Incoming email:
I wondered if in your vast knowledge you would know of any honest, real work there is for stay at home moms? Not selling Avon or Herbalife, but actually taking advantage of my admin skills that I still possess. I worked for a Fortune 500 company before becoming a stay at home Mom, now I need to supplement our income and all I keep finding is scams left and right. Any ideas?
Thanks much.
Michelle
Boy, has Michelle got a lot of company. This has got to be one of the five most frequently asked questions. The good news is that yes, I have some ideas. But, the bad news is that they're not an easy 'one size fits all' type of solution.
Michelle has already framed the answer. She clearly doesn't want to do anything that is primarily sales (i.e. Avon or Herbalife) and that's understandable. Those are honest companies, but some people just aren't meant for sales. Just a different personality type. And Michelle is smart enough to avoid the scams (every time someone tells me they've been approached to stuff evelopes I cringe...).
The key is where Michelle says that she wants to 'take advantage of my admin skills that I still possess'. That's the key for anyone in Michelle's position. Evaluate the skills you have. Preferably something that requires skill, training and/or experience to master. Look for something that other people want. In Michelle's case it might be some specific part of her job (scheduling, proof reading, phone skills, etc) or the entire 'admin asst' package.
Once she has identified her skills, she can spend some time thinking of WHO can best use those skills. Specifically with Michelle working in a home environment. That might take some creative thinking. But some traditional 'office jobs' are becoming home jobs. Try to think like the employer. In one way it's a benefit for them when someone works at home. They don't have to provide office space. That's a big savings for them. So look for work that they can have done outside the office. If you find a way to help them make more money they WILL be interested.
The next step is to find companies that can use that skill. Don't limit yourself to large or small companies. Even though Michelle is used to working at a big company, she should consider how some of her skills might translate to a mom & pop business. Many of them are used to trying something new. Remember, that the worst that can happen is that you get turned down. No reason to avoid approaching them with the idea.
Michelle will also need to be creative in finding the right opportunity. It probably won't be advertised in the paper or on any of the job posting sites. In fact, there's a good chance that the people who hire her won't even know that they're looking for someone. At least, not until Michelle tells them about her idea how she can help them make more money! Yes, it will require some selling and Michelle doesn't like sales. But, it's different selling a product and selling yourself. Michelle has a product that she really believes in...herself!
Where can she find these companies? Try everything. From the phone book, to contacts in the community, to walking in on a potential employer. Talk up your idea for work to everyone who will listen. Even if you think that there's no way that they can help you. They might not be able to help. But, they might know someone who can.
It's also possible that Michelle will need more than one employer. She might need to work for two or three employers to get the hours/income that she wants.
Will it be easy to find honest, paying work? Probably not. But it is possible. More and more people are working remotely. Michelle's skill and willingness to search out a job can produce the results she wants. And, I for one, am betting that she'll succeed!
Keep on stretching those dollars!
Gary
