Where have you found luck telecommuting?

[Gypsy]

I'm currently in a very "successful" sales job. 401K, good benefits, looking at a six-figure year despite the recession as soon as I take over the office in September. The only problem is, I work nearly an hour and a half from my home, and there's no opportunity for telecommuting. Right now, I work two or three days a week, which keeps the bills paid but not much else. And as soon as I take over the office, I'm looking at 60-75 hour weeks. Then, I'll have the money to start my muse, but finding the time is going to be a real challenge.

I don't like this conundrum. My plan is to begin working now on a side gig that is location-independent, hopefully working to the point that I can cover my minimum expenses and leave my day job. Then I can focus on more location-independent work and begin building my muse. The startup capital shouldn't be too much, but it's more than I can spare now.

So, that whole long story aside, where have you all found luck telecommuting? I have a very strong track record in sales, so that should help make me marketable. My plan thusfar has been to work through Craigslist classifieds, but most of what I've found has seemed to be unrealistic or potentially shady.

Are there other good sites to look for jobs that lend themselves to a telecommuter? Or have any of you done this job search before, and have some tips?

[dking]

You don't want to be working so much that you don't have time for other things that matter more. Trust me, you don't want that.

[Gypsy]

Oh, I know. In November of last year, I lost my job and my place at the same time. (2am, with no notice.) Until March, I worked two jobs, up to 100 hours a week.

Considering I spend 18 hours just on the road for my current job, I can work some additional hours if it's from my home, and it would still be a break.

[jizo]

Hey Gypsy,

I've just gone through a similar experience so maybe I can offer some advise. I was indeed running the office. Setup an offshore branch out here in Malaysia for a UK based firm. I was making the big buck 6 figures USD, + commissions, and like you said putting in 65-75 hours a week.

I'vte got two small kids, so for me, it was not worth it. I left in Feb. Since then I've been doing telecommuting jobs couple with short term contracting. I was worried about not being able to find anything, but funny thing is now I have to turn down work. I'm keeping my hours to about (32 / week) and I'm actually making more than I was before. So it can be done!

For the telecommunting jobs I've gotten most of them (short term contracts) through previous contacts / networking. But I've also found several posted on the major job boards. If you search the major job boards you will find "work at home" / "telecommute" jobs, although there are tons. But keep searching, or better yet outsource the search to a VPA and I'm sure you'll be able to find it. Especially if you live in America. :)

Good luck,
Jeremy

[froldt]

Right now, I work two or three days a week, which keeps the bills paid but not much else. And as soon as I take over the office, I'm looking at 60-75 hour weeks. Then, I'll have the money to start my muse, but finding the time is going to be a real challenge.

My thought, as I read through your post, is that you could leverage what you have. For example, right now you have the time to get your muse up and running. Could you use this time to get the muse ready, tested, etc (assuming you already have an idea, if not, do that first). Then, once you start working the longer hours, you will already have done the legwork and once you have some extra money, you can just place the calls/send the emails and have the muse up and running?
As the muse becomes successful, you could then quit your job and either start another muse, grow your muse further, and/or find another job to supplement your income.

Just a thought.
froldt

[jcohen3777]

I just found this thread as I was looking for information on telecommuting, sales work, etc.

I have been in sales over 25 years and I've gone from earning over six figures to a 45% income reduction with a corporation that seems poised to sink lower.

The good news about my current position is I do get to run it from home, but it is territory specific in terms of clients that I need to service in my home territory.

I have very strong telephone skills and in the past I have made my living selling a high risk/high ticket service completely over the phone. I'm also very good at in person collaborative/consulting type sales.

Ultimately I'd like to indulge my passion for studying songwriting and performing in Nashville and other locations, but in the meantime I need to pay down significant debt and look into selling our house and finding sales work than I could do 20 to 25 hours a week (ideally from anywhere) and where I could earn at least 50 K-85k.

My ultimate dream is to be able to afford to co-write with the best songwriters in the world (11.5k per weekend!) Record a couple CD's and perform only in venues that are great listening rooms.

My earliest ideas for finding this type of work is to research sales coaches who specialize in selling over the phone and see if I study with them if they may be able to connect me to their corporate clients who could use somebody with my skills. I've also recently looked into a place called ihiresalespeople.com. They claim to be able to hook you up with a job agent for $45 a month who will sort through your specific job search criteria from 2600 databases and forward you only the type of work you're looking for.

Please let me know if any of you have ideas on how I can find a mobile, lucrative sales job.

Thanks for reading this post!

Jcohen