Many have the dream to work from home, but not the guts to do it. This makes sense, because working from home is a huge gamble for some, who are used to having a reliable source of income from a steady job in an office or other professional field of work.

Choosing to work from home is a very big, difficult, and important decision to make. It is risky, so it is not a good idea to just quit a job and then try to find a position that allows you to work from home.

You may find that a remote position that allows you to work from home pays much less than what you are used to, and this is normal. However, switching from a “normal” job to a work at home position can be a smart financial decision, considering the following:

The decision to work at home is usually a second decision, which comes after being a stay at home mom. The decision to be a stay at home mom is a noble one, sacrificing income for the more important things in life: being there for your children.

It is wonderful to never worry about missing the first laugh, first steps, first words, first fall off a bicycle… and most stay at home moms swear they would never trade it for anything in the world. Yet the economy is very unjust to single income households. Women fought for the right to work, and we deserve that right but we are unfortunately expected to work.  

Working from home as a medical transcriptionist has many rewarding features; however, it does take a great deal of discipline to be successful at making a good living to, in turn, have a good life.  There are steps to you can take to help maintain focus to enable you to produce quality work in high volumes.  Listed below are a few tips on how to stay focused and get the job done.

As more people make the decision to work from their homes to save time and money, they have to be realistic about their expectations. Working from home actually takes a bit of creative strategizing. To be productive in a home office environment, we must utilize the space effectively and reduce the usual distractions.

What is the hidden job market?

The hidden job market generally refers to unadvertised jobs that are available but aren’t necessarily known publicly. The jobs are available only if you know where to look for them.

The hidden job market really refers to jobs that aren’t necessarily being advertised heavily but do exist if you know how to find them.

As I write this article, it's the end of a long weekend.  At times like this there is a lull in new job postings
and requests for transcriptionists.  However, that does not mean that potential employers or clients are not interested in finding good transcriptionists.  There is a fundamental paradox that challenges your potential clients or employers who have transcription needs, whether in medical, legal, or general fields.  Once you understand this challenge he or she faces, you can use the knowledge to your advantage!

As the owner of Transcription Net, a site that provides members with daily job listings and guidance and advice about starting a career in home transcription, this has to be the question I am most often asked.  The short answer is no, you can start a medical transcription career without taking a course.

If you already have a background in medical terminology you can become a medical transcriptionist without taking a medical transcription course.  This article outlines some strategies to get started in medical transcription without a course.

If you are an aspiring work from home mom, you may have already heard these common objections from your husband (and perhaps that nagging mother in law):

We shouldn't have to pay for an extra phone line. We can't afford to upgrade the computer. The company should pay for the transcription equipment. You will be wasting your time and not making a "real" income. Why can't you keep your "real job" / get a "real job"? So how can you overcome these objections? It's simple.

The secret is in numbers. Men understand figures and costs.

The Internet has brought about many technological advances that have revolutionized home transcription.  Years ago, it used to be quite expensive to get set up to transcribe at home since we had to buy tape playback machines and expensive word processing and printing equipment.

These days, if you already have a home computer it's possible to get started transcribing digital audio files from home very inexpensively.

Every year more and more people are working from home, starting their own businesses. Men and women, even teenagers are starting their own home business ventures. In the last ten years work-at-home businesses have tripled, according to statistics. I think it's probably more than that actually. Just look at how many people make a living selling things on EBay!™

It's no wonder really why so many people want to work at home and there are a vast amount of good reasons why.

The costs of traveling, including vehicle maintenance, the cost of gas, child-care, and dry-cleaning, are just a few good reasons why it's cheaper to stay home and work, right?!

Not having to answer to a boss or a supervisor is another great reason too. Being able to set your own hours and work when you want to work is a definite plus as well.

Some people can't see how they are going to do it though. I mean, how are you going to give up work and replace that income and not worry about how you are going to pay the bills? It's impossible, right? -- Wrong! -- It's not impossible, and it will take some hard work at first, and some extra working hours, but you can do it if you want to badly enough.