Do work from home jobs really exist?

[Blueyline]

Hello! Mumsnet Jobs team here. We've noticed this thread is fairly old now, and some of the information is out of date. We've put together this article of advice, tips and tricks to start working from home. Alternatively, you can look at the work from home opportunities on Mumsnet Jobs. We hope this is helpful!

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I keep hearing of work from home jobs but where are they advertised? I have been looking for a home-based position for months! I'm a chartered accountant so I always thought it would be easy - all businesses need one etc.

Am I not looking at the right place or are these positions like gold dust?

My DH has an actual bone-fide work from home job, but it started in an office. We wanted to move quite a long way, and they agreed that he could work from home, which was great. He works for a big corporation and they have migrated a huge number of people out of offices to being home based over the past 10 years. It works for them as they have given up some big office buildings, and they are technically able to support home working with video conferencing and IT solutions.

Are you looking for an employed role or for freelance work?

The couple of accountants I know who work from home are self-employed and work with other small businesses. The small business then don't need to employ an accountant of their own.
Could you start up on your own?

I work from home mostly, I have to go out to the office one day a week. It's not a typical work from home job, though, our union negotiated for us to be able to work from home.

I have a friend who works from home, I can ask the name of the company, if you're interested. I used to work as a ChaCha guide. Essentially, people ask questions, online, and you have to answer them. I had to take a test to get hired on, and then I just did it whenever I felt like it.

I think often they start off as in-office roles, then you negotiate to work from home. That was on offer at my last company for a lot of people.

My mum works for a tarot line, taking phone calls, she is a psychic medium too. She is often on a sky channel too, right from her living room. All done on web cam.

I work from home but I freelance which is not everyone's cup of tea as it's insecure.

Could you freelance?

I worked from home full time when we were in London, for an American company.

They were based in Manhatten and there was an office that locals came into every day, but they also had people working from home across America, and Europe.

It was fantastic, I miss it so much. They had twice yearly meetings, where everyone came together in the office for a week - once at Christmas, and once in summer for a huge piss-up planning meetings.

Now back in my home country, doing a different job (which could easily, and in fact better, be done at home), but it's just not set up for it over here.

It makes so much sense - better productivity, plus companies aren't restricted, talent-wise, by geography.

I think most start freelance or start in office and work out.

We do the second kind of. Both were full time in office but since having children negotiated 2 days each a week each working from home. So only one day we are both in office. Means we just worked late when babies/ small ie when they napped then 6pm-1am once other parent home/ baby asleep.
Now they go to nursery 8.30-12 so parent working at home works 6-12am ( other parent drops at nursery on route to work), and in eve again if needed.

From sept they start school so easier times as we an generally work 9-3 plus eves

I think people in your line of work initially apply for (and do) and office based job then negotiate a few days pm from home and increase them once they've proved they can make it work or they're freelance/self-employed.

Sometimes people who have a change in circumstances are able to negotiate this because otherwise they would have to leave and the company want to keep them.

I do think in most circumstances you need to have a track record with the company as there is still a great deal of suspicion about "shirking" from home.

I think it would be very rare to see such positions advertised as working from home.

I've had two jobs working from home. One was office-based then I had to move cities for various reasons and they let me work from home. Was a large global organisation that did used to let staff work from home as and when they needed to anyway.
Current job is more flexible and let's you work from home as often and as little as you want to. They provide the IT equipment and phone, and really there is little need for you to be in office unless you have a meeting. But the organisation I work for is unique and they never advertise jobs as "work from home".

I used to work for the muscular dystrophy society, 100% from home, as a fundraiser.

It was 50/50 between phoning people who had previously supported us to ask them to sell raffle tickets and arranging meetings with bigger companies who might sponsor/donate prizes for fundraising.
This was about 5 years ago, no idea if they still recruit in an at-home capacity.

I do two jobs working from home. I am a self employed proof reader and copy editor and I advertise in the local paper, have a website and a Facebook page. The other job is working on behalf of the NHS phoning outpatients to remind them of their upcoming appointments. Before these two I was a magazine editor and only went into the office one day a week, and worked from home for the rest of the time.

Have you tried something like www.peopleperhour.com when we first started we got most of our work from there!

It is usually charities who offer work from home jobs. The charity I work for closed two regional offices totally and staff work from home. The office was never one that was public facing and anything the staff did from the office they can do without issue at home. Plenty of cheap venues can be hired at a moments notice for meetings if need be.

Why don't you set up your own business? With your qualifications I would have thought it was the best thing to do.

I am 50% home based working as an investigation officer for the energy/comms/property ombudsman.

A lot more companies could do it if they invested in the equipment. I just have my laptop that follows me about and software that allows me to remotely access the server.

The AA and BT employ people to work from home, I know friends who work for them.

I run an internet business from home.
DH runs a consultancy business from home.

Yep as citruslemon said also, mine was never advertised as home based despite some people working 80%-100% from home.

I work from home but I have my own business. I think if you wait for a suitable job to be advertised that is homebased you'll be waiting a long time.

Your best bet is to network like mad and get a couple of clients and build from there. What sort of services are you offering? Chartered accountant is vague in that many roles require CA status but also a particular specialty. What's yours? Tax, audit, management consulting, finance director etc etc??

I am starting to realise that there is a whole army of us out here doing flexible, professional jobs from our homes but it is a bit of secret because most of the deals are not done in public and it isn't something that really comes up in conversation: "what do you do?" "I run a PR firm/business consultancy/will writing business/graphic design company". No "from home" mentioned!

Check out www.flexiworkforce.com/. Some of the jobs advertised there are home working / flexi hours.

Hi Blueyline,

If you're looking for work from home positions I would advise you to visit: www.pacificprofit.com
This is by far the best site that I've found for work from home systems. Its like a library for all the best work from home jobs. Since you're an accountant, these systems should be a breeze for you. I hope this helps.

No, mine wasn't pitched as 'work from home', either. It just happened to be that way because of logistics.