By Puja S Navin

YOU do not always have to be in a consultant's office to connect people; you can do it from anywhere, even from home.

Dishing out hot jobs right from your own SOHO (small office, home office) -- how does that sound for a flexi-career?

All you need is a wired computer and a handy mobile and voila, you jog into home based recruitment.

How does it work?

Recruitment companies such as the Mumbai based Proactive Solutions and Options Search in Hyderabad hire home based consultants. Armed with a computer and a phone, they search potential candidates from job websites or through their own social networks.

They short list, interview and connect candidates with clients. All communication happens on phone or via emails. Professionals with experience in a particular function such as sales, IT and media can become domain experts in these fields, hiring candidates and servicing clients from these areas.

Once a candidate gets placed, the recruiting company makes 8.33 to 12.33 per cent of the fixed component of the candidate's salary. For example, on Rs 10 lakhs, the company gets Rs 83,300 (at 8.33 per cent). For her services, the consultant could walk away with 15 to 25 per cent, which translates to a cool Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000.

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What do you need?

As a job / placement consultant, you need to put in four to five hours a day, six days a week. Short listing could happen even after the kids are asleep.

A personal computer with an Internet connection to browse job websites is essential. The monthly Internet and phone bill will cost you approximately Rs.1,500. A laptop gives you further flexibility to work while you travel.

Photograph: stock.Xchng