One of the most significantthings created by the internet is the opportunity for many people to leave the daily commute to their boring 9-5 jobs and set up shop in their own homes. Back to the future when people were able to engage in "cottage industries" right from their own homes. Except this time the "cottage" is your connected house right downtown, in the suburbs, or out in the country. You are probably wondering "What can I do from my home?" "How can I take advantage of this opportunity myself?" There are two broad categories of work at home opportunities. On the one hand you can convert your current office job into a work-from-home position. In other words, continue on with the same employer, but turn your desk over to someone else, and set up shop in that spare bedroom.

The other option is to quit your job and strike out on your own with your very own small business. Of course if you choose this second option you don't have to do it all at once. You can start your business while you work at your current job. Then when you have built it to a satisfactory point you can leave your old job and devote all your work energies to your new business.

Concerning the first option -- converting your current job into a work-at-home position, the advantages for your employer are significant. The most important is that you will not be occupying a desk or office. That opens up all kinds of opportunities for your employer. It reduces the space overhead, and also reduces the in-office management overhead required to keep you busy and productive. To some degree, however, these reduced overheads will be replaced by the need for a more secure, more robust networking environment.

The benefit of upgrading the company's network so employees can work remotely is that your employer can now eliminate a number of offices. This can be very significant. Of course there are other potential disadvantages. It is relatively easy to manage the work load and oversee the performance of employeess who are not captively sitting in little offices. Take them out of those offices and you have a very serious set of management issues.

The more likely scenario is that you will simply leave your current employment and find something else you can do from home. This may be working for some other company who have already addressed the remote labour force management issues, or, again more likely, it will be working as an independent agent either in your own business, or on a contract basis with one or more companies.

Either way you will have to start thinking of yourself as an independent entrepreneur. That will require that you get serious about managing your own time, figuring out how to evaluate and market it, and how to separate the productive tasks from the unproductive ones.

If you take the completely independent route and decide to start your own work at home consulting or design or marketing business (or any of a whole host of other work at home opportunities) don't be surprised if it takes quite a while to find your bearings. Most people starting out on their own find that it takes a year or so to build a small clientele and figure out the details of the work-at-home situation. Don't be depressed by the prospect of spending the first year experimenting. Find something you like to do. Latch onto a client or two who really appreciates your work. And then build your business from there.

The success or failure of your business may depend on the advice you get right at the beginning. Before making the plunge talk to some self employed friends. Be humble and listen. Don't assume you know all the answers. Look on the web for work at home advice.

Find a work at home business that you can pour yourself into. Work hard and stick with it. The rewards may take a while to come around, but they will come.

Rick Hendershot is a marketing consultant, writer, and internet publisher who lives in Conestogo, Ontario, Canada. He publishes several websites and blogs, including Trade Show Tips, Web Traffic Resources, Marketing Bites, SuperCharge Your Website with Power Linking, and many more.

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