Is Work From Home a Thing of The Past?

Workplace Buzz on March 24, 2009 3:37 PM

As corporations continue to cut payrolls and watch the bottom line and productivity, some employees are giving up on work-from-home deals -- afraid they'll stand out and be the next to go in these tough times. The Washington Post reports on a "silent fright" among moms working harder than ever to make themselves indespensable.

Comments (5)

Hello, I have over 19 years of experiences as an Executive Asst., working fo Standard & Poor's and now working for Goodman and Company. My desire is to work from home as an Exec Asst. How can get started? And How do I get clients? Thanks so much for answering my questions. :)

— Posted by Tina | July 19, 2009 2:45 PM | Comment Permalink

If you're sending out a lot of resumes without hearing anything from potential employers, you might want to consider having someone review your resume. It doesn't have to be a professional, just find a no-nonsense person who actually does hiring as part of his or her job. My dad is an accounting manager, and he has always reviewed my resumes for me. Most of the time, I end up writing a copious number of drafts before I get his final stamp of approval, "Good. I'd hire you!" His most consistent advice?
1. Keep it as short and simple as possible. Managers getting hundreds of resumes have little time and will be more open to a person who understands and respects this. If you have a thousand emails to read, are you more likely to read a 3 sentence email or a 5 paragraph essay? The details you want to share are best saved for the job interview.
2. Always include a cover letter listing the best of your best qualifications.
3. Look at the job listing and use that as a guideline for your cover letter and resume. If the job asks for someone with excellent time management and organizational skills, have no shame in starting your cover letter with, "I have excellent time management and organizational skills."
4. Always send a thank-you after any type of contact from a potential employer.

Hope this helps, and best wishes in your search!


— Posted by epistolarian | April 6, 2009 11:50 AM | Comment Permalink

Does this mean that companies like live-ops are not hiring?

— Posted by Tracy | April 3, 2009 1:28 PM | Comment Permalink

I have been out of work since November as a Property Manager for an apartment community. I am having a difficult time in trying to find another job. I have probably sent out 60 resumes. It is getting very discouraging, and makng me very nervous. I need some advice on what my next step should be. Please help. I have thought about the working at home concept. I have never done that before.

— Posted by Donna Yates | March 29, 2009 7:50 PM | Comment Permalink

I think it depends on the company. For most of my working life, I have been fortunte to work from home. Currently, I'm working from home for IBM, where many of its employees enjoy the same perk--most of find that we are actually more prodcutive because we want to keep our work-at-home status.

— Posted by KG | March 26, 2009 2:32 PM | Comment Permalink

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