Legitimate Work From Home Jobs - Do They Really Exist?
by Shane Vandeventer

In today's work place the demands upon the worker are always increasing. With unemployment currently at 9%, employers feel they have the upper hand and that employees will be less inclined to seek employment elsewhere. For exempt, salaried employees this presents more pressure and more demands from their bosses in many circumstances. The silver lining is this economic cloud is that companies are looking to save money. There are several situations where workers can benefit from this current economic situation. Some of these work opportunities have existed for some time and others have become more common recently.
Are you currently in special position with your company where you have established yourself as a "MVE" (Most Valued Employee)? If so, you may be able to negotiate your current job into a work from home job. It depends on the industry you are in and the flexibility of your employer. If they think you may bolt they may be flexible than you thought. Sure you might still have to come in a couple days a week, but I have seen this happen on a couple of occasions.
Another area for a potential work from home gig is the contract job. Sales or service jobs would be one example of a work from home opportunity. Voluntary benefit companies offer tremendous opportunity for their direct sales people or openers. This type of position gives you a lot of flexibility and the ability to work from home. Of course many sales positions offer a work from home situation. One growth area for contract jobs is the online teaching market. There are several online universities that are always looking for more teachers to support that vast number of students that doing their undergraduate and graduate coursework online.
You don't have be a superstar to get a work at home opportunity. Some companies offer telecommuting to new employees for salaried positions. Companies realize that to find the right person they may have to search outside their geographic boundaries and when they find that person they may not be able to convince them to move. One of my golfing buddies has a salaried job with a company in Cincinnati but he lives here in the Chattanooga area.
The last area I would like to point out is the direct sales industry. However, it wouldn't qualify as a "job" because it is like having your own business. There some tremendous incomes being made by people just you who want a better life and are willing to work for it but they don't want to sacrifice their lifestyle or values to attain it.