of your paycheck with your new job. Direct deposit makes getting paid so much easier, especially when you work at home. Otherwise, you have to wait for your check to come through the mail.

But an employer who is interested in your bank account information before you’re even hired is more likely to be a problem. If they’re more interested in your bank account information than your qualifications for the job, it’s probably a scam.

Don’t share your bank information until you are confident that the job is the real thing. This isn’t always easy to figure out, but pay attention to what your potential employer is saying and doing to figure out if they’re real. A real job will probably have you fill out tax forms and other paperwork relating to your new job along with a direct deposit form.

Email Address Isn’t From the Company Domain

Many popular work at home companies now have warnings on their websites about scammers pretending to be with them. One of the simplest ways to recognize this scam is when they use an email address from someplace other than that company’s domain name. Usually, it’s a free email service such as Yahoo or Gmail. Others will register a similar domain and try to fool you with emails from that server.

If you think you’re in contact with a company about a job, but you aren’t certain, check the email address you’re communicating to them with. If it’s not clear that they’re legitimate, contact the company on your own, through a source you know is legitimate. A contact link or form on their website would be a good choice once you know you have the right website. These companies would rather you contact them and ask, right or wrong. Both of you will be happier knowing that you aren’t going to be scammed and blame the wrong people because the scammers fooled you. No business appreciates getting negative reviews for things that aren’t their fault.

Pay Is Too High For the Work

Being overpaid sounds so nice, but it doesn’t happen for most of us, especially for the kinds of jobs offered in “easy work at home” scams. They’re often oddly simple sounding jobs claiming to pay thousands of dollars a month, or hundreds for a basic task.

It’s just not realistic. No matter how desperate you are to earn money from home, be realistic, especially about earnings. It will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

Any time a job offer or business opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If the work is too easy and/or the pay is too high, be careful. There’s likely a reason you feel that way.

The use of all capital letters or lots of dollar signs or exclamation points are indicators of a scam as well. Real job listings don’t need them.

They Want You to Pay

Be extra careful any time a potential employer wants you to pay for anything as a part of applying for that job. Sometimes it’s legitimate. There are employers who expect you to pay for a background check and are legitimate.

Others are just a scam. They’ll have an application fee or something along those lines, with the excuse that they need to make sure you are seriously interested in the job. An employer should pay you, and the costs associated with finding new employees should be on them, not on applicants.

They Send You a Check to Buy Your Own Equipment

Some of the best remote jobs provide you with equipment. This ensures that your employer knows that you have the tools required for the job, just as you would in the office.

Some scammers take advantage of this by saying that they will send you a check to buy your own equipment, often through a supplier that they specify. And here comes trouble!

The scammer sends you a fraudulent check, money order, or cashier’s check. Many of these are so well done that banks rarely spot they right away. That’s what gives this scam time to work.

You are told to deposit the check and buy equipment from their provider. The catch is that the money from the check may appear before the check is fully cleared, and be found fraudulent later.

In the meantime, you are told to buy your equipment through their provider, paying through Cash App, Zelle, Paypal, or similar. You believe you’ve got the money, so you’re happy to do so.

Then the check fails to clear. You’re out however much they had you spend on the “equipment,” which of course never arrives. The company they told you to buy from isn’t real – and you just sent money to the scammer. Worse, with the app they had you pay through, you most likely have no recourse to get your money back. You’re out hundreds or thousands of dollars.

A Guide To Common Types of Work at Home Scams

Work at home scams go beyond fraudulent job listings. These are some common scams you can learn to recognize without contacting them for more information.

High Priced Training for Business Opportunity

Starting a business isn’t always easy, so it sounds nice when they offer training to help you get started. The problem is that sometimes the training is expensive, not that helpful, and the money people earn from referring others to training may be the main way they earn from that business opportunity.

Check Cashing/Money Orders

Check cashing and money order scams prey on your greed. Sometimes the check or money order arrives unsolicited, with instructions to do a “mystery shop” with it, cashing the check, keeping part, and wiring the rest to the company scammer.

The catch here is that the check or money order is fraudulent, and suddenly you are on the hook for the entire amount. You may even be in legal trouble if there is any indication you knew it was fraudulent.

Don’t let greed beat out common sense. There is no place that it makes sense for someone to send you possibly thousands of dollars as a money order to cash, have you keep a couple hundred and wire the rest back to them. If they really needed to mystery shop a place that way, a much smaller amount would do, and they’d work with a standard mystery shopping company.

If you receive one of these checks or money orders, do not cash it. Take it to your bank or the police and explain your concerns. Sometimes even banks will be fooled for a short time, but if you cash it, you’re liable for it. You don’t need that trouble in your life. It’s much better to give it to the professionals who can use it for evidence against those who tried to fool you.

Typing/Data Entry Scams

Doing data entry from home sounds so easy, and sometimes you’ll see an ad promising great pay for it. The problem is that it’s too easy. Most times I see real data entry jobs, they’re in an office, not at home. After all, if it were already in the computer, they wouldn’t need you to type it in, would they?

If you want to type from home, learn how to do transcription – there are more jobs in that area, although you will be competing with voice recognition software. The software isn’t good enough yet to entirely beat humans out, so there are still jobs out there.

Most often, these opportunities are some sort of ad posting. You don’t have a job; rather, you’re trying to earn affiliate commissions by placing ads on websites. You’ll have to pay to find that part out, of course.

Job Boards With a Fee

Many online job boards, such as the one I run here, are free for job seekers to use. Others charge a fee. There can be very good reasons to pay a fee, but make sure you know what you’re getting into. Some of them don’t give you anything worthwhile. Do your research before paying for any job board. You want to know what their refund policy is in case you aren’t satisfied even if it looked good from the outside.

Reshipping

The reshipping scam has been around for a while. Basically, they tell you that you will receive packages from sellers that need to be repackaged correctly to be shipped elsewhere.

What’s really happening is that they’re paying with stolen credit cards and such. When the fraudulent payments are discovered, it’s your address investigators will come to. That’s not something you want to get mixed up in, as it can mean jail time.

Envelope Stuffing

Here’s a scam that predates the internet. Someone advertises that you can make money stuffing envelopes, just send them a few bucks and they’ll tell you how.

Want to know how? You do the same to the next suckers down the line. No product, just tell people how to advertise this exact same opportunity. It’s not legal.

Email Processing

Email processing is essentially the same as envelope stuffing, just done online. You place ads telling people they can make money online, just buy your system. You send them the instructions on how to do the same thing you’re doing. Just as with envelope stuffing, this is not legal.

At Home Assembly

When you love to do crafts, assembling items at home can sound appealing. 99 times out of 100, it’s a scam. You’d probably be better off taking a chance on starting a business selling things you made yourself than trying to assemble things at home for someone else.

Usually, you’re expected to pay for supplies, then get paid when your work is up to their standards. It won’t happen.

Pyramid Schemes

Pyramid schemes have been around for a long time. They come in many forms, and not all of them involve money directly. Most recently, I saw one that was about sending books to each other – each person would send books to those above, and recruit others to send books to them, who would recruit others, on down the line. It doesn’t matter what is being sent through the pyramid; the point is that pyramid schemes are illegal.

Sometimes these are hard to spot, and you will always see participants claiming that their version is legal. If it’s a pyramid scheme, it isn’t legal.

Job Offer Out of the Blue

Some companies will contact people completely out of the blue with an apparent job offer. This one often goes with a check cashing or money order scam but may be something else as well.

Seriously, unless you have some serious skills for one job or another, companies aren’t likely to seek you out. That’s especially true for jobs such as mystery shopping, where they can find candidates with relative ease because the basic requirements are low. If you aren’t doing the kind of work where companies use headhunters to find new employees, it’s extremely unlikely that a potential employer has picked you out of nowhere. Be wary.

That doesn’t mean you’re immune if you have better skills. It’s easy for scammers to imitate any kind of job offer. Know who you’re really dealing with when you get a job offer so you have a good chance of getting paid.

Medical Coding and Billing

Medical coding and billing is one of those tricky ones. There are legitimate ways to learn medical coding and billing from home – Career Step (aff) is one of them. It’s not cheap to learn from legitimate sources, which can make scams look appealing.

Medical billing scams will claim to offer you training and resources to help you and may give you a list of doctors who might need your services. The problem here is that most doctors and hospitals have their billing and coding done through a service. If you’re highly experienced, you might be able to find clients on your own. But training on your own with poor quality resources? No.

Even if you go through a good quality training program, most times you won’t be able to do medical billing and coding at home until you have a least 2-5 years of experience in an office. It’s not that easy a job, and you’re usually best off learning it with more experienced people around you so you can ask questions.

Turnkey Websites

If a business opportunity comes to your attention claiming to offer you a turnkey website, be very aware of the chances of a scam. It’s very difficult to make money off a turnkey website – they’re competing against other identical sites, and so don’t tend to get natural traffic. Income potential is often greatly exaggerated.

There are times when a company website makes sense. It’s not uncommon for network marketing opportunities to include a website, but you’re sending people to it through your own marketing efforts, which are often more local. If they’ve been at all honest with you, you should know what you can and cannot expect from your company website.

They Don’t Care About Your Qualifications

Any job that doesn’t care about your qualifications is likely to be a scam. Even jobs that don’t need experience want to know if you have had other jobs, if you’ve volunteered, what your education is, and so forth. They want to know what kind of an employee you might be.

You should also expect an interview where they’re very interested in your answers to some challenging questions. Anyone who has worked an entry level job can tell you that they want to talk to you for a while first. The job offer does not come just based on your resume. Employers want to know something about the person they might hire by interacting with them. It may be only a phone call for a home based job, but there should be some kind of serious interview.

Ask Around

When in doubt about any work at home opportunity, ask around about it. Don’t rely on the people you heard about it from, find other people to talk to. This can be as simple as asking a family member what they think or talking to a friend.

You can also discuss the opportunity on a work at home website. Many are good at spotting scams or at least telling you if it looks a little iffy.

Google can be useful, but it won’t always give useful answers. There are people who promote opportunities by targeting the name of the opportunity plus the word “review” or “scam.” It’s not always easy to sort out legitimate reviews from reviews done by people who have a financial stake in it and no problem with lying. I do not mean that all affiliate reviews or sponsored reviews are bad. It’s just that some people aren’t all that concerned with keeping a reputation for honesty and will be positive about anything.

Even though work at home scams are plentiful, there are real jobs and home business opportunities out there for you to consider. Use caution and don’t share your most important personal information until you are certain it’s safe. This includes your social security number and bank account information. Any other information you can protect is good, but those two are the most important.

Know Your Keywords

The right keywords are vital to any job search. “Work at home” is not an ideal keyword. While many legitimate jobs use it, it’s commonly used by scams as well.

I find “remote” to be an often useful keyword, although it can mean something other than a job you can do at home. Some companies use it to mean you won’t be in their main office, but you may be in a smaller one. I’ve also seen it used for jobs where you would be sent to work in another country. Remote indeed!

“Telecommute” and “telework” are also useful. Sometimes these mean that you will work in the office part of the time, but many are fully at home. Freelance can be good if you don’t mind taking on projects rather than getting a regular job with an employer. With any job search keyword, beware of scams, as they can hide anywhere.

Narrow your results down by including the kind of job title you’re looking for or a skill you have. The more specific you are, the better your search results will be. I have far too many people email me asking how to get a work at home job who have no idea what kind of job they want. It’s hard to give advice to someone who hasn’t thought their search through even that much. It also won’t impress a potential employer if you apply to jobs you aren’t remotely qualified for.

If You Get Scammed…

Beware scams targeting people who have just been scammed. Yes, it’s a thing. Scammers are awful.

It’s called a refund and recovery scam. The scammer finds you on a “sucker list” and contacts you with an offer to help you get your money back. For a fee, of course. Alternatively, they’ll ask for your bank information so that they can direct deposit your money. They make themselves sound official and reliable as they make their pitch.

Don’t fall for it.

Any time you think you have been scammed, report it at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/. You can try your local police as well, but as most scams are done online, it can be difficult for them to do much. The FTC partners with other law enforcement agencies, so reporting to them is your best bet.

The post The Work at Home Job Seeker’s Guide to Scams appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

COVID-19 caused a lot of changes in the workspace over the past few years, especially when it comes to remote work. Many companies had no choice but to allow employees who didn’t absolutely need to be physically present in the office to work from home. While this is something I have long believed more employers should do, many were unsure that remote work would really work for employers.

Spotify has found it works for them. Really, really well.

Spotify started its Work From Anywhere (WFA) program on February 12, 2021. With this program, employees could choose to live just about anywhere – so long as Spotify has operations in that country. Employees can work from home, in a coworking space, or even (gasp) go into the office sometimes.

The effect this had has been dramatic. Attrition has dropped 15%. Employee diversity has increased. And Spotify intends to keep this policy in place, unlike companies that have decided to bring remote employees back into the office as pandemic fears have eased.

Is It Really That Simple?

Declaring that WFA has been a major success for Spotify may gloss over some of the challenges they have faced. In their HR Blog, they note that the challenges they have faced include maintaining a sense of community for their employees. It is somewhat more difficult for employees to connect when they aren’t physically together, after all.

They are facing this challenge by paying attention to what employees need. Spotify has both a Diversity Inclusion & Belonging (DIB) team and a Community Experience (Cx) team to help build connections and bring a sense of fun to working for Spotify. They understand that there’s more to running a business than being efficient. When your employees never have fun at work, they’re more likely to burn out or look for a different job.

These are things many other employers can do. I’ve seen remote job listings where companies have the whole company go on annual retreats together – in fact, my sister has worked as a software developer for such companies. It’s a great way for employees to get to know each other.

A grand vacation, of course, isn’t the only way for employees to get to know each other. It may even be difficult for some employees to go on such trips due to personal obligations, whether that be children or other issues.

That’s where adding a bit of play into the job helps. Don’t keep everything employees do so utterly serious. With tools such as Slack to keep employees in contact, you also have a way to encourage a little fun, send the occasional (work appropriate) meme, and so forth.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Remote Work For Employers?

Remote work does have its challenges, of course. Not every company is going to delight in giving their employees so much freedom, even if the job is otherwise suited to remote work.

For that matter, not all employees love remote work. Some would much prefer to be in the office. But here I’m focusing on what remote work means for employers. I’ve written plenty of times about remote work challenges for employees.

Forcing remote work can alienate employees who don’t want to be remote. Going back to my sister’s example, there was a time when she hated working remote. She changed jobs just so she could go back to the office. She had to go remote during COVID and now loves working from home, which just goes to show how people can change through the years. 

It may also be more difficult to integrate new employees into the team. That in-person time at the office has helped many people get to know the new person at work and see what they can do

Training may also be more difficult. My husband’s job went remote, and one thing he has noticed is that the employees who were trained remotely have had a harder time learning the job. In the office, trainees could hear more experienced coworkers handle calls with clients. They could pick up tips that hadn’t made it into the training. In their own homes, they don’t get that.

How Can Employers Know When Remote Is The Right Choice For Them?

Deciding whether or not to allow remote work will vary from employer to employer. Many factors go into this decision.

Employee productivity will likely be a key part of this decision. There are reports that employees are more productive working remotely. Many employees agree.

The ability to collaborate is another important issue. There are a number of tools that encourage remote collaboration, including Slack, Zoom, Trello, InVision, GitHub, and Zapier. These tools make collaboration possible no matter where employees are.

What employers fear, however, is that employees will be less creative with remote work. Many doubt that online collaboration tools are effective team brainstorming tools. This obviously depends on how the team uses these tools. Some find it easier to get everyone’s input this way. Others find it more difficult.

The ability to work remotely is a benefit that many potential employees look for, and this is something else that employers should consider. It’s a tool for attracting better employees. People love the work-life balance they can have working from home. The savings on gas and lack of commute is great as well. Employers may need to provide equipment for remote workers to use at home, but they’d have to do that for in-office employees as well. 

Overall, employers need to look at what it is they want from their employees, and if encouraging remote work is the right way to get it. It won’t be the right decision for every company, but it will be a great solution for many.

The post Does Remote Work Really Work For Employers? Spotify Thinks It Does appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

One of the great things about having a work at home job or a home business is that you might have a lot of flexibility in where you work. It’s not necessarily all at home, depending on the kind of work you do. Sure, if you need a wired phone and internet connection you’ll be limited in where you work, but in many other cases, where you work is up to you. Here are some of the many places you can work when you work at home.

1. Home Office

A properly set up home office is the best option when you can get it, even if you don’t want to be stuck in it all the time. It’s a place for all your work stuff. If you can close the door for privacy while you work, so much the better.

Your home office should have great internet connectivity, power, a setup you like, a good office chair and desk, and whatever else you need. You don’t have to worry about the space being taken over by someone else. If other people are too noisy, you can tell them you need quiet. They’re family or friends, after all. You can ask them to respect your work hours.

You may be able to take the home office deduction on your taxes if you maintain and use your home office. Check with your tax professional to see if your space qualifies.

Disadvantages

Isolation. If you want to be around other people sometimes, your home office can be very isolating.

If you have kids, it can also be a very frustrating place for them to have you work. They’ll get bored and want your attention, especially if they’re young.

2. Bedroom

Your bedroom is one of the other places to work at home when you need to close a door. It’s not ideal for most people, but it’s a possible solution. Hopefully you have the space to set up a desk and chair, rather than having to sit on the bed to work.

Disadvantages

It’s your bedroom. Some people find it very difficult to use their bedroom as an office. It makes it too easy to think about work when you should be sleeping.

3. Living Room/Elsewhere In The Home

Lots of people who work at home will work in shared spaces around the house, such as the living room. Sometimes you want to be a part of things; other times it’s because you have no better space available. Your productivity may take a hit, but at least you can work.

Disadvantages

It’s very difficult to get away from the noise of everyday life in the home if you’re in the same space as everyone else. It’s distracting.

You also may not be able to have a permanent home office setup, especially if you use the kitchen table. This isn’t so bad if you’re working strictly on a laptop, tablet or phone, but it’s more problematic if you need to use a desktop computer for your work.

4. Backyard

You get a beautiful, sunny, but not too hot day, and it will be tempting to work in your backyard. Fresh air, sunshine, and the feeling that you really are living the work at home dream. It’s a nice break from being indoors all the time.

If you have kids, it’s a chance to work where they’re playing. Don’t let them distract you too much, but enjoy the ability to all be together even when you’re earning a living.

Disadvantages

Patio furniture may not be as comfortable as what you have indoors. Your access to power may be limited. How good is the wifi in your yard? Hopefully it’s good enough.

If you have kids, they’re probably going to be noisy out there with you, and want you to join in the fun. Being productive can be a little more difficult.

5. Coffee Shop

Here’s the traditional office away from home office of the home based worker. Coffee shops have long been popular with people who work at home but aren’t limited to working specifically at home.

There are advantages to working at a coffee shop, such as snacks, drinks, and free wifi. Many coffee shops try to be comfortable for remote workers.

Disadvantages

Those snacks probably aren’t all that healthy. You might spend more than you should. The menu looks so good.

Coffee shops can also be noisy, as others come and go, and the employees call out orders. They often have music, which may be too loud for your tastes.

Employees won’t appreciate it if you take up a table for too long, especially if the other tables are all full. Pay attention to the crowds and try not to hog the space if the shop is busy.

6. Fast Food Restaurants

Like coffee shops, many fast food restaurants offer free wifi. So long as you don’t take up a table too long when all the others are full, most don’t mind if you work while enjoying your order.

Go to a fast food restaurant that features a playground if you have kids. They can play; you can work. The air conditioning isn’t too bad at most, so those days when the weather is too hot, cold or damp for them to play outside, you can still give them playtime.

Disadvantages

Fast food restaurants are usually noisy, especially if they have playgrounds. You may also need to fight the urge to get yet another snack as you work, even though the food is rarely all that good for you.

7. Beach

The beach is another of those dream places to work. Out in the sun and sand, it’s almost like a vacation while you work. Pick the right day, and it’s beautiful and warm.

Disadvantages

There are no power outlets on the beach. Your internet connection depends on how good service is in the area, and probably depends on your cell phone provider.

Sand gets into everything. If you aren’t careful, that includes your laptop.

You can’t do all of the fun things you can do other times at the beach. You’ll get some sun, but you can’t work all that hard on a tan. You probably won’t want to leave your equipment alone to take a dip in the water either.

8. Park

The park is a good place to work when you want to get out of the house or if the kids need to get out and run. You’ll get fresh air and you can often find a bench or table to work at. If the park tends to be crowded, bring your own seating, and you’ll be fine.

Disadvantages

No power, and many don’t offer wifi. You have to provide your own internet connection.

Parks can be noisy, even if you go on your own. Kids play, dogs bark, and people walk by all the time. You can’t always find a quiet spot to work.

9. Coworking Space

A coworking space is a good way to get the advantages of a large office while working on your own terms. It should provide everything you need to have a productive day – wifi, phones, desk, printers, copiers and so forth. A good coworking space will have everything you need.

There will also be other people around, which can give you some camaraderie with the other people who use the space. You get people to talk to, so you’re less isolated.

Disadvantages

Cost. If you’re paying for it yourself, a coworking space can be on the pricey side. Some employers pay for coworking spaces for work at home employees if they want one, but it’s not a very common benefit.

10. Library

The library can be an excellent place to work. You may not even need to bring your own computer, although if you have any privacy concerns, you probably should. Most libraries offer free wifi. The air conditioning can be pretty good too. Unlike coffee shops, they rarely care how long you stay during business hours, aside from any time limits on library computers.

Libraries may also offer other services, such as copy machines or a fax machine. If you need these services , it’s nice to have them right there.

Disadvantages

Libraries are thought of as being quiet places to work, but that’s not always true. Kids sometimes get noisy in there, as do other patrons.

Library hours can be very limiting. The one in my area, for example, is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you want to work outside those hours, the library isn’t for you.

In general, you should think carefully about where you work outside your home office. It’s nice to get away sometimes, get a little time around other people, but pay attention to what it does to your productivity. It might help, but it might not. Try working other places if your work permits it, but if you’re less productive, it’s probably not the right choice for you. You might be surprised at what works for you.

The post 10 Places You Can Work When You Work At Home appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

I get a lot of people asking me how to get started working from home. They know they want to work at home, but have no clue where or how to start looking, even after finding this site. Sometimes they don’t have the foggiest notion of what kind of work they want to do from home.

Saying that you want to get started working from home is really vague. People who ask that and give no further information can be difficult to help sometimes. They have no idea what they want to do and expect me to come up with the right job without knowing anything about their skills or interests.

When I have very little information, I usually give very basic answers. Sometimes that’s all that is needed anyhow. If you’re wondering where the work at home job leads are, take a look at the Work at Home Jobs section of this website.

Ah, but that’s not terribly helpful to those who really don’t know what they want to do. How do you get to the point where you can start looking for a particular work at home job?

Look At Your Expectations Before You Get Started Working From Home

Despite the myths, working at home isn’t easy. So many people just want to be pointed in the right direction and have it handed to them, and that’s just not going to happen. When you want something in life you can’t sit around waiting for it to happen. You have to do what it takes to get started working from home.

Expect to have to work at looking for a job. You probably wouldn’t get the first outside the home job you apply for, so why should you expect that for a work at home job?

Don’t assume that you’ll be making big bucks from a work at home job. That’s one of the big reasons people get scammed so easily. Visions of easy money make people lose all common sense. Many work at home jobs don’t pay spectacularly well unless it’s a more in demand and hard to find skill. And most home businesses can take anywhere from months to years to become profitable, IF they ever do… no matter what the hype says.

What Do You Want To Do?

Just as in looking for an outside the home job, it really helps to know what kind of work at home job you’re looking for. What are you qualified for? Do you have any relevant experience?

It’s all well and good to say, “Well, I’d like to do customer service, or maybe data entry or even assemble stuff from home, just so long as I get paid.” That is, if you want to fail.

Don’t be vague. And don’t just think about the classic work at home jobs. There are a lot more possibilities out there.

Software developers work at home. Graphic designers work at home. Medical coders work at home. There are many work at home jobs that require significant education and experience.

Really Look At Your Experience.

It’s extra hard landing a work at home job if you lack experience. There’s rarely any face to face training unless the company has strict location requirements.

Experience always helps. It doesn’t matter what kind of job you’re looking for. Employers love experience. This doesn’t mean you have to have experience before you can work from home, but it’s a help.

You don’t necessarily need the exact job title as the one you’re going for. Some companies get very creative with their job titles. Other jobs have a number of common variations.

Work On Your Resume.

The best work at home resumes are targeted to the individual job, not just a generic resume for a particular field. But you should have one that is generally targeted toward what you’re seeking so that it doesn’t take too long to customize it for each application. You want to target it to each individual employer’s needs.

If you’re considering two or more very distinct types of jobs to do from home, create a resume based around each. A software developer who would also consider working as a technical writer at home will need a different resume for each of those, to emphasize the very different skills those two jobs require.

Work On Your Cover Letter.

You may not always need one, but it’s good to have a cover letter available as a way to introduce yourself when possible. Don’t talk about wanting to work at home for more time with your family and that kind of stuff; it’s not relevant to potential employers, any more than saying you want to work to support your family would be for applying to an outside the home job.

Just as with your resume, have a generic one you can customize as needed.

Put A Salt Shaker On Your Desk.

No, you don’t have to do this literally. But when you’re about to start looking at work at home opportunities, you need to be prepared to take things with a grain of salt and a whole lot of skepticism. Probably go through the entire shaker pretty fast.

Work at home scams outnumber legitimate opportunities by far. I try to keep things clean here, but I can’t promise to get it perfect. And if you’re searching around and about the internet, you’re probably going to run into a lot of scams.

When in doubt, start by reading the job ad carefully. Does it sound too good to be true? That’s a red flag. Does the visible contact information match up with the actual employer? Some scams use a real employer’s name to fool you but have a Gmail or other email address for the contact. Be careful out there.

Start Looking.

With a good notion of the kind of job you’re looking for, it’s time to quit preparing and start looking. You’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t take action. This is the most important step to successfully get started working from home.

Don’t pay to apply for a work at home job. Very few legitimate companies charge applicants for a background check – only consider these companies if you really think you’re a good match and can risk the cost of the background check.

Once you’re applying, it can be quite the waiting game. It is not at all uncommon for work at home job hunts to take months, sometimes over a year. I’m not going to promise you an easy time finding a job. Lots of other people probably want the same jobs you do, and you can’t all have them.

It can pay off to apply to some employers every few months. Don’t overdo it or you’ll be an annoyance, but a time can come when sending in a fresh application is the right move.

Finally, if your family is desperate for money, do consider an outside the home job if that’s what you need to keep financially afloat. I see too many people saying they need a work at home job desperately so they can pay their bills. If that’s you, consider finding an outside the home job while you hunt for work at home.

You may have to work at night if you’re married and can’t afford childcare. You may have to find a friend to trade childcare with if you don’t have any way to pay for childcare and no one else to help you.

If you need income be realistic about it and remember that you can find work at home later, without such extreme financial pressure. Desperation means you’re more likely to make stupid mistakes.

You May Also Want To Read

• The Big List Of Remote Jobs With Benefits
• Why “Easy Work At Home” Is The Wrong Choice For Your Job Search
• How To Find Remote Entry Level Jobs

The post How Do You Get Started Working From Home? appeared first on Home with the Kids Blog.

Medical coding is one of those jobs that many people would love to do from home. It’s not easy to get into, however. Worse, there are scams out there aimed at people who want to do medical coding from home and just need a little help getting started. With the right training and experience, it is possible to get into medical coding at home.

Find a Medical Coding School

The first thing you need to do is find a reputable medical coding school. Don’t fall for promises of quick training and an easy path to a job. There are scams out there. Research any schools you’re considering. I suggest looking at schools approved by AHIMA. They have approved several online and local programs for you to consider.

For online courses, I recommend Career Step. I’ve recommended them for years for medical transcription training, but they also offer training in medical coding, as well as other programs. You can complete the course at home on your own schedule – just be aware that your initial enrollment lasts one year. Their program can be completed in as little as 4 months, but needing 8 months is not uncommon. They are on AHIMA’s list.

What Medical Coding Certifications Are Available?

There are several medical coding certifications available. Many employers will require specific certifications, while others are more flexible. Getting at least one certification can be a help in finding medical coding jobs. They are not required by all employers, but they qualify you for jobs you might not have qualified for otherwise.

You become certified by taking a test to show you are competent as a medical coder at the level required. AHIMA and AAPC offer certifications for medical coders. Qualification to test for a certification depends on a combination of training and experience.

You do not need every certification. As your career goes, figure out which ones will give you the most opportunities and ignore the rest. You will probably want one of the basic certifications, such as a CCA, but you do not have to get any if you find a job that doesn’t require them.

Certifications

CCA (Certified Coding Associate) – CCA is a coding certificate suitable for new medical coders. It’s a two hour test, and you may be able to pass it right after you finish your training. It is offered by AHIMA.

CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) – The CCS certification is offered by AHIMA and is for coders with some experience. Usually, you need at least of coding experience after your training to get this certification. If you don’t get your CCA or similar credential, you will need at least two years of coding experience to qualify. Having a RHIA, RHIT or CCS-P also qualifies you.

CCS-P (Certified Coding Specialist – Physician Based) – The CCP-P credential is for coders who work in physician based settings, such as physician offices or specialty centers. This certification is for those who have mastered their coding skills, not for those who have just begun.

CPC (Certified Professional Coder) – The CPC certification is offered by AAPC. The AAPC says it is the most recognized medical coding certification in the industry. The full certification requires two years of coding experience, but there is an Apprentice level for those without sufficient experience. The exam takes 5 hours, 40 minutes.

RHIT® (Registered Health Information Technician) – A RHIT certificate (offered by AHIMA) is available for those who have completed a HIM program at an associate’s level. This certificate may be useful for medical coders or cancer registrars.

RHIA® (Registered Health Information Administrator) – A RHIA certificate (offered by AHIMA) has more rigorous academic requirements, requiring either baccalaureate level or master’s level completion of a HIM program. I’ve seen many medical coding jobs list a RHIA or RHIT as a qualification, even though they aren’t specific to medical coding.

The possible certifications go on. If you want to specialize in outpatient coding, you might want to get a COC. A CIC would be useful if you specialize in inpatient facilities. The certifications go on for the different specialties as you go through your career.

What Does Medical Coding Pay?

According to the AAPC, medical coding pays an average of $52,411 per year.

When you look more closely at the numbers, you can see why being certified helps. That average pay rate drops to about $45,035 per year for medical coders without certification. It goes up to $51,477 for coders with one certification and goes higher for some certifications.

Pay also varies by region. This is likely related to the cost of living in different places.

Naturally, you won’t earn the average amount right away. Pay is often hourly or based on productivity, and you will likely need to improve your skills to earn more money.

Be Ready To Specialize

Many medical coders specialize. It makes it easier to get a job within your specialty and can make you more productive. The most commonly used codes for your specialty will be familiar.

Specialties may include inpatient or outpatient coding, emergency room coding, obstetrics and so forth. You may find that you land in a specialty simply because that’s the job you found which hired you.

Working in a specialty will open up some jobs to you. Many medical coding jobs require that you have experience in a particular specialty. Sometimes these positions will pay more; other times the pay will be about the same.

Don’t Assume Your First Medical Coding Job Will Be at Home

You’ve done all this with the intention of working at home, but now all the work at home medical billing jobs you can find require 2-3 years of experience, or even more. It’s frustrating.

There’s a simple reason for this. Medical coding requires a great deal of accuracy, and few employers are willing to take a chance on somebody entirely inexperienced working at home. They want to know that you can do the job with minimal supervision and assistance. Experience is the easiest way to prove that you can do the job.

Don’t give up on the idea of being a remote medical coder. If the training is good enough, you might land that remote job as your first. Just don’t limit yourself to the home based jobs when you don’t have experience. Career Step has a list of employers who have hired their graduates, which is a great place to start.

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