So, you’ve made the decision to submit an application to one of the many companies that offer work at home opportunities. Great! Some telecommuting tips for the application process…

Read everything THOROUGHLY. Since the entire process is done remotely, it will most likely be more labor intensive than usual. Have patience and be sure you read all emails and documents carefully. If you miss something in the application, or you hurry through a particular step, you may be kicked out of the process for one simple mistake. And once you’re kicked out, it can be very difficult to be reconsidered.

Many work at home companies, and companies in general, do not accept resumes via email, fax, or snail mail. Typically, you will upload your resume when you register and create your profile through their employment section.

If the job posting or company employment page directs you to apply through the website, do not, I repeat, DO NOT submit your resume by email to an HR or recruiter’s email address. There can be as many as 500 candidates per day applying for the same position, so choosing not to follow the rules will actually hurt you, rather than help you.

Additionally, recruiters are oftentimes working on several job openings at once and their email inboxes are jam packed with messages. If you send an email to a recruiter requesting a phone call or submitting your cover letter/resume, they will do one of two things… they will hit the DELETE button, or, if you’re lucky, they will send you a response directing you to please submit your cover letter/resume through the company website.

Since most, if not all, work at home opportunities require the use of a computer you need to ensure you have fairly good technology skills. Do you understand the difference between uploading and downloading? You will probably be required to upload your resume some time during the application process, so you need to have that knowledge. And you need to be comfortable working with several different programs open at once. Some jobs require fast typing skills and good grammar.

It may take some time to hear back from a company. Do not get discouraged. These days you’re lucky if you DO receive a response. Because there are typically hundreds of applicants coming through the process each day, it can be difficult to respond in a timely manner to each one, especially if that candidate has not been chosen to move forward.