Not really sure what to think of all this. Remote working, has anyone done it

So today I took a step in a different direction in work life. I got a job through one of those websites like Upwork, looks like its going to be a long term thing, so basically I got a job but it seems a bit different to everything Ive known or done before and have to get my head around it.

So basically I work from home, on the internet for a company in the US while I am all the way in little old Ireland. Seems all good to me, but I have this nagging in the back of my head that its not a "real job" because now I dont have to leave the house, travel anywhere or do anything, I just have to be online to log in and work away. Sounds ideal, like a dream job, 40 hours a week plus overtime if needs be plus I am still free to apply for other jobs and work on my own thing too, so potential to earn unlimited amounts of money.

So why would I even have a problem with that?

Because in little old Ireland its still stuck behind the rest of the world. I know people do what I am starting to do and make lots of money from it. In Ireland your expected to get up, go to a job, answer to a boss and be grateful for doing so, that just doesnt appeal to me anymore.

Ive been applying to many many jobs in the last few months and heard literally nothing back, nothing, some rejections and I think of two interviews, which I didnt get the jobs, with my CV / Resume I should have been shortlisted for at least 90% of all the jobs I applied for, which lead to the conclusion they werent real jobs to begin with or my CV / Resume scared people off. In this Upwork website, every job I applied for with my CV / Resume I at least got an interview within hours.

So basically after the initial happiness of landing a job over the last few hours Ive been getting that nagging feeling that its not a real job blah blah blah. So basically I need to get this out and see what others think of a job like that. Personally I dont care if its a real job or not once the pay is real and I know the pay is real because Ive done work before on this website and been paid.

So Im not sure maybe because its a new direction or something

Wow, people would kill to be in your position! Working at home is the way of the future. I have a home based business and I have to get up in the morning just like everyone else, and then get to work in my office or filling orders on a table but my hours are my own. I love it and dont want to work for anyone else. If you want to sit in your jammies and do your job, you can, nothing wrong with that! You say Ireland is behind and I guess you would know that, but that doesnt mean you have to stay in the past. Home based and self employment is the new reality. You do your work and you get paid, so it is a REAL job!

My husband and I ran our own biz for 21 yrs., he was a mobile service in the auto industry til we moved and decided to close it up. We've had our online biz for over 6 yrs and it gets bigger and better each year.

You should embrace your lucky status to be able to work at home, no lousy commute, no stuck in traffic, no going out in bad weather. You have it made in the shade and I hope you can learn to appreciate it! I love our little biz

My background is Irish and English.

Thanks for that.

I didnt mean to come across as if I was being ungrateful or dissing the job, I think its great and it seems to good to be true which I think is just adding to it. I like what you say about working at home is the future, I do think like that, I also pay too much attention to what others think far too much for my own good.

Yes Ireland can be a bit backward and behind in a lot of ways, I remember a topic in a business group on facebook where they were discussing working from home and a few didnt have good thing to say about it.

I see all the potential in it and it makes sense I am on the internet all day anyway, why not make money while Im there.

In Ireland your expected to get up, go to a job, answer to a boss

You're still doing those things, right? I'm pretty sure you still have to get up, "go to" your job, and work for someone, you just have a shorter "commute". You are helping to reduce traffic and the burning of fossil fuels. ;-)

I work from home most of the time. It's fabulous. It's the way of the future baby.

Take it seriously while you do it. Be responsive to your boss, etc. But don't stay stuck in a mindset that's unnecessary.

In my experience, "thinking" (versus manual) jobs + a work culture that values a work/life balance = flexibility like working from home. Enjoy it for as long as you can.

I didnt think you were ungrateful at all! I felt you thought other people might think you weren't truly working because you didnt leave the house and drive or take a bus to a job. I think those people are likely jealous! So many people would love to work at home, either the way you are doing it for someone else, or having their own biz like I do. It's wonderful to be able to set your own pace and as long as you do your job, it's all good!

My guess is those people on facebook with nothing good to say about it have never tried it.

As long as it is a legit job, you have nothing to worry about.

A friend of mine took a work from home job but it turned out to be a scam. She was supposed to pursue "leads", but it turned out to be cold calls which she was not interested in doing. And she never met the minimum required number of appointments she was supposed to set, so she would have been let go if she hadn't quit.

But if you're assured it's a legit company and a legit job, I say enjoy going to work in your pajamas! Lucky you!

As long as it is a legit job, you have nothing to worry about.

 

A friend of mine took a work from home job but it turned out to be a scam. She was supposed to pursue "leads", but it turned out to be cold calls which she was not interested in doing. And she never met the minimum required number of appointments she was supposed to set, so she would have been let go if she hadn't quit.

 

But if you're assured it's a legit company and a legit job, I say enjoy going to work in your pajamas! Lucky you!

Yes Ive checked them out and looked at their website and Skyped with the owner / boss. I will be Web designing, I see it as the next logical step for me anyway as I am always online, so why not use it to my advantage.

You're still doing those things, right? I'm pretty sure you still have to get up, "go to" your job, and work for someone, you just have a shorter "commute". You are helping to reduce traffic and the burning of fossil fuels. ;-)

Exactly. That is just how I see it but as I said I get too bothered with what other people think, which isnt helping.

I work from home most of the time. It's fabulous. It's the way of the future baby.

 

Take it seriously while you do it. Be responsive to your boss, etc. But don't stay stuck in a mindset that's unnecessary.

 

In my experience, "thinking" (versus manual) jobs + a work culture that values a work/life balance = flexibility like working from home. Enjoy it for as long as you can.

Thats it, I do see it as the future and its the way forward, for me anyway. Just struggle with the mindset, Im sure once I get underway and get used to the new reality everything will be fine.

I didnt think you were ungrateful at all! I felt you thought other people might think you weren't truly working because you didnt leave the house and drive or take a bus to a job. I think those people are likely jealous! So many people would love to work at home, either the way you are doing it for someone else, or having their own biz like I do. It's wonderful to be able to set your own pace and as long as you do your job, it's all good!

 

My guess is those people on facebook with nothing good to say about it have never tried it.

You hit the nail on the head there, jealousy seems to be the national past time here lol. I always said if I lived in the US, Canada, Australia etc I would be doing quite well for myself, where something like this is the norm rather than an exception.

Yes and I dont buy into what these people on Facebook are selling, I dont see the point for getting tied into a contract to rent or lease a premises like they do or suggest, I tried renting offices before and felt like I was just working for the landlord in the end and had to keep going till the lease contract expired, which didnt help me at all, I always felt that I wasnt working for myself.

"As long as it is a legit job, you have nothing to worry about"

That would be the big "if" for me. My moms groups on Facebooks are full of all these work from home businesses that seem a bit shady. This sounds legit but make sure that they actually pay you because I would think internationally can get complicated? I'm sure you've searched as far as bad reviews of the company.

I telework about half the time and it's a godsend and yes it's a real job. Good luck!

Just chiming in - each country has distinct payroll laws when working internationally. US corporations are very comfortable with this, and know how both the pay and the taxes must be handled. For example, when I had employees in France, I had to hire a local (French) payroll business to cut the checks, and have French bank accounts to fund those checks. They did the work and sent me reports while I wired the money into those accounts.

Again, as others have stated, this is true so long as it's a reputable company.

On working from home, I was able to do that for a while with my current company. I've never gotten so much done in a day! It's amazing how many interruptions there are in the workplace.

Because in little old Ireland its still stuck behind the rest of the world.

Backward?

What ARE you talking about!

The huge IT companies are practically all in Ireland, and have HQs there. The list of major firms operating in the Republic includes Intel, Boston Scientific, Dell, Pfizer, Google, Hewlett Packard, Facebook and Johnson and Johnson.

700 US companies now located in Ireland as direct investment soars

Figures reveal how American corporations continued to invest in the Irish Republic even during the recession.

Moving on from that there are many many in Ireland who do NOT go to a job (though nothing wrong with those that do, and at least they are working) but who start up a business of their own and make a success of it.

As for working from home, IMO it is a very good idea, provided you are sure you get paid. Working on the net and working from home are of course not quite the same thing. And I assure you that you are NOT the only person in Ireland working from home or on the net.

Opinions from a FB group!!! I wouldn't set much store by what they might have to say.

Btw I am actually Irish, Dublin born, Dublin educated, so I know exactly what is going on in Ireland. Hordes of people, and I mean hordes, come to Ireland every year from abroad to be educated in our universities and business colleges. If the country is as backward as you wish to paint it I don't think they would want to be here. L.

So there is nothing new in any way about the self-employed work you intend to take on. We've been doing it for over twenty years!!

And then you could maybe think of being an entrepreneur (no boss to answer to except yourself and of course clients):

Because in little old Ireland its still stuck behind the rest of the world.

 

Backward?

 

What ARE you talking about!

 

The huge IT companies are practically all in Ireland, and have HQs there. The list of major firms operating in the Republic includes Intel, Boston Scientific, Dell, Pfizer, Google, Hewlett Packard, Facebook and Johnson and Johnson.

700 US companies now located in Ireland as direct investment soars

Figures reveal how American corporations continued to invest in the Irish Republic even during the recession.

 

Moving on from that there are many many in Ireland who do NOT go to a job (though nothing wrong with those that do, and at least they are working) but who start up a business of their own and make a success of it.

 

As for working from home, IMO it is a very good idea, provided you are sure you get paid. Working on the net and working from home are of course not quite the same thing. And I assure you that you are NOT the only person in Ireland working from home or on the net.

Opinions from a FB group!!! I wouldn't set much store by what they might have to say.

 

Btw I am actually Irish, Dublin born, Dublin educated, so I know exactly what is going on in Ireland. Hordes of people, and I mean hordes, come to Ireland every year from abroad to be educated in our universities and business colleges. If the country is as backward as you wish to paint it I don't think they would want to be here. L.

 

So there is nothing new in any way about the self-employed work you intend to take on. We've been doing it for over twenty years!!

 

And then you could maybe think of being an entrepreneur (no boss to answer to except yourself and of course clients):

 

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Yes I know all of that. And being from Ireland you should know that its a little nation of begrudgers too.

Well, if you do know all that, why are you calling the country "backward" when that is not the case. You are going off at a tangent. What do you mean by "backward"? The discussion is not about begrudgery (and yes you will get that kind everywhere), but about "backwardness".

I can tell you if you want to see real "backward" go to areas of those continents you mention and you'll find it in spades.

Just because a few idiots on FB say something stupid then you generalize about everything in the country.

Lots of work from home jobs advertised on this Irish site (and on others):

ie.indeed.com/Work-From-Home-jobs

So evidently not as new a concept as you would like to think.

Quit complainin' OP and get on with it. lol.

Ok, Ive been doing business for a few years in Ireland and people still want to do business face to face, no Skype or other ways of communicating and on and on. People still expect an office and everything goes with it, its seen as unprofessional. I have had a client berate me on the phone because I work from home and how unprofessional it was and on and on, then to top it all off continued sending emails about how unacceptable it was that I worked from home and on and on.

The facebook group is for small businesses here in Ireland and the discussion revolved around how unprofessional it was to work from home blah blah blah and that was putting it mildly. So basically youre looked down upon because you work from home, according to other people, so yes I would call that backward in many ways.

So when those few idiots, I refuse to call them idiots if they already own successful businesses, are putting people down who work from home, I wouldnt say that is generalizing. And believe me, Im not just talking about business here, I could go on

So, TK, you are actually not Irish....?

Anyhow, that aside, yes of course there will be people who prefer to do business face to face, and SOME people who will prefer an office situation. All I can say is (and I know many people who do work from home) that I have never heard them criticised or called unprofessional (don't know what circles you are moving in TK. lol). So people on ONE FB group are critical of working from home. That is not the entire population of the country, so yes it is generalizing. . One client, ONE,berated you on the phone. As I say, you get the odd individuals everywhere, not just in Ireland.

So, maybe do the experience of working in those countries/continents you mention and see how you get on. Why stay in a country you so dislike. I ask.

I still can't understand why you won't think for yourself instead of relying on something like FB and its inhabitants. There is no reason for you to go to the expense of leasing office space if you don't need it.

Provided you are well paid then work from home. You will be in good company.

The only area of caution is to watch out for the scammers (and spammers) which infest the net, offering all kind of wild money and wild schemes.

Good luck!

P.S.

That is just how I see it but as I said I get too bothered with what other people think, which isnt helping.

Aaahh, but that's YOUR problem, not theirs. That is subjective. Anyhow, how do you know what they think? What they SAY, yes.....

For the record I have worked from home, and it wasn't today or yesterday.......

Yes I am Irish. I am from Dublin. I have to stay here because I have a house, kids in school and cant just up and leave, as much as I would like to.

This facebook group is the kind association of small businesses within Ireland, they would meet regularly with ministers etc, its not like a bunch of random people getting together.

Yes that one person who berated me, there were also others who I had meetings with, in an specially built office I had at home, I put a lot into it but obviously wasnt to their liking.

And yes, I spend far too much time thinking about what others think, its a major issue for me and needs continuous work which wears me out and leads me to have anxiety attacks.

I may seem a bit bitter and angry but I only have my experience to guide me and sometimes what others think lol.

OK. TK. I get you and I can understand how wearing it must be.

I spend far too much time thinking about what others think, its a major issue for me and needs continuous work which wears me out and leads me to have anxiety attacks. "

To h**l with what others think. Quite a few people tend to talk through their hats anyhow lol.

I don't think the majority of people are any more "jealous" than anywhere else.

And you will have heard the saying: "Wherever you go, there you are". You bring yourself with you, (your apprehensions and anxieties and all) even if you were to go tomorrow to far-flung region.

With the very large number of people in Ireland going into small and medium business (as you will see on the link I gave) as in becoming self-employed, I do find it very odd that some, a few, would be so against the idea. But, there you are.