The Beginner’s Guide to Working from Home

in collaboration with Tsika Garcia Baylan (certified WAHM)

The moment I became a mom, I knew I couldn’t handle being away from my child. So, I decided to retire from my work as a financial collector from one of the most prominent BPO companies in the Philippines. However, I know for a fact that I cannot “just be a mom”, no matter how noble that job is. I need to do something else aside from taking care of my daughter and doing household chores. I need to work and earn! I need to continue keeping my self-worth by having a career, and the only way for me to do all these is by having a decent job while staying at home.

Gone were the days when a mother has to choose between her family and her career. With the advent of technology, we are now able to be a stay-at-home mom while earning dollars!

Awesome, yeah? You get to work and earn while keeping track and witnessing your child/ren’s milestones!

Like all other decent jobs, you need to invest in something in order to have new beginnings. As for becoming a WFHM (Work-From-Home Mother), you must be aware first of WHAT are the things you ought to have? Provided below are the tools you will be needing:

1. A desktop, a laptop, or both – obviously, you need these because you will be working online; meaning, most of the time, you will be in front of a computer. Some may only use a desktop while others a laptop; but for me, it’s much better to have both so I will have a back-up if there are glitches.
2. Internet Connection with AT LEAST 5MBPS – some employers, especially those that have to frequently call their clients, require wired Internet connection because of its stability. Others are fine with non-wired as long as you have at least 5MBPS. Stable internet connection is crucial since this will be your tool to connect with your foreigner clients, and 5MPBS is the minimum speed you must have.
3. Headset – Depending on the nature of your work, you might be required to invest in a good-quality headset. If your job will require you to call, then you must have a headset with a microphone attached. There are headsets with a noise-cancellation feature. That is a good tool to have, too. As an online worker, the only means of communication with your employer is through calls, and thus investing in good communication tools is a must.
4. HD Video Camera – Some clients require that they see you through a web camera to make sure that they are talking to a real person and not just a robot.

Now that you already have the needed tools to start an online job, let’s see HOW you can find one:

1. Think about the kind of home-based job you want to do. No one knows you better than yourself. Assess. In which area do you excel? Are you good in graphic designing?  Do you like teaching? How about writing? Video editing? If you are very skilled – knows how to write, edit videos, or teach online – then congratulations! There will definitely more opportunities knocking at your door, and you will have the liberty of choosing your own employer/s. However, I suggest that you still choose the best job for you and do not accept everything. Get the job where you excel, pays well, and has a good schedule. How’s that?
2. Let’s say you know what you want and where you are good at, the next step is to submit your resume to ALL the possible employers you will come across online. Keep in mind that while looking for a job, hundreds of thousands of resumes and application letters sent will never be enough. Stop ONLY when you already landed on that online career you like.
3. Build your network, join support groups (there are a lot on Facebook), and attend seminars and tutorials (there are FREE courses online) to further hone your skills. Connect with right-minded individuals. Never stop learning.

Okay, so now that you have all the necessary tools and know where you are good at, WHERE can you find a decent online job?

There are actually a lot of platforms where you can sign-up and find jobs for FREE! By the way, keep in mind that any job online that will require you to pay is bogus. Never ever shell out money for a job you are applying for. Alright? Below are just some of the sites where you can find a job that will fit your skills:

• Upwork Global Inc. – Formerly known as Elance-oDesk. Upwork is a global freelancing platform where businesses and independent professionals connect and collaborate remotely. They have a wide range of jobs available for programmers to designers, writers, customer support reps, and more.
• Freelancer.com – Like Upwork, Freelancer is a global crowdsourcing marketplace website which allows potential employers to post jobs that freelancers can then bid to complete. 
• 51Talk Philippines – This is the No.1 online English platform in China and the fastest growing online English Language Teaching (ELT) platform in the Philippines. Since Filipinos are known as good English speakers, a lot of foreign nationals prefer hiring Filipinos as English teachers. This is where I am working for 2 years now!

There are a lot more options available. For those jobs that will require you to be online for at least 8 hours a day, the minimum payment you can get is ₱18,000 a month. That’s clean, no tax deductions whatsoever. The salary can be higher depending on your skills. Not bad, yeah?

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