Step Four: Submit a Quality Resume

“I want to work at home. I have a computer and can type.” Would you hire someone who sent you this? Probably not. Why? Well for one, there isn’t enough information to determine if this job applicant can do job. And two, job applicant hasn’t put forth a great deal of effort in getting job. I am surprised sometimes how informal people are when trying to find a work-at-home job. This sort of note would never be sent in a traditional job search but for some reason people do it all time in a work-at-home job search. The fact is that you must submit professional quality resumes and applications. Your written submission is first and only chance you have to make an impression. The competition for a work-at-home job will be fierce. You need to set your submission apart from rest. Here are some tips:

Learn about resumes and cover letters

Submit your resume to a person.

Follow directions indicated in job announcement.

Gear each resume to job you are applying to.

Step Five: Don’t Give Up

I believe everyone can work at home. But it’s not easy. It requires a great deal of effort and often a willingness to venture into something new. Many people give up too early or when effort becomes too much. If you have been looking for more than six months, you need to re-evaluate your efforts. Are you looking in right places? Are you willing to consider a variety of jobs? Have you been submitting quality resumes and applications? Have you been working on your goal on a regular basis for six months? (Wishing to work at home for six months isn’t same as actively looking for a job for six months).

You can turn your work-at-home dream into a reality. By following five steps above, you can bring yourself that much closer to finding a telecommuting job.

Leslie Truex, Work-At-Home Success, Jobs At Home. Leslie Truex has telecommuted for online companies as well as offline in the areas of education and social work. She is the author of Jobs At Home: A Complete Guide to Finding or Creating a Work-At-Home Job http://hop.clickbank.net/?jahna/wahsuccess

1. It has to be formal -- Not so. The value of a strategic plan for your small business is in putting ideas on paper, creating action steps that will get you where you want to go and implementing those action steps.

2. I'm too small -- Not so. Even a one-person business can benefit from a strategic plan. A strategic plan can help you make decisions about time management and budget. Use your strategic plan to help you determine whether to attend an event or advertise in a publication. It's a check and balance tool.

3. A strategic plan is like a ball and chain -- Not so. It's your plan. Too many business owners feel like once it's on paper, it can't be changed. Wrong! It should be an active document that gets reviewed and updated at least monthly, if not weekly. You're business owner, you wrote it, you know what's happening in your market -- adjust as necessary.