Once you have decided to work at home (either by choice or
out of necessity) you are faced with the decision as to whether
to pursue a work at home job or to start a home based business.
That may sound like a minor distinction, but the differences can
be quite significant.

A general psychological characterization of the entrepreneurial
spirit says they are typically people who have a high energy
level, set long-term goals, feel quite self-confident, and view
money and financial security as a measure of accomplishment and
piece of mind.

Entrepreneurs are further characterized as problem solvers, who
take risks, learn from their failures (as well as those of
others), accept personal responsibility, seize the initiative,
and use all available resources to achieve their success.


Entrepreneurs also tend to compete with themselves and believe
that success or failure lies within their personal control or
influence. They do not see setbacks as failures, but rather just
as learning experiences. Most of all, they exhibit persistence
and tenacity, never giving up and never quitting the quest for
success.

If you fit most of these criteria, you would probably elect to
start a home business instead of undertaking a work at home job.
However, the decision to work at home does not necessarily mean
that you want to be the owner of a business. You may prefer
working at home for an already established company. This is
often easier to do than owning a business yourself and you may
not want all the headaches, responsibilities and obligations that
come with owning your own business.

Regardless of which path (job or business) you choose, the first
step is to figure out what business or work-from-home opportunity
you want to pursue. There are many excellent information sources
such as public libraries and Internet sites that list seemingly
countless home business and work at home job opportunities. The
abundance is so great that it might well lead to confusion.

One of the most important factors is often overlooked. This is
your personal inventory. Often this will yield some direction
and focus to the business or job selection process. Assess
yourself and your situation. Write a resume for yourself that
includes your background, education, training as well as any
particular on-the-job skills you possess that could possibly be
used in a venture or job. Also look at your leisure-time
activities and hobbies, because many businesses result from a
person following their "passion." Ask yourself how much time you
can realistically put into a business venture, given your present
commitments.

Once you have determined the general type of home business or
work at home job that you want to undertake, it is of critical
importance that you do your homework (research) to select the
specific opportunity where you are going to make your
"investment" (some combination of time, effort and money) in
working at home.



About the Author
Kirk Bannerman operates a successful home based business and
coaches others seeking to start their own home based business. Visit his website at
Legitimate Home Based Business for more details.