As a home-based worker, it can seem that companies that might employ you do not value your time. When you look around at home-based jobs in your field, you might feel that they are low paying and that you will have to work twice as hard to make a living wage. Often low-paid job adverts might suggest that the job is suitable "for a student or a stay-at-home mother," which seems to suggest that you pay your employer for the privilege of staying at home.
This kind of mindset will doom your business to failure. The whole point of working from home is to make money, not to give money away to unscrupulous employers. A job is worth how much your client is willing to pay for it, not the lowest pay for which you are prepared to work.
Have Confidence in Your Skills
One of the main qualities of a successful home-based worker is self-confidence, and it is there for a reason. When you have been out of the workplace for any length of time, it is easy to lose confidence in yourself and your abilities. It can be helpful to keep a "success file" on the desktop of your computer or in a folder in your filing cabinet. When you are feeling underwhelmed by your skills, you can take a look and remind yourself of what you have managed to achieve so far and what you can achieve when you put your mind to it.
When it comes to deciding upon a rate for your services, there are many factors to take into consideration. Most people who are employed enjoy benefits such as health care, paid holidays and paid sick days. When you are a freelance worker, you do not get any of these benefits, and you need to factor these into the price you charge.
Easy Way to Work Out What to Charge Your Clients
A simple way to do this is to work out how many hours you are available during your working week. You might work 9-5 or you might work 5-9, but you need to know how much work you do during one week. Next decide what you need to earn in a year. Assume that you will not be able to work for at least five weeks during the year (maybe more if you have children), then divide the amount you want to earn by the number of weeks you expect to be working.
For example: If you want to earn $20,000 per year, assuming that you have 15 hours per week available to work and that you expect to work 45 weeks of the year, calculate your rate as follows.
Divide $20,000 by 45, and you get $444 roughly, which will give you a weekly rate. Divide $444 by 15, and you get $29.60, which is a minimum hourly rate. You can adjust it to suit you, but this gives you a starting point for what to charge.
This figure makes those low-paying jobs seem like peanuts. Your hours of work are worth more than that to someone who is looking for your skill set. It's time to get out into the workforce and charge what you are worth.
If you would like to learn more about running a home business, read more about how to find a home-based job and how to start a home-based business .
Sarah Charmley - I have a degree in education and have worked in primary schools as a full-time and a relief teacher. Currently I am pursuing a career in ...
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