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February 15, 2016 0 Comments

4 Easy Stretches To Do at Your Desk

We all know it’s important to move about our day and get up and stretch.  If we don’t, we risk suffering from back pain, weight gain, and various other health issues.  While working from home makes it easier to get up and stretch, sometimes it’s not ideal to get up and do so when needed.

Whether you’re on a call, just need a quick break, or want to stay seated, easy desk stretches are important in your daily work life.  We’ve compiled some of the best options below for increased mobility, blood flow, and energy throughout your day.

Fix Tight Hips

From FoxBusiness.com:

“How to Quickly Relieve Tension: Try doing a stretch to release tight hip flexors. Kneel on your left knee—like you are about to propose to someone—and place your right foot forward with your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Shift your pelvis forward, bend your front knee and tuck your butt under until you feel a deeper stretch in the left hip. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs.”

Stretch the Shoulders

From TheMuse.com:

PR workout F12 triceps

This a stretch you can do sitting down. Touch your opposite shoulder blade, and then gently grab your elbow, and pull it towards the opposite side.

Lift and Relax

From WebMD.com:

“Inhale deeply and shrug your shoulders, lifting them high up to your ears. Hold. Release and drop. Repeat three times.

Shake your head slowly, yes and no. You might as well amuse yourself while you do it to relax even further. Ask yourself silly questions: “Is your boss an idiot?” Move your head up and down, “Yes, yes, yes.” Side to side: “No. No. No.” (Shedding tension is as much mental as physical.)”

Release the Strain

From BestHealthMag.ca:

200 02

“Sitting up straight, with your feet flat and shoulders back, grab onto the bottom of your chair with your right hand. Then slowly tilt your head sideways, bringing your left ear toward your left shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch along the right side of your neck and shoulder. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds; repeat on the opposite side. Do this stretch a few times a day to help prevent a strain from starting in the first place.”

Images Courtesy: health.usnews.com, Physiohub.com

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February 8, 2016 0 Comments

10 Benefits of HireMyMom.com

HireMyMom.com is a unique site that features only work from home job opportunities! It’s a great place for moms to find legitimate careers while keeping the flexibility and freedom of working from home.

We believe that HireMyMom.com is a fantastic site with numerous job opportunities – read along for some of the key features of our site.

Legitimate

HireMyMom.com prides itself on featuring legitimate, quality work from home job positions.  There are no scams or “start a business” type of postings on the site, making it ideal for those looking for a traditional job in a non-conventional workspace.

Flexible

Since the jobs listed on HireMyMom.com are for home based positions, they give you much more flexibility! You’re able to apply for jobs and work them from anywhere; this is an especially ideal situation for moms with families, as you’re able to stay home with your kids while making an income.

Quality

The featured jobs are of high quality, with listings in the fields of graphic design, marketing, social media management, writing, legal assistance, and much more.  Not only are the jobs of higher quality, but applicants are as well.  Anyone who applies for membership on HireMyMom.com must have 1-2 years of experience in their given field, making them strong candidates for these positions.

Affordable

HireMyMom.com is very affordable and is priced at just $29.95 per quarter or $99 per year.  Although this fee is very reasonable, you are not paying for a job. You are paying for a service to connect Mom Professionals with businesses seeking home-based contractors, employees and freelancers. Our business has grown leaps and bounds by word of mouth because businesses have been overjoyed at the quality of candidates found on HireMyMom.com, and Mom Professionals have been thrilled with the great opportunities that come through HireMyMom.com.

Direct

Once you apply for a job, you no longer need to work within the interface on HireMyMom.com.  You’ll contact and respond directly with the employer, and everything is handled between the two of you.  This allows you to manage your own job search and find the positions that are best fit for you.

No Direct Sales

HireMyMom.com does not allow job postings for any MLM or network marketing sites. Although these opportunities can be valid, we choose to outsource projects in the marketing, graphic design, writing, and other similar professional industries.

Frequent

New jobs are posted very frequently, with some days receiving several posts.  Check back daily for updated posts in a variety of different fields.

Screened

HireMyMom.com checks out the company (if listed) with the BBB, RipOffReport.com, LinkedIn, and similar sites prior to approving any project. If they have an unsatisfactory record, the job is not approved. Or if the job is in any way offensive or objectionable, it is not approved.

Samples

You’re welcome to check out some sample job postings before deciding to join the site! Click here for a few sample work from home job positions.

Praised

We have wonderful feedback from Mom Professionals and businesses/employers:

“Thank you so much for this service. I posted my project late Sunday evening and by 10:00 am the next day, I had several very qualified candidates. It’s a load off of mind to know that I can find qualified professional female candidates for my firm. I will be posting for another position shortly and I know just where to come. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

Catina Downey-Stroble, CPA, LLC

“I’d been searching for a remote position for months using other online job boards with no luck when I read an article about HireMyMom.com in a respected blog. At first, I thought it was “too good to be true,” but I plunged ahead anyway, willing to take a chance because of the low fee and the endorsements I found all over the Internet. About three weeks into my membership, I found a perfect job! I applied, was interviewed, and have been enjoying my new role ever since. HireMyMom.com is the real deal.”

Laura S. Wharton

Click here for more Mom Professional and business/employer testimonials.

 

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February 2, 2016 0 Comments

3 Tips for Work From Home Health

You might think that a home based career would be better for your health, and it can be – if you do it correctly! It can actually be easier to eat less healthy foods and continue to work all the time when you work from home.  To avoid mental and physical burnout, focus on the tips below for your best health from home!

Stop on time

Mental health is just as important as physical health when you work from home! It’s important to stop working at a certain time most days, or rearrange your schedule so that you’re working a certain number of hours per day.  When your work is just your laptop, it can be tempting to continue work throughout your whole day and night, but that mental break is so important.

Separate work from home and keep yourself mentally strong and focused by shutting down your work each night.  Just as an employee in a traditional office would go home at the end of the day, you should do the same!

Establish a routine

Create a workout routine that is sustainable for you and your lifestyle. Often times, we start out with overly ambitious goals of working out at 4:30 AM, but if that doesn’t suit your body, family, or work schedule, this isn’t an option.

Whether you choose to leave the house for fitness classes or the gym, or simply a strong practice at home – keep at it! We stay healthy when we commit to a routine that’s enjoyable and doable.  Set aside time in your day, just as you would any important meeting, and make fitness a priority in your day.

Keep it healthy

When you work from home, it’s even more tempting to search the fridge every hour.  Just like you’ll be creating a fitness schedule, keep your eating on a semi-regular schedule as well.  If you find you’re an unhealthy snacker, only keep healthy foods in the house.  Set yourself up for success, and keep meal times and foods on a schedule that keeps you feel energized.  This also helps you avoid eating all day, which can lead to weight gain and low energy fairly quickly!

On the other side of the equation, be sure you’re eating enough to keep your energy up! Since oyu don’t have the bustling energy of an office or in-person employees and employers, it’s important to keep yourself going to stay motivated.

Create mental space in your day, establish a sustainable fitness routine, and plan to eat healthy when you work from home – these tips will ensure that you’re in your best shape mentally and physically in your home based career!

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January 25, 2016 0 Comments

How to Create Visually Appealing Social Media Posts

Social media is a great place to share information, establish your status as an expert in your field, and interact with fans and customers.  According to Hubspot, content with visual images receives 94% more views than content without visual images!  In addition to this, visual content is 40x more likely to be shared than text content.

These stats are very important, and show the importance of visual content in your marketing campaigns.  From your blogs to your social media posts, be sure you’re including visually appealing images as much as possible!

Use a program

You don’t have to use fancy programs to create catchy graphics! Try easy-to-use graphic design programs such as Canva.com or PicMonkey.com to edit photos and create images.  Simply select the image or type of post you’d like to create and follow the steps.  Canva includes numerous images and layouts that are ready-to-use, and you can also upload your own images.

These programs offer extensive font libraries, the ability to add text, photos, layers, and colors, which add depth and dimension to your graphics.  It can be a bit of a learning curve at first, but after your first few images, you’ll begin to learn what works!

Space it out

Make sure your images are well spaced and have a good balance of color.  When we create images, it can be tough to replicate the depth and scope that we see in more professional graphics.

Between using varying colors to your benefit to limiting the fonts per graphic, this article is a helpful glance into the most important errors to avoid (and tips to include!) in your next image.

Click here for Graphic Design Tips for Non-Designers.

Choose a color

Choosing a color that evokes a certain emotion, if that’s important to your product and/or service.  Colors have meanings, which can be used to your benefit in logo and graphic creation.

When you’re trying to portray the enthusiasm in your brand, you might choose yellow.  If you prefer to give a calm vibe around your inspirational quote graphic, green is your best choice.   Click here for an infographic of color choices of some of the world’s most popular brands.

Brand it

At the top or bottom of all of your graphics, be sure to include your website URL written out (for example, www.hiremymom.com) or your actual logo.

This shows that your graphic was created exclusively for your use, and it also allows people to learn more about you if the image if shared.  Since sharing images makes them seen by a much greater audience (think hundreds or thousands more!), it’s important that you’re giving yourself credit.

When creating graphics, consider the traditional design elements while creating something original.  Your images should reflect your brand, image you’d like to portray, as well as visually appealing design.  The more your image speaks to your audience, the more likely it is to be shared – helping your organization be seen across a much wider scope!

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January 11, 2016 0 Comments

4 Steps to a Great To-Do List

The to-do list is a much talked about item, and that’s for good reason. Especially when working from home, staying on a schedule and keeping on task is crucial. Rarely is someone going to be managing your every move, which makes a to-do list a priority!

You can create a standard list to get through each day, but creating more of a “system” with your to-do list makes it more likely to stick.  Here are a few best practices for creating to-do lists that work with you.

Coordinate for you

Color coordinating is a great way to organize your list.  You can do this by client, task, priority, and so on. Although it’s useful, color coding isn’t for everyone, but you do need to find some type of system that works for you.

If you’re more visual, color coding is a great idea. If you like to group things by task, a more segmented list might be better for you.  Play around with your lists for a few days at a time to determine the best fit.

Prioritize

Whichever list you choose, prioritizing will be a constant necessity.  For example, do you have a specific task due on Friday? Be sure you aren’t placing that over an email piece due on Wednesday!

You’ll get in the flow of your tasks and priorities as your home based career continues.  You can always modify a list – sometimes it’s helpful to create one on the web via Google Docs or utilize a Word Document so you can change easily.

Repetition is key

Your to-do list isn’t going to be helpful if you use it for one week then quit. Get into the habit of adding every major (or even minor) task to your list. It’s truly an exercise in organization, and organization prevents you from missing items.  

It can take a few weeks to really get in the habit of using your list, but once you do, you will find that you’ll be storing far more information on your page and less in your brain.  This allows you to be more efficient and keep your mind on the tasks you need to complete.

Cross it out

Crossing off your items is half the fun! Not only does it allow you to keep track and feel accomplished, it can be important in billing your clients and employers.

The to-do list keeps track of your work, so be sure you’re giving yourself the credit by acknowledging when it’s done. If something is halfway completed, you can always update and make a note indicating the change.  These small movements in your list give you a sense of achievement throughout the day, and with longer projects, it can keep you feeling positive about your status.

A to-do list is always a must-have, and it can truly work for you in your work from home career.  Create one that works with your personality and work habits, prioritize what’s important, repeat daily, and cross it off – you’re well on your way to to-do list (and productivity) success!

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January 4, 2016 0 Comments

5 Tips for a Successful Home Based Interview

If you work from home or desire to work from home, you will likely go through another an interview for a home based position.  Interviews are nerve wracking enough at an office location, but those from home can be a little bit more challenging.  Between kids and dogs, lack of an in person connection, and various other distractions, finding your calm and professional demeanor may take a few more steps.

Read along for some best practices for home based interviews.

Be Knowledgeable

The number one step in interview prep is to learn all you can about the company. It’s more than useful to have a baseline of knowledge going into your interview. To avoid any surprises, know some basic information about the company and the job position being offered.

This process will be an asset to you that shows that you’ve done your research, showing that you care about obtaining the position and the organization.

Clear Distractions

When you work from home, the biggest barriers to successful calls and meetings are almost always distractions! Between kids, pets, TVs, UPS knocks on the door and so on, it can be tough to find a completely quiet space.  Especially if it’s a Skype call, take great care to ensure that distractions are eliminated during your interview!  In addition, make sure your background is nice and professional in appearance for Skype calls.

Distractions can also come in the form of your calendar obligations.  Make sure that your calendar is cleared so you aren’t rushing or receiving other urgent calls during the interview.  Always set aside more time than you think will be necessary, then you can call the kids back in or proceed with other meetings.

Ask Questions

All interviewers want you to ask questions, and it’s important that you think of 3-5 questions to ask ahead of time. A great question is, “What is the company culture?” Even though you’re working from home, company culture is king.  It will tell you how your boss works, how often you’ll be managed, how they communicate, how formal the meetings are, and so on.  It will also give you a glimpse into the company, and then you’ll be better equipped to decide if it’s a good fit for you.

Other good questions include asking about the direction of the position, what’s expected of you in the position, and what a typical day might consist of.

Take Inventory

Are your social media profiles in good working order?  Take a quick audit of your profiles and be sure they’re as professional as possible. Remove any questionable photos, posts, and so on, and if it’s applicable, be sure that you have some quality posts that are relevant to your industry and show your expertise.

Notice any gaps in employment, negative reviews, or anything similar, since employers may bring them up.  It’s important to be truthful, but knowing these things ahead of time will leave you time to prepare a proper, professional response.

Make sure that your LinkedIn profile looks especially nice, as it’s the more career-based social media profile.  Ask for quality recommendations, thoroughly complete all sections, and work to create meaningful connections to show your professional drive.

Know Your Strengths

Home based work requires a certain type of person with a number of qualities, so be sure to emphasize these in your interview.  Are you extremely self-motivated?  Do you work well independently?  Employers can be a bit nervous to hire workers remotely, and it’s up to you to convince them that you have the necessarily skill set.

Work from home interviews can be just as stressful as traditional interviews! Treat them as a typical interview in an office – dress to impress, eliminate distractions, be prepared and knowledgeable, and ask thoughtful questions.  If you do these things well, you’ll be on your way to a satisfying home based job position!

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December 28, 2015 0 Comments

4 Tips for a Healthy Home Based 2016

It’s that time of year – resolutions and goals are everywhere! We commit to being the best versions of ourselves in the new year, and one of the items on almost everyone’s list is the health category.

We can always strive to improve our health, and when working from home, health needs to take priority. It becomes easy to sit all day, eat all of the unhealthy foods in the house, and just generally lose sight of a healthy lifestyle.

Take breaks

When you take a break, the result is really dual-purpose – mental and physical. Taking a break gives your brain a break, and you can turn it into a physical break by taking a short walk, getting some fresh air, or doing a brief workout video.

Even if you’re extremely busy, make it a deliberate point to take short breaks throughout the day – 5-10 minutes is all you need to break up the work day!

Schedule fitness

At the top of all resolution lists is fitness! Just as you schedule important tasks to complete, conference calls, and daily to do items, scheduling fitness can really keep you healthy when you work from home.

Know yourself! If you like to get things out of the way, a morning workout might be your best bet. If you need a few cups of coffee to get moving, maybe an afternoon or evening workout suits you better. It’s not important when you do it, but that you schedule it and get it done.  Not only does fitness keep your body healthy, it actually makes you more productive and effective in your home based job.

Mental fitness

Mental health and fitness begins with balance. When you’re working from home everyday, it becomes easy to stay isolated.  Schedule coffee dates and meetings out if you can, and don’t be afraid to throw in small social meetings as well.

Working from home is very different from a traditional office environment, and it’s important to keep a healthy social life.  Maintain contact with friends and family throughout your week, and be sure that you’re venturing out of the house regularly.

Keep it positive

A healthy mind and body is nothing without a positive attitude. Health begins with your attitude, and the more that you can maintain a positive one, the more you’ll be able to accomplish. Think of your positivity as the fuel to your new, healthier lifestyle!

When you combine physical, mental, and an attitude of fitness, you’ll be well on your way to a happier, healthier new year! It’s more important that you factor in healthy habits when working from home, as there is much more opportunity to sit around and eat poorly.  Adopt these simple habits and see a change in your effectiveness and health in 2016.

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December 14, 2015 0 Comments

4 Holiday Gifts for the Home Based Worker

The home based worker needs similar things to those who work in a traditional office, but they have to purchase the items themselves! Setting up a home office can be an expensive task, especially if you choose to adhere to ergonomically-correct furniture and quality supplies.

Read along this holiday gift guide for your favorite home based worker. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness, and you can give the gift of an efficient, comfortable home office.

Good desk and chair

First on the list is a good desk and chair for their office.  Quality office furniture is not always low cost, but it’s worth it for the time that will be spent using it, as well as the wear it can take on the body.

There are numerous options out there, but start by searching for “ergonomic desk” and “ergonomic chair” as starting points.  From there, user reviews and specifications can help you make a decision.

Here are some tips for ergonomically synchronizing your workspace and optimizing your workspace.

Quality lighting

Lighting is important in an office, and most homes aren’t equipped with office-quality lighting. Give the gift of rested eyes and focus with some quality lighting ideas. This doesn’t need to be an expensive purchase, but care must be given to quality and specifications.

Here are some general tips for good lighting:

  • Use task lighting: Task lighting is important in adding contrast levels to aide in reading.  This might look like a small desk lamp or larger reading lamp to focus on smaller tasks.

  • Remove overhead lighting: It is distracting and can cause headaches, and you’re better off using a lamp or lamps with shading to eliminate glare.

  • Use the right shades: The right lamp shade makes a big difference in making the room too light, too dark, casting shadows, and so on. Make sure you choose one that not only fits the lamp, but fits the need for a relaxed office environment.

Here are some additional tips in choosing the right office lighting.

Stationery

Stationery is one of those things that you may not use everyday, but it truly adds something to the sender and the recipient.  Quality stationery makes an impression, and it’s a fun way to involve personal branding in your home based job.  Even if your gift receiver doesn’t have their own business, you can go the personal route and just simply use their name and address.

Be sure to avoid using abbreviations, formally write out the address, and choose a font, style, and border (if applicable) that would really speak to them.  It’s also nice to include some different options, such as letters, envelopes, notepads, etc.

Here are some additional tips to order the correct stationery.

Fun office supplies

Fun office supplies will vary from person to person, but everyone likes to have some unique, thoughtful items at their desk.

A nice, high quality planner is one item that can be gifted across the board. Whether they are male or female, organized or disorganized, almost everyone can use a planner.

As far as truly stunning planner options, the Create 365 is a good one, as are the Erin Condren planners.  They both offer a higher quality, offer customizable options, and also have fun items added, such as stickers.

The home based worker on your list will appreciate these thoughtful, practical gifts for their home office.  Do your best to choose items that they wouldn’t necessarily choose for themselves – higher quality, effective items are always appreciated this time of year! 

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November 9, 2015 0 Comments

Interview with Lesley Pyle, Founder of HireMyMom.com

Describe yourself in 3 words.

I had a hard time describing myself so I asked my husband and my 2 oldest children, ages 20 and 18, to help me and they said: Faithful, Selfless and Benevolent.

What’s your educational and experiential background?

I have a B.A. degree in Journalism / Public Relations from Texas State University. I also have a MSc. degree in Marketing / Public Relations from the University of Stirling in Scotland. I worked briefly for a golf school in Austin, Texas upon graduating with my Master’s. It was while working there that I became pregnant with my first child and gave up my job to start freelancing from home. It wasn’t long after that that I started the national association of Home-Based Working Moms (www.hbwm.com) in 1997 to help moms working at home network and support one another.

What led you to start HireMyMom?

After working with moms across the country for many years who wanted to work at home, I saw the acceptance of working from home grow in popularity. I knew there were thousands of talented moms who had or wanted to leave the workforce to work from home. I also knew many home businesses, entrepreneurs and small businesses were looking for talented professionals to help their businesses to grow but many did not need full-time or on-site employees. Hence the idea for HireMyMom.com. I already had a large following on HBWM.com which gave me an opportunity to offer another option for working at home.

Do you have any future vision(s) or ideas for HireMyMom?

I would love to capture more of the small / home business and freelance “mom professional” market. There are big name competitors out there but none specifically target these markets or have the personal touch that we offer.  As not only a Mom Professional but also a home business owner, I understand the needs of both sides. I am passionate about helping both sides find the best solution for their needs. I am looking to expand our market to help more of these moms and businesses.  

What’s your favorite thing about running HireMyMom?

Just like the moms who use the service, I love the freedom and flexibility working at home allows me. It means so much to be able to go have lunch with my 3rd grader or take the day off to spend with one of my college kids. I also love hearing of the success stories from those who have found the perfect job for them as well as those businesses who find a rock star to help their business flourish. It is very fulfilling!

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As a school-aged child, I really had no idea what I wanted to do. No one in my family had ever attended college so it wasn’t really an option that I was offered or even considered. After losing my dad at age 13, I watched my mom struggle to work and support three kids on a very modest salary. I knew I wanted more but had no idea how to get there. After graduating high school, I worked for two years as a secretary before getting laid off in one of Houston’s oil busts. It was then that a friend encouraged me to start taking college classes at a local community college. Once I realized it was possible and that someone believed in me, the sky was the limit. I transferred to a state university and graduated at the top of my class and subsequently was awarded a full scholarship to get my master’s degree in Scotland. I had aspirations of being a very important [wink wink] corporate PR executive. I wanted an office in a tall building downtown where I could revel in the hustle and bustle of a high-paced career and a fast-paced city. But then….. things changed. I had my first child and somehow all of that became unappealing and unimportant. What I really wanted to do was work from home so that I could raise my children and care for and love them every step of the way. Working from home became the greatest career option I could ever dream of. Twenty years later, it still is!

What’s one fun fact about you?


I am an online missionary for Global Media Outreach (www.globalmediaoutreach.com) where I get to encourage, pray for and disciple people from all across the world including Africa, Asia, Iran, Iraq, Canada, Europe and more. We are able to reach people who may have no other way to hear the good news of Jesus and His amazing, powerful love for them.

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March 16, 2015 0 Comments

How to Market Yourself Online

When looking for a job or preparing your profiles for the job search, it’s important to learn how to market yourself online. While you need to be as honest as possible, there are small tweaks and online marketing strategy tips you can use to make yourself stand out.

Marketing yourself online basically consists of using online websites and social media to the best of your abilities. You always want to do your best to highlight your strengths – on and offline. Here are some best practices for marketing yourself online in an effective, authentic way.

Add some honest praise

On many sites, especially LinkedIn, there are places to include praise and recommendations. Use these features to your advantage! Since these are outside recommendations, they’re more likely to be honest, effective, and impressive. When a potential employer or organization sees that you come highly recommended, they feel more at ease and therefore, they’re more likely to call you in for the interview. When they see that past employers and clients have been pleased with your work, it gives them a type of reassurance. Testimonials and reviews of your past work are excellent ways to market yourself – be proactive in asking for them and keeping them up to date.

Be descriptive

You have a lot of room on social media sites and profiles to write about your job, community, volunteer, and organization history and accomplishments. You’ll want to use this space to the best of your ability and be as descriptive as possible. Give an example of a job task and make it sound professional. Additionally, include measurable data and metrics if possible. Always include descriptions that make you stand out, and that goes doubly if you can include numbers to support your work.

Be on the right sites

If you want a certain type of job or work environment, be in the right online places! If you want to work from home, use sites such as HireMyMom.com to find reputable home-based careers. There are numerous industry-specific job search and forum sites, so be sure that you’re on them providing value and getting your name out there. In addition to job sites, be sure that you’re on the right social networks. LinkedIn is great for the professional realm, while Facebook is still #1. Keep them all professional and updated as much as possible. When you’re marketing yourself online, you want to show that you’re capable of the current technologies while providing knowledge and value to your audience.

When it doubt, ask

Being proactive is an excellent way to market yourself online. If you see an organization or job position that would suit you, don’t be afraid to ask or inquire further. Part of getting the jobs and opportunities we desire is putting ourselves out there. Most of the time, the best job positions and opportunities aren’t listed online, which means reaching out gives you a great chance for success! Take the time to craft an effective email to organizations that you’d like to work for, all while showing them why you deserve the job. All of your work on the tips above will ensure that you’re ready for this final step!
Check out these other great articles about home-based jobs as a work from home professional. Also check out our home-based job descriptions and current job postings for mom professionals.
(Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)

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