~*~*~ THE RAT RACE REBELLION TELEWORK BULLETIN ~*~*~ Dear Reader, A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Hello from Rat Race Central. This week’s issue brings news of hiring by call center Alpine Access, an interview with homeschool expert and author Rebecca Kochenderfer, a last call for our free “How to Spot Scams” Webinar this Tuesday, and a nice buffet of gourmet jobs and freebies. Enjoy, Good Luck, and Be Well. ALPINE ACCESS SEEKS 1,200 AGENTS FIRST QUARTER ’09; HIRING IN LOUISIANA NOW Virtual call center Alpine Access seeks 1,200 agents this quarter, and is hiring agents in Louisiana, the company revealed in two recent articles. AA’s clients include Office Depot and the IRS. CEO Christopher Carrington added that the company might hire 4,000 agents this year. "Don't forget -- we can recruit from around the country," Carrington told the reporter. For more, see lead no. 1, below. LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE “HOW TO SPOT SCAMS” WEBINAR With a 54-to-1 “scam ratio” in home-based job ads, you need to know how to spot the rotten apples. Join Chris and me this coming Tuesday, March 3, from 12PM-1PM US Eastern, to learn about the latest ripoffs and how the bad boys operate. To reserve your online seat, go to https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/657014736. (Note -- If you’re unfamiliar with Webinars, don’t worry; they’re simple. You just log on to a web page with your name and email address (we DO NOT share this information; it’s needed only to get you linked into the Webinar), and we show you the subject matter on your computer screen, while you’re with us on a conference call. Your only cost is long-distance charges, if any.) INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR REBECCA KOCHENDERFER OF HOMESCHOOL.COM Rat-raced parents (including me here in Northern Virginia, where we skip merrily to overcrowded schools on the tops of the traffic-jammed school buses, wearing our Hello Kitty oxygen masks) often wonder about ye olde public school. For example, what do kids’ brains look like after 13 years of institutionalization? Or, since we plebs don’t have any authority over school principals or teachers (we just pay for them), should it be a surprise when they don’t really care what we think? Or, why do kids look resigned (if not grim) when they’re going into school in the morning, and ecstatic when they leave in the afternoon? Could homeschooling work better? To learn more about it, I chatted via email with Rebecca Kochenderfer, author of “Homeschooling and Loving It,” and owner and host of Homeschool.com. Rebecca is well-known and well-respected in homeschool circles as an authority on the movement. Along with her answers to my questions, Rebecca included a coupon code that reduces the price of “Homeschooling and Loving It” by six bucks, from $15.95 to $9.95. The code is LovetoHomeschool. (But don’t dawdle; the code expires March 31, she said. Disregard the Feb. 27 noted on her site.) I haven’t read the book yet, but Rebecca said of it, “This is the same method of homeschooling that I used with my own children and it worked very well for us.” For more, see http://www.homeschool.com/HLI/default.asp. And now, let’s roll tape. RRR: How did you come by your own interest in homeschooling? REBECCA K.: I was pregnant with my first child when I first began exploring educational options. I used to be a teacher so I wanted something really special for my son-to-be. One day I read an article about homeschooling and I thought to myself, “Yes! This is what I’ve been looking for.” Maybe one of the reasons homeschooling appealed to me so much is because I had had an opportunity a few years earlier to personally witness the power of one-on-one learning. I had been hired as a private teacher/tutor for a wealthy famous family to teach their son aboard their private yacht in the Caribbean. Talk about your cush jobs. The boy learned so quickly with the individual attention and I found I really enjoyed that type of teaching. RRR: With Homeschool.com, your homeschool radio chats, and other initiatives, you're obviously an entrepreneur. Where did you come by the entrepreneurial urge? Did you have any entrepreneurial role models growing up, or as an adult? REBECCA K.: That’s a good question. My parents were civil servants so I’m not sure how I caught the entrepreneur bug. It just seems to fit with my personality. I tried working for companies, but they always felt a bit claustrophobic. But the reason I started Homeschool.com was not because I wanted to be a business woman, but because I wanted to be able to stay home with my children… without starving. I needed a way I could earn money from home and a friend told me about this new thing called the Internet and told me I should buy some domain names. So I bought edusource.com (which became the Internet’s first e-Newsletter about education) and Homeschool.com. RRR: With overcrowding, budget shortfalls, and other critical issues affecting public schools now, many parents would like to know more about homeschooling. What are your favorite resources for “newbies”? REBECCA K.: There are now more homeschoolers in this country than there are Catholic school students. Because of this there are LOTS of resources available and homeschooling is much easier than you might think. Some of my favorite homeschooling resources are Homeschool.com, AtoZHome’sCool, Homeschooling at About.com, Homefires.com and the book “Homeschooling and Loving It.” When I started out I also found great help from the books written by Linda Dobson and by reading Home Education magazine. RRR: For some, homeschooling still conjures up the old stereotype of the “unsocialized child.” Homeschooled stars like the Jonas Brothers may help offset that, but what’s your advice to parents who worry about the socialization issue? REBECCA K.: Homeschoolers tend to roll their eyes when people ask them about socialization. For some reason, when people think about homeschooling they picture the kids chained to the table, crying over their worksheets. But that’s not the way it is. Because homeschooling is one-on-one or small group learning, it is incredibly efficient and fast. Because of this, there is even MORE time for the kids to socialize and to develop their talents in sports, music, art, dance, etc. Why do you think young movie stars and Olympic athletes, and spelling bee champions homeschool? Because it leaves them more time to do what they love. RRR: In brief, how did homeschooling fare under President Bush, and how do you expect it to fare under President Obama? REBECCA K.: Because President Bush was a religious man and homeschooling is very popular for religious reasons, it fared well under President Bush’s administration. It may not fare as well under President Obama. Both Obama and Hillary Clinton are big supporters of the public schools and they don’t like to see dedicated parents pulling their kids out either for private or home schools. But Obama is also a big believer in “choice,” so I’m hoping he will extend this same courtesy to educational choice. RRR: Public schools are beginning to offer virtual classes, that students can take from home. How do you see this trend unfolding, and fitting into the development of homeschooling? REBECCA K.: The more choices the better, as far as I’m concerned. Children learn in different ways so when we have lots of educational options it makes it easier to find the school setting that works best for each child. I have three children. We have always given our children the choice on what type of education they felt would work best for them. So two of my children homeschool and one attends a performing arts high school. Many countries don’t have these types of educational alternatives. If school works for you, great. If it doesn’t, that’s too bad and school becomes a 12-year jail sentence for you. But in America we have lots of options and we can find the school that works best for the child, which gives that child a chance to succeed and grow up knowing how wonderful and intelligent he or she is. RRR: Some public-school parents feel they are unqualified to teach their children. How would you address their concerns? REBECCA K.: Homeschooling is much easier than you would think. I just graduated my oldest from high school and he has been accepted for honors at entrance to his favorite colleges. The thing to remember, especially when homeschooling a high school student, is that you don’t have to do everything yourself. You can hire tutors, you can sign up with a homeschooling charter school, you can take small group classes, you can trade teaching with other parents, you can join a homeschooling co-op. The #1 piece of advice from experienced homeschoolers is to have your high school age child take his classes through your local community or junior college. It’s called dual enrollment and this way your child gets both high school and college credit for the same class. Plus, community colleges are either free or inexpensive so this is a pretty sweet deal. ## LAYOFFS CAN SPELL OPPORTUNITIES FOR VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS As we know, “non-core” employees are getting pink slips in droves, and Administrative Assistants and similar folks are often the first to go. As bad as this is, it can spell opportunity for Virtual Assistants, who provide marketing support, word processing, website maintenance and other key functions on an as-needed basis at a fraction of the cost of employees. (Independent professionals in particular can be quickly hobbled in the absence of office support.) If you’re interested in how to get started as a “VA,” see our page at http://www.ratracerebellion.com/VirtualAssistant.htm. FRUGAL AND SIMPLE LIVING Herewith this week’s freebaliciousness. If you see something you like, snatch it, as giveaways go quickly on the Net. Don’t shoot us; we have no control over supplies, or when the vendors decide to halt their offers or fulfillment. Enjoy! Free Aeroplane Jelly Lite Twin Pack (AU/NZ): http://www.thebiggestloser.com.au/aeroplane-jelly-lite-sampling.htm Free sample CankerMelts: http://www.orahealth.com/CM_freesample.html Free Krispy Kreme Donut coupon: http://krispykreme.qm4.net/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=113876 Free with rebate - Just for Men Touch of Gray: http://www.touchofgraycoupon.com/justformen/default.aspx Free sample Splenda (various flavors): https://www.splendidlife.com/ancillary/samplingprogram.do For more freebies, see http://www.ratracerebellion.com/freebies.htm. RAT RACE QUOTE OF THE WEEK “If you can’t find a job, you should enlist in the Marines. They’ll straighten you out.” -- The editor’s dear old USMC Mom, on his graduation from college during a recession. 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! 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. Alpine Access seeks Home-Based Agents in Louisiana; 1,200 Overall in Q1 2009 Virtual call center Alpine Access is reported to be looking for Agents in Louisiana now, and 1,200 overall for this quarter. In Louisiana, “[t]he majority of home-based customer care professionals are expected to be hired from New Orleans, Shreveport, Baton Rouge and the respective surrounding areas,” TMCnet.com reported. Alpine Access hires Agents as employees rather than independent contractors. For wages and other details, see our Call Center Comparison Chart at http://www.ratracerebellion.com/CS_Comparison.html. For the article on Louisiana recruitment, see http://tinyurl.com/ahdngd. For a recent interview with CEO Christopher Carrington, who mentions AA’s hiring plans for ’09, see http://tinyurl.com/bjapan. (This interview is also good background before an employment interview, and gives useful datapoints on why the virtual call center model, aka “homeshoring,” is growing.) For AA’s website, see the link below. For more: http://www.alpineaccess.com/external/index.html. 2. Academic Department Chair, Finance & Economics Kaplan University seeks an Academic Department Chair for the School of Business and Management. "Hire, mentor and supervise department faculty to ensure maintenance of the University classroom standards and student engagement." For more: http://tinyurl.com/at7239 3. Managing Editor EssayEdge.com is looking for a Managing Editor to oversee its freelance editor network. For more: http://tinyurl.com/bdq3qd 4. Blackberry Driver Developer On behalf of a client, Robert Half Technology has posted an ad for a senior level Blackberry Driver Developer. “This position can be 100% telecommute…” For more: http://tinyurl.com/b48d9f 5. Global Investing Editor MoneyShow.com, an "investment-education website," seeks a Global Investing Editor with at least 5 years’ experience. “International Candidates Will Be Considered.” For more: http://careers.poynter.org/jobdetail.cfm?job=3080299 6. Sports Journalists About.com seeks experienced Sports Journalists. Must have writing experience in the sports area. For more: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=625412 7. Perl Developer Grant Street Group is still looking for Perl Programmers with experience in a Unix environment. For more: http://grantstreet.hrmdirect.com/employment/view.php?req=21464 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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, click here http://www.helium.com/?ad=680&placement=HAP002 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8. Freelance Writer Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences seeks a freelance Writer to draft press releases and stories for the school website and newsletter. For more: http://www.case.org/Jobs/ViewJobPosting.cfm?jobPostingID=13501 9. Medical Transcriptionists SoftScript is looking for experienced MTs. Various shifts available, with benefits. For more: http://www.mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=17151 10. High School Curriculum Reviewers Stanford University School of Education (SUSE) is looking for High School Curriculum Reviewers to help complete an extensive review of a new set of online courses. For more: http://tinyurl.com/d4renb 11. Identity / Privacy / Credit Blogger Voltage Creative is seeking an Identity / Privacy / Credit Blogger. For more: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/2052 12. Real Estate Loft Blogger Lofts.com is looking for a Blogger to cover neighborhoods, units on the market, and other loft-related topics. For more: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/2055 13. Health Professionals/Writers About.com is seeking licensed Medical Professionals with writing experience to cover a variety of topics. For more: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=625413 14. Technical Support - Apple At Home Expert Apple Inc. is seeking Technical Support experts to help users of the Mac product line. "Flexibility to work varied shift on a 7 day schedule." For more: http://tinyurl.com/d9ezby 15. PHP Software Engineer SourceForge is looking for a PHP Software Engineer to work on the redevelopment of their site. For more: http://jobs.37signals.com/jobs/4891 16. Medical Transcriptionists Meridian Healthcare Solutions seeks an experienced MT with at least 2 years’ hospital experience, and a second with some oncology exprience. For more: http://www.mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=17160 17. Internet Search Consultant Chinese Speaker Lionbridge is looking for an Internet Search Consultant who is fluent in “written and spoken Chinese Simplified (Mandarin).” For more: http://tinyurl.com/balpdz 18. PHP Rockstar Mobile Roadia is looking for a PHP Rockstar ASAP. Should be a senior developer with experience with CakePHP. For more: http://www.krop.com/jobs/m4mhg/ 19. Flash Game Developer Poland-based social gaming firm Mob Science seeks a full-time Flash Game Developer. Must have experience creating applications and games in Flash. For more: http://tinyurl.com/bwcbck 20. ChaCha Guides ChaCha is looking for independent contractors to work as Guides, researching and answering questions for site visitors. For more: http://becomeaguide.chacha.com/ ******************************* That’s this week’s issue, Dear Reader. 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.