The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that at last count, 13.7 million Americans were telecommuting. Only one in four had a formal agreement in place with their employers. The vast majority simply arrange with a supervisor to spend a day or two a week out of the office.

In Pursuit of a Telecommute
Highly educated workers were the most likely to telecommute, according to the BLS study. If telecommuting is your goal, career training can be a good first step. Online degree programs are also a great way to see if you've got motivation and discipline it takes to work independently.

The BLS advises telecommuting hopefuls to seek out employers with established telework programs. Certain jobs and industries are more prone to this arrangement, and some of them pay really well. Here are seven stay-home jobs with standout salaries.

Sales Representatives
More than ever, big companies are farming out their sales forces. But instead of jobs going overseas, they're going to the suburbs. According to the BLS, one in five sales reps telecommute. The highest paying sales jobs usually involve technical and scientific products. These sales jobs are more likely to require a bachelor's degree. Studying marketing, business, or communications can be excellent preparation for this line of work.
Stay-Home Salary: $68,270

Financial Analysts
Financial analysts help large companies and non-profit organizations figure out how, when, and where to invest their money. Often employed by investment banks, mutual funds, and insurance companies, the independent nature of the work lends itself to working from the home office. You'll need a bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, economics, or accounting to get in on the ground floor.
Stay-Home Salary: $70,400

Personal Financial Advisors
This is another high finance, home-office profession. Instead of working with large endowments, personal financial advisors help individuals manage their money, protect their assets, and plan for retirement. Financial advisors work for financial services firms or investment and planning firms. A minimum of a bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, or accounting is required.
Stay-Home Salary: $67,660

Web Designers
Two career paths that are particularly well suited to telecommuting are graphic design and computing. These career paths intersect for the job of Web developers, also called Web designers. These creative techies craft a Web site's look and make sure it functions. Most employers are looking for a bachelor's degree, and many schools offer programs specifically in Web site design.
Stay-Home Salary: $47,000 to $71,500

Software Developers
These tech-savvy telecommuters design and develop commuter applications. Therefore, they need to be well versed in programming languages as well as operating systems. A bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering is required, but your education is likely to pay off. The BLS predicts 38 percent growth through 2016, making this one of the nation's fastest growing occupations.
Stay-Home Salary: $83,130

Accountant
Accounting is all about keeping the fiscal house in order--paying taxes, reporting earnings, analyzing budgets, and guiding investments. The individual nature of the work allows many accountants to routinely work from home. Certification and a degree in accounting are typical job requirements.
Stay-Home Salary: $57,060

Marketing Manager
Managers (in any department) are more likely to regularly work from home. Marketing managers may find creativity blooms with the freedom of the home office. Increasingly, a master's degree in business administration is becoming the norm for marketing managers, though a good track record and a bachelor's degree may suffice.
Stay-Home Salary: $104,400

The Truth Behind the Telecommute
Technically, to be considered a telecommuter you must regularly works eight or more paid hours at home each week. Telecommuting can cut down on a killer commute or carve out more time for the kids. It can help you find a better work-life balance. But let's be clear--there are a few things telecommuting is not designed for.

It is not a substitute for child care. Imagine trying to hold a conference call while entertaining your two-year-old.
It is not for the recluse. The key to successful telecommuting is communication, particularly with your supervisors.
It is not entry-level workers. According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Quarterly, it is far more effective for employees to make a case for telecommuting after proving their value.

Working at home can help you save on skyrocketing gas prices, but it makes financial sense for your employer, too. A study done for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas showed telecommuters earning $44,000 a year saved their company an average of $10,000. And, telecommuting options improve morale, productivity, and worker retention.

This should def be a STICKY

Esp when you put the lay-offs into consideration, and I know there're alot of them who float around this neck of the woods

I'm not exactly a telecommuter; rather, I'm a freelancer. But I've been a telecommuter in the past, and it's a great thing to be able to work out of the home, not only because it saves commuting time and money. I love that it allows me the freedom to set my hours in the way that makes me the most productive. Even better is not having to get involved in inane office politics. The big drawback is friends and family who don't understand why I can't take their calls when I'm working. Another is that you have to make sure you take care of yourself physically and socially. I can get kind of sequestered if I'm working a lot and not making sure to get out and enjoy the day.

Efan said:

I've been telecommuting for 7 years and LOVE it for all the reasons you listed. I HATE office politics and can't play the game. Telecommuting allows me and the individuals I interact with to focus on my productivity and contribution to a project. Plus, I can make my own hours and go take my yoga classes and run errands, etc. LOTS of flexibility. I cannot go back to an office.

SCNDLS said:

Exactly. I have another freelancer friend that I sometimes meet for brunch on a weekday. It's a nice perk to be able to get into a great brunch spot on, say, a Wednesday--as opposed to having to wait an hour on a weekend. It's also nice to not have much trouble worrying about when to schedule dentist appointments and things like that. And office politics are the worst, as well as office gossip and grade-school-like shenagigans (at my last office job, I actually had someone come over to my desk sobbing because two of the women there had gone out to lunch without inviting her). I was so glad to say goodbye to all that nonsense.

Efan said:

Working in an office, especially dealing with other women, can be a drag. I found out yesterday that my manager got promoted and is moving to Amsterdam. As a result, they want me to take over some of her current responsibilities. Although I'd still be working from home, I'd have to deal more with people throughout the company, which means politics. I ain't feeling that at all.

I work from home about 2 days a month. I would LOVE to move that up to at least a day a week. I am much, MUCH more productive at home.

SCNDLS said:

Oh, God, this is all coming back to me like a bad acid trip. My last office job was like a bad stereotype, so outrageous you almost couldn't believe it was true. We had meetings to discuss other meetings. Premeetings and postmeetings. And every meeting had to first begin with half an hour to 45 minutes about all the "adorable" shit people's kids had done or said, movies people saw, what happened on American Idol or Survivor or some stupid TV show, all that stuff. Supervisors/management/whatever often are resistant to working from home because they think workers will abuse the privilege and take advantage, but in my experience, so much more time is wasted in the office.

Efan said:

I agree! When we have onsite meetings or training sessions I'm constantly at the dumb shit that goes on. Team bonding is very overrated IMO. I'm always thinking, what did we do here that we couldn't have achieved on a phone call without me dealing with traffic???

Efan said:

And that's the key! That's why I'm so much more productive at home!

You can add Medical Transcription to that list. I have had a stay at home job since I started working,and I don't want that to change,so I have been looking into taking some classes for becoming a MT.
[Edited 1/15/09 12:06pm]

double post
[Edited 1/15/09 12:05pm]

I was about to apply for a job like this.

KidaDynamite said:

MT or Telecommuter?

EmeraldSkies said:

Telecommuter....I think.

Kinda nervous though, never done this.....don't know if I'd be good at it.

I would get ABSOLUTELY NOTHING DONE. I know myself too well.

I want so badly to start a freelance career. There's just no way I can strike out on my own now, with the economy the way it is. I'd have to pull a lot of business right off the bat in order to match my current salary.

Genesia said:

Can you get a consulting company to find projects for you?

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

I worked at home all last summer. I am suprised I still have a job.

SCNDLS said:

Not sure about that. Maybe. I'm a writer by trade...but what I'd really like to do is freelance writing and voiceover work.

Basically, what I need to do is get off the pot and talk to my friends who already do both. (Both of whom are men and very specialized, so they wouldn't see me as competition.) But I'm concerned about not being able to pay self-employment taxes, my mortgage and health care.

Genesia said:

Health care is the biggest issue. I don't operate on 1099 unless that's how the consulting company does it. In my line of work and as a tech writer I just post my resume on various sites and consulting companies contact me for assignment. Some consulting companies offer benefits, MANY will hire you as W2, so you don't have to bill corp to corp or pay your own taxes.

SCNDLS said:

I'm a consultant as well. I've been W-2 for almost five years now.

chortle

Genesia said:

Substitute "rent" for "mortgage" and those are pretty much my concerns as well. It's frightening and even sickening at times. Healthcare was the most difficult thing, because it's so expensive. It makes you appreciate how much employers pay for it and how much of a benefit that really is.

KidaDynamite said:

I understand the nervousness

SCNDLS said: