Remember the quaint old days when it was considered a risky proposition to work from home, given the limitations of technology back in the day? Now, with smart phones, the Internet, video conferencing and widespread acceptance of the work-at-home model, it’s not only entirely possible to operate a successful home business, it’s becoming the way to operate.

‘Virtual’ jobs are those that exist to provide services via online channels. Paperwork can be emailed back and forth, or increasingly sophisticated web-based systems can be used to collaborate on projects or keep team members up to date on job progress.

Copywriters, graphic designers, web designers and those with the very New Millennium job description of Virtual Assistant are all reaping the benefits of the ‘online office’. Yes, it’s true, business canbe conducted beachside or from the aromatic environs of the local cafe. What matters is not the physical location but the delivery of the work. For all intents and purposes, a virtual service provider could be plugging away in a glitzy office on the twentieth floor of a high-rise office block, or working from the car while the kids are at ballet or soccer practice.

In the last quarter of 2008, a single domain name company reported the registration of 81,000 new domains, and renewals averaged 70%.

Operating from an online base may seem somewhat glamorous and cushy – it certainly offers some brilliant advantages over the arduous commute and office politics – but it can also be fraught with difficulties that need to be addressed to ensure longevity.

Business is business, regardless of geography or methodology.Some issues exist regardless, such as long working hours, cash flow, debt recovery and advertising. However, when taken into consideration that operating a virtual business allows mothers to stay at home with young children, disabled folks to be more productive in self-employment and retirees to keep their hand in the ring, it’s easy to see that there are definite advantages.

Mumpreneurs are arriving in droves to the online business environment. From offering Virtual Assistant services, to developing products to sell over the Internet, they are a force to be reckoned with. They bring with them skills that were honed for years in the workplace and which would otherwise be allowed to stagnate as they raise children to school age.

At SMStheJOB, virtual positions have become increasingly prevalent.Companies realise the benefits that exist in outsourcing certain roles. Bookkeeping, appointment-setting, customer service, report-writing and support desk services, just to name a few, can all be arranged to be performed from home. Cost savings and convenience are two of the main factors that appeal to companies who outsource these roles because virtual services are hired and paid for based on actual hours worked.

If you’re a job seeker and working from home sounds ideal for you, or if you’re an employer and considering outsourcing various roles, SMStheJOB is the place to seek and post these positions.