Military spouses ask me all the time about working from home. They want to know how I decided it was for me. They want to know how I make money, why I chose what I chose to do, and how they can make a business of their own.

Having a mobile career is wonderful for military. We move like crazy, we don’t always have a spouse at home to help us around the house, and we definitely could use the extra cash. So, just how do you make it work? Below I’ve answered the top five questions about starting your own mobile career as a military spouse.

How do I find a genuine telecommuting job?
Legitimate employers with home-based jobs hire the same way traditional employers do. There will be an application process, an interview, and possibly, a test. The key to finding work-at-home jobs is to search where people post jobs. Employers are not looking for home workers. They are looking for qualified people to fill a position. You may be able to find these positions on a job-related website. What’s more, the competition for a work-at-home job will be fierce. You need to set yourself apart from the competition by having a professional, error-free resume. When searching try keywords or search terms such as, “home office required” or “telecommuting position” instead of general terms such as “work from home.”

How do I keep from getting scammed?
The Better Business Bureau offers tips on what to watch for so that you don’t get scammed. Look out for businesses that never offer you regular salaried employment, promise you huge profits and big part-time earnings, use anonymous testimonials, require money for instructions or merchandise, assure you of guaranteed markets and a huge demand for your handiwork, tell you that no experience is necessary, or take your money and give you little or nothing in return.

What is a direct sales company?
The definition of direct selling is: A marketing approach that involves direct sales of goods and services to consumers through personal explanation and demonstrations, frequently in their home or place of work. Companies such as Avon, Mary Kay, Discovery Toys, Pampered Chef are considered direct selling entities. The company itself offers a “consultant” opportunity for you to do the direct selling of their product.

How do I decide what direct sales company is best for me?
First, take a peek at this website that has a list of more than 90 direct sales businesses: http://www.directsellingopportunities.com/search_opportunities Then base your decision on the following:
• Passion — your interest, excitement, and general feeling about the company and products.
• Products — place an order, use the products and test them. Would you buy them?
• Investment — most companies will have an initial investment so check to make sure this is in line with your budget.
• Minimums — do you have to meet a sales quota, party quota, or call quota?
• Compensation; what amount of money are you going to make for the work that you put into this business?
• Control and support — is there a support system and do you have control over your business?
• Advertising — are you in charge of all of your advertising or will the company do it for you? Do they have advertising in place?

Where do I start if I have a business idea of my own?
First ask yourself if there is a market for your product or service, then research it. Find out just how many people there are in your area are interested in your proposed product or service, and would pay for it. It’s also wise to research your potential competitors. This is known as defining your market and pinpointing your customers. This will allow you to find out what others are charging for their product/service. Regardless of what kind of business you start, you must have the capital and the available time to sustain your business. Create a business plan. Get educated and make a list of what you should do. A good place to start is with the Small Business Administration. In the age of the Internet, you can find most of this information very simply by searching online using keywords: small business startup or home business startup. Remember, if you fail to plan, plan to fail.

© Tara Crooks