~*~*~ THE RAT RACE REBELLION TELEWORK BULLETIN ~*~*~ Dear Reader, A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR This week we’ve got news on virtual work from Prince Edward Island (off Canada’s Atlantic coast), tips from a call center CEO on how to get fired from a home-based job, advice on finding legitimate home-based craft assembly work, and a sorrowful tale about how my dog came to disrespect me. Jobs include Tutors, Resume Writers, Math Problem-Solvers, Bloggers, Medical Transcriptionists, and Web Designers. Enjoy, and Good Luck! VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS DOING WELL ON CANADA’S PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND “Virtual Assistants can work from anywhere with an Internet connection,” Chris (my business partner and Staffcentrix CEO) used to tell skeptical Yankee farm wives in rural Connecticut in 1995, when she founded the industry from a cramped basement office. “Your clients can be anywhere, too.” (A Virtual Assistant, for those unfamiliar with the term, is someone -- usually self-employed -- who provides administrative and similar support to clients from an offsite location, using email, phone, fax, courier, etc. Clients may be Realtors, lawyers, busy moms and dads, executives, celebrities, entrepreneurs, etc.) Prince Edward Island, between New Brunswick and Labrador on Canada’s Atlantic coast, is yet another “remote” location for VAs, who now operate around the world. According to a recent article in the island’s newspaper, The Guardian, two Island VAs, Jaime Lee Mann and Darrell Williams, are doing quite well. “Mann Made Time” and “Right-Hand-Man” Mann, who has wisely picked a memorable name for her VA business (“Mann Made Time”), says on her website: “In June 2006, Jaime Lee started her virtual assistance business…targeting local real estate agents. She secured her first retainer client that month and went on to fill her practice to capacity within four months.” According to the Guardian, Mann’s growth has continued apace: “[N]ow she has a team of about 15 associates in Canada and the United States to whom she forwards work she cannot take on herself.” VA Darrell Williams, most of whose clients are in the US, has named his business “Right-Hand-Man.” He talks about his work in the article: “I find that the small businesses I work for, it’s lots of different things like research and proofreading documents. I do a lot of research online. The Internet is what makes it possible for us to all have a job.” Williams’ VA business also lets him homeschool his two daughters, Kennedy and Mikaylah. He teaches them in the morning, and works in the afternoon and evening. Like Mann, he has also associated with other VAs to offer clients a wider array of skills and services. While definitely not for everyone -- Virtual Assistance, as self-employment, is usually a better fit for self-starting individuals who don’t mind some risk than for folks who’d rather work as employees -- VA’ing can be rewarding both financially and professionally. And whereas your typical home-based job will usually attract a great many applicants (virtual call center LiveOps says it receives 3,500 applications weekly, and only hires the top 5 percent), the VA niche is still quite young, and the latent demand for its services is far larger than the supply of VAs. For more: -- The Guardian article: http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=108741&sc=100 -- VA Jaime Lee Mann’s website: http://www.mannmadetime.com -- VA Darrell Williams’ website: http://www.righthandmanva.com -- Our section on getting started as a VA, at http://www.ratracerebellion.com/VirtualAssistant.htm HOW TO GET FIRED FROM A HOME-BASED JOB Mary Naylor, CEO of VIPdesk, which hires home-based call center agents and concierges across the US, recently wrote a noteworthy article titled, “10 Ways to Get Fired From a Home-Based Position.” Want some hints on how to get the boot? -- When you’re on a call, let customers hear your children playing in the background -- Use an outmoded computer -- Clock into work late, and clock out early (That last one reminds me of what Intel CEO Andy Grove used to tell his employees: “You can arrive at work here anytime, as long as it’s before 8AM.”) Why is Mary’s article notable? Not as much for the points it makes, as for who is making them. Major hirers of home-based employees don’t often publicly list the things that “really push their buttons,” so on that basis alone it’s well worth the read. It could save you a future job. For more, the article is online at Careerbuilder, at http://tinyurl.com/yoev8d . Editor’s Tip: As every experienced jobseeker knows, if you want to land a job, study the employer and its industry. Many potential employers publish newsletters, and you should read them. VIPdesk publishes “Virtual Voice -- Your Home-Based Call Center News Source.” (Mary’s article is in the current edition.) To subscribe, just send an email to virtualvoice@vipdesk.com . (And tell them we sent you. Thanks!) TALK YOUR EMPLOYER INTO TELEWORK Did you know that 70% of Cisco’s employees regularly work from home at least 20% of the time? A third of the folks at Booz Allen Hamilton do too, and 32% at S.C. Johnson & Sons, says a recent Wall Street Journal article. And just wait until employers receive tax credits for sending workers home, which will almost certainly become an international political development later on, as global warming concerns force effective solutions. In the interim, as more and more “Fortune 500” companies give their employees flexible work arrangements, maybe it’s time to hit your boss with a telework proposal, and, more importantly, make the telework work. The Journal article mentioned above has some good tips on how to make the new arrangement a success, online at http://tinyurl.com/2e7qaw . “TELECOMMUTING A WIN FOR EMPLOYERS & WORKERS,” SAYS JOURNAL OF APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY Some people (bureaucratic supervisors, for example) still believe that telework is “bad for business,” and even many employees fear that working from home would make them less productive, and reduce their chances of promotion. But a recent study in the Journal of Applied Psychology “firmly debunks these claims,” report Vancouver-based psychologists Dr. Jennifer Newman and Dr. Darryl Grigg, in a recent article in the Vancouver Sun. “Ravi Gajendran and David Harrison at the Department of Management and Organization with Pennsylvania State University, conducted an extensive review of 46 studies on the subject featuring 12,883 employees. Their results show that working from home is good for business and for staff.” According to the article, the researchers cite the themes that many telework experts have been sounding for years: reduced stress, increased productivity, work / life balance, and even “improved supervisor-staff relationships.” (Doubtless, Mother Nature -- an employer if ever there was one -- would weigh in in favor too, if anybody thought to ask her.) The article’s online at http://tinyurl.com/ytwfth FRUGAL AND SIMPLE LIVING One way to simplify life is to reduce the annoying spam that arrives every day in our inboxes, so here’s a “stop the spam” tip. As you sign up on the Internet for samples, coupons, or just about anything else, you may want to use a free email account from Yahoo, Hotmail, or a similar provider. This way, if the “throwaway” email account becomes overloaded with spam, you can simply stop using it and open another one, and keep your "real" email account safe. Once you’re set up, here are some more freebies! -- DentaBurst Teeth Cleaners samples (US): http://www.dentaburst.com/site/sendSample.asp -- Cesar Supreme dog food sample: http://tinyurl.com/2n5o7u -- Coupon for free Flat Earth Crisps (US): http://www.flatearth.com/special_offers/ -- Brut After Shave Balm: http://brutworld.com/quickandsimple.php “VIDEOPHILIA” ON THE RISE, AS PEOPLE SPEND LESS TIME OUTSIDE I was walking my new pound hound, Primo, the other day, and discovered something I wanted to share here. (Actually, my 7-year-old daughter, Jazz, is his Owner; I just do the furniture hair-vacuuming, doo doo-scooping, food bowl-washing, vet bill-paying, most of the walking, and peripheral things like that.) Primo and I were in a nearby park, and we walked by a huge pile of leaves. As grown-ups do, and kids don’t, I debated objectively for a few moments whether I should flop backward into the leaves. Would somebody see me, and laugh? Would I get a bug up my pants leg? Would Primo think I had become unstable, and was “going native”? (He’s a Labrador-Border Collie mix, and Border Collies are well-known for the critical eye they often cast upon their owners, who at any moment may need to be rapidly herded to an enclosed place, such as an insane asylum.) In a surge of reckless bravery, I opted to flop. And once I’d flopped, everything changed. Yes, I was still in my stupid grownup clothes; yes, there were teenagers on a nearby hill, snickering at me; and yes, I needed to be herded quickly to a closed ward; but, oh, what a lovely feeling! Cushioned in the soft mound of leaves, my feet off the ground, looking up at the clouds again and smelling the leaves and breeze, hearing the breeze in the branches of the trees…. I was a kid again, in a field in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, dreaming in Nature’s hand, worried about nothing… But if a fellow like me, who grew up in a log cabin in the boonies, doesn’t “opt to flop” very often, then what of all the people who grow up in subdivisions and apartments and townhouses, far from “Nature’s hand”? In the same vein, but worse, most of us these days are being increasingly pressured to stay “inside” something -- a car, a house, a cubicle, a mall -- and I fear that, as we do, we’ll be more disposed to forget and relinquish who we are, our beautiful uniqueness, our connectedness, our sublimities and hopes and higher dreams. And I’m not alone in worrying about our growing “indooredness.” According to research published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, visits to US national parks have been declining since the 1980s, and other nature-related activities have fallen off steeply as well. (Similar trends were found in Japan and Spain.) "The replacement of vigorous outdoor activities by sedentary, indoor videophilia [watching TV, playing video games, surfing the Internet] has far-reaching consequences for physical and mental health, especially in children," one of the researchers noted. So, to end on an ironic note, if we really want to get inside things, maybe we need to go back outside. For more on “videophilia,” see http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080204172316.htm For more on how humans need to be watched and herded by their caretakers, see: http://www.borderbeau.com/Copy%20of%20minnie1.jpg FROM THE R3 MAILBAG -- QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKING FROM HOME, AND OTHER RAT RACE TOPICS DEAR R3: I’ve been looking for home-based assembly work, but I keep reading about the scams. I really hate to lose any money, which I can’t afford, in my efforts to make money! Do you have any advice? R3: We’ve received a lot of queries lately about home-based craft assembly, which we mentioned here a few months back. Unfortunately, the stories of scams are true, so you're right to proceed with caution. Disciple's Cross (at http://www.myaffiliateprogram.com/u/cross/t.asp?id=4768 ; we participate in an affiliate program with them) and New England Crafters (http://magicalgift.com/) are two businesses that we've found to be legitimate and feel comfortable recommending. However, with these and other legitimate craft assembly jobs, you will be required to purchase a kit or materials to get started. People often ask why they can't simply go out and buy their own materials for assembling the crafts, but crafting companies prefer to buy the materials themselves in bulk, which helps assure product consistency, and continuity from home-based crafters. When you start crafting, you’ll earn more for your time if you remember that the items you produce have to be up to a certain quality standard. So care and attention to detail are paramount. The companies can’t pay for items that legitimately don’t meet their standards; if they did, they’d go broke. RAT RACE QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Mike doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” -- Primo Rebelliously Yours, Michael Michael D. Haaren, Editor-in-Chief The Rat Race Rebellion =>=> New Leads for Home-Based Jobs and Projects <=<= *Editor’s Note: All positions are screened, but we can’t of course “guarantee” the legitimacy of any hirer or lead, so please do your own ‘due diligence’ as well! All positions are paid unless otherwise noted. The amount of compensation is included in the summary when given in the underlying lead. Also, please note that on occasion the hirer will decide to change the description or the availability of the job or project shortly AFTER the summary is published here. (Unfortunately, we have no control over this.) Therefore, be sure to read the underlying ad carefully, and apply promptly for any job that interests you. ||||| 1. Social Studies Tutors, Middle School - Pre-Collegiate (“Any location”) ||||| US-based tutoring firm SMARTHINKING is looking for Social Studies Tutors for middle school through pre-college students. Tutors must be available to work afternoons and evenings during weekdays. May work up to 29 hrs. per week. “The ideal candidate will have training and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: MA or Ph.D. coursework or degree in History and/or Social Studies related field, and/or History education; Social Studies teaching/tutoring experience at middle school, high school, and/or collegiate levels. The ideal candidate will also have familiarity with Florida Sunshine State Standards.” => Learn More: http://www.smarthinking.com/static/e-structors/positions/socialstudies.cfm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 2. Resume Writers (*US; Training provided) ||||| Resume firm GetInterviews seeks full- or part-time Resume Writers. “Full training provided.” Must have strong proofreading skills. “Full knowledge of Word and Outlook needed; high speed internet connection a must - NO DIAL UP!” *(Editor’s Note: Legal residents of the US living abroad may wish to apply as well.) => Learn More: http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/jobview.asp?joid=72867&page=1 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 3. Middle and High School Math Cold-Solvers (US-oriented) ||||| US-based educational content development firm Argosy is looking for freelance Cold-Solvers for middle and high school math exercises. “Candidates should have a degree in mathematics or extensive experience with middle and high school math. Candidates with teaching experience is a plus, but not required for the position.” => Learn More: http://bbboston.org/pageJobs_view.cfm?jobid=6518 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 4. Bilingual (Eng.-Spanish) Social Studies Tutors (“Any location”) ||||| US-based tutoring firm SMARTHINKING is looking for bilingual Social Studies Tutors for middle school through pre-college students. Tutors must be available to work afternoons and evenings during weekdays. May work up to 20 hrs. per week. “The ideal candidate will have training and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: MA or Ph.D. coursework or degree in a History- and/or Social Studies-related field, and/or History education; bilingual teaching/tutoring experience at middle school, high school, and/or collegiate levels. The ideal candidate will also have familiarity with Florida Sunshine State Standards.” => Learn More: http://www.smarthinking.com/static/e-structors/positions/spanish-socialstudies.cfm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 5. Writers to Cover Oil and Gas Sector (UAE; short fuse, deadline Feb. 25) ||||| UAE-based publishing firm Leading Brands seeks experienced Writers to cover the Oil and Gas sector for a new quarterly magazine. Must be located in the UAE to conduct interviews there. “Leading Brands is a boutique custom publishing house that works with clients such as Chanel, Unilever, 3M, Lancaster, Mashreqbank, L'oreal and Sony to help them produce custom magazines and publications for the region.” => Learn More: http://www.writerfind.com/freelance_jobs/job4079.htm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 6. Bloggers, Varied ||||| Internet culture site Stuffwelike.com is looking for Bloggers. “Our topics include Video Games, Movies, TV Shows, Music, and Technology/Web 2.0.” Pays $2.50 per post. => Learn More: http://performancing.com/blogger-jobs/internet-culture-blog-stuffwelike-com <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 7. Freelance Science Copyeditors ||||| US-based educational publisher Holt McDougal, which specializes in the middle and high school markets, seeks freelance Science Copyeditors. “Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree, at least three years of copyediting experience, a working knowledge of the Chicago Manual of Style, and the ability to meet deadlines and perform high-quality work on a consistent basis.” => Learn More: http://www.bookjobs.com/viewjob.php?prmJobID=1075275 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~Advertisement~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Chris and Mike here -- Do you need writing experience to qualify for freelance writing, blogging, proofreading or editorial jobs? Want to demonstrate your expertise for hiring managers or prospective clients? We recommend Helium (it’s free). You can get writing experience with an easy-to-start blog, and be eligible for compensation while you learn. You can also choose among many popular topics, and build your credentials while you write about what interests you. For more, just go to http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-2238344-10469777 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 8. Full-Time Medical Transcriptionists (US) ||||| US-based transcription firm Fast Phalanges is looking for independent contractor MTs with at least 5 years’ experience for Pain Clinic transcription. “Foot pedal will be provided as well as software.” Pain Clinic work pays 7 cpl. Radiology will pay by the report, rate to be determined. “This account is Vista compatible,” but Radiology is not. => Learn More: http://www.mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=14825 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 9. Online Writing Lab Tutors (“Any location”) ||||| US-based tutoring firm SMARTHINKING is looking for part-time Online Writing Lab Tutors for middle school through pre-college students. Must be available to work 6-20 hrs. weekly. “To qualify, individuals must have substantial teaching/tutoring experience in composition, and an enthusiasm for online education. The ideal candidate will have training and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: MA or Ph.D. coursework or degree in rhetoric, composition, literature, and/or English education; specialty coursework, degree, or teaching/tutoring experience in English as a Second Language (ESL); and/or teaching experience in developmental and first-year English composition courses.” => Learn More: http://www.smarthinking.com/static/e-structors/positions/cartowl.cfm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 10. Graphic Designers ||||| UAE-based publishing firm Leading Brands seeks Graphic Designers. To access the lead, go to the page below and look for “popup” window. => Learn More: http://leadingbrandspublishing.com/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 11. Lead Designer for Bands Websites (“Anywhere”) ||||| Bandzoogle, which specializes in developing websites for bands, is looking for a Lead Designer. “Ability to hand code cross browser CSS/HTML. Strong Photoshop and Flash (design) skills.” => Learn More: http://www.authenticjobs.com/jobs/1873/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 12. Part-Time Copywriter & Part-Time Editor, or “Full-Time Combined” (“Work remotely”) ||||| US-based health care firm seeks a part-time Copywriter and a part-time Editor, or a full-time individual with both specialties. Will “draft and/ or edit web content, brochures, corporate communication, and press releases, ghosting or polishing, articles, reports and white papers, draft/edit and develop virtual marketing.” Must have a relevant BA or appropriate experience, and at least 2 years’ writing and editing. => Learn More: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=650198 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 13. Web Designers (“Anywhere”) ||||| US-based web design and business development firm Channel Blade is advertising for as-needed Web Designers. “Some projects may require the designer to implement their design using xhtml/css so a strong understanding of standards compliant frontend coding is necessary.” => Learn More: http://www.authenticjobs.com/jobs/1872/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 14. Bilingual (Eng.-Spanish) Language Arts Tutors (“Any location”) ||||| US-based tutoring firm SMARTHINKING seeks part-time Language Arts Tutors fluent in English and Spanish for middle school through pre-college students. Must be able to work afternoons and evenings during weekdays, up to 20 hrs. weekly. “The ideal candidate will have training and/or experience in one or more of the following areas: MA or Ph.D. coursework or degree in English and/or Composition/Rhetoric, and/or English education; bilingual teaching/tutoring experience at middle school, high school, and/or collegiate levels. The ideal candidate will also have familiarity with Florida Sunshine State Standards.” => Learn More: http://www.smarthinking.com/static/e-structors/positions/spanish-languagearts.cfm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 15. Paid Reviews on Blogs (US and CAN; “Every blog has value to us”) ||||| Blog Distributor is looking for people to post reviews on their blogs. Payment is calculated according to the popularity of the blog; but “every blog has value.” Minimum payment per post is $5. “Your Blog must be in the English language and comment about life in the USA or Canada.” => Learn More: http://performancing.com/blogger-jobs/blog-pay <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 16. PaperVision3D Developer (“Anywhere”) ||||| Webmedia seeks an “enthusiastic freelancer looking to develop 3D interfaces and navigational systems in Flash and PaperVision3D.” => Learn More: http://www.authenticjobs.com/jobs/1868/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 17. Spanish Tutor (“Any location”) ||||| US-based tutoring firm SMARTHINKING, which “provides real-time, online tutoring and learning services to high schools and colleges,” seeks part-time Spanish Tutors fluent in English and Spanish. “To qualify, candidates should have at least an undergraduate degree, teaching certificate and/or advanced degree in Spanish language. Candidates can choose to work 9 to 20 hours per week.” => Learn More: http://www.smarthinking.com/static/e-structors/positions/car_spanish.cfm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 18. Copywriting and Marketing Blogger (“UK English”) ||||| UK-oriented website The Copy Box is looking for a Blogger to cover copywriting and marketing. Must post 5 days per week. Pays $5 per post. Must have copywriting and marketing experience. => Learn More: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/1079 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 19. Support Scientist ||||| US-based genetic research firm Illumina seeks a Support Scientist. “This position will work remotely from your home and provide technical advice and troubleshooting assistance for Illumina products, including high throughput genotyping, gene expression, methylation, and sequencing systems and software.” Other duties apply. Qualifications include “Ph.D., M.S, or B.S. with plus 3 years relevant lab experience in molecular biology, genetics, bioinformatics or related field” and at least 3 years’ experience as a Field Applications Scientist. => Learn More: http://sdut.careercast.com/careers/jobsearch/detail?jobId=7582751 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 20. Health and Fitness Freelance Writers (“All locations”) ||||| Website production house Demand Studios is looking for freelance Health and Fitness Writers for a new website, LIVESTRONG.com, to launch in mid-2008. Topics cover fitness, diet, nutrition, senior health, mental health, etc. => Learn More: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=883536 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ******************************* That’s a wrap for this week. Until next week’s issue, don’t forget to visit us for fresh job leads at http://www.ratracerebellion.com/job_postings.htm ! Rebelliously Yours, Michael -- Michael D. Haaren, Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief Staffcentrix, LLC Email: mhaaren@staffcentrix.com Co-author of the bestseller on working from home as a Virtual Assistant, THE 2-SECOND COMMUTE, now available at Amazon.com or http://www.2secondcommute.com. See what else we’re up to on the Web, at http://www.WAHBoom.com (our new work-at-home site for Boomers), http://www.msvas.com (our Military Spouse Virtual Assistant community), and http://www.fse-entrepreneur.com (our Foreign Service spouse e-Entrepreneur community). ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ All contents copyright 2008 Staffcentrix, LLC, "The most trusted name in home-based careers."(TM, SM) All rights reserved.