Is Working At Home Working?

Ever been to a high school reunion or ran into an old friend at the mall or grocery store? After the small talk and platitudes are out of the way, invariably we ask these questions. "How ya been?" "What have you been up to, and, my favorite, where are you working now?" Whenever someone asks me what I do, they are impressed with my answer. However, when I tell them where I work, I usually get one of these three reactions:

Reaction #1.: The eye roll, and the never-mentioned thoughts about how I will never get a job until I admit that I am unemployed.

Reaction #2.: A pat on the back and gently told not to panic because there are plenty of jobs available for 'people like me'.

Reaction #3.: Told that when I am ready to 'go back to work' to let them know because they know people who know people.

Well, I have a business and it's home-based; so let's start with reaction #1 shall we?

Reaction #1. Why do you think that just because I opt to sit in front of my computer in my pajamas, eat cheerios, drink my morning coffee, and discuss my client's high 3-digit proposal I need to admit anything? I hate to point this out, but in one morning, I will probably make more than you will--that week. Keep your eye rolling to yourself. I do not have the problem.

Reaction #2: People like me keep people like you employed. Think about it; your boss (the big one), probably started out as a small business owner, and might have worked out of his or her home at one point. So do not feel bad for people like me, you should rejoice that people like me exist. You need us. You may not like it, but it is the truth.

Reaction #3: Just because I sit at my computer and conduct business in my pajamas, does not mean I am not working. I suppose it never occurred to you that I do this because I need to be comfortable. ' Why would I need to be comfortable while I am working, if that is what I am really doing', you ask? Because unlike you with your regular 9-5 Monday through Friday work schedule, I work 10-12 hours a day, at least 6 days a week.

Now before you get offended, I am merely pointing out that self-employed people that work from their homes are not only employed, but also love what they do, and consciously take on great personal risk. I will be the first to admit that there are people in this world professing "self-employment" because they cannot find a job, or because they do not want to work and do not want people to know. However, these people are rare. Most of us are hard working, entrepreneurial self-starters that have more discipline than a veteran Marine. I might add that there was a time when most people were not only self-employed, but worked from home. Farmers, blacksmiths, butchers, cobblers, tailors...remember reading about them in your History class? In those days, you were considered a failure if you left home to find work. When did working out of your home go from being the acceptable method of work, to being something only the dredges and poor desperate souls of society would consider?

Have you ever thought of what a self-employed person goes through? The risks involved? Have you thought about how many self-employed people you know? Do you have a personal representative that you contact to buy makeup, cleaning supplies, or vitamin supplements? All of these people are self-employed and work from their homes. They buy the products, they recruit sellers, they find a market, and they sell their goods. You don't whisper 'Oh how sad...Marion has to sell Avon," do you? Of course not. In reality, you are more likely to reply "Marion, you got me for $50 bucks again!" as you write her a check.

You consider these people employed, but people in other professions that happen to work out of their homes are unemployable or in denial. You do make some exceptions however; writers and artists can work at home. Telecommuting is acceptable because, although these people work at home, someone else is actually paying them. But in your opinion, anyone that has to depend on their work performance and the integrity of their clients to get paid for work they do out of their home needs to wake up and admit that they have a problem.

You know, now that I think about it, you might be right. Maybe all of us self-employed people should have our heads examined. Why do we voluntarily put our livelihood in the hands of people that may or may not pay us after we have put our heart and soul into a project? Maybe we should go back into the regular workforce, do our 40 hours a week, collect our paycheck, leave all the self-employment hassles behind us and disown the whole home-business circus.

Nah! Frankly, I love being self-employed. I enjoy working in my pajamas, and completing projects for clients who felt that I was the best person to fill their needs. The marketing and selling of my services can sometimes be a drag and a drain on my personal life, but 99.9% of the time I enjoy my work. Most of all, I love being my own boss and making the rules. The hours are long, the pressure is tremendous, and although it is possible that I will not be paid any time I complete a project, being self-employed and knowing that I have preformed a service for my clients is worth it. And no amount of eye-rolling, disapproving looks, or condescending opinions will change my mind. I guarantee that many home-based business owners share my opinion.

The next time you run into an acquaintance that you have not seen recently be prepared. If you cannot resist asking them where they work, and their answer happens to be that they are self-employed, do not give the above-mentioned reactions. Try congratulating them. Ask them what they do and how their business is doing. Take a business card when one is offered, and when you get the opportunity; send some business their way.

Respectfully submitted,

K.A. Francis

(originally appeared - The Einkwell, September, 2000)
- posted by Kim @ 12:41 PM