Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Medical Transcriptionist

Each Thursday, I highlight a work-from-home job opportunity.

Position: Medical Transcriptionist


Education: Proper training in medical coding and transcriptions required, usually through an approved American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) school. Visit the AAMT website for a list.

Skills: The ability to master the complex coding and transcriptions of the medical field.

Job outlook: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that job opportunities for this field will be good for those certified in medical transcriptions. “Employment of medical transcriptionists is projected to grow by 11 percent from 2008 to 2018, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Demand for medical transcription services will continue to be spurred by a growing and aging population,” according to the BLS. Check out the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for more details.

Possible employers: The BLS found that around 36 percent of medical transcriptionists worked in hospitals and that 23 percent worked in doctor’s offices. “Others worked for business support services; medical and diagnostic laboratories; outpatient care centers; offices of physical, occupational, and speech therapists; and offices of audiologists,” according to the BLS.

Preparation: You will need to brush up on your medical transcription skills if you have been out of the workplace for a while. Take a refresher course. Become a Registered Medical Transcriptionist (RMT) or a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT).

Get your foot in the door: Check out local physician offices and hospitals to see about work-from-home opportunities. Offer to do an hour’s work for free.

Until next time,
 
Sarah

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Marketing Your Home-Based Business: Voice Mail

The second way you can market your home-based business is your voice mail message. The outgoing message of your answering machine and/or voice mail system can promote your business when you're not able to answer the phone.

If you're like me and your home number and business number are one and the same, combine the two with a short message. For example, my answering machine and voice mail messages say, "You've reached the Hamakers and the home office of Sarah Hamaker, freelance writer and editor. We're not able to come to the phone right now, so please leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible."

Provide additional information about your product or services if applicable, such as if you're accepting new clients or have a special running currently.

Also train your children to answer the phone in a professional manner, such as, "Hello, this is the Hamakers. How may I help you?" Then to also ask, politely, "Who is calling, please?"

Teach your children what information is needed when taking messages, such as name, time and date of call, phone number to return the call, and reason for calling.

Voice mail messages and phone etiquette can help promote your home-based business for free.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Virtual Customer Service Agent

Each Thursday, I will highlight a work-from-home opportunity.


Position: Virtual Customer Service Agent

Education: No formal education required, although some companies offer preferences to candidates holding bachelor's degrees.

Skills: The ability to process inbound customer calls for companies and expertise in customer service.

Job outlook: Varies, depending on location and skill set. Posted hourly rates range from between $8 and $15, which is tied to your experience, accounts handled and call volume. Most companies require a minimum of 20 hours a week.

Possible employers: Companies like Custom Loyalty Concepts, Alpine Access, LiveOps, Arise, Working Solutions, Accolade Support, West at Home, ACD Direct and HirePoint.

Preparation: You will reliable high-speed Internet access, a landline, and a working computer. Practice talking in a pleasant voice, such as smiling when saying your greeting. Also make sure your office is in a quiet location, as you need to be able to work without distractions. Consider taking an online course in customer service if you have no direct experience, i.e., a job in retail or one that required interaction with customers.

Get your foot in the door: Visit the above sites to see what specific requirements are needed. Ask about a trial period to see if this job is a good fit.

Until next time,

Sarah

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February At Home News

This month's At Home News takes a close look at tutoring as a work-from-home job. Darcy Acquavella has been a private tutor for more than 10 years, working 10 to 15 hours per week helping students of all ages excel in schoolwork.

Click on the newsletter tab for more info on how to sign up to receive my free, monthly e-newsletter to learn more about working from home.

Until next time,


Sarah

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Marketing Your Home-Based Business: Website

Figuring out a marketing plan for your home-based business can be difficult. Over the 10 Tuesdays, I will tackle one marketing tool for promoting at-home businesses.

The first marketing tool is developing a website for your business. No matter what product or service you are selling or making, you need a website. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it does have to be accessible. Having a site hidden away under an obscure name will not help promote your business.

Buy as close a domain name as possible to your business name. If you conduct business under your name, use that. If it's a combination of your name and a business name, buy that. But make the domain name as simple as possible in order to capitalize on search engines searches. GoDaddy.com and Network Solutions are popular website that register domain names.

There are many sites that allow you to build your website at reasonable costs. If your budget allows, hire a professional to design your site.

On your website, clearly state who you are in terms of your business. What do you sell? Where can visitors find your products or services? How can they contact you? Ensure that information is easily accessible on your website.

Get your website URL out there. Use it in the signature of your email and put it on your business cards. Make sure every purchase has something with your website URL on it, like a receipt.

Having a website can be an easy way to promote your business.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Baby Blanket Knitter

Each Thursday, I highlight a work-from-home job or business.

Position: Baby blanket knitter or quilter

Education: No formal education required.

Skills: The ability to knit and/or sew.

Job outlook: Depends on how much time you can dedicate to your craft.

Possible employers: Places that you can sell your finished product includes craft and fabric stores, baby gear stores, baby clothing stores, arts and craft festivals, online craft stores like etsy.com and Craig’s List, and friends and family. I knit baby blankets that I’ve sold to family members for gifts and at craft festivals.

Preparation: You will need to become skilled at knitting, quilting or sewing. You must be able to make a quality product or no one will want to buy it. Start by selecting patterns and trying a few different styles out. Record how long it takes for you to complete a blanket to work your time into the blanket’s cost. Look at similar blankets in stores and online to gauge pricing options.

Get your foot in the door: Visit independent baby gear stores and ask if you can leave a couple of blankets on consignment for a few weeks. Post your blankets on Craig’s List. Put up flyers at your place of work or your husband’s office, if appropriate, advertising your business.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Telecommuting Jobs

Ever wonder what the top telecommuting jobs are? FlexJobs.com has compiled a list of the top five telecommuting jobs. (Note: This appears to be a legitimate website, but it does require a monthly or yearly fee to access its job listings.)

Educational. "Education jobs that are offered remotely include enrollment specialists who recruit new students, advisors who provide guidance to students, and adjunct instructors who manage and teach virtual classes." You will likely need certification and a teaching or bachelor's degree to be considered for this type of position.

Writing. "There are many companies that are trying to cut costs by eliminating in-house editorial teams and outsourcing content work to skilled writers who work from their homes absorbing overhead costs." I can personally attest to this, having shared writing a daily e-newsletter with another freelance writer for several years for one association. That e-newsletter used to be written by an in-house staffer. You will need strong writing skills and samples of published articles for this type of job.

Medical. "Many health care careers formerly managed in hospitals are now being performed by home based professionals in nursing, medical transcription, medical billing and coding roles." You will need special training to perform these tasks. Many companies offer such training online, but be sure the training you are getting will be recognized by the businesses with which you want to work.

Sales. "The value of sales and marketing is spread across all industries therefore the availability of jobs is very high. With a wide range of employment opportunities, sales is a career that provides entry level to professional level advancement." Be aware that many sales jobs are commission-only, and that some require training and/or product purchases before beginning as a salesperson.

Bilingual. "Language jobs are widely available to people all over the world who enjoy speaking with others via telephone or web enabled conferences and meetings." You might need to prove your competence in another language by receiving certification or passing a language proficiency test.

Until next time,

Sarah

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Work-From-Home Job Spotlight: Animal Breeder

Every Thursday, I highlight a work-from-home job or business.

Position: Animal breeder

Education: Formal education is not necessary but a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in animal husbandry or agriculture might prove useful. If working for a laboratory, specific training courses might be required. Knowledge of basic veterinary services might be helpful.

Skills: The ability to work well with the animal and breed of choice. The room to house, feed and exercise the animals.

Job outlook: Depends on the animal and breed. Check with state or national associations of the animal and breed for more details.

Possible employers: Local breeders, laboratories and farms.

Preparation: You will need to be able to select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics and offspring. You may need a knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. You will have to keep records on heats, birth intervals or pedigree.

Get your foot in the door: Consider working briefly for another breeder similar to what you will be raising. Join state or national breed associations, which can provide training and other vital information for successfully breeding. Start small and build your breeding business slowly so that you can learn on the job.

Until next time,
 
Sarah

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Overcoming Writer's Block

Whether you are a novelist, a writer or just need to get that email sent, we all encounter writer's block sometimes. "How to Beat Writer’s Block Online" from Mashable gives several tips on overcoming this work-slowing problem.

Find inspiration. Try switching radio stations, surf YouTube for funny videos, walk away from your computer for a few minutes, go outside for a walk around the block or visit Flickr for a change of scenery.

Re-focus. Correct what you have already written. Type anything, even a poem or lyrics, just to get the words flowing.

Try language games. Rhyming dictionaries, word-association sites, and visual thersauses can help unlock your writer's block.

Brainstorm free-form. Jot down thoughts, even random ones, relating to your topic.

Go social. Use your social network to generate ideas of where to go in your writing.

Hopefully, these will unstick you when you've got a case of writer's block.

Until next time,

Sarah

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