A dream of many is the work at home job. Answering emails and filling orders in their slippers, starting work whenever they get in the mood, finishing when they like.

Right ?

No. Wrong !

In reality, to be successful as a work at home entrepreneur dreaming won’t get you far. Hard work, however, will. To be an accomplishment work at home success story you must be SELF-MOTIVATED. If you have the will power and the space to work from your own home office then here are some of the most up-to-the-minute work from home opportunities on the market today.

VIRTUAL CALL CENTER REPRESENTATIVE

Virtual call centers provide companies in both direct response and enterprise markets, with on-demand, pay-per-minute, call center representatives. Thousands of independent home agents have established a call center in their home, running on a schedule the agents design themselves. These agents range from being employees with benefits to independent contractors, depending on the company they choose. Even traditional call centers like Convergys are now offering employees the ability to answer calls from home and installing their equipment in the employees home office.

The requirements to become an independent agent vary. Some companies like highly regarded LiveOps have strict requirements with a non-refundable $50.00 background check but other respectable virtual call centers like West, Cloud Ten or Westat may have no upfront costs but do require verifiable references as well, along with a valid Social Security number. Calls come in 24/7 and most take calls for anything from infomercials, foods like Pizza Hut, home shopping channels to political surveys, outbound call back agents and more. You must provide your own quiet office, free from sound and distraction, with a good quality personal computer and up to date software and security. Most require you to have either a DSL or Cable broadband connection and a separate hard wired landline telephone that is dedicated to your home business.

WRITING FOR DOLLARS

With the advent of the internet a whole world opened for writers. A constant need for SEO (search engine optimized) articles, blogs done on a daily basis, eBooks, and things like product descriptions and web landing pages, has created a need for word smiths. Citizen journalism is a widely used term because we all can publish via websites, or blogs thanks to the World Wide Web.

If you are good at self-promotion and have a real gift or education for writing, it can pay off. Sites like Helium, eHow or Associated Content that will pay pennies per hit on your article and build your portfolio and hone your skills. Helium hosts competitions that actually pay the winners in cash on a weekly basis. These writing sites also offer the opportunity to put your work out for exclusive sale to their site or their marketplace. These calls for articles can pay anywhere from a few dollars to $40 or $50 per article. Elance.com is another site that also hosts writing opportunities from product descriptions to writing entire eBooks.

Start up costs range from a few opportunities a month at a higher percentage of what you earned, to a paid membership for 20 opportunities, or connects, for $9.95 and a lowered percentage. The investment can pay off in one job.

Starting your own webpage or blog that embeds advertising can also pay for your words. These sites have been extremely easy to create with hosting sites and the newer software available. The writing world is very generous with support for each other and there are many helpful people online who will give you tips in beginning your career as an online author.

VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

Elance doesn’t just host writers. It also allows you to bid to be someone’s virtual assistant. If you can provide a professional and confidential level of service in administrative, technical, or miscellaneous assistance to a wide range of clients, usually successful professionals themselves or entrepreneurs and businesses, this is a very exciting field. If you are proficient in other languages or know a particular field or area well it can enhance your marketability.

If you enjoy variety, people are willing to pay you to read their emails, buy their in-laws gifts, book their flights and filter their voice messages. As a VA you can help organize someone’s day, get better deals on travel and even keep them up to date on social networks. Virtualassistants.com and Guru.com both host sites that allow you to post your qualifications and be asked to work or to peruse the wanted posts and bid for a job. If you entice the employer that you’re the best priced or the most qualified or both, then you are off and running as a true Virtual Assistant.