Searching Craigslist

Craigslist can be your best friend when trying to find a work at home job. Two of my best jobs, one of which I am an employee, I found on Craigslist. When searching CL you need to keep several things in mind in order to maximize your time and results and limit applying for any possible scams.

1. Search ALL of CL, not just your regional area. Think about it, if you are in Chicago and an position is advertised in New York, but is telecommute or work from home, you are just as qualified for it. To search all of CL you will need to use Google. In the Google search box type: "telecommuting is OK" site:craigslist.org 2009-01
*Please note the year and month...you need to apply this for whatever month (or year) it is. So, for example, if you come across this post in March, you would change it to 2009-03. Make sense?

2. If you want to search regionally, type in phrases such as "work from home" or "virtual" or "remote." This will help narrow your search.

3. If you find something you want to apply to, DO NOT ATTACH your resume or cover letter. It will just get deleted. Employers are terrified of viruses and most will not open any attachments. Instead, simply paste it in your email response after you introduce yourself and write your cover letter. This will get you noticed.

4. Eliminate your personal info from your resume. You don't have to be paranoid, but be cautious and use common sense. When I submit a resume I only use my name, email and sometimes cell phone number. I figure if they want more information they can have it after we have spoken.

5. Treat a CL ad just as you would if it were an ad on Careerbuilder. This means use proper grammer, a normal font, and run spell check. If you answer the ad in 2 sentences you look unprofessional and lazy, so put your best foot forward. Remember, you probably have a lot of competition.

6. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If the ad is only a few lines and states you can make thousands a month from home, chances are it is a scam. One thing that is great about searching CL nationally is that you can find scams much easier. Typically scammers post ads in many cities, so when you see the same ad popping up, you can be sure it probably isn't legitimate.

I hope this information helps you on your work at home search! I know there are other websites such as Indeed.com so if you have any you know of, please share it with all of us. If you have a Craigslist success story, please share that as well. I am compiling information on people who have successfully found work at home jobs and I would love to include your story!