In the first part of work@home must-haves, I tackled the hardware requirements that every work@homies should invest in, depending on the nature of their work. For this post, other requirements for various work-at-home jobs will be discussed.

Internet Access
When I started my career as an online writer for write4pesos three years ago, I was getting by with pre-paid dial-up Internet cards because I was not sure if the work can cover the costs of a monthly Internet subscription. I did that for about ten months, even writing during the unholy hours from midnight to dawn so I can avail of the free access and maximize my card.

When I realized that this freelance career at write4pesos can actually work for me and the potential for earnings was way better than regular employment, I took the plunge and subscribed to a provider. Thankfully by that time, DSL services have considerably gone down in prices and I have never regretted my decision. The faster DSL has given me more productive hours because I am able to surf and do research using less time. Dial-up and DSL are worlds apart, and on hindsight, I do not know how I have survived on pre-paid dial-up.

Still, I believe that the experience has made me a better online writer. I became more patient and learned to maximize my limited resources. You will never know how resourceful and flexible you can be until circumstances force you to do so.

So the bottom line is this: The Internet is the platform for web content and academic writing and for most other work-at-home gigs. However which way you get it, access to the web is a must for freelancers and work-at-homies.

Word Processing Software / Productivity Suites
An absolute must, not just for freelancers and work@homies, (ronins) but for anyone who has a computer. Word is the most popular word processing software, but the open-source Open Office Writer is slowly gaining popularity because of its free licensing. Open Office, also known as OOo is a suite of productivity applications, akin to Microsoft’s Office. Aside from being a freeware, Open Office can handle proprietary Microsoft Office documents such as .doc, .ppt, and .xls. OpenOffice also features a free vector graphics editor called Draw, similar to Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. Get your free OOo here.

For online writers, web content providers, blogger, ghostwriters, data processors, and virtual assistants who work at home, the choice between OOo or Microsoft Office is not as important as the individual’s own input. The program is only as valuable as what we put into it. For writers working at home or otherwise, do well to remember that indeed, Content is King.

Skype
The program that launched a thousand online English tutorial jobs. Or is it the other way around? Just another case of the egg or the chicken. In any case, since its launch, Skype has been the program of choice for home-based English tutors because of its user-friendly interface and good sound handling. Tutors and students are able communicate for free either though PC calls or chat. Get your free Skype here.

PDF Reader
I work as an academic researcher/writer as well as a web content provider. The nature of my work requires me to do a lot of researching and scanning through scholarly documents for proper referencing. Most books and scholarly journals online come in the form of .pdf formats so you need a free reader that will allow you to navigate through these documents.

In my experience, the best among the lot is Foxit Reader. It is a free PDF document viewer and printer that is packed with features that enhances your interactivity with .pdf files. The great thing about Foxit, aside from being free, is its small file size and its optimal use of PC memory. Unlike Acrobat which is a resource hog, Foxit has a small imprint and does not drain precious memory resource which frees your PC to use other programs and allows you to do more multi-tasking.

Try it and see the difference yourself. Get your free Foxit Reader here.

Other Programs

The nature of your work will dictate the programs that you need. Some companies have specific requirements and may provide their own proprieary applications. However, the programs mentioned above will find meaningful use across all types of work-at-home and freelance jobs.