One of the major frustrations of trying to work at home is finding that first legitimate opportunity. It's time consuming and can be very, very frustrating.

However, you can speed things up a little if you are determined. While these steps may not guarantee you find something right for you right away, they can help you to keep the process moving forward.

The first thing is to know what you are after. You don't need to waste time chasing after every random opportunity that comes your way. Know what you are willing to do and what is just not interesting.

Then you need to treat your job hunt just as you would treat the hunt for a job outside the home; that is to say as a job in and of itself. If you plan on working at home full time, look for your work at home job full time.

This helps you to build some of the habits you will need to be successful at home, as well as improving your chances of finding work. Working at home is hard, and if you can build your habits before you actually have a job, you should get yourself off to a better start.

Do everything you can to learn what the scams look like. There are all kinds of work at home scams out there, and if you learn the signs, many can be dismissed out of hand, rather than risking your time, or worse, your money on something that won't work out.

Go beyond the usual internet resources. It's easy to head on over to Craigslist, Monster and so forth to look for jobs, but consider expanding your search to the offline world as well. Depending on your talents, you may do very well as a freelancer rather than an at-home employee. Virtual assistants and bookkeepers often work on a freelance basis.

What kinds of companies should you contact if freelancing is what you're after? Small companies in your area may very well need just a little bit of help, but not enough to want to hire an employee. Work for a couple small businesses on a contract basis and you may have what you need.

This does not mean you can't check the better work at home sites and find the legitimate companies that regularly hire people. However, since many of these receive large numbers of resumes, yours would need to stand out quite a bit in order for you to land a job quickly. It might happen. It does happen. But you can't always count on it.

The final option I would suggest is to do your research on some of the better paid work at home job boards. Most are scams, but a few provide legitimate and up to date job listings. It can be worth the money to sign up with one, provided you are sure they're honest.

Research can be quite difficult. Reviews may be biased by thoughts of affiliate income. The BBB may or may not have the information you need. But you can find a few companies that really give you what you need to land an at home job.

And of course, don't give up. It may take you a while to land the right kind of job, but it is possible. Keep trying, have a good resume, great attitude and know when something sounds wrong. There are jobs out there to be had.

Looking for more work at home resources? Try http://www.homewiththekids.com/wah.htm for more ideas Stephanie Foster has shared. Then join her forums to meet other work at home moms.