Just Jill: Work at Home Q & A

Q: I'm not a mom, but I am a Christian who would really like to find a way to work at home. I have a hobby of training and showing dogs and it would be really nice to set my own schedule to better accommodate that hobby. I would still like to have an EMPLOYER! I don't feel ready to start my own business. Any advice?


A: First, I just want to make a note that I actually wasn't a mom when I began CWAHM. I was newly married and hoping to be a mom soon, but we didn't have any children yet. I get lots of emails from women (and a few men) who aren't moms and want to know if they can be a part of CWAHM. The answer is absolutely YES! :)

Now, on to your question. I remember feeling this same way when I first started out. There is security in having an employer and knowing that you'll be getting a paycheck (and how much that paycheck will be) every week.

You have a couple of options. You can look through the Telecommuting Resources and Telecommuting Job Listings that we provide on CWAHM. I'm confident that if you look long enough and hard enough you will be able to find employment from home.

What you may find, however, is that many of the companies that hire at-home workers will consider you an 'independent contractor' as opposed to any 'employee.' This saves them money as they don't have to provide insurance, they aren't responsible to withhold taxes, etc.

I encourage you to check out all of your options:

* Speak to your current employer if possible and see if it's possible to work from home for them

* Check out telecommuting jobs where you'd be an independent contractor - just be sure that you know what your responsibilities are (such as withholding your own taxes)

* Starting a home-based business

You may find that a combination of these works at first - maybe you can telecommute while your business is getting started or maybe you can work at home part-time for an employer and part-time as a contractor. After thinking things through and maybe a bit of trial and error, you'll find what works best for you!