These folks have possibly obtained list after list of jobs available for workers seeking employment in industries like, computers, engineering, Internet technology, management, sales, and secretarial services. But the majority of people using these well-known search engines and career links probably haven’t located a lot of results featuring lists of jobs for telecommuters.

It’s actually possible that some job hunters haven’t even considered searching for telecommuting jobs. But the reality is there’s potential opportunities for employees in many professions to explore options for telecommuting or working from home doing the same types of jobs that traditionally required traveling to an office or store to work at least eight hours a day five days a week in order to earn a living in their chosen career.

Times are changing and the trends are shifting toward more employees wanting to work from home and more employers offering telecommuting job alternatives.

Professionals in fields like consulting, data systems, graphic arts, Internet services, research, travel and writing have already established new careers as successful telecommuters.

According to a recent article in American Demographics magazine, people are starting home businesses at a rate of 2 million a year. Although estimates of the number of people working at home and the definitions of a home office worker vary greatly, several studies report an increase in telecommuting employees.

Working from home is not for everyone. Some key elements that are essential to a successful telecommuting career include: self-discipline, organizational skills, computer access, functional office space, the ability to work alone, and the dedication and desire to focus on career objectives from the comfort of home.

If the idea intrigues you, investigate any of the following web sites for more information about the telecommuting industry, suggestions that show you how to succeed as home worker, and, of course, a list of telecommuting jobs.

FREE WEB SITES:

Telecommuting Job Opportunities
http://www.tjobs.com/jobopps.htm *Site offers lists for artists, data entry, desktop publishing, photography, sales, web design, writing and others.

Telecommuting Home Page at About.Com
http://telecommuting.about.com/msub3.htm
*Site provides links to various related resources, job sites, telework centers, and a new page posting job openings for telecommuters.

Workaholics4Hire
http://www.workaholics4hire.com
*Site provides job search, resume help, employers and much more.

How to Find Telecommuting Jobs My Way
http://members.aol.com/SiennaPco/telejobs.htm
*Site supplies expert advice on telecommuting based on her proven methods.

Most sites furnish job seekers with other tools, like newsletters about the growing industry, tips from experienced telecommuters, business ideas, and articles designed specifically for people, who want to work from home.

Although you may be inclined to limit your focus to websites with job listings, you may be surprised by what you can find in some free publications from helpful hints to make your search for work simpler to loads of links to other informative websites.

A word of caution for you to seriously consider - Read the terms and conditions posted on all web sites offering job lists or related publications very carefully. Some sites that advertise FREE information actually mean FREE IF YOU... buy this book, join this group, purchase this product or become a member of this company.

Generally speaking, you should not have to pay a fee to be eligible for employment with any legitimate business or career resource.

If a company captures your attention by claiming to offer anything FREE and you find FEES hidden in the fine print somewhere on their website, chances are you may be disappointed with the services or products they offer.

If a company promises that you will earn millions by becoming affiliated with their business, pay close attention to the particulars.

There are numerous web sites that charge a fee or require membership for their job services based on the claim that they provide the most extensive resources for finding telecommuting opportunities.

Some are real and others are scams. It’s hard to tell the difference.

One step you can take to try to find out if the company is legitimate before you sign up for anything they offer is by contacting the Web Assurance Bureau (http//wabureau.com/) or NetCheck Commerce Bureau Consumer Services Center (http://www.netcheck.com/) Both of these companies have lists of websites, which meet the basic standards of good business practices. Consumers can also file complaints about Internet sites that they feel failed to fulfill contract terms or promote professional operating procedures. These virtual advisors give consumers in cyberspace an avenue to voice legitimate positive or negative comments about web companies for other Internet users to review to minimize their risk of being ripped off.

For more insight into telecommuting, consult these other online resources that offer free information.

Gil Gordon Associates-(http://www.gilgordon.com)

June Langhoff's Telecommuting Resource Center-(http://www.langhoff.com)

My final suggestion for potential telecommuters is don’t give up on finding a way to give up the nine to five forever. If you are determined to abandon the traditional trek to the office, devote your time and efforts to discovering a different road to career success.

As you stand at the crossroads, consider this: Your journey to freedom as a telecommuter can easily turn into a jaunt to failure, if you don’t have the focus, discipline, and desire required to work from home.