Is it possible to get a job where you primarily telecommute?

[Cogman]

Is it possible to get a decent paying job primarily telecommuting?

The reason I ask is that I would love to move to my hometown, however, there is no business there for me. Would it be possible to just work remotely?

 

[Ken g6]

I have one. Automated and manual software testing. Not sure how to look for one, though; I sort of stumbled into it.

 

[Cogman]

I have one. Automated and manual software testing. Not sure how to look for one, though; I sort of stumbled into it.

Mine is similar, They do telecommute, but I don't know if they would allow me to solely telecommute.

 

[SamurAchzar]

Purely telecommute, like in being physically unable to get to the workplace? I'd guess it's a contracting sort of job (or something of the fashion in which you are actually employed by a company but do an "outside" function).

Depending on your skills and ambitions, you may try contracting.

 

[coldmeat]

Just eat til you get to 300lbs.

 

[MustISO]

I know a few technical writers who work completely from home.

 

[Away]

Might be able to land a call center job strictly from home. Would most likely be sales or customer service though.

 

[BoomerD]

Just eat til you get to 300lbs.

Hey, I'm working on it...

 

[TridenT]

They exist, yes.

Can you get them? Probably not...I don't know how easy those are to come by, but something tells me... not easy.

 

[BTA]

thread is over TridenT gave you the final answer.

just give up

 

[yllus]

There are a lot of software development teams out there that are 100% telecommuters.

 

[Zebo]

Yes I knew a programmer/software tester.. His wife was my realtor, and if you know realtors how they dress up to the nines, and he just chilled in shorts and flip flops. Funny couple.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

I know a few technical writers who work completely from home.

/raises hand

I'm one of those. I've never met my coworkers, managers, or any of the people at the company I work for in person.

 

[alkemyst]

I know a few technical writers who work completely from home.

same

my job is about 40% telecommute, 40% onsite/office, 20% travel

all my documentation/write ups can be done from home.

 

[Crusty]

I've only met my boss in person twice. Once to interview, second time to get a quick intro to their codebase and development process. My team is 4 developers working together, 2 of us remotely.

FWIW I write C++ in a Linux environment for a financial firm. It is pretty much exactly what I want to be doing.

 

[illusion88]

a friend of mine did customer service/reservations for jetblue from home. All she needed was a landline and a computer

 

[AreaCode707]

I'm a professional services implementation consultant for an HR SAAS company. I travel to client sites for 2-day kickoffs every once in a while but otherwise I work from home. So about 95% from home, and I take advantage of it to live partly in Seattle and partly in Northern California. I asked my boss if she wanted to know when I change states and she said, "why?"

I paid my dues though. 8 years of work experience in Seattle to get to the point where I could take a job like this and still be decently paid.

 

[Cogman]

There are a lot of software development teams out there that are 100% telecommuters.

Interesting, Maybe I can luck out and get a job like that. I really would like to live close to family, but at the same time my home town (population 300) doesn't really have any work for me.

 

[novasatori]

I have a contract job doing a database/data management type position that is 1700mi from my location. It doesn't pay what you would expect for the job I do, but I was unemployed and I got referral from family.

Its pretty nice though, I'd keep doing it forever even for the rate I am paid considering I can do it anywhere/anytime I want.

edit:
Of course being a contract job I could be replaced at any time. I do hope for it to become a salaried position if I keep up my performance though. (again at a lower rate of pay than one might expect)

 

[LookBehindYou]

Is it possible to get a decent paying job primarily telecommuting?

It depends...you need skills. Like bow-staff skills or nun-chuck skills. If you have these skills, then yes, you can telecommute.

 

[Blackjack200]

I work for one of the big banks and they want people to work remotely as much as possible. Saves them on office space and all the associated overhead.

 

[BTA]

Telecommuting is a good idea for all parties, but it takes the right kind of business and the right kind of employee.

Some people need the social aspect of an office environment. They need that back and forth with other people, or the regiment of that office environment to keep them on task. Some can't stay on task when at home, they let their work performance drop because they think it's okay to babysit their kids all day or go shopping instead of working. Or simply can't stay motivated in general. I work with quite a few people who prefer to work in the office.

Personally? I work at home primarily (do have to travel to a site sometimes, and usually spend a day in the office each week). I could not care less about socializing at work. My office is loud and irritating. I get much more work done at home, with much less stress.

 

[Trey22]

Main office is in CA, I'm in MI. Since I do tech support (phone, email, remote login) for access control systems, I get to work from home.

I actually get more done here than I did when I lived in CA and was in the office full-time. At the office I always had 3 or 4 people lined up at my door waiting to ask tech questions. I didn't mind it, but it really sucked up huge chunks of time. Now I only have to shut the door to keep the wife from asking me for favors every 5 minutes.

 

[Tweak155]

Main office is in CA, I'm in MI. Since I do tech support (phone, email, remote login) for access control systems, I get to work from home.

I actually get more done here than I did when I lived in CA and was in the office full-time. At the office I always had 3 or 4 people lined up at my door waiting to ask tech questions. I didn't mind it, but it really sucked up huge chunks of time. Now I only have to shut the door to keep the wife from asking me for favors every 5 minutes.

Need to update your location

I'm in a similar boat. I worked out of KC, MO and they hired several remote techs. I asked to work remote like they did from my hometown in MI, they said no can do.

I found another job offering way more than they could (and will) ever pay me, and they paid for my move, gave me a raise and have kept me for 3 years so far. Working from home gets to me though, no social interaction other than ATOT all day. But when work is done, you can't beat being able to pick exactly where you live.

That being said, you could start your own online business and create the position yourself. Always doable.