First, the bad news: Unless you have a dazzling resume that demonstrates your excellence in things like information technology, it’s highly unlikely that Google is going to hire you. Even if you have that awesome resume, it’s unlikely that you’d be able to work from home. Be very wary of ads you see online that promise otherwise. Definitely do not part with money for an advertised “starter kit.”

According to ABC News, Google has come out on record saying that it does not endorse websites that promise cash from the company for posting links and the like. ABC also says that the Better Business Bureau has received hundreds upon hundreds of complaints from people who have been scammed by these sites, and the FTC has taken at least one of them to court.

Now the good news: You can make money off Google, and you can do it from the comfort of your living room or your home office. You just can’t do it working for the company directly. You have to think outside the box.

Create a Website

Google does pay its Adsense publishers, to the tune of billions of dollars a year. You can get in on this action by creating a website. Google will place “contextual” ads on your page or pages, meaning that they’re virtually hand-picked to have something to do with whatever topic your website is about. This makes your readers more likely to click on those ad links. After all, they’re already on that page because they have an interest in whatever those advertisers are pitching. When they click on the ads, you’re paid a commission.

Google offers two free tools to help you along if you find the idea of building your own web page more than a little intimidating. Of course, it helps – a lot – to be authoritative on the topic your website focuses on. Don’t launch something on the intricacies of aquarium fish if you’ve never owned one in your life. Stay in your niche, and write about what you know.

Register your site for Google Ads and the Google AdSense Program when you’re up and running. This is free too. You’ll receive a code to embed on your site, effectively telling Google where you want the ads to appear. Google will obligingly change up the ads daily so no one gets bored.

Maintain Your Website

Your part of the job involves drawing visitors to your website, so you’ll want to keep it current. It won’t do to slap some copy up there and then just sit back and wait for the money to arrive. Don’t let the copy you post get stale. Keep people interested. Yes, it’s a challenge and it may be time-consuming, but in the end it could be well worth it.

Google Keyword Planner can help you optimize your site to bring in readers who will click on those ads, and you can always ask friends and family to talk it up, encouraging others to visit and spread the word. Your profits probably won’t come in an overnight windfall. You might be challenged at first, but Google offers webinars and a help center to get you started and help you along.

It’s Not Exactly Google, but…

If writing and maintaining a website doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, consider working for others – possibly from home – helping them optimize their websites for Google traffic. If you have an understanding of how Google ranks websites and maybe take a course or two to earn a certification, you might wade into the field of search engine optimization and hire out your services to other website owners.

Working for Google Directly

If you have your heart set on working for Google directly and you do have an awesome resume, just…well, Google the words “Google Help Wanted” in your web browser. You should come across a link for Google Careers, and some links for individual job listings are often offered as well. Just be prepared to leave the privacy of your home and commute.