First, Watch out for Scams
With the recession in full swing, scam artists are out in force, especially in the work-at-home arena. One of their favorite ploys is to post job ads trumpeting that “no experience is necessary.”

In fact, “no experience” was one of the key hooks in the infamous “rebate processing” scam recently unmasked on ABC News 20/20, which victimized thousands of people across the U.S. (Chris was interviewed on the program to discuss scam trends.)

Con artists know that many people desperate to work from home may have little or no applicable work experience, so they write their bogus “offers” to cast the widest possible net. For more on how to spot work-at-home scams, see our article here.

Teaching Conversational English and Other Jobs
You may not get rich with jobs or projects that require no experience (though many wealthy people never attained a college degree). But the work is legitimate, and at the end of the month you can have a worthwhile addition to the family income.

Here are some of the better-known, home-based jobs that demand little or no experience:

• Teaching conversational English: With advances in online teaching tools and long-distance phone charges falling or disappearing altogether, language companies can now offer conversational English to students located almost anywhere. One such employer is Idapted. For more online tutoring and teaching positions, go here.   
• Answering questions electronically: Services such as KGB and ChaCha hire home-based workers to answer a wide variety of customer questions submitted via text or cell phone call. (Some research skills required.)
• Mystery shopping: While there are many scams in this niche – in particular, beware offers involving pre-paid shopping, and “leftover funds” to be wired overseas – legitimate companies do hire people to visit vendors and evaluate the experience. For a list of screened companies, go here.

Polish Your Credentials at Every Opportunity
Regardless of your immediate employment goals, don’t forget to obtain additional training and certifications wherever feasible. Brainbench.com, for example, often offers free or inexpensive certifications that many employers respect, and tuition assistance programs may be an option as well. For more, see Military.com’s educational resources here.