Creating a work-from-home plan can turn into a successful adventure. Planning is important in any adventure. If you don’t have a plan, then you do not have goals to work toward. Success comes with creating an action plan and following through.
Are you ready to work from home?
Creating a plan to be gainfully employed from home includes looking at your situation. You need to be ready for work from home to some degree. Looking at the following questions will help you in getting started:
- Do I have an atmosphere conducive to working from home? What needs to be changed to accommodate my new lifestyle?
- Do I have the basic equipment needed to start? If working online, do I have a dependable computer and printer?
- Am I familiar with basic functions of the computer and basic software? Do I get around pretty good on the computer? Am I familiar with word processing, and so on?
- Do I have children in the home? Are they older or younger? How will having children affect my work time?
- Will the job opportunities I am seeking be a good “fit” for me and my family?
- What do you absolutely love to do? What do you hate to do with a passion?
- What is the job of your dreams? What steps do you need to take to get there?
- Do my ideas “fit” me and my budget?
- What tools are available online to assist me in being successful?
- Are you willing to try a variety of jobs to find what you are really good at from an employer’s perspective?
These are just a few questions to consider. If you have a dream and desire to work from home, it is possible to do!
What plan do I have for working from home?
If you desire to work from home, some thoughts of planning have probably occurred to you in your thoughts. This is a great start and should be followed by writing your goal, thoughts, plans, and ideas down. You can also document them in a word processing, or note taking, software.
Review your thoughts and ideas on a regular basis. This is important because things in life change. Looking at your goals and plans regularly allow you to remove old goals, add new ones, and make any adjustments needed.
I don’t know where to start – HELP!
It is okay to feel like you do not where to even begin. Start by brainstorming ideas of what you like to do. Create a list of at least three areas you desire to learn. Under each area of interest, add skills that you possess that may help you create an action plan. If you do not have the skills needed, research how to gain needed skills. This can be as simple as doing some research online.
Once you have decided on a few areas to focus upon and have some skill knowledge, write down the following things:
- Number of hours available for work
- Training needed
- Information/skills that would be relevant to this area of work (to place in resume)
- Time available to prepare more thoroughly for your area of interest
- Personal goals (number of applications to place, gaining letters of recommendation, so on)
- Start your plan of action
Sample Plan of Action
Everyone’s sample plan of action will look differently. The following is only a sample to give you an idea of how to get started. Adjust the following to fit your personal needs.
Mary’s Sample Plan of Action
Personal Goals:
- Determine the number of hours desired to work
- Decide the days desired to work and basic times of the day
- Determine the number of hours available to add to skill sets
Preparing the Work Area
- Arrange the work area for effective organization
- Prepare the computer (securing it, removing unneeded files, so on)
- Place efficient lighting in the area
- Secure and add items needed (pens, paper, supplies, etc.)
Gaining Skill Assessments
- Take testing to determine skills
- Hire job coach to help with assessments
- Set aside time to develop needed areas
Creating Cover Letter and Resume
- Prepare cover letter for application process
- Prepare information for solid resume
- If possible, hire professional writing service
Creating Portfolio
- List job skills
- Add past trainings, education, experiences
- List volunteer opportunities
- Add test results related to work opportunities
- Secure letters of recommendation
- Create and/or add portfolio items created (Word documents, Power Point Presentations, so on)
Set Job Opportunity Goals
- Research available jobs
- Apply to six job opportunities each week
- Secure the use of a job coach who assists with securing online jobs
- Follow through with interviews
- Recheck on resumes sent to places of employment
- Become gainfully employed
Creating an action plan will allow you to see the steps needed to accomplish your work from home dream. It will give you points within the process to check your personal progress. Additional steps may be needed along the way. Adjustments are normal to the course of action.
