Working from home does not necessarily mean that you own your own business. Working for a company through telecommuting allows you the comfort of a steady salary and the benefit of working from home.

The growth rate of telecommuters has increased worldwide. Right here in the United States, there was an increase in employees seeking telecommuting roles after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Quintcareers.com has some great strategies for landing that telecommuting role you desire:

"Plan to hit your boss with a double-whammy: A written proposal and an oral presentation. Experts agree that both a comprehensive, balanced written proposal and a presentation are the best approach. The presentation prepares your boss to absorb the points in the written proposal and gives him or her the opportunity to raise questions or objections (to which you’ll be fully prepared to respond). The written proposal enables the boss to more carefully consider your ideas when he or she has more time and serves an a crucial tool if your boss agrees with your idea but must obtain approval from higher up in the food chain. You may want to rehearse the presentation and even role-play with a friend or co-worker so you can practice responding to the questions and objections you anticipate from your boss.

Ask not what telecommuting can do for you; explain what telecommuting can do for your employer. Follow the same principle you would for any aspect of job-hunting from resumes and cover letters to interviews and salary negotiation — focus on the benefits of telecommuting to the employer, not the benefits to you. Never frame your proposal in terms of how telecommuting will meet your needs. Don’t mention your need for better work-life balance, more time to spend with your kids, care-taking responsibilities for elderly parents, or any other personal need. State only that telecommuting will make you more productive and efficient, be a better use of the time you previously spent on the road, make your boss’s life easier — whatever benefits you come up with that focus on the employer’s needs — not yours."

The whole article is really worth reading: Making Your Case for Telecommuting: How to Convince the Boss . Good luck!