You’ve probably searched the internet in the hopes of working at home only to find yourself confused and lost not knowing what’s legitimate and what’s not. Typing “work at home” in Google will lead to pages and pages of results. So where do you start?
Understanding that working from home can come in various forms and educating yourself will help you avoid being scammed and finding the perfect fit. Knowledge of the three main criteria that working at home falls under will help guide you:
JOB
A work at home job is exactly like a brick and mortar job where you perform a set action and are paid a set amount except you are at home. For example: taking customer service calls for an infomercial product and you are paid x amount of money to conduct business with the customer. Generally there are set hours or you chose your own from what is available, follow a script or direct guideline your employer has set forth, and are paid on a set schedule.
BUSINESS
The most common forms of an at home business are MLMs (Multi-Level Marketing) companies. Some very recognizable names such as Avon, Mary Kay and Tupperware are all MLM companies that have been around for a long time and are very legit. Unfortunately, MLM has earned a very shady reputation but there are companies out there operating within guidelines established by the FTC and earning people a sizable income. With a home business: you set your own hours, establish your own clientèle and have control over how much or how little income you earn.
OPPORTUNITY
An opportunity is one that does not necessarily follow a set path. With an MLM there are many rules and restrictions that apply, whereas, an opportunity you have a little more leeway. An example of an opportunity is affiliate marketing. You could promote a product using Google AdWords, a free blog, your own site, a review site, etc. There are many different paths to take when promoting an opportunity but the choice is yours. As with a business, you are in control of how much or how little you work and/or earn.