Work at home jobs be professional!

Most people who have work at home jobs enjoy a period of euphoria when they start working at home... the moment they realize that from now on they'll be able to work completely free and unsupervised. They can attend phone conferences buck naked, show up to work anytime they feel like it and slam down a dozen donuts while making sales calls.

Those of us with work at home jobs may be tempted to subscribe to a common misconception among newcomers who begin work at home jobs... the misconception that just because one has a work at home job and can work unsupervised, that they can sacrifice some of the professionalism and take a more casual attitude toward their work. The truth is that if we want to keep our work at home jobs, we'd better adopt a different attitude toward our new freedom.

The reality is that for many people with work at home jobs, they need to conduct themselves more professionally at home, not less. This is especially true for people who have work at home jobs as part of a test by their company or for their particular position. Understandably, when a company begins to convert some of their onsite jobs to work at home jobs, the entire concept of working at home is being tested and scrutinized. Most companies view it as very risky. If the employees who are fortunate enough to obtain work at home jobs begin to work unprofessionally or create unnecessary problems due to the lack of supervision, the company may abandon it's offsite labor program(s) entirely. The end result will be no more work at home jobs, for anyone, including you.

Another reason why it is so important to maintain absolute professionalism in your work at home career is because there is sometimes a need to overcompensate in order to appease company critics of the work at home program or to reassure particularly insecure or nervous supervisors. Sometimes there are even jealous co-workers back at your office who are just waiting to find a good reason to ruin the good thing you've got. If you maintain the appearance of absolute professionalism at all times the perception on the part of your co-workers and employer will be that you are professional in everything you do, whether they are able to watch you do it or not.

Here's our Top Six Rules of professionalism for those of us who are lucky enough to have work at home jobs:

Even if you work at home, always start work around the same time you used to at your office, or at the same time your job is traditionally done at traditional worksites. You need to be available at the same time your co-workers and/or competitors are available. It just isn't professional to start working late in the day unless your work absolutely positively has no contact with anyone else, such as data entry work. Work at home jobs that involve no human contact are rare.
Always maintain total professionalism when on the phone, regardless of who you're talking to, including co-workers and subordinates. Never create the impression that your discipline or professionalism have been compromised because you work at home.
People with work at home jobs that involve incoming telephone calls should not allow other family members to answer their business phone line(s). If family members do answer your business phone(s) on occasion, be sure they're fully trained to take a message or place the caller on hold and that they are absolutely professional. Children should never answer business phone calls; it just doesn't make the right impression regardless of how professional your children try to be.
If you work at home always keep your commitments. People with work at home jobs can too easily give the impression that they're "goofing off" if promises are not kept or are not kept on time.
Dress the part, even if you work at home. The old adage that claims we feel the way we look is true and it stays true for people with work at home jobs. It's true that when you work at home you can work in your pajamas, but if you'll be working with other people by phone, mail or email, you'll feel and act far more professional if you're fully groomed and properly dressed when you begin work. Even if you are not in contact with other people, you will probably find that you produce a better work product, get a lot more done in less time and "think better" if you're dressed like a professional. Make it part of your new lifestyle to start work only after until you're fully showered and dressed so that you feel and act professional.
People with work at home jobs shouldn't take short cuts. As much as posssible, keep doing your job exactly the way you used to do it in the office or the way it is commonly done in an office. Shortcuts on communication, methods or paperwork may give the impression that you're not taking your work seriously.

The underlying theme is that those of us work have work at home jobs need to remember that our work at home job is still a job. The fastest way to lose your work at home job is to view it as anything less than a serious job. You may be working at home and getting high on your new freedom, but if you want to keep that freedom, be sure you are absolutely professional at all times.