| A freelancer is an independent contractor. Have you | | | | helpfulness and knowledge. It is an opportunity for a |
| been looking for freelance employment? Are you | | | | business to improve services and provide training. |
| thinking you have the skills and discipline to work | | | | The shopper provides detailed reports answering the |
| independently? With a computer, high speed internet, | | | | questions posed in guidelines for conducting each |
| phone, fax and skills you can work from home in | | | | shop.This is not a field in which you'll get rich. You |
| almost any field with companies in almost any | | | | may find steady work if you provide great reports, |
| country. Companies benefit by working with | | | | follow job guidelines exactly and live in an area where |
| freelancers or contractors because they are not | | | | frequent shops occur. Signing up with multiple |
| responsible for employment/tax costs. Make sure | | | | mystery shopping service providers should bring you |
| your home environment fits with the type of work | | | | more frequent mystery shopping jobs.How Much Do |
| you want to do. If you plan to do phone work, you | | | | Mystery Shopping Jobs Pay?Mystery Shopping pay |
| can't have sounds of small children or dogs barking in | | | | rates vary depending on the type of assignment and |
| your background. Companies still want their home | | | | establishment. Sometimes it is just reimbursement for |
| workers to appear to be working in the companies' | | | | money spent during the shop. You are given a set |
| offices.Writing/Editing/ProofreadingIf you're hoping to | | | | spending limit and are told if it will be reimbursed. For |
| find job listings for writers or freelance photography | | | | example, you shop an express lube service. Your oil |
| jobs there are opportunities online. In previous times | | | | change and lube will cost $29. You are reimbursed |
| freelance writers and photographers contacted | | | | $29. In another case you shop a supermarket, you |
| magazine and book publishers with samples sent via | | | | pay for the job is $11 and up to $6 of your purchase |
| the mail. Now, you can search the web and find | | | | will be reimbursed. Your total pay for the job is $17. |
| organizations hiring freelancers of all sorts. Freelance | | | | Shopping auto dealerships, property management |
| writing, editing and proofreading are valuable services | | | | firms, and other such establishments often pay a |
| to many businesses. Companies can't afford to | | | | rate anywhere from $30 to $75. Other examples: |
| distribute documents and marketing materials that | | | | retail stores pay $10 -$30/shop, fast food $5-$15 |
| contain errors. An extra pair of eyes help to find | | | | shop, casual dining restaurants pay $15 to $30 with a |
| errors that could be costly or embarrassing. They | | | | meal allowance of $15 - $20.Virtual AssistantIf your |
| need accurate and professional workers to create | | | | administrative skills are strong you may consider |
| and polish written materials. | | | | being a Virtual Assistant. A Virtual Assistant (VA) |
| There is a wide range of pay. Low paying jobs | | | | supports one or more businesses remotely. Duties |
| range from $10 per article to $200 per educational | | | | may include secretarial work, meeting and travel |
| paper. High paying jobs range from $600 to $1,000 | | | | planning, project management and web maintenance. |
| per article. Ghost writing a novel can get you | | | | As an independent contractor you'll decide with |
| thousands.Web DevelopersWith technological | | | | whom you'll work and how and when you'll |
| advances telecommuting jobs became possible and | | | | work.Clients are most often small businesses and will |
| prevalent. Freelance opportunities have moved | | | | hire a Virtual Administrative Assistant to save money. |
| beyond writing and photography. Other freelance | | | | Since you are working from home you use your own |
| employment areas to explore include jobs for web | | | | equipment and the client incurs not employment |
| developers. Web developers usually offer HTML and | | | | costs like taxes and benefits. You are responsible for |
| programming services to create interactive or | | | | your own taxes as an independent contractor. Virtual |
| database driven websites. Web developers are | | | | assistants can support just about any industry. The |
| programmers and work with web based code like | | | | ones hiring VA's most often include real estate, |
| ASP, .NET, Cold Fusion, DHTML, Javascript, PHP, SQL | | | | coaching, financial services, accounting and legal.You |
| and more. Web development and web maintenance | | | | can learn how to become a VA and earn certification |
| are viable freelance jobs ideal for work at | | | | through one of many online training organizations. |
| home."Someone who wants to be a developer has | | | | These organizations work with your existing skill and |
| to have a good eye, think like a programmer and | | | | teach you how to create, operate and become |
| have some graphic design capabilities. If you only | | | | successful in your VA business. Many refer you to |
| know HTML then you won't get very far and will find | | | | your first virtual assistant job. You should research |
| that you have a lot of limitations to the types of | | | | training providers well before paying for training.Virtual |
| sites you can build", says Joey Costa, owner of The | | | | Assistants usually charge by the hour. Rates range |
| Tek in Cary, NC. In addition to HTML, you should | | | | from $25 to $50 per hour. Some VA's work with |
| know C programming, pearl, and good graphics | | | | clients on a retainer. The VA is paid up front and the |
| programs like Photoshop.Mystery ShoppingConsider | | | | client sends work when needed.Read more about |
| also, mystery shopping. Mystery shoppers provide | | | | working from home.Michelle Yanik, is co-owner of |
| businesses with much needed information on | | | | Smart Moms, a company committed to being the top |
| customer service and help increasing sales. A mystery | | | | online resource for moms who want to earn money |
| shopper covertly evaluates the cleanliness of a | | | | from home and find work/life balance. |
| facility, how products are placed, the staff's | | | | |