keyword includes any keyword that would apply to your field or any field of your choice.* Other Resources
An additional resource is USENET newsgroups. USENET provides 60,000 or more newsgroups that contain thousands of postings. Several groups contain important job postings that can potentially lead to a telecommuting contract opportunity. One of primary sites that provides a searchable front-end to USENET is Google (http://www.google.com).
Other useful tools for Web and newsgroup searches are WebFerret and NewsFerret by FerretSoft (http://www.ferretsoft.com). Another great tool is Copernic by Copernic Technologies (http://www.copernic.com/). These applications provide user-friendly front-ends and search several servers simultaneously from your local machine. I use these tools all time for job searches as well as research for my writing.
--- Make Yourself Known ---
Many employers search for potential employees on various job boards around Web. It's essential that you have an up-to-date resume posted at these sites so you can be found. Some of sites for successfully acquiring jobs through resume postings include:
- eWork --- http://www.ework.com - Dice --- http://www.dice.com - Guru.com --- http://www.guru.com - Headhunter.net --- http://www.headhunter.net - Net-Temps --- http://www.net-temps.com - Monster.com --- http://www.monster.com
It's also a good idea to create a Web site that shows your portfolio of work. Provide a couple of resumes targeting your desired jobs, a few samples of your work, and an explanation of type of job that interests you. Promote site and place URL in your e-mail signature so that prospective employers can locate site and get a glimpse of your abilities.
--- The Interview ---
One thing I always do before an interview is to learn as much as possible about company from their Web site. I learn about what they do and find out about their key players. If company doesn't have a Web site, they're probably not going to support telecommuting.
Another way to find out information is to do a Web search on various keywords associated with company. For instance, searching for their name, their product, or their industry topics will usually provide quite a bit of background.
Once you learn about them, prepare a small statement that summarizes company. Also, prepare some questions related to your target job. When you're asked if you have questions, state your summary to interviewer and flow into your first question. This let interviewer know that you took time to do research. Make sure that you ask for examples of what you'll be doing as well as information on benefits for telecommuters.
--- Landing a Job ---
Many potential employers will tell you that you'll have to spend time in their office. For most part, that's not entirely case. Realize that many companies are still in mode of having people in-house.
You don't have to accept every job that comes your way. For one, if you take on too many things, you'll never be able to finish anything to proper level of care required. Keep moving forward in your direction and your search. Just remember, you're looking for a telecommuting opportunity!
Edward B. Toupin is a freelance consultant, writer, and published author living in Las Vegas with his singer/actress wife. He currently handles technical writing tasks for various companies in New York, Chicago, and Denver as well as imagineers and markets feature-length screenpl