While stepping outside of your comfort zone to take some chances is important, this does not mean you should take careless chances. You will want to avoid becoming a victim of a con artist; therefore, by taking chances, this does not mean taking the first or even hundredth opportunity that comes your way.
Reducing your Risk of becoming a Scam Victim
Unfortunately, with the rise in interest of working from home, the risk of becoming a victim increases. Scam artists know exactly how to reel you in. They not only know what type of job opportunity you will be looking for, they also know exactly what precautions you will be taking to protect yourself. This makes it almost impossible to trust online jobs that are listed on the Internet under the traditional keywords, such as: home based business, online jobs, working from home, etc. The minute you type these keywords in, you risk becoming a victim.
What can you do? How can you protect yourself? Basically, you will have to do some serious research on the company that is offering the online opportunity. Find out the address of the company, check reviews online, and contact the Better Business Bureau. This is a good start, but will not be enough. If they do not have a phone number so that you can contact them, this is a good indicator that you should move on to the next opportunity. While there are definitely online jobs available that are truly legitimate, it is sometimes just too hard to tell if the opportunity is real.
One other thing to look for that should turn you away immediately is if they ask for your personal bank account information. They will tell you that this is the only way they can pay you. Do not fall for this. A legitimate company will offer other forms of payment because they understand your skepticism. They should also never ask you to pay any fee for working for them.
Where to Find Online Jobs
There are different places you can go to find online jobs. You don't have to rely on the companies that are listed when you do a search. In fact, doing an Internet search is not your best avenue for finding a long term job online.
Job Search Sites
With these sites, you will not be searching for job opportunities. Many of the job opportunities you find doing an Internet search will also show up on these sites. What you need to do is post your resume to as many of these sites as you can. Many times, companies will not post jobs because they do not want to sift through hundreds of resumes. Instead, they will search for resumes that match their job requirements for an at home position. You will still want to do your research on the company; however, these opportunities are more likely to be legit, as well as more likely to be long term.
Freelance Work
Another excellent place to find jobs online is a freelance website. While these jobs are more likely to be on a per project basis, they could be your opportunity to work for a reputable company long term. Many times, a company will go to these websites to test you to see if you can do the work they need. Signing up with these sites is free, generally. However, they will offer you membership options.
These sites have a variety of options for different types of jobs, such as: copywriting, accounting, computer techs, virtual assistants, and many more.
Other types of Online Jobs
You can find other jobs on the Internet. It is important to do your research on these companies. Some of the types of jobs you can find on the Internet are: Surveys, Data Entry, Affiliate Marketing, Network Marketing, etc.
Now is the time to act. Don't be afraid to take that first step. As long as you take the necessary steps to protect yourself, you can be a success at working from home.
