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Probably the most difficult part of any work from home decision is the decision to get started. You may find the following checklist helpful in starting your new home based business.

If you are excited about making the switch to a work from home business, you have probably already explored some of the things you need to do before you can complete the changeover. It's important to plan ahead since almost every dramatic change such as this will have a few surprises. Consider these factors before making your final plans.

Assess your skills

When you are looking for work from home opportunities, take an uncompromising look at your skills. If you want to find work that suits you, you will need to have some knowledge of the job rudiments before you can logically choose a particular type of work. For example, a medical transcription job pays very well, but if you have no knowledge of medical terminology, this is not the job for you. The same advice holds true of legal transcription work. However, if you already have the skills, this is work that transfers easily to a home based work site. You may even want to plan ahead while working your existing job and get the additional training to expand your work horizons in the future.

Find the best advice possible

Find someone you trust, preferably someone who is familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of work from home opportunities. Ask them for advice or even if they would be willing to be a mentor for you for a time. Often, someone who has already trod the path you are exploring will be the best one to help you determine the things you need to consider before making your final decision. If you can't find someone near your own location, check out one of the forums online and ask for advice. Even reading forum posts on the subject will often provide advice about factors you hadn't yet considered.

Look for a personality match

No matter what type of work from home business you select, it is important that it should be a job that fits your personality. If you like to work with lots of people around, you may want to consider posting on forums. If you prefer to go into your home office and turn on the computer with total focus to your keyboard, a data entry job may be just the ticket for you. If you love the idea of researching a technical subject and explaining it in non technical terms, there are plenty of freelance article writing jobs available online.

Deal with the Bureaucracy

Work from home jobs requires a totally different mind set when it comes to dealing with all the various types of bureaucrats and institutions. Things to consider include city, county and state licenses and registration fees; bank accounts and other financial arrangements; and tax reporting documents and records. If you decide to incorporate your business for legal or taxation purposes, you will need to set up and maintain the appropriate financial and legal records. Most of the requirements are fairly simple and straightforward, but it's best to be aware of them in advance rather than to be surprised.