Working from home, in whatever career, business or job you choose, requires time, and generally at least some child free time. The most child friendly work from home business I can think of is family day care, where you look after other children in your own home. But even this requires time for paper work, doing the finances, planning activities, making meals, preparing and cleaning up the area you use with the children and attending meetings and training. Family Day Carers are regulated like any other children's service and must provide a professional level of care.
With a lot of other jobs, such as tutoring or running a party plan business, there are specific times, when you cannot do the job with young children there.
I came to the conclusion that within the first two years of your child's life, it is very difficult to set up any work from home opportunity without having some sort of outside care for your child, and as one of the major reasons for working from home, is to be there for the children, if they end up in day care anyway, isn't it defeating the point?
However, as the children get older, they benefit from external care. We used Occasional Care when our children were 2, for just one day a week to start with. Not much you might think, but it allowed me a few precious hours to concentrate on something other than children. I may not be making a fortune, but I could start to work towards it, and I had a mental break which refreshed me for the rest of the week. At 3 or 3 1/2 pre-school is available, and my personal feeling is that my children benefit hugely from attending pre-school, where they are exposed to a wide range of different activities we don't do at home, and they get the chance to socialise with other children and adults. My decision was that I could then work during those hours, but still be there each day to pick up my children and spend time with them. As we get to the school years, I still want to be able to do the same thing, but will have 5 part time days a week I can work in.
One other option is to share care with your partner. For example, I have a Saturday morning job teaching a pre-schoolers' sports class. I can do this, because the other half does not work on a Saturday, and will happily take care of the children. A friend who works for Tupperware, plans her parties of an evening, again so hubby can be with the kids. The only danger is maintaining the balance and not loosing too much precious time with your family.
I think the basic message is that you cannot expect to work around your children when they are very young, as you'll probably resort to television to claw back a few hours, and then you'll feel guilty, and won't enjoy that time. If you're lucky you have family who will support you, but if not, you need to work out how much time you need and want on your own, and when you feel your children will be ok with external care.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Work from Home - Training Courses
Design, build and present your own training course. Or beome a trainer for someone else's course.
Think what training courses you've been on in your career:
technical courses, programming courses, project management courses, management training, business knowledge courses, finance courses, time management courses, leadership training, public speaking courses, presentation skills training, budgeting and project planning, interviewing skills...
And that's just my list.
There are hundreds of different skills, both hard and soft skills that people need in business. As part of personal development, motivation and reward, companies provide training for individuals and often look to outside oraganisations to provide that training.
Individuals also might be looking for training, to build or improve skills in a particular area. Skills to help them find the next job. Skills to help them build a home business. Skills to help them build a website. Or just as a hobby.
Can you become a trainer? Or do you have a subject you could write your own training course in?
Have you done something you could teach others to do? Have you set up your own business, set up a B&B, published your own book online, built your own furniture, created a film?
Is there anything here you can turn into a training course?
Courses can be half a day or five full days. They can be in an office or at the trainer's premises.
Courses can be online, or delivered in person.
How does this fit with the children?
Development and sale of your course can be during school hours. If you intend delivering your own course, you may need some flexibility with child care arrangements, but it would be within your control.
Think what training courses you've been on in your career:
technical courses, programming courses, project management courses, management training, business knowledge courses, finance courses, time management courses, leadership training, public speaking courses, presentation skills training, budgeting and project planning, interviewing skills...
And that's just my list.
There are hundreds of different skills, both hard and soft skills that people need in business. As part of personal development, motivation and reward, companies provide training for individuals and often look to outside oraganisations to provide that training.
Individuals also might be looking for training, to build or improve skills in a particular area. Skills to help them find the next job. Skills to help them build a home business. Skills to help them build a website. Or just as a hobby.
Can you become a trainer? Or do you have a subject you could write your own training course in?
Have you done something you could teach others to do? Have you set up your own business, set up a B&B, published your own book online, built your own furniture, created a film?
Is there anything here you can turn into a training course?
Courses can be half a day or five full days. They can be in an office or at the trainer's premises.
Courses can be online, or delivered in person.
How does this fit with the children?
Development and sale of your course can be during school hours. If you intend delivering your own course, you may need some flexibility with child care arrangements, but it would be within your control.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Work from Home as a Writer
Writing from home could mean freelance writing for your local newspaper, or writing a book, or writing resumes for other people. It could mean writing technical documents for the IT company you used to work for, or training material on a subject you are an expert in.
It can also mean writing content on the web. This could be articles, Blog entries, or web site content. There is a huge demand for content, as a website's success depends on its content and links to it, which affect rankings in the search engines.
If you search on the internet for writing from home jobs, you will find a range of sites, where you can register as a writer and might be asked to bid on jobs, or sites where you get paid for the articles you write.
The amount you get paid varies hugely, and in some cases you have to pay a monthly fee to be able to see the listings of work available. I need to try some of these out to see if they are genuine.
Another way to earn money writing, is to write your own Blog and earn money through affiliate marketing.
Or, if you are good at the sales pitch, professional copywriters charge a decent fee for a marketing pitch. For example, if I were to write an eBook, I might hire someone to put together the sales page for me. They would know how to write it to appeal to the right audience, get people hooked and hopefully buy my book.
It can also mean writing content on the web. This could be articles, Blog entries, or web site content. There is a huge demand for content, as a website's success depends on its content and links to it, which affect rankings in the search engines.
If you search on the internet for writing from home jobs, you will find a range of sites, where you can register as a writer and might be asked to bid on jobs, or sites where you get paid for the articles you write.
The amount you get paid varies hugely, and in some cases you have to pay a monthly fee to be able to see the listings of work available. I need to try some of these out to see if they are genuine.
Another way to earn money writing, is to write your own Blog and earn money through affiliate marketing.
Or, if you are good at the sales pitch, professional copywriters charge a decent fee for a marketing pitch. For example, if I were to write an eBook, I might hire someone to put together the sales page for me. They would know how to write it to appeal to the right audience, get people hooked and hopefully buy my book.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Work from Home as a Photographer
If you are a professional photographer, or a decent photographer, with a love of pictures, you can make some money by sharing your pictures online.
Stock photography
Stock photography is photography of people, places, sights, ideas and events that can be used in marketing and design. A customer who uses a stock photo rather than hiring a photographer, saves time and money. The users of stock photography are publishers, advertising agencies, graphic artists, web designers, interior decor firms, corporate creative groups, and more.
Stock photos can be licensed for specific uses. The same image can be sold many times, because buyers usually don't get exclusive rights. Stock photography includes images of people, animals, objects, landscapes, buildings, concepts, and events that can be sold to and used by a wide variety of media outlets.
A few years ago a new type of stock photo agency emerged. These new image banks, known as 'microstock' sites, have allowed anyone from the amateur to the professional photographer to sell images easily. These sites take images from individual contributors, and the photographer gets a commission for each image sold. The microstock photography market was pioneered by iStockPhoto and followed by Dreamstime, Shutterstock, Fotolia, BigStockPhoto, and many others.
With microstock photography, the photographer loads up photos for free, and receives a commission each time their photo is downloaded. Earnings are obviously based on the popularity of your photos.
My view is that if you are a keen photographer and you are taking photos anyway, you may aswell give this a go, as the photos could be earning you ongoing money without any additonal effort.
Stock photography
Stock photography is photography of people, places, sights, ideas and events that can be used in marketing and design. A customer who uses a stock photo rather than hiring a photographer, saves time and money. The users of stock photography are publishers, advertising agencies, graphic artists, web designers, interior decor firms, corporate creative groups, and more.
Stock photos can be licensed for specific uses. The same image can be sold many times, because buyers usually don't get exclusive rights. Stock photography includes images of people, animals, objects, landscapes, buildings, concepts, and events that can be sold to and used by a wide variety of media outlets.
A few years ago a new type of stock photo agency emerged. These new image banks, known as 'microstock' sites, have allowed anyone from the amateur to the professional photographer to sell images easily. These sites take images from individual contributors, and the photographer gets a commission for each image sold. The microstock photography market was pioneered by iStockPhoto and followed by Dreamstime, Shutterstock, Fotolia, BigStockPhoto, and many others.
With microstock photography, the photographer loads up photos for free, and receives a commission each time their photo is downloaded. Earnings are obviously based on the popularity of your photos.
My view is that if you are a keen photographer and you are taking photos anyway, you may aswell give this a go, as the photos could be earning you ongoing money without any additonal effort.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Earning money from home - hosting students
Rather than looking for a specific job, there are other ways to earn some additional income, that fit in with you staying home with the kids. One we tried last year was becoming a host family for foreign students.
If you have a spare bedroom or two, you can make some money by renting it out on a short term or longer term basis to overseas students who are in Australia to study. There are quite a few 'Homestay' organisations you can register with if you are within easy travel to a university or language school. What they require is a room for the student, with a bed and bedding, a wardrobe and a desk for them to study at. You need to provide breakfast and dinner for them during the week, and three meals a day at weekends, and, as their objective is to learn or improve their English, you need to include them in conversation. Quite easy if you sit down to dinner with them most days.
Payment is about $220 to $250 per week, out of which you have to take your costs and usually, the cost of picking them up. Some students stay for a term, some come on a short trip and just need accomodation for a long weekend. The longer term students are usually older and independent, a short term student might be younger and need to be in your care full time.
We were slightly worried about the imposition on our lives when we first tried this, but we were very pleasantly surprised. We chose to take two female Japanese students for a long weekend. They were both 15 years old, and here to experience the Australian lifestyle. We live in a great area of Sydney on the Northen Beaches, so we took them on a picnic to Palm Beach, and showed them the sights. We walked to our local beach, did some touristy shopping in Avalon and generally had a good time. I cooked some easy meals - we made pizzas one night, and a roast dinner another, which they loved. They wanted to know how I made the gravy, so I had to show them the pot of Gravox!
The students were fantastic with our children and I actually got to make dinner in peace each night. The kids were entertained rather than hanging off my legs. Probably the highlight of the stay was our possum hunt. Just as it got dark, we wrapped up, got the torches out and went down the driveway on a possum hunt. We only had to shine a torch up into the trees to spot one. And as a bonus, there were a couple of bandicoots playing in the backyard. The students were thrilled and the kids loved it too.
So basically we had a fun weekend, and got some extra cash for it as well.
Friends have hosted students on a longer term basis and have enjoyed it. The older students tend to be out at classes during the day and have study to do at home as well, so often just spend meal times with family.
If you have the space, enjoy spending time with other people and don't mind the cooking, it's worth giving it a go.
If you have a spare bedroom or two, you can make some money by renting it out on a short term or longer term basis to overseas students who are in Australia to study. There are quite a few 'Homestay' organisations you can register with if you are within easy travel to a university or language school. What they require is a room for the student, with a bed and bedding, a wardrobe and a desk for them to study at. You need to provide breakfast and dinner for them during the week, and three meals a day at weekends, and, as their objective is to learn or improve their English, you need to include them in conversation. Quite easy if you sit down to dinner with them most days.
Payment is about $220 to $250 per week, out of which you have to take your costs and usually, the cost of picking them up. Some students stay for a term, some come on a short trip and just need accomodation for a long weekend. The longer term students are usually older and independent, a short term student might be younger and need to be in your care full time.
We were slightly worried about the imposition on our lives when we first tried this, but we were very pleasantly surprised. We chose to take two female Japanese students for a long weekend. They were both 15 years old, and here to experience the Australian lifestyle. We live in a great area of Sydney on the Northen Beaches, so we took them on a picnic to Palm Beach, and showed them the sights. We walked to our local beach, did some touristy shopping in Avalon and generally had a good time. I cooked some easy meals - we made pizzas one night, and a roast dinner another, which they loved. They wanted to know how I made the gravy, so I had to show them the pot of Gravox!
The students were fantastic with our children and I actually got to make dinner in peace each night. The kids were entertained rather than hanging off my legs. Probably the highlight of the stay was our possum hunt. Just as it got dark, we wrapped up, got the torches out and went down the driveway on a possum hunt. We only had to shine a torch up into the trees to spot one. And as a bonus, there were a couple of bandicoots playing in the backyard. The students were thrilled and the kids loved it too.
So basically we had a fun weekend, and got some extra cash for it as well.
Friends have hosted students on a longer term basis and have enjoyed it. The older students tend to be out at classes during the day and have study to do at home as well, so often just spend meal times with family.
If you have the space, enjoy spending time with other people and don't mind the cooking, it's worth giving it a go.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Work from Home as a Virtual Assistant
A Virtual Assistant is a home based secretary or administrative support person. A virtual assistant can provide a range of skills from basic secretarial skills to more complex executive assistant skills, working remotely for the business they are supporting. Often the client is a small business, an independent consultant or a professional, who does not need a full time administrative person, and/or who do not have the premises for them to work from.
Some of the services a virtual assistant might provide are:
- bookkeeping
- database setup and management
- desktop publishing
- editing/formatting documents
- email and fax
- flyers
- invitations
- mail merges
- newsletters/enewsletters
- presentations
- proofreading/copyediting
- repetitive letters
- reports
- spreadsheets
- submissions
- transcription services; tape, digital and shorthand
- web conferencing
- word processing
How do you become a virtual assistant?
If you have the basic skills i.e. any or all of the above, you will also need a computer, the relevant software, email and a phone.
Getting your clients is the hardest part, but there are quite a few agencies out there for virtual assistants. Some examples are:
A Clayton's secretary: www.asecretary.com.au
Executive Stress Office Support (www.execstress.com)
International Association of Virtual Office Assistants (IAVOA)
Virtually Yours: www.virtuallyyours.com.au
Australian Virtual Business Network: www.avbn.com.au
As a virtual assistant, you register your details on these websites, and clients can access the listing and contact you directly. Some charge a subscription fee to be listed on the website.
Some of the listings literally have contact details and a list of the skills the virtual assistant provides. Other virtual assistants include a link to their own website which provides more details, including references and examples of work completed.
The skeptic in me wants to know how many virtual assistants actually find subscribing to the websites pays off, so I will be doing a little digging to find out more.
Having said that, the creator of Virtually Yours was nominated for the Telstra Women's Business Awards and was a finalist in the Home Based Business Awards in 2006 and 2007, so she must be doing something right.
AVBN also has an award winning founder, recognised in both the specific field of virtual assistants and as a Business Achievers Award winner in 2007.
Some of the services a virtual assistant might provide are:
- bookkeeping
- database setup and management
- desktop publishing
- editing/formatting documents
- email and fax
- flyers
- invitations
- mail merges
- newsletters/enewsletters
- presentations
- proofreading/copyediting
- repetitive letters
- reports
- spreadsheets
- submissions
- transcription services; tape, digital and shorthand
- web conferencing
- word processing
How do you become a virtual assistant?
If you have the basic skills i.e. any or all of the above, you will also need a computer, the relevant software, email and a phone.
Getting your clients is the hardest part, but there are quite a few agencies out there for virtual assistants. Some examples are:
A Clayton's secretary: www.asecretary.com.au
Executive Stress Office Support (www.execstress.com)
International Association of Virtual Office Assistants (IAVOA)
Virtually Yours: www.virtuallyyours.com.au
Australian Virtual Business Network: www.avbn.com.au
As a virtual assistant, you register your details on these websites, and clients can access the listing and contact you directly. Some charge a subscription fee to be listed on the website.
Some of the listings literally have contact details and a list of the skills the virtual assistant provides. Other virtual assistants include a link to their own website which provides more details, including references and examples of work completed.
The skeptic in me wants to know how many virtual assistants actually find subscribing to the websites pays off, so I will be doing a little digging to find out more.
Having said that, the creator of Virtually Yours was nominated for the Telstra Women's Business Awards and was a finalist in the Home Based Business Awards in 2006 and 2007, so she must be doing something right.
AVBN also has an award winning founder, recognised in both the specific field of virtual assistants and as a Business Achievers Award winner in 2007.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Work in children's activities
I have just got myself a little job, starting Saturday morning. I am going to be teaching a class called 'Ready Steady Go', which is a fun, high quality sports and exercise class for children from 2 1/2 to 5.
It's just 3 hours, but it fits with the other half being home to look after the children, and it uses my previous child care experience and qualification. Potentially there might be other classes I could teach during the week, and they are all done in the morning, starting at 9:30, so it fits perfectly with school and pre-school.
This is one area us mums can definitely work in. There are lots of classes for pre-school children out there, each requiring teachers, and for the majority you don't have to have a formal qualification, just experience.
You too could design your own class for children, or for mums and babies, based on your own skills and experience. Could you teach a kiddies art class, or music, or dance? Could you teach yoga for mums and hire a carer to look after the babies, or have a mums and bubs class?
Let me know your experience...
For more information on Ready Steady Go, see their website: http://www.readysteadygo.net.au/
It's just 3 hours, but it fits with the other half being home to look after the children, and it uses my previous child care experience and qualification. Potentially there might be other classes I could teach during the week, and they are all done in the morning, starting at 9:30, so it fits perfectly with school and pre-school.
This is one area us mums can definitely work in. There are lots of classes for pre-school children out there, each requiring teachers, and for the majority you don't have to have a formal qualification, just experience.
You too could design your own class for children, or for mums and babies, based on your own skills and experience. Could you teach a kiddies art class, or music, or dance? Could you teach yoga for mums and hire a carer to look after the babies, or have a mums and bubs class?
Let me know your experience...
For more information on Ready Steady Go, see their website: http://www.readysteadygo.net.au/
Monday, May 25, 2009
Work from Home as a Web Designer
Almost all businesses would benefit from a web site. I was looking for a local restaurant in the yellow pages the other day. It's fairly new, and it wasn't listed, and a quick look on the web didn't find it either. If they'd had a web page, I could have found a phone number, checked opening hours, perhaps looked at a menu, and seen whether there was a take away option. As it was, without that information, it meant either a trip there to check it out, or resorting to an old favourite and the new restaurant missed out.
A lot of individuals also have their own web sites, or maybe a blog (web log), but not many of them have the skills to build them from scratch.
If you have skills in web design, or you are technical and creative and can learn those skills, then this could be work you could do from home.
As with a lot of these working at home options, you can do it for someone else, who already has the infrastructure set up to support the business and just needs workers to actual do the web development. Or you could set up your own business.
Hours of work
Unless you have a fairly standard product you can demonstrate over the internet or by phone, then you will probably need some face to face meetings with your clients. Initially to determine exactly what it is they are after and to agree your deliveries, and at the end to hand over the finished article and to go through training with them on how to use and maintain it. If it is a large project, progress meetings will also be required to ensure you are on track.
However, other than these meetings, the work itself can be scheduled to fit around your family life and commitments, allowing you to work while the kids are at school or in the evenings.
Income from web design
If you, and your customer are clear about exactly what you are going to deliver, then you can agree a fixed rate for the project. This should be backed up with a clear contract that states that any additions or amendments to the original requirements will need to be paid for.
This is advantageous for the customer as they know exactly what they will be paying, as opposed to paying by the hour. And for you, you do not need to keep a detailed record of hours spent, which will make life easier if you are grabbing the odd hour in between family duties to make some progress.
Also, you may be able to re-use code from previous projects and save some time, and therefore make more money per project as you get established.
Marketing yourself as a web designer
One of the hardest things with any business is getting established. Obvious ways of marketing yourself are adverts in the local paper or local free publications, on your own web site, in the yellow pages or through word of mouth.
Perhaps offer to help set up the web site for your playgroup or pre-school, or school. Make sure your name or business name is listed on the site, and get agreement that you can you it as an example of your work to show other clients.
If this is something you think you could do , but you need more training, there are plenty of courses, including distance education and evening classes that could help you build the skills you need. Have a look at the Training and Education page on my website for more details.
A lot of individuals also have their own web sites, or maybe a blog (web log), but not many of them have the skills to build them from scratch.
If you have skills in web design, or you are technical and creative and can learn those skills, then this could be work you could do from home.
As with a lot of these working at home options, you can do it for someone else, who already has the infrastructure set up to support the business and just needs workers to actual do the web development. Or you could set up your own business.
Hours of work
Unless you have a fairly standard product you can demonstrate over the internet or by phone, then you will probably need some face to face meetings with your clients. Initially to determine exactly what it is they are after and to agree your deliveries, and at the end to hand over the finished article and to go through training with them on how to use and maintain it. If it is a large project, progress meetings will also be required to ensure you are on track.
However, other than these meetings, the work itself can be scheduled to fit around your family life and commitments, allowing you to work while the kids are at school or in the evenings.
Income from web design
If you, and your customer are clear about exactly what you are going to deliver, then you can agree a fixed rate for the project. This should be backed up with a clear contract that states that any additions or amendments to the original requirements will need to be paid for.
This is advantageous for the customer as they know exactly what they will be paying, as opposed to paying by the hour. And for you, you do not need to keep a detailed record of hours spent, which will make life easier if you are grabbing the odd hour in between family duties to make some progress.
Also, you may be able to re-use code from previous projects and save some time, and therefore make more money per project as you get established.
Marketing yourself as a web designer
One of the hardest things with any business is getting established. Obvious ways of marketing yourself are adverts in the local paper or local free publications, on your own web site, in the yellow pages or through word of mouth.
Perhaps offer to help set up the web site for your playgroup or pre-school, or school. Make sure your name or business name is listed on the site, and get agreement that you can you it as an example of your work to show other clients.
If this is something you think you could do , but you need more training, there are plenty of courses, including distance education and evening classes that could help you build the skills you need. Have a look at the Training and Education page on my website for more details.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Work from Home in Voiceovers
Have you ever thought you'd sound good on the radio? Do you like the sound of your own voice?? Well, maybe you could earn some money in voiceovers.
Voiceovers are used in a range of different areas:
- advertising
- podcasts
- training
- business presentations
- websites
- for phone systems and voicemail
- commercials
- promotions
- audiobooks
- video games
- TV shows
- documentaries
- movie trailers and more...
Some require acting talent, others are just after the 'right' voice to represent their company.
With technology as it is today, you don't necessarily need a studio and full on sound equipment to complete a recording, and that's where it can be done from home.
There are websites out there where you can register your details, including examples of your voice and any voiceover work you have done, and customers can search for the right talent for their job. For example, they might require a female voice with an English accent, to sound clear and professional. Or they might require a more seductive voice or someone who's able to imitate a specific character.
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Training to work in Voiceovers
There are training courses you can do to improve your voice skills before you get started.
One I have found in Sydney is with a company called Voicebusiness, based in North Sydney.
They offer a voiceover course that 'is designed to give you an overall understanding of how to be a voiceover artist or broadcaster. During the course you will learn how to use your voice skilfully to deliver a variety of retail and corporate “reads” for radio and TV (including assorted straight and character voices), to develop the ability to “sight-read”, turning written words into “spoken” English and to conduct yourself confidently and professionally in a recording session. The final session will focus on developing a draft demo CD and a list of contacts in preparation for your launch into the recording world.'
They offer private sessions covering the following:
- How to optimise the sound of your voice and speak like a star.
- How to sound convincing, authoritative and persuasive-great for corporate narrations.
- How to read off-the-cuff and make sense of what you're communicating.
- How to deliver retail, hard sell, soft sell and all sorts of commercial "reads".
- How to do "funny" voices and accents.
- How to market yourself to the studios and to clients.
- Breathing techniques to help you keep in control of what comes out of your mouth.
- How to speed up or slow down, and how to use inflections and pauses to make what you say more interesting.
- How to improve your diction and pronunciation.
- How to deliver a clear message and get the results the client wants.
If anyone has used this company or has a recommendation, please let me know at contact@athomemums.com
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Registering to work in Voiceovers
So where can you resister? Two companies I have found are:
www.voice123.com
www.voices.com
To register you need to pay a monthly subscription fee of between US$30 and US$40 for voices.com, so you need to be serious about doing this.
As usual with any web based business, I wonder how many jobs you get for your subscription and whether it is worth it. I need a volunteer to give it a go and let us know!
Voiceovers are used in a range of different areas:
- advertising
- podcasts
- training
- business presentations
- websites
- for phone systems and voicemail
- commercials
- promotions
- audiobooks
- video games
- TV shows
- documentaries
- movie trailers and more...
Some require acting talent, others are just after the 'right' voice to represent their company.
With technology as it is today, you don't necessarily need a studio and full on sound equipment to complete a recording, and that's where it can be done from home.
There are websites out there where you can register your details, including examples of your voice and any voiceover work you have done, and customers can search for the right talent for their job. For example, they might require a female voice with an English accent, to sound clear and professional. Or they might require a more seductive voice or someone who's able to imitate a specific character.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Training to work in Voiceovers
There are training courses you can do to improve your voice skills before you get started.
One I have found in Sydney is with a company called Voicebusiness, based in North Sydney.
They offer a voiceover course that 'is designed to give you an overall understanding of how to be a voiceover artist or broadcaster. During the course you will learn how to use your voice skilfully to deliver a variety of retail and corporate “reads” for radio and TV (including assorted straight and character voices), to develop the ability to “sight-read”, turning written words into “spoken” English and to conduct yourself confidently and professionally in a recording session. The final session will focus on developing a draft demo CD and a list of contacts in preparation for your launch into the recording world.'
They offer private sessions covering the following:
- How to optimise the sound of your voice and speak like a star.
- How to sound convincing, authoritative and persuasive-great for corporate narrations.
- How to read off-the-cuff and make sense of what you're communicating.
- How to deliver retail, hard sell, soft sell and all sorts of commercial "reads".
- How to do "funny" voices and accents.
- How to market yourself to the studios and to clients.
- Breathing techniques to help you keep in control of what comes out of your mouth.
- How to speed up or slow down, and how to use inflections and pauses to make what you say more interesting.
- How to improve your diction and pronunciation.
- How to deliver a clear message and get the results the client wants.
If anyone has used this company or has a recommendation, please let me know at contact@athomemums.com
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Registering to work in Voiceovers
So where can you resister? Two companies I have found are:
www.voice123.com
www.voices.com
To register you need to pay a monthly subscription fee of between US$30 and US$40 for voices.com, so you need to be serious about doing this.
As usual with any web based business, I wonder how many jobs you get for your subscription and whether it is worth it. I need a volunteer to give it a go and let us know!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Work from Home in Technical Support
If you have a background in IT, Engineering or Telecommunications, it is possible to work from home in Technical Support.
This can be a demanding area to work in, as you need to know the technical details of what you're dealing with, and you also need to be able to communicate well with customers experiencing a problem.
First and second level support can be done from home, and requires knowledge specific to the business you are working for, and equipment similar to a standard customer service job. i.e. a dedicated phone line and quiet area to work from.
As with some of the other work from home options, there are more technical support jobs working from home in the US than in Australia. I have found forums with people telling you how they work from home in technical support, but I have found very few jobs advertised.
I will do some more research and keep you posted.
If anyone knows of jobs in this area, please let me know at contact@athomemums.com
This can be a demanding area to work in, as you need to know the technical details of what you're dealing with, and you also need to be able to communicate well with customers experiencing a problem.
First and second level support can be done from home, and requires knowledge specific to the business you are working for, and equipment similar to a standard customer service job. i.e. a dedicated phone line and quiet area to work from.
As with some of the other work from home options, there are more technical support jobs working from home in the US than in Australia. I have found forums with people telling you how they work from home in technical support, but I have found very few jobs advertised.
I will do some more research and keep you posted.
If anyone knows of jobs in this area, please let me know at contact@athomemums.com
Monday, May 18, 2009
Work from Home as a Mystery Shopper
Mystery Shoppers or Mystery Customers visit specific stores and businesses anonymously for the purpose of observing and reporting on the quality of customer service delivered. The answers submitted by the mystery shoppers enable clients to make employment decisions, reward staff for excellent performance, redirect staff who perform poorly and evaluate adherence to company service standards.
There are a number of agencies that provide Mystery Customer Services to organisations, and often they have an ongoing contract which involves regular visits by mystery customers to their organisation over a period of time. Mystery Shopping provides the organisation with an independent opinion of their customer service standards, staff performance and overall perception of the business from the customers’ perspective. Without "pointing the finger" the information gathered can often uncover poor employee performance and allow business to reshape that performance in a cost-effective manner. In the process, businesses can discover, identify and correct weaknesses, act on them, re-measure for improvement and gain a competitive advantage over their competitors.
Mystery Shoppers can register with a Mystery Shopping organisation and will be sent assignments when they come up in their area.
Pay/reward varies, and can be monetary or a gift voucher, depending on the organisation you work for.
There are a number of agencies that provide Mystery Customer Services to organisations, and often they have an ongoing contract which involves regular visits by mystery customers to their organisation over a period of time. Mystery Shopping provides the organisation with an independent opinion of their customer service standards, staff performance and overall perception of the business from the customers’ perspective. Without "pointing the finger" the information gathered can often uncover poor employee performance and allow business to reshape that performance in a cost-effective manner. In the process, businesses can discover, identify and correct weaknesses, act on them, re-measure for improvement and gain a competitive advantage over their competitors.
Mystery Shoppers can register with a Mystery Shopping organisation and will be sent assignments when they come up in their area.
Pay/reward varies, and can be monetary or a gift voucher, depending on the organisation you work for.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Work from Home as a Pet Minder
Set up your own business or work for someone else.
Pet minding involves looking after other people's pets while they are away on holiday. For the pet owner, it is an alternative to a cattery or a kennels, which means the animal is able to stay in their own home and get some individual attention.
A pet minder will arrange to visit the family home once or twice a day to feed the animals, clean out any used bowls, change the litter in a litter tray and give them some attention for 30 minutes or so. There may be some other small duties, like bringing in the mail, watering plants or putting out the bins on rubbish collection day.
This works well for cats, especially the outdoor kind with a cat flap. They are able to stay in familiar territory and still be fed and get some attention while their owners are away. It saves a lot of stress for the animal and means they still have their space to roam around in, rather than being kept in a cage for an extended period.
For dogs, the duties may vary. It might include dog walking duty or some supervised outdoor time in their garden. This could be something that is done not just when the owners are away, but also on a regular basis if they work long hours.
Requirements for pet minding
Obviously you need to enjoy looking after animals. You also need to be trustworthy and reliable, as you will have access to someone else's home. Building up your credibility will be important. Perhaps start with family and friends, looking after their pets while they are away. You should be able to get a series of good references, and it is perhaps useful to have a police check to hand so you can prove you are a good upstanding citizen.
Getting known at the local vets would also be useful as they will be able to confirm that you live in the area and you're honest and reliable.
A professional brochure and website describing your services would be useful, and you need to put together a contract to cover yourself in the event of a mishap. After all, if you are looking after cats with indoor and outdoor access, you cannot be responsible for them wandering while you aren't there.
You also need to know that if something happens to the animal and they require a visit to the vet, that you can take them and costs will be covered.
Look at some contracts from existing pet minding businesses if you don't know where to start with this.
Hours of work in pet minding
Usually home visits are once or twice a day and can be 30 minutes or an hour. It may not be possible to do all your visits during school hours, as the agreement might be morning and later afternoon, but this is one job that your children can do too, and will probably love!
Pet minding involves looking after other people's pets while they are away on holiday. For the pet owner, it is an alternative to a cattery or a kennels, which means the animal is able to stay in their own home and get some individual attention.
A pet minder will arrange to visit the family home once or twice a day to feed the animals, clean out any used bowls, change the litter in a litter tray and give them some attention for 30 minutes or so. There may be some other small duties, like bringing in the mail, watering plants or putting out the bins on rubbish collection day.
This works well for cats, especially the outdoor kind with a cat flap. They are able to stay in familiar territory and still be fed and get some attention while their owners are away. It saves a lot of stress for the animal and means they still have their space to roam around in, rather than being kept in a cage for an extended period.
For dogs, the duties may vary. It might include dog walking duty or some supervised outdoor time in their garden. This could be something that is done not just when the owners are away, but also on a regular basis if they work long hours.
Requirements for pet minding
Obviously you need to enjoy looking after animals. You also need to be trustworthy and reliable, as you will have access to someone else's home. Building up your credibility will be important. Perhaps start with family and friends, looking after their pets while they are away. You should be able to get a series of good references, and it is perhaps useful to have a police check to hand so you can prove you are a good upstanding citizen.
Getting known at the local vets would also be useful as they will be able to confirm that you live in the area and you're honest and reliable.
A professional brochure and website describing your services would be useful, and you need to put together a contract to cover yourself in the event of a mishap. After all, if you are looking after cats with indoor and outdoor access, you cannot be responsible for them wandering while you aren't there.
You also need to know that if something happens to the animal and they require a visit to the vet, that you can take them and costs will be covered.
Look at some contracts from existing pet minding businesses if you don't know where to start with this.
Hours of work in pet minding
Usually home visits are once or twice a day and can be 30 minutes or an hour. It may not be possible to do all your visits during school hours, as the agreement might be morning and later afternoon, but this is one job that your children can do too, and will probably love!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Working from Home in Sales over the Internet
Do you have a product/products you want to sell? Run a home based shop. The internet provides the medium for selling from your own home.
For example, a friend of a friend, designed pyjamas for kids, and set up a home based business selling these over the internet (and ultimately to high street retailers).
You obviously need to have the idea, and the means to develop it, as well as enough understanding of the retail world to make this a success.
Multi Level Marketing (MLM)
If you are not up for going it alone, there are thousands of multi level marketing (MLM) businesses out there that can be run over the internet.
Please be aware of scams, and don't mistake a Pyramid scheme for an MLM business.
Pyramid schemes are illegal. They cost people a lot of money. You pay to join a scheme and the only way to recoup your money is to recruit other people to join. In contrast, a legitimate MLM has an actual product it is selling and participants make money two ways:
- The sale of product to a Customer (Retail Sales)
- The recruitment of new Distributors to expand the Distributor Network for the products (Sponsoring)
(Watch out for Pyramid schemes that include a product that is hard to sell, as a cover for the underlying scam.)
One example of an MLM product I have come across recently is Xango. Our babysitter persuaded me to buy some Xango juice - it is a fruit juice that contains the juice of the Mangosteen fruit which has been shown to have long term health benefits in a wide range of areas. I bought a bottle to try and later agreed to one a fortnight.
The baby sitter's partner is a rep for Xango juice. For every bottle he sells, he gets a commission, and I believe he would also be compensated if he persuaded someone else to start selling as well.
As far as products go, if you believe the health benefits (and my babysitter is quite passionate about them) then this is not bad. It is a repeat product. Unlike something like jewelry which we only buy occasionally, once signed up, customers could continue buying Xango juice for years.
So how do you find the right MLM business for you?
As with Party Plan sales, I believe that you are only going to be successful in internet sales, if you are passionate about the product. I'm therefore very wary of any advert that suggests I can make lots of money, but doesn't tell me what I'll be selling.
Please also be wary of schemes that have big up front costs.
You need to be able to see the business in action and try the product. If you are convinced it is a brilliant product, you are going to be able to sell it honestly.
If you are concerned about scams, the website below has some useful information:
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au
Selling on eBay
It is possible to make money buying and selling on eBay, if you understand the marketplace and what and when to sell.
You can also set up as an online trader with eBay and run your own store through their website.
There have been several books written to teach you how to make a profit using eBay. If you're serious about it, they are worth a read.
It is easy not to make money, for example, if you time your auction wrong. Most people don't bid on an item until the last half hour of its listing. If you list an item to end midweek at school pickup time, and you are selling children's items, you will miss a lot of your market. Sunday evening appears to be a popular time to end an auction, as most people are thought to be home at that time.
For example, a friend of a friend, designed pyjamas for kids, and set up a home based business selling these over the internet (and ultimately to high street retailers).
You obviously need to have the idea, and the means to develop it, as well as enough understanding of the retail world to make this a success.
Multi Level Marketing (MLM)
If you are not up for going it alone, there are thousands of multi level marketing (MLM) businesses out there that can be run over the internet.
Please be aware of scams, and don't mistake a Pyramid scheme for an MLM business.
Pyramid schemes are illegal. They cost people a lot of money. You pay to join a scheme and the only way to recoup your money is to recruit other people to join. In contrast, a legitimate MLM has an actual product it is selling and participants make money two ways:
- The sale of product to a Customer (Retail Sales)
- The recruitment of new Distributors to expand the Distributor Network for the products (Sponsoring)
(Watch out for Pyramid schemes that include a product that is hard to sell, as a cover for the underlying scam.)
One example of an MLM product I have come across recently is Xango. Our babysitter persuaded me to buy some Xango juice - it is a fruit juice that contains the juice of the Mangosteen fruit which has been shown to have long term health benefits in a wide range of areas. I bought a bottle to try and later agreed to one a fortnight.
The baby sitter's partner is a rep for Xango juice. For every bottle he sells, he gets a commission, and I believe he would also be compensated if he persuaded someone else to start selling as well.
As far as products go, if you believe the health benefits (and my babysitter is quite passionate about them) then this is not bad. It is a repeat product. Unlike something like jewelry which we only buy occasionally, once signed up, customers could continue buying Xango juice for years.
So how do you find the right MLM business for you?
As with Party Plan sales, I believe that you are only going to be successful in internet sales, if you are passionate about the product. I'm therefore very wary of any advert that suggests I can make lots of money, but doesn't tell me what I'll be selling.
Please also be wary of schemes that have big up front costs.
You need to be able to see the business in action and try the product. If you are convinced it is a brilliant product, you are going to be able to sell it honestly.
If you are concerned about scams, the website below has some useful information:
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au
Selling on eBay
It is possible to make money buying and selling on eBay, if you understand the marketplace and what and when to sell.
You can also set up as an online trader with eBay and run your own store through their website.
There have been several books written to teach you how to make a profit using eBay. If you're serious about it, they are worth a read.
It is easy not to make money, for example, if you time your auction wrong. Most people don't bid on an item until the last half hour of its listing. If you list an item to end midweek at school pickup time, and you are selling children's items, you will miss a lot of your market. Sunday evening appears to be a popular time to end an auction, as most people are thought to be home at that time.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Earn Money at Home through Affiliate Marketing
If you have a website that people visit, you can relatively easily make some money. How? Through Affiliate Marketing.
Affiliate marketing is a web-based marketing practice in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer that comes to them from the affiliate.
Organisations set up affiliate schemes. You become an affiliate and set up a link or advert for that organisation on your website. When someone clicks on that link and goes through to the affiliate site, you potentially get commission. Some affiliates pay per click. Some pay per actual sale.
Sounds complicated? In most cases it's not, as most of the work is done for you.
For example, Google is an affiliate network. It acts as an intermediary between publishers (affiliates) and (merchant) affiliate programs. It allows publishers to find affiliate programs, which are suitable for their website and it helps websites offering affiliate programs reach their target audience.
As you can see, I have Google ads on my website. I have registered with Google, and downloaded their code to include in my website. It is smart enough to analyse the content of the web page and include relevant ads. For every click on one of these ads, I get a few cents - 20 to 60c, roughly, depending on how much the advertiser is paying Google.
Can this make lots of money? It depends entirely on the traffic to your website and the relevance of the information.
Other affiliates:
There are plenty of Affiliate networks out there, to which organisations can subscribe. e.g. clixgalore.com, commissionmonster.com.au
There are also individual organisations managing their own affiliate scheme. e.g. Amazon.com.
What you need, is a link that is relevant to the content of your web site. For example, in my website, I have a section on the Child Care Debate which refers to Steve Bidulph's book, 'Raising Babies'. Below my article, I have links to amazon advertising the same book. If you are interested in what I have to say, you might decide to buy the book and will click on my link to Amazon. Once there, you may buy other books aswell. I get commission for each of these.
Another example is the one below. The Rich Pom sells you information on how to make money through the web, largely using affiliate marketing. I bought his guide to how to earn money on the internet and I genuinely believe his formula works. Why? Because it is logical, it makes sense; because my other half has already been using this approach to earn money from his websites and made $1500 in December. Ok, so we're not rich yet, but there's the potential!
Check out the other half's websites (Top 100 Things to do in Sydney, and Word of Web) to see affiliate links to Google and Clixgalore.
Affiliate marketing is a web-based marketing practice in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer that comes to them from the affiliate.
Organisations set up affiliate schemes. You become an affiliate and set up a link or advert for that organisation on your website. When someone clicks on that link and goes through to the affiliate site, you potentially get commission. Some affiliates pay per click. Some pay per actual sale.
Sounds complicated? In most cases it's not, as most of the work is done for you.
For example, Google is an affiliate network. It acts as an intermediary between publishers (affiliates) and (merchant) affiliate programs. It allows publishers to find affiliate programs, which are suitable for their website and it helps websites offering affiliate programs reach their target audience.
As you can see, I have Google ads on my website. I have registered with Google, and downloaded their code to include in my website. It is smart enough to analyse the content of the web page and include relevant ads. For every click on one of these ads, I get a few cents - 20 to 60c, roughly, depending on how much the advertiser is paying Google.
Can this make lots of money? It depends entirely on the traffic to your website and the relevance of the information.
Other affiliates:
There are plenty of Affiliate networks out there, to which organisations can subscribe. e.g. clixgalore.com, commissionmonster.com.au
There are also individual organisations managing their own affiliate scheme. e.g. Amazon.com.
What you need, is a link that is relevant to the content of your web site. For example, in my website, I have a section on the Child Care Debate which refers to Steve Bidulph's book, 'Raising Babies'. Below my article, I have links to amazon advertising the same book. If you are interested in what I have to say, you might decide to buy the book and will click on my link to Amazon. Once there, you may buy other books aswell. I get commission for each of these.
Another example is the one below. The Rich Pom sells you information on how to make money through the web, largely using affiliate marketing. I bought his guide to how to earn money on the internet and I genuinely believe his formula works. Why? Because it is logical, it makes sense; because my other half has already been using this approach to earn money from his websites and made $1500 in December. Ok, so we're not rich yet, but there's the potential!
Check out the other half's websites (Top 100 Things to do in Sydney, and Word of Web) to see affiliate links to Google and Clixgalore.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Work from Home in Transcription
Transcription is the term used to describe the process whereby dictated notes, letters, reports etc. are typed up into a formal document.
Medical Transcription
Medical Transcription is the typing (into a typewriter or computer) of reports from dictation recorded by a doctor or health professional pertaining to medical information. History and physicals, admission notes, office visit notes, operations, hospital discharge reports and consultations are just a few of the types of reports that are created by the medical transcriptionist. Dictation is performed in a number of ways, including audio cassette, phone-in recording to an analog system, or recording into a digital system that enables one to send a sound file just as one would send any other type of computer file.
Medical Transcriptionists work in hospitals, doctors offices and other medical facilities, and many work from home. They are hired by the physician or a transcription company, but many who work from home do so as independent contractors, setting their own rates of pay, hours and operating procedures, and hiring on additional help as their work load expands.
Is Medical Transcription for me?
Medical transcription is not easy. It takes time to become a medical transcriptionist, as you need to understand the terminology, and the majority of employers look for a relevant qualification or experience. It also takes a dedication to continue to learn new medical terminology as it emerges.
Also important are your grammar skills. A poorly written report reflects badly on the physician who signs it, and the transcriptionist who typed it will not be employed for long.
Legal Transcription
Legal Transcription is similar to Medical transcription in that it requires training and/or experience in the profession. You will be transcribing documents with specific legal terminology which you will need to understand.
General Transcription
A general transcriptionist does not require any specific training. You will need to be a good typist, with about 65 words or more per minute, and you will also have to be able to edit your work for spelling and grammatical errors.
A general transcriptionist working from home is likely to be transcribing things like teleconferences, podcasts or interviews.
How do I get a transcription job?
You can either set up your own business, or work for someone else. Setting up on your own will require a big commitment to marketing yourself, but could potentially earn you more, and provide greater flexibility long term.
If you look online, you will find organisations that list transcribers, and act as middle man between the employer and employee. You may also find ads in the general employment websites such as careerone.com.au.
Medical Transcription
Medical Transcription is the typing (into a typewriter or computer) of reports from dictation recorded by a doctor or health professional pertaining to medical information. History and physicals, admission notes, office visit notes, operations, hospital discharge reports and consultations are just a few of the types of reports that are created by the medical transcriptionist. Dictation is performed in a number of ways, including audio cassette, phone-in recording to an analog system, or recording into a digital system that enables one to send a sound file just as one would send any other type of computer file.
Medical Transcriptionists work in hospitals, doctors offices and other medical facilities, and many work from home. They are hired by the physician or a transcription company, but many who work from home do so as independent contractors, setting their own rates of pay, hours and operating procedures, and hiring on additional help as their work load expands.
Is Medical Transcription for me?
Medical transcription is not easy. It takes time to become a medical transcriptionist, as you need to understand the terminology, and the majority of employers look for a relevant qualification or experience. It also takes a dedication to continue to learn new medical terminology as it emerges.
Also important are your grammar skills. A poorly written report reflects badly on the physician who signs it, and the transcriptionist who typed it will not be employed for long.
Legal Transcription
Legal Transcription is similar to Medical transcription in that it requires training and/or experience in the profession. You will be transcribing documents with specific legal terminology which you will need to understand.
General Transcription
A general transcriptionist does not require any specific training. You will need to be a good typist, with about 65 words or more per minute, and you will also have to be able to edit your work for spelling and grammatical errors.
A general transcriptionist working from home is likely to be transcribing things like teleconferences, podcasts or interviews.
How do I get a transcription job?
You can either set up your own business, or work for someone else. Setting up on your own will require a big commitment to marketing yourself, but could potentially earn you more, and provide greater flexibility long term.
If you look online, you will find organisations that list transcribers, and act as middle man between the employer and employee. You may also find ads in the general employment websites such as careerone.com.au.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Work from Home in Telemarketing / Customer Sales
Some organisations are outsourcing their telemarketing function. With the right training and support, this can be done by a distributed network of individuals working from home, and reduces the need for costly premises and equipment.
What you need for customer sales from home:
- a phone
- a quiet place away from the children
- at least 2 hours per day to make phone calls.
How much money can you make from customer sales?
This depends on how you are paid. It might be per hour, per phone call, or per lead generated so it can vary dramatically.
As with any sales, you need to believe in the product you are selling. You also need to be a particular kind of person to be able to make cold calls.
Think about it from the other side. How many times have you said no to a sales person on the other end of the phone, or even put the phone down on them because they were too persistent and wouldn't take the polite 'I'm not interested thank you', as a hint to leave you alone?
Telemarketing can be a very thankless business so you need to be tough! If you find it easy to talk to people, and enjoy using the phone and striking up a conversation, and you're not easily offended, maybe this is for you.
What you need for customer sales from home:
- a phone
- a quiet place away from the children
- at least 2 hours per day to make phone calls.
How much money can you make from customer sales?
This depends on how you are paid. It might be per hour, per phone call, or per lead generated so it can vary dramatically.
As with any sales, you need to believe in the product you are selling. You also need to be a particular kind of person to be able to make cold calls.
Think about it from the other side. How many times have you said no to a sales person on the other end of the phone, or even put the phone down on them because they were too persistent and wouldn't take the polite 'I'm not interested thank you', as a hint to leave you alone?
Telemarketing can be a very thankless business so you need to be tough! If you find it easy to talk to people, and enjoy using the phone and striking up a conversation, and you're not easily offended, maybe this is for you.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Work from Home in Accounting
This is an area where you will definitely need experience and/or qualifications in a relevant field. If you have those qualifications, however, you are able to do a professional level job, rather than taking a lower level job in order to work from home.
Preparing taxes is one of the main areas of work for work at home accountants. This may be for individuals, small businesses or corporations. Alternatively you could be doing bookkeeping, consulting or teaching in your area of accounting.
What you'll need is a computer and the current software for your area of expertise, along with your own professional skills.
Finding Accounting jobs from home
One option if is to look for companies that hire people to do this kind of work at home. Many prefer that you live within a particular geographic region as some parts of the job may require meeting with your clients.
A second option is to look for your own clients. Many small businesses would rather hire an individual to handle their bookkeeping and accounting than do it themselves or hire a regular employee for the job.
Most of these jobs will primarily involve filing taxes for businesses. This can make work a bit sporadic, with the majority of the work at the end of the financial year, perhaps with smaller requirements on a monthly or quarterly basis, depending on the way the business files its taxes and GST.
Your experience with different softwares, and the software you have available at home, will partly determine the clients you can work with. Being within easy reach of the client might also be important if you need to go to their office/home to pick up the paperwork.
For a job like this, you will definitely need you own work space, preferably one that can be shut off from the children, as the clients need to know their confidential information is being handled safely.
The busier times may pose a challenge in terms of balancing child care and work. You need to make sure you only take on the amount of work that suits
With small business Tax returns, there may be the opportunity to specialise in a particular area.
e.g. when I worked in Family Day Care, a lot of the carers used the same accountant, as he was knowledgeable in the business area and knew the relevant tax rules. He was also flexible and able to come to their homes of an evening if required.
Preparing taxes is one of the main areas of work for work at home accountants. This may be for individuals, small businesses or corporations. Alternatively you could be doing bookkeeping, consulting or teaching in your area of accounting.
What you'll need is a computer and the current software for your area of expertise, along with your own professional skills.
Finding Accounting jobs from home
One option if is to look for companies that hire people to do this kind of work at home. Many prefer that you live within a particular geographic region as some parts of the job may require meeting with your clients.
A second option is to look for your own clients. Many small businesses would rather hire an individual to handle their bookkeeping and accounting than do it themselves or hire a regular employee for the job.
Most of these jobs will primarily involve filing taxes for businesses. This can make work a bit sporadic, with the majority of the work at the end of the financial year, perhaps with smaller requirements on a monthly or quarterly basis, depending on the way the business files its taxes and GST.
Your experience with different softwares, and the software you have available at home, will partly determine the clients you can work with. Being within easy reach of the client might also be important if you need to go to their office/home to pick up the paperwork.
For a job like this, you will definitely need you own work space, preferably one that can be shut off from the children, as the clients need to know their confidential information is being handled safely.
The busier times may pose a challenge in terms of balancing child care and work. You need to make sure you only take on the amount of work that suits
With small business Tax returns, there may be the opportunity to specialise in a particular area.
e.g. when I worked in Family Day Care, a lot of the carers used the same accountant, as he was knowledgeable in the business area and knew the relevant tax rules. He was also flexible and able to come to their homes of an evening if required.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Work from Home as a Life Coach
What is Life Coaching?
Life Coaching helps people identify and attain their goals and create the life they want. A Life Coach works with an individual to provide support and assistance. Life Coaching is all about looking forward, setting positive goals and working towards achieving them. It requires individuals to be committed to future action, rather than analysis of the past, although an element of analysis may be needed to understand which aspects of an individual's life require change.
A Life Coach becomes an objective advisor, a sounding board, and a motivator.
Is Life Coaching right for me?
Do you enjoy working with people?
Are you curious about what makes them tick?
Can you communicate well?
Are you a good listener?
Would you enjoy helping people succeed?
Are you interested in personal growth and development for yourself and others?
Then maybe it's worth checking out...
How to become a Life Coach
In order to become a Life Coach, you can do Life Coaching qualification, either a Certificate IV in Life Coaching or a Diploma in Life Coaching. However, technically until the industry is fully regulated, anyone can set themselves up as a coach, with or without qualifications.
Once qualified, you can set up your own business, or join an existing life coaching organisation. Work can be from your own home, in an office, or over the phone and the internet. You can work flexible hours to fit in with your family commitments.
Life Coaching Qualifications
At the time of writing, Life Coaching courses are not regulated or accredited in the same way as a lot of other courses. This means you need to be careful which course you choose to take, as content and quality can vary significantly.
As you can't look for a recognised course as such, you need to look for a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
RTOs are providers and assessors of nationally recognised training. Only RTOs can issue nationally recognised qualifications.
In order to become registered, training providers must meet the Australian Quality Training Framework 2007 (AQTF 2007) standards. This ensures the quality of Vocational Education and Training (VET) services throughout Australia.
So you've got the Life Coaching qualification. What's next?
The courses that I have investigated, include information on how to set up a coaching business. They look at how to market yourself, how to gain and retain clients, how to set your fees, setting up your work environment and the paperwork involved.
Some also include skills like website design and accounting.
However, you do not necessarily have to go it alone. You can join an existing Coaching practice and work for someone else.
What can you earn as a Life Coach?
Earnings reflect your level of experience and qualifications, but are also at your discretion. I have been to two different life coaches, and paid between $100 and $200for an hour to an hour and a half. The coach has to cover overheads, marketing, preparation time and follow up time within this fee. They might spend two to three hours on my one hour session. Coaches are often also available for follow up phone calls and emails. I have also found life coaches often offer a half hour preliminary session for free, or an extended phone call. This is important, as you and your client need to ensure you can work together.
Life Coaching helps people identify and attain their goals and create the life they want. A Life Coach works with an individual to provide support and assistance. Life Coaching is all about looking forward, setting positive goals and working towards achieving them. It requires individuals to be committed to future action, rather than analysis of the past, although an element of analysis may be needed to understand which aspects of an individual's life require change.
A Life Coach becomes an objective advisor, a sounding board, and a motivator.
Is Life Coaching right for me?
Do you enjoy working with people?
Are you curious about what makes them tick?
Can you communicate well?
Are you a good listener?
Would you enjoy helping people succeed?
Are you interested in personal growth and development for yourself and others?
Then maybe it's worth checking out...
How to become a Life Coach
In order to become a Life Coach, you can do Life Coaching qualification, either a Certificate IV in Life Coaching or a Diploma in Life Coaching. However, technically until the industry is fully regulated, anyone can set themselves up as a coach, with or without qualifications.
Once qualified, you can set up your own business, or join an existing life coaching organisation. Work can be from your own home, in an office, or over the phone and the internet. You can work flexible hours to fit in with your family commitments.
Life Coaching Qualifications
At the time of writing, Life Coaching courses are not regulated or accredited in the same way as a lot of other courses. This means you need to be careful which course you choose to take, as content and quality can vary significantly.
As you can't look for a recognised course as such, you need to look for a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).
RTOs are providers and assessors of nationally recognised training. Only RTOs can issue nationally recognised qualifications.
In order to become registered, training providers must meet the Australian Quality Training Framework 2007 (AQTF 2007) standards. This ensures the quality of Vocational Education and Training (VET) services throughout Australia.
So you've got the Life Coaching qualification. What's next?
The courses that I have investigated, include information on how to set up a coaching business. They look at how to market yourself, how to gain and retain clients, how to set your fees, setting up your work environment and the paperwork involved.
Some also include skills like website design and accounting.
However, you do not necessarily have to go it alone. You can join an existing Coaching practice and work for someone else.
What can you earn as a Life Coach?
Earnings reflect your level of experience and qualifications, but are also at your discretion. I have been to two different life coaches, and paid between $100 and $200for an hour to an hour and a half. The coach has to cover overheads, marketing, preparation time and follow up time within this fee. They might spend two to three hours on my one hour session. Coaches are often also available for follow up phone calls and emails. I have also found life coaches often offer a half hour preliminary session for free, or an extended phone call. This is important, as you and your client need to ensure you can work together.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Work from home in Tuition or Education
Use your qualifications and/or experience to tutor or train others in your own home, or in their home.
Do you have a degree or further education? Is it a subject people want to learn about or need to learn about for school exams?
Do you have a passion for art or dance, music, yoga? Would you enjoy teaching this to others?
Do you have a teaching qualification but don't want to teach in a school?
Do you have experience in computers or a particular application or package such as Microsoft, an accounting system, or a web development tool. Could you train someone else in this package?
Are you an experienced project manager or team leader? Can you pass on these skills?
Do you have a TEFL/TESL (Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language) qualification?
Think about it. There are a large number of people who have moved to Australia. Often English is not their first language and this may be hindering them in their day to day lives, or in getting the job they want.
Personally I have interviewed a number of highly qualified individuals for roles in IT consultancy, and although they are well qualified for the job, their language and communication skills have let them down. The jobs involved interfacing with clients, and they needed to be able to communicate effectively, and build relationships with these clients. Is there a market there for TEFL combined with business communication skills?
The range of tutoring, teaching or training opportunities is wide. You might need further training or education yourself before you embark on this to get your skills up to date, or gain a formal qualification, but this too can be done around the children with a range of distance education courses or evening courses available.
Practicalities of tutoring:
Home tutoring can either be run as your own business, or you can join a tutoring agency who manage the clients and allocate work to the tutors.
Or you could set up your own tutoring agency and be responsible for managing a tutoring business: finding clients, finding and interviewing tutors, matching tutors to students and allocating work etc.
Does it fit with the children?
Traditional tutoring for children falling behind in a particular subject at school or wanting some extra help for exams would be done after school. So you are looking at after 3:30 when your children are obviously going to be home.
Other types of tuition from home might involve evening or weekend work.
So no, it's not the perfect 9:30 to 2:30 work from home job, but it does have a lot of flexibility and the option for you to choose the hours you work.
If your potential market is other stay at home mums or retirees, then you may be able to stick to school hours. e.g. teach the older generations how to use the internet, or how to write emails, teach a fitness class for mums or the elderly, arrange a cooking for your children class or teach swimming to the under school age in your pool.
You just need a bit of imagination to get the idea started. Talk to a business consultant or a life coach if you have the idea but need some help moving forward.
Do you have a degree or further education? Is it a subject people want to learn about or need to learn about for school exams?
Do you have a passion for art or dance, music, yoga? Would you enjoy teaching this to others?
Do you have a teaching qualification but don't want to teach in a school?
Do you have experience in computers or a particular application or package such as Microsoft, an accounting system, or a web development tool. Could you train someone else in this package?
Are you an experienced project manager or team leader? Can you pass on these skills?
Do you have a TEFL/TESL (Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language) qualification?
Think about it. There are a large number of people who have moved to Australia. Often English is not their first language and this may be hindering them in their day to day lives, or in getting the job they want.
Personally I have interviewed a number of highly qualified individuals for roles in IT consultancy, and although they are well qualified for the job, their language and communication skills have let them down. The jobs involved interfacing with clients, and they needed to be able to communicate effectively, and build relationships with these clients. Is there a market there for TEFL combined with business communication skills?
The range of tutoring, teaching or training opportunities is wide. You might need further training or education yourself before you embark on this to get your skills up to date, or gain a formal qualification, but this too can be done around the children with a range of distance education courses or evening courses available.
Practicalities of tutoring:
Home tutoring can either be run as your own business, or you can join a tutoring agency who manage the clients and allocate work to the tutors.
Or you could set up your own tutoring agency and be responsible for managing a tutoring business: finding clients, finding and interviewing tutors, matching tutors to students and allocating work etc.
Does it fit with the children?
Traditional tutoring for children falling behind in a particular subject at school or wanting some extra help for exams would be done after school. So you are looking at after 3:30 when your children are obviously going to be home.
Other types of tuition from home might involve evening or weekend work.
So no, it's not the perfect 9:30 to 2:30 work from home job, but it does have a lot of flexibility and the option for you to choose the hours you work.
If your potential market is other stay at home mums or retirees, then you may be able to stick to school hours. e.g. teach the older generations how to use the internet, or how to write emails, teach a fitness class for mums or the elderly, arrange a cooking for your children class or teach swimming to the under school age in your pool.
You just need a bit of imagination to get the idea started. Talk to a business consultant or a life coach if you have the idea but need some help moving forward.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Work from home as a Mummy Nanny
A Mummy Nanny is exactly what it says. As a mummy you also become a nanny and you look after other people's children alongside your own.
In a lot of cases, this arrangement is done privately, perhaps with someone you know in Mothers' group who is going back to work and is happy to employ you to look after her child. However, a lot of Nanny agencies also now advertise this option.
From a parent's perspective, it is cheaper than hiring a full time nanny. The cost of a nanny would be about $20 + per hour. A mummy nanny would charge from $14 upwards per hour.
There are very strict rules and regulations governing looking after children in your own home. In fact it is illegal to be paid to look after children in your home, without being registered with the government, either directly, or through a Family Day Care scheme. However, as a nanny you are generally looking after children in their home not yours, so the responsibility for public liability insurance, safety etc, falls on the parent. A nanny arrangement is also a private contract.
I have tried to find out what regulations there are governing nannying, and whether you can have a private arrangement which allows you to bring the children to your home, but I have not yet had success. I will keep you posted...
I have also approached two nanny agencies in Sydney with the idea of becoming a mummy nanny and it seemed that it's good when you have one child, but when you have two, parents are less interested. If they just have one child, the balance is wrong. This is where a private arrangement may work.
Let me know your experiences...
In a lot of cases, this arrangement is done privately, perhaps with someone you know in Mothers' group who is going back to work and is happy to employ you to look after her child. However, a lot of Nanny agencies also now advertise this option.
From a parent's perspective, it is cheaper than hiring a full time nanny. The cost of a nanny would be about $20 + per hour. A mummy nanny would charge from $14 upwards per hour.
There are very strict rules and regulations governing looking after children in your own home. In fact it is illegal to be paid to look after children in your home, without being registered with the government, either directly, or through a Family Day Care scheme. However, as a nanny you are generally looking after children in their home not yours, so the responsibility for public liability insurance, safety etc, falls on the parent. A nanny arrangement is also a private contract.
I have tried to find out what regulations there are governing nannying, and whether you can have a private arrangement which allows you to bring the children to your home, but I have not yet had success. I will keep you posted...
I have also approached two nanny agencies in Sydney with the idea of becoming a mummy nanny and it seemed that it's good when you have one child, but when you have two, parents are less interested. If they just have one child, the balance is wrong. This is where a private arrangement may work.
Let me know your experiences...
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Work from Home in Party Plans
Party Plan is form of direct sales involving selling or marketing products at social events.
Almost all of us have been to a Tupperware party at one time or another (now, come on, you can't deny it...). I have to say, the first time I was invited, I thought it was something my mother did, but ten years later it seems quite normal.
Tupperware is one of the world's leading direct selling companies and has been running for over 50 years (so your Grandma probably went to a Tupperware party aswell...), but there are plenty of others. Just look in the back of the Sydney's Child magazine and you'll see adverts for Party Plan opportunities in Children's Toys and books.
Others that come to mind are Nutrimetrics, Avon cosmetics and Enjo, selling environmentally friendly cleaning products.
There are many more out there: you just have to search on Google under Party Plan Australia to find websites listings Party Plan businesses.
Here is one that has a good list of party plan businesses:
http://www.partyplans.com.au/
Although I have labelled Party Plan businesses as work at home, technically they are home based work opportunities, as you need to set aside time outside the home for the actual parties. It is possible to run these businesses around your family commitments, but you will need to have time of an evening or a weekend to attend parties.
With most Party Plan businesses, there is an initial outlay for your 'kit'. This might be money up front, or can be recouped through the sales you make in your first month or two.
So how much money can you make?
As with pretty much anything, that depends on how much time and energy you are prepared to commit. It may simply provide additional 'pocket money' or it can provide a very decent income.
The main drawback, I think, is that it is all about sales, and that does not come naturally to a lot of people. It's amazing how excited a group of people can get when confronted with a table full of plastic items they never knew they needed until now, but the challenge is to get them there in the first place. It's a bit of an imposition to rely on friends and family to get you started, but that's the easiest way to go. Just be careful not to pressure anyone.
The hard bit is then getting the follow on parties, from their friends, and their friends' friends. There are books out there that tell you how to make money through direct sales without hassling your friends and family. I haven't checked these out - they may be helpful, or it may be a way for someone to get rich by telling you how to do it. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has checked out any of these direct selling tips...
Almost all of us have been to a Tupperware party at one time or another (now, come on, you can't deny it...). I have to say, the first time I was invited, I thought it was something my mother did, but ten years later it seems quite normal.
Tupperware is one of the world's leading direct selling companies and has been running for over 50 years (so your Grandma probably went to a Tupperware party aswell...), but there are plenty of others. Just look in the back of the Sydney's Child magazine and you'll see adverts for Party Plan opportunities in Children's Toys and books.
Others that come to mind are Nutrimetrics, Avon cosmetics and Enjo, selling environmentally friendly cleaning products.
There are many more out there: you just have to search on Google under Party Plan Australia to find websites listings Party Plan businesses.
Here is one that has a good list of party plan businesses:
http://www.partyplans.com.au/
Although I have labelled Party Plan businesses as work at home, technically they are home based work opportunities, as you need to set aside time outside the home for the actual parties. It is possible to run these businesses around your family commitments, but you will need to have time of an evening or a weekend to attend parties.
With most Party Plan businesses, there is an initial outlay for your 'kit'. This might be money up front, or can be recouped through the sales you make in your first month or two.
So how much money can you make?
As with pretty much anything, that depends on how much time and energy you are prepared to commit. It may simply provide additional 'pocket money' or it can provide a very decent income.
The main drawback, I think, is that it is all about sales, and that does not come naturally to a lot of people. It's amazing how excited a group of people can get when confronted with a table full of plastic items they never knew they needed until now, but the challenge is to get them there in the first place. It's a bit of an imposition to rely on friends and family to get you started, but that's the easiest way to go. Just be careful not to pressure anyone.
The hard bit is then getting the follow on parties, from their friends, and their friends' friends. There are books out there that tell you how to make money through direct sales without hassling your friends and family. I haven't checked these out - they may be helpful, or it may be a way for someone to get rich by telling you how to do it. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has checked out any of these direct selling tips...
Monday, April 27, 2009
Work from home in Family Day Care
Family Day Care Mums provide care in their own homes for up to 5 children, including their own, up to the age of 12, but generally under school age. Family Day Care schemes are run through local councils or independent organisations such as a church, but with all schemes there is a central office that provides support, training, resources and regulation of the business.
To become a Family Day Carer, you will need a current first aid certificate and a working with children police check which the scheme will arrange on your behalf. You do not need any formal qualifications in child care, although a child care certificate or diploma would be useful, and may allow you to charge more for your care than an unqualified carer. (Rates you can charge vary from scheme to scheme)
Ideally you would have experience with children (not hard if you're a mum!) and you must enjoy looking after young children. Your scheme will provide training which will cover things like safety, hygeine, policies and procedures, and how to program your week to cover each child's needs. Family Day Care Schemes often run a playgroup you can attend with the children, which is a good place to meet other Family Day Care mums.
As with all child care, Family Day Care is regulated through the government to ensure quality care is provided. Your home will be checked to ensure it meets rigorous safety standards, and you will need to have current public liability insurance to cover your business.
How much money can you earn in Family Day Care?
The hours you work and the number of children you care for are, to a large extent, up to you. Carers in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney area charge between $60 and $80 a day per child.
See www.familydaycareaustralia.com.au for more information
To become a Family Day Carer, you will need a current first aid certificate and a working with children police check which the scheme will arrange on your behalf. You do not need any formal qualifications in child care, although a child care certificate or diploma would be useful, and may allow you to charge more for your care than an unqualified carer. (Rates you can charge vary from scheme to scheme)
Ideally you would have experience with children (not hard if you're a mum!) and you must enjoy looking after young children. Your scheme will provide training which will cover things like safety, hygeine, policies and procedures, and how to program your week to cover each child's needs. Family Day Care Schemes often run a playgroup you can attend with the children, which is a good place to meet other Family Day Care mums.
As with all child care, Family Day Care is regulated through the government to ensure quality care is provided. Your home will be checked to ensure it meets rigorous safety standards, and you will need to have current public liability insurance to cover your business.
How much money can you earn in Family Day Care?
The hours you work and the number of children you care for are, to a large extent, up to you. Carers in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney area charge between $60 and $80 a day per child.
See www.familydaycareaustralia.com.au for more information
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