There, I said it, and it is true! I am a saleswoman, and I make my sales from home. There is no better career choice for me, so I am running through the streets telling folks about my lovely life and how they, too, can do what I do from the comfort of their own abode.

Why is this such a big deal, you ask? Well, think about it. When you are looking for home-based work, what's the first thing you thought about? Probably, if you're like most of the people who write to me, you are scrounging around everywhere looking for data entry jobs! Ah, yes, I can see you blushing now! You wanted to take that nine-to-five job you had and take it home with you. But, get real!

There definitely are some home-based opportunities in the data entry field. Most of the advertisements for such are not legitimate, though. Those people who have (and dearly hold) those jobs are people who worked for the same company in the office, and who became loyal enough employees that they were allowed to telecommute. I know, I was one of them...but, I ditched that career choice some time ago!

Why? Well, there was little difference from me working in the office and me working at home. I was required to be at my desk at 8 o'clock in the morning, and I was verbally chastised if I wasn't working whenever the boss called. I still had to give my boss my daily and weekly 'personal' schedule, right down to when I walked out to get the mail. I was docked pay if I took time to run the baby to the doctor, and my boss refused to mail my paycheck to me--I had to drive to the office to pick it up. That's hogwash!

When I decided to throw caution (and steady pay) to the wind, I sat down and started making a list of the things that I did for my job, and the parts of it that I enjoyed and was good at. Do you know what I realized? I noticed, when looking at all of the work I had done throughout adulthood, that my best qualities involved SELLING! Oh, cover your eyes if you must; but, I bet if you thought about it for a while, you would realize that you do your best selling something, too.

In the attorney's office, I sold our professional services. In the
honky-tonk, I sold drinks and ambiance. And now, I sell advertising! There are very few jobs that one doesn't "sell" at. Ok, you work on the factory line. You don't think you sell? I bet if you worked in the automobile industry, you probably own one of the cars that you help make. That, my friend, is selling! You are giving your personal approval not just to the car you helped make, but you are also advertising it everywhere you drive by the emblem glued to the front grill! There's the hairdresser who sells her services to the public, there's the grocer who sells his products to shoppers, there's the dairy farmer who sells his milk to the producer -- we ALL sell SOMETHING!

So, when you go searching for that home-based dream job, don't pass up opportunities just because you see the word "sales". I absolutely LOVE what I do, and I don't have to put up with any boss besides myself! I come and go as I please, I let the kids interrupt me at their whim, and I know that if I want to be financially successful, the sacrifices I make late at night are by my own choice.

Tammy Harrison is the mother of four, and the Independent Creative Representative of Home-Based Working Moms. She can be reached via email at CreativeRep@hbwm.com.