Hey, guys! Sorry for not posting much on my blog lately because I'm busy working at home. Yes, even if I work at home, I still get busy meaning having less time with blogging or other stuff.
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| Image from Pixabay |
People have been asking me ever since how to start working at home so I decided to create a blog post about it to help out moms like me who wants to help out their husbands financially or simply to support their family. There are a lot of ways to start, but let me share with you how I started with mine.
Basic Requirements of Working at Home
From the previous jobs I had, here are the most common requirements that are usually asked of me before starting to work:
- Paypal Account
- Bank Account (BPI/Unionbank/Metrobank/BDO)
- Fast Internet Connection
- Own Personal Computer
Paypal Account
This requirement is very common when you're applying for work with a US client or an international client. I am currently working part time as a transcriber where my client is from the US and he pays me directly to Paypal. Registering to Paypal is free so it's quite easy. The tricky part is that you are required to have a credit card in order to verify your account. They will charge one dollar ($1) to your credit card which is refundable after verification.
Bank Account
If you're lucky, your client or your agency wouldn't require you to get a Paypal account. I also have a client from Australia who doesn't require me to have Paypal. She pays me directly to my BPI account via Western Union. So before applying for a job, it would be easier if you already got a bank account ready.
Fast Internet Connection
Working at home means you need internet connection to connect to other people. We currently use PLDT Fibr because having fast and reliable connection is very important. During my training days as a virtual assistant, we were required to have an online group conference with the rest of the trainees so a fast connection is very essential. We've been a subscriber of Fibr in less than a year and so far we haven't experienced any disconnection/interruptions. I also heard that Converge is reliable, too, but I personally haven't tried it yet so I can't comment much about it.
Personal Computer
Working remotely means you would need a computer where you will do your work. You may use a personal computer or laptop. This entirely depends on the work you're getting. When I was an encoder, a simple Asus laptop with minimal system requirements (single core) was enough. If your work is graphic-related or requires multi-tasking, then you would need a much upgraded system.
Where do I get work?
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| Image from Pixabay |
After reading the basic requirements of working at home, the next question is where do I get work or where do I get clients? Today, the popular powerhouse site that works as a "middleman" platform for clients and workers is Upwork (formerly Odesk). The good news is that registration is free. The bad news is they no longer accept just an ordinary applicant, meaning if you offer only basic or common skills (e.g. typing skills, chat support, etc.), Upwork will probably deny your application because they already got thousands of applicants with the same skills you're offering. If you have specific skills probably like accounting skills or graphic design, you have a higher chance of being accepted on their platform.
Aside from Upwork, there are still plenty of websites that offer work. I used to visit Bestjobs.ph where they currently offer both office-based and home-based jobs. I checked their site and it's still a good source for finding a job so I recommend you check them out.
Lastly, let's not forget about social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn. It's not only a place to chat with friends and relatives, but they're also a good place to look for work. In LinkedIn, I would get a direct message from clients abroad offering me an online job, but I would usually decline because I already have a full time job. I most definitely recommend you register and spend time creating your profile there and indicate all the skills you have. Who knows, a company or a client might contact you directly and also offer you a job right then and there.
Facebook is probably the most popular social media platform now. Believe it or not, I got my current home-based job from Facebook. I am currently a member of a Facebook community group called "Freelancing Philippines." It's a page where freelancers get to share tips, info, and more to members. That's where I saw the job post last year saying that a firm needs home based internet researchers (with training). I applied immediately and fortunately got the job. The post only lasted in less than 2 weeks so you also need to be very vigilant about job posts.
On an additional note, also don't forget to stay connected with friends or past co-workers especially if you know that they're currently working at home. My sister's friend referred me last year to a home-based job that I'm currently working with so don't underestimate the power of networking :)
Reminder: Never did I experience that an agency or a client would require me to pay for a fee to get a job. So when someone tells you that you are required to pay a certain fee in order for you to get a job, then I believe that's not a legitimate employer.
That's all I got to share for now. If you have questions or if you want to add more to the post, simply comment them below :)
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