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4 Problems With the Work at Home Job Search

By: Sylvie Charrier


Let's face it. Finding a work-at-home job is one of the hardest things you've ever done, right? Everywhere you look, you see promises, promises, and more promises and most of these promises fall far short of reality. If you’re like me, you probably feel sick every time you see one of those ads: Make Money Fast! Earn Millions with Little or No Effort! It’s time to take control of your own destiny and leave the scams behind.

At first look, work-at-home jobs databases seem like a great way to find a work at home job. However, believe it or not, these are often the least effective way to find a currently available position. Let’s take a look at the top 4 reasons why job search databases rarely work. Then, we’ll equip you with some tips to make the most of your job searching time. In no time at all, you’ll learn where and how you really can find those work-at-home gems.

Reason #1: Jobs are filled before you get a chance to apply
Many jobs may already be filled before they show up in the database at which you’re looking. Because the job listings in most job search databases are almost always found by researchers who search sites like Headhunter.net and Monster.com they are often outdated. Thousands of other people have already seen the ad before the job is posted in the work-at-home jobs database and that doesn’t bode well for your chances.

Reason #2: The competition is fierce
As you know, the competition is fierce for any home-based position that is posted anywhere on the web. Who wouldn’t want to work from home if they had the chance? Many times, when an employer posts a job listing publicly, they become inundated with resumes very quickly and good resumes get lost in the frenzy. With every posting, you are competing against thousands of other applicants.

Reason #3: Many are “local only”
Many positions are "local only" because many employers do not realize the advantages of telecommuting at a distance. They are thinking about "control issues" and having workers local for onsite meetings. In time this will change, but for now, it is a disadvantage to many.

Reason #4: Jobs are severely outdated
Many positions are severely outdated. The jobs you see listed have been listed for months...even years after the position was filled. In these cases, the employers don't bother answering anymore because they are sick of seeing resumes. Because you are totally unaware of this reality, you waste countless hours applying for jobs that don’t even exist any longer.

To make the most of your job search, you must arm yourself with this knowledge. When you have a better sense of the playing field, you’ll know how to avoid the landmines and obstacles to your career—like bogus, outdated, and misrepresented job listings—and begin focusing on the business of pursuing time-effective and productive strategies to maximize your success.

For example, if we were to create a set of helpful guidelines based on our 4 reasons why job search databases rarely work, we might see the following useful tips:

Always check the posting date and referring site of any job listing. If the job was originally listed elsewhere, go to the source and see if has been updated.

Create the best telecommuter’s resume and online portfolio to stand out above the rest of the competition.

Find the “local only” jobs in your area to narrow your search and to lessen the number of applicants you’ll have to compete with.

Search at the source. Rather than paying for a work-at-home job database, use traditional job search methods and see if working from home can become an option after you’ve secured the job.

As you can see, arming yourself with the proper knowledge can help you make the most of your precious time. When you’re “in the know,” you can turn the inside scoop into jobs on your resume and dollars in your pocket.

This article is excerpted from “You Can Work in Your PJs”, a real world guide to telecommuting. Sylvie Charrier works from home full time and wrote this book to share her unique techniques with others. You can download your copy of “You Can Work in Your PJs” by visiting In Your PJS.com