Career Alternatives: It’s a Whole New World

By Michele Blandino

Not that many years ago, women looking for a way to add to the family income while raising their children were pretty much limited to direct sales (think plastic ware, candles, and beauty products) or caring for other children.

Thanks to the Internet, that has changed. There are a number of things women – or anyone for that matter – can do from home to supplement, and sometimes even totally provide – the family’s income. The first step in starting a work-at-home career is to have a good idea of what type of work you want to do. The second step is to build a good network of resources to help you find legitimate work and address the unique concerns of people who work from home.

Here are a few websites that are dedicated to helping women who work at home find jobs, network with other women in similar situations and find useful tips for managing a job and a home at the same time:

• WAHM.com – This self-described on-line magazine for work at home moms has a job listing page that contains legitimate opportunities, message boards and articles to help you start and manage your business. This site is free.
• Home Based Working Moms – Another on-line magazine for working moms, this site contains message boards – although they aren’t very active – organized by type of business, articles and other resources. Many of the site’s features are free, but for $4 a month, you can sign up for their premium service which entitles you to a few things, including discounts when you advertise on their site and a print newsletter.
• Home Based Business Opportunities – Probably one of the most comprehensive sites I’ve run across so far, here you will find over 300 pages of detailed instructions on how to begin a home based business, tips for starting a business and strategies for making it a success. And, it’s all free!
• MoneyMakingMommy.com – This site tends to list some of the more gimmicky types of jobs like mystery shopping, taking surveys and testing products. It does contain links to companies that supposedly offer these types of jobs, but you should proceed with caution when considering some of these companies.