--- What can I do? ---

The best way to break into a telecommuting situation is to locate an office job that can be performed anywhere. This will help you develop a reputation as a self-motivated, reliable, professional worker. Information-based jobs with a minimum amount of required face-time are good prospects. Also, look for jobs that are physically portable---that is, whatever telecommuter needs to do job can be accessed over a phone line.

A few of job categories best suited for telecommuting include: Advertising & Marketing, Architectural and Computer Aided Design, Artists and Writers, Billing and Collections, Credit and Collections, Customer Service, Clerical and Secretarial, Data Entry and Transcription, Engineering, Photography, Programmers and Database Administrators, Sales, Telemarketers, Translators, and Web Designers and Developers.

--- How do I smell? ---

Whether you're face-to-face or over Internet, your cover letter and resume are essential. In fact, they're your only tools when locating and applying for jobs on Internet!

The cover letter can make or break possibility of getting a job. It gives employer an idea of what you can do for them and what you're looking for in an opportunity. Remember, what you want and what they offer have to match or you're out. Your objective is to find a job you want to do, not something you feel that you have to do.

Once they get past cover letter, they will usually read resume. Employers want to hire people who can do job. Make sure that your resume is complete and reflects your abilities to handle position. To enhance presentation, tailor resume to opportunity to show an employer what you know and what you can do. After all, you're going to get a job---it's just a question of which one.

--- Locating Opportunities ---

Locating a job is easy. Just go to one of thousands of sites that are out on Web and start looking. It should only take you about three or four years to search them all. I'm sure you have that much time!

The best way I've found to search for a job is to follow these steps:

- Make a task list that outlines your daily job-search activities.

- Find several well-known job sites and post your resume. Search lists of jobs and prepare site's job agents to help you locate various jobs.

- Keep track of all employers you contact, date of your contacts, people you talk/e-mail with, and special notes about contacts.

- Apply to multiple companies on a given job site to save time.

- Always have a resume and cover letter ready to upload whenever a lead comes your way.

- Follow-up leads immediately. If you find out about a job late in day, contact them right away.

- Tell everyone you know that you are looking for job. Stay in touch with friends and contacts. Follow-up new leads immediately.

* Search Sites

Keep in mind that many job sites replicate data from other sites. Some sites even post contents of USENET job groups on their sites as potential job opportunities. This leads to point that out of 1,000 jobs that you search on Web, more than half are duplicates copied from one or more other sites. The easiest way to search for a telecommuting opportunity is to stick to a few of primary search resources. The primary sites that I've found beneficial are shown in following list:

Well, simple steps I learned then are still working for me today, and I'd like to share them with you. Whether your goal is to lose ten pounds, or to retire ten years early, these basic principles can be applied to almost any life situation or challenge.

The first thing to do is to define goal -- in specific, measurable terms - and write it down. This helps you to clarify what your goal really is, and gives it some life.

So, for example, instead of just saying, "I'd like to retire early,' your goal should be stated as "I'd like to retire no later than year 2004." When leader of that workshop talked about this step, she said, "Having it written down allows you to stay focused, and to keep your eye on prize."