Finding work at home jobs can seem daunting at first, but when trying to make the shift to a work at home job, the first place to look is at your current career. Assess your skills, professional experience and current position. Are they transferable to the typical work at home jobs? Whether you want to be a telecommuter or independent contractor, these work at home jobs lend themselves well to a home office environment. But also check out these real-world examples of work-at-home moms.
When you're ready for the job hunt check out About.com's Work-at-Home Jobs Directory.
Writer/Editor
Writing is an extremely versatile career. There are countless types of writing jobs and most can be done as work at home jobs, both as a telecommuter and a freelancer.Call Center Agents
The number of work at home call center jobs in the U.S. is growing as more work at home agents set up their own virtual call centers. They may make outgoing or receive incoming calls in which they provide general customer service or technical support. Some home office requirements of call centers include a dedicated phone line and newer computer. Plus you'll need computer skills and customer service experience for this career. Beware, though, as this type of work becomes more popular, it is the focus of more work at home scams.Find a virtual call center job.
Nurse
All work at home moms probably feel like nurses at times, but, in fact, some WAHMs really are nurses. At first glance, nursing seems like hands-on profession not adaptable to telecommuting. But nursing can take many forms including a work at home nurse.Nurses working at home might do telephone triage, helping to assess patients' health concerns over the phone. Or, they might give more general health advice to callers. Nurses might also telecommute as disability case managers for insurance companies.
Advertising Copywriter
Though advertising copywriters can sometimes turn a regular office job into a work at home position, another route is to start a business as a freelance copywriter. Develop a portfolio of your work, and get your freelance copywriting career off the ground.Tutor
Turn your teaching experience into a tutoring business. But if you are working at home with your own children around, pay special attention to these tips for setting up a successful tutoring environment.Desktop Publisher
Desktop publishers take the concepts developed by graphic designers and, using specialized software, turn them into the actual products like newsletters, brochures, ads, posters, greeting cards or other projects. If you have experience in either desktop publishing or graphic design, this could be the work at home business for you.Transcriptionist
Both medical and legal fields use transciptionists. Typing is obviously a key skill. Transcriptionists are paid by the line typed or by the hour. Work at home transcriptionists are usually independent contractors. Medical transcriptionists convert doctors' dictated notes from each patients’ visit into typed medical records. Medical transcriptionists must complete a one-year diploma program.Information Technology
Information technology, much like writing, is a career path with a vast number of career options that with the right technology can work at home jobs. You can work as either a telecommuter or independent contractor.eBay Seller
On one level, selling stuff on eBay looks so easy. Put up a listing, and you automatically tap into a worldwide market of buyers. Of course, it's not that simple. You have to know what to sell and for how much. Then there's the ins and outs of creating electronic listings. And when it's all over you have to mail it to the buyer. But it's a work at home business and, for the most part, it's done on your schedule, making it ideal for work at home moms. Read Five "First Items" to Get You Started Selling.Web Designer
As with many technical jobs, telecommuting your existing job is an ideal way to work at home in web design. But if you're not that lucky, consider freelancing. One of the most common ways to break into this field as a freelancer is to create your own website, then volunteer to make sites for others. You'll build up a portfolio and word-of-mouth references. But you'll need the experience and equipment to get started, so previous professional experience in the field is extremely helpful.Disclaimer: Advertisements for work at home jobs or business opportunities placed on this page in the section labeled "Sponsored Links" or elsewhere are not necessarily legitimate. These ads are not screened my me but appear on the page due to having similar keywords to the text on the page. More on sponsored links to work-at-home jobs
