On Disability, Work at Home and Internet Rip-Offs

A Rationale for Work-from-Home Jobs

There must be many thousands of people out there, who, like me are in search of legitimate opportunities to work from home. Not because we are too lazy to get up early for work, or because we are greedy or opportunistic, but simply because we are compelled by our unique personal circumstances to work at home, and more specifically, to do something that is internet based.

Some are more vulnerable to be preyed on

Who are these people who have a very limited choice about their work environment and what type of work they are capable of doing? Perhaps it is a single mother with a special needs child. Perhaps a middle-aged man who was retrenched from his job and is unsuccessful in finding alternative employment due to the specialized nature of his qualifications and experience. Or perhaps it is someone, like me, who is confronted with a disability at a later stage in his life; a disability preventing him from practicing his profession any further. A person whose dreams were shattered when he was at the pinnacle of his career. A person forced to go on disability retirement prematurely without the financial security to afford retirement. That is me and I'm convinced I'm not alone. At the age of 48 I unexpectedly and abruptly suffered a loss of hearing with such rapid progression that at 50 I had less than 30% hearing left. I am highly qualified in the social sciences/services and my entire career had been all about working with people for people. Not the type of work you can do when you cannot communicate verbally.

The Potential Behind the Disability

But I like my computer and I am fascinated by the potential and power of electronic information and the internet as an information source and marketing tool. Moreover, I have the ability to string a few good sentences together and enjoy it to put pen to paper, or fingertips to the keyboard, for that matter. Hence my venture into a search for a work and income generating opportunity which is internet marketing related.

The Disgrace of Internet Scams

I have spent days on the internet searching for something legitimate, but have been mainly dismayed at what is being flaunted as instant roads to riches schemes, requiring you to subscribe and pay without knowing what you will be marketing or what the strategy would entail. Once you've subscribed (yes, I have been conned out of desperation to find something real), you discover that it is nothing less than a groundless pyramid scheme with no substance whatsoever. Shame on the fraudulent inventors and perpetrators of these scams! The fact the I have been exploited and conned is of little relevance, what is of more concern to me is that there must be many vulnerable others whose situation is more desperate that mine who have been abused and defrauded by these conmen and women. As much as I stand for freedom of speech and the liberty that the internet provides, as much do I believe that the lack of control over internet fraudsters erodes the moral fibre of the online community and stains the enlightenment of the age of information technology.

The Good News: Legitimate Opportunities are Available

At this point I need to caution, however. My litany must not be construed as a blanket condemnation of all internet advertised work at home programmes. This hub should rather be interpreted as a call to caution, especially for those who are in a similar situation to me and are therefore perhaps somewhat more vulnerable than those who have broader career options.

There are indeed some highly legitimate work at home programs offered on the internet. Opportunities through which you can enhance your knowledge and skills and use it in internet marketing with the potential to produce significant income. They are often of an affiliate marketing nature, which means you become an affiliate of a company to market that company's products or services via the internet. These good companies not only provide you with all the information you need to market their product, but they also impart the knowledge, skills and tools to embark on an effective internet marketing campaign.

A good place to start your search for legitimate and real income producing programs, is to have a good look at blogs with quality content in internet marketing and network marketing. Search for blog categories and posts on these blogs on products and programs and read the informed opinions about these products and programs.

Many programs offer great value, but they will be of little use to you if you are not prepared to put in some effort or unwilling to explore the myriad free marketing opportunities the internet provides.

I wish you abundance and for new doors to open for you as they have for me.