Telecommuting, telework, home-based work programs, virtual work programs, job share, virtual employees, virtual companies, virtual teams.  What is all the hype about working virtually?  Are these companies with home-based programs or telework programs, legitimate?  If so, how can you learn more?  And, which telecommuting friendly companies should you keep a close watch on?   

Do any of these questions sound familiar? Sure they do.  According to a recent Consumer Survey conducted by The Dieringer Research Group, The number of employed Americans who performed any kind of work from home, with a frequency range from as little as 1 day a year to full-time, grew from 41.3 million in 2003 to 44.4 million in 2004, a 7.5% growth rate. – Source: 2004 American Interactive Consumer Survey  

The group also stated in yet another survey, Teleworkers who worked at home during business hours at least one day per month increased in the past year from 23.5 million to 24.1 million, a 2.6% increase.  Of that 24.1 million, 16.5 million are self employed, a 4.4% increase over 2003. This 24.1 million represents 18.3 percent of employed adult Americans, nearly one-fifth of the workforce. - Source: 2004 American Interactive Consumer Survey 

So, how do you locate these companies offering flexible work programs?  I took a little trip on the world wide web to do a little researching of my own and the first thing I noticed was that to conduct this type of research could take a person hours.  So, if you’re up to it, grab your favorite fruit juice and happy researching.  However, if you prefer not to reinvent the wheel, below is a list of some of my findings. 

For the most part, these companies either have or intend to implement some form of flexible work program, either telework or home-base or who knows they may call it some other name.  The key is to learn who the companies are, begin your research about the company; establish initial contact (this will most likely be by email or with someone in Human Resources).   

Tip 1: be sure to have your resume in ready-for-submission status (in the wonderful event, you’re asked to submit it).

Tip 2: create a telework contacts communication folder in both your email inbox and office filing system, to keep track of who you contacted.   

It’s very important to stay on top of this research once you get a routine established, and finally, don’t forget to follow-up.  People (especially HR Managers) are inundated with resumes, emails, and phone calls all day, everyday.  So to keep your name fresh in their mind, follow-up about 2 times a month and don’t forget your manners, show your appreciation for their time by sending a hand-written “Thank You” note card (makes your thank you more personal). 

Now let’s move on to the telecommuting friendly companies list.  Please let me know if you score an interview or even better a position with one of these companies.  Wishing you all the best with your research for telework!

Telecommuting Friendly Companies National List A through Z 

This listing is for informational purposes ONLY. The appearance of these companies in this listing Does NOT mean that they have positions (telecommuting or non telecommuting) available.  These are companies which have a telecommute program, will have a program or consider telecommuting on a per position basis.

• Aetna Life Insurance - http://www.aetna.com/
• Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. - (NYSE:APD) is the world's only combined gases and chemicals company.  - http://www.airproducts.com/
• American Airlines - http://www.aa.com/
• American Express  - http://www.americanexpress.com/
• Allergan - Allergan, Inc. headquartered in Irvine, California, is a technology-driven, global health care company providing eye care and specialty pharmaceutical products worldwide. - http://www.allergan.com/
• Allstate Insurance - http://www.allstate.com/
• Alpine">www.alpineaccess.com/external/index.html">Alpine Access - a leading outsourcer of call center services using home-based customer service agents working over the Internet. Alpine's customer base includes: multi-channel catalog and national mass market retailers, direct response TV marketers, and public sector agencies. Founded in 1998, Alpine has 3,000 home-based agents nationwide and is among the fastest-growing private companies in Colorado. - https://www.alpineaccess.com/external/agentRequirements.html">www.alpineaccess.com/external/agentRequirements.html">https://www.alpineaccess.com/external/agentRequirements.html
• Apple Computer  - http://www.apple.com/
• Art & Logic - http://www.artlogic.com/
• Arthur Andersen Consulting - http://www.arthuranderson.com/
• AT&T - http://www.att.com/
• Baxter Healthcare - http://www.baxter.com/
• Bell South - http://www.bellsouth.com/
• Beneficial Corporation - http://www.beneficial.com/
• Berlitz Translation Services - Your single source for effective live and self-study language instruction, cross-cultural training, and lessons designed specifically for children. - http://www.berlitz.com/
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Maryland - http://www.bluecross.com/
• CFW Communications - http://www.cfw.com/
• Chevron - http://www.chevron.com/
• Cigna - http://www.cigna.com/
• Cincinnati Bell - http://www.cinbelltel.com/
• CISCO Systems, Inc. - Their mission: Shape the future of the Internet by creating unprecedented value and opportunity for our customers, employees, investors, and ecosystem partners. - http://www.cisco.com/
• Citibank - http://www.citibank.com/
• Compaq - http://www.compaq.com/ 
• Creative Freelance - Freelancers can list their backgrounds for free listings at this site. The Classified Ads / Help Wanted section posts both freelance and full-time jobs; it is open to all employers. The Talent Search area provides targeted viewing of resumes and skills.- http://www.freelancers.com/
• Creative Labs - http://www.soundblaster.com/
• Dell Computer - http://www.dell.com/
• Digital Equipment Corporation - http://www.digital.com/
• Digital News - http://www.digitalnews.com/
• DuPont - http://www.dupont.com/
• Ernest & Young, L.L.P. - Ernst & Young, one of the world's leading professional services organizations, helps companies across the globe to identify and capitalize on business opportunities. - http://www.ey.com/
• Eastman Kodak Company  - http://www.kodak.com/
• Edify Corp. - http://www.edify.com/
• Electronics for Imaging, Inc. - Electronics For Imaging is a leading edge, high-technology company, engineering, developing and selling "controller," "server," or "Raster Image Processor" ("RIP") technology to connect high bandwidth devices such as copiers, printers, and digital presses to networks. - http://www.efi.com/
• En Pointe Technologies - En Pointe Technologies, Inc. is a dynamic publicly traded e-procurement innovator supplying products and services to large enterprise companies, including Fortune 500, educational institutions, and government agencies throughout the nation. - http://www.enpointe.com/
• Equitable Life Assurance - http://www.equitable.com/
• Fannie Mae - http://www.fanniemae.com/
• Fusion Staffing Services - http://www.fusionstaffing.com/
• Gannett - Gannett Co., Inc. is a large diversified news and information company - http://www.gannett.com/
• Geico - http://www.geico.com/
• General Electic Nuclear Energy - http://www.ge.com/
• GTE - http://www.gte.com/
• Hewlett-Packard - http://www.hp.com/
• Hello Direct, Inc. - http://www.hello-direct.com/
• Honeywell - http://www.honeywell.com/
• IBM - http://www.ibm.com/
• Inktomi Corp. - Inktomi develops and markets scalable infrastructure software that is essential to the Internet. - http://www.inktomi.com/
• Insignia Solutions, Inc. - Insignia Solutions was originally founded in the UK in 1986 to develop technology that enabled users of non-Intel computers to run DOS and Windows applications. Leveraging its ten years of success in developing and delivering PC virtual machines, Insignia shifted its focus in 1996 to provide Java-compatible virtual machine technologies for use in resource-constrained embedded devices. In November 1998, Insignia delivered beta versions of its groundbreaking Jeode? platform and Jeode Embedded Virtual Machine? (EVM?). The Jeode platform began shipping in production quantity in September 1999 and has had a major impact in speeding the deployment of Java technology to information appliances. More than 14 million runtime units of the Jeode technology is currently contracted by major OEMs, operating systems suppliers and middleware providers. - http://www.insignia.com/
• Intel - http://www.intel.com/
• Intellicorp, Inc. - http://www.intellicorp.com/
• Intracorp - Since 1970 we have developed and delivered high-impact health and productivity solutions for employers, third-party administrators, carriers and managed care organizations. Today we're still balancing cost savings with optimal medical outcomes and participant satisfaction-delivering value to customers, and to their employees and plan participants, by ensuring the right care in the right place at the right time. - http://www.intracorp.com/
• JCPenney - http://www.jcpenney.com/
• JetBlue Airlines – Many of their reservation agents work from home.  Here is a link to a story done on JetBlue a few months back - http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/13/eveningnews/main593026.shtml - http://www.jetblue.com/
• John Hancock Insurance - http://www.johnhancock.com/
• LAM Research Corp. - is a leading supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the world's semiconductor industry. In particular, Lam is a technical leader in etch products and expects similar acceptance for its Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) product and applications. The Company also offers next generation solutions for CMP cleaning. - http://www.lamrc.com/
• Lanier Business Products - http://www.lanier.com/
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - http://www.llnl.gov/
• LINK Resources Corporation - Link Resources plays a unique role in assisting clients develop and execute plans to transition their organizations and facilities. - http://www.linkresources.com/
• LiveOps - is a virtual  service representative (VSR) taking inbound calls/orders for infomercials, catalogs etc.  LiveOps is the nation's largest domestic outsourced call center making exclusive use of home-based operators (agents). - http://www.liveops.com/application.html  - http://www.liveops.com/
• Macromedia Inc. - http://www.macromedia.com/
• Maxtor Corp. - http://www.maxtor.com/
• MCI - http://www.mci.com/
• McGraw Hill - http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/
• Microsoft - http://www.microsoft.com/
• Molecular Devices Corp. - http://www.moldev.com/
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners - http://www.naic.com/
• NEC Electronics, Inc. - http://www.nec.com/
• NewsBank - http://www.newsbank.com/
• Nike - http://www.nike.com/
• Nortel (Northern Telecom) - http://www.nortel.com/
• Oacis Healthcare Systems - http://www.oacis.com/
• Oak Technology, Inc. - http://www.oaktech.com/
• Octel Communications Corp. - http://www.octel.com/
• Oracle Corp. - http://www.oracle.com/
• Pacific Bell - http://www.sbc.com/
• Peoplesoft, Inc. - http://www.peoplesoft.com/
• Philips C&P Division - http://www.philips.com/
• Quantum Corp. - http://www.quantum.com/
• Raytheon Systems - http://www.raytheon.com/rsc
• Remedy Corp. - http://www.remedy.com/
• Sears, Roebuck & Co. - http://www.sears.com/
• Share Data, Inc. - http://www.sharedata.com/
• Siemens Business Communication Systems, Inc. - http://www.siemens.com/
• Sprint - http://www.sprint.com/
• Sun Microsystems - http://www.sun.com/
• Symantec Corp. - Symantec, a world leader in Internet security technology, provides a broad range of content and network security solutions to individuals and enterprises.
• Texas Instruments - http://www.ti.com/
• Travelers - http://www.travelerspc.com/
• UMI/Data Courier - For 61 years, Bell & Howell Information and Learning has served as a global leader in collecting, organizing and distributing value-added information to res

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Victoria M. Parham is a retired military spouse, US veteran, and, the president and cto for VSSCyberOffice.com, a forerunner in the virtual support services industry, an advocate of portable careers for trailing military spouses and family members. Its web-based Virtual Business Owners Training Program(tm), is available online and at military bases around the world. To learn more visit: http://www.vsscyberoffice.com