~*~*~ THE RAT RACE REBELLION TELEWORK BULLETIN ~*~*~ Dear Reader, A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Today’s Bulletin has a media call-to-action, some timely advice on how to deal with stodgy old bosses who don’t “get” the telecommuting thing, some free DVDs on how to avoid scams, and a pretty rich tapestry of work-at-home jobs (including Concierges and Customer Service Reps), woven by your ever-laboring team here at RatRaceRebellion.com. (And there’s more, too!) Enjoy, and as always, Good Luck! MEDIA CALL FOR HOME-BASED WORKERS (ALL LOCATIONS) Working at home (or in your local café) is becoming an increasingly hot topic in the media, and Chris and I are often asked by journalists and others if we can suggest interviewees. If you’re working from home and would like to be considered for a media interview (we’ve helped folks get into the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company magazine, and many more), send me a brief summary of your situation at mhaaren@staffcentrix.com. (There’s no charge, of course.) If something comes up, we’ll give you a shout. The journalist will decide who gets interviewed, but it’s certainly worth a shot! MEDIA CALL FOR HOME-BASED WORKERS IN THE CINCINNATI, OHIO, AREA Right now, we're looking for folks in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area. If you live in or near Cincinnati and you work from home, and you'd like to be referred for a possible media interview, please send me a brief email with the highlights, at mhaaren@staffcentrix.com. THREE HOME-BASED JOBS THAT ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND Many people who want to work from home are not looking for a six-figure salary and a 50-hour week. All they want is basic administrative work, part-time, for a reasonable hourly wage. They might be considering such job titles as these: -- Data Entry Clerk -- Rebate Processor -- Typist However, these jobs are almost impossible to find. (There are many ads with these job titles across the Internet -- Google and other providers choose the mix of ads you see or hear on websites, including ours -- but the underlying work may not be what you expected. Ads for Rebate Processors, for example, often involve sales, and Typist jobs often mean you’ll be placing ads in newspapers.) Is administrative work available? Absolutely. But it doesn’t usually appear in the form of an advertised job. You either have to contact companies yourself, and persuade them to outsource the work to you, or approach a successful Virtual Assistant, Concierge, Blogger, or other home-based professional and ask if there is overflow or support work that you might do. (As independent professionals become successful, they often find themselves drowning in administrative work. This is your cue to step in and free them to return to their core passion and profit-making activity.) To learn more about home-based specialties where subcontracting work might be an option, see http://www.ratracerebellion.com/HBCareers.htm . To find out more about Virtual Assistants, see http://www.ivaa.org/ . (Historical Note: Chris and I founded IVAA in 1999, and turned it over to its members, as planned, shortly thereafter.) Bonus Tip -- Many of the more successful Virtual Assistants specialize in Realtor support. They may be your best candidates for subcontracting work. “FUEL THE FOSSIL, AND SAVE FOSSIL FUEL!” The evidence demonstrating the benefits of telework -- to the employee and to the company, not to mention the environment -- is mounting almost by the day. Yet many “old school” bosses still resist the trend. If you’re an employee, how do you get the stubborn old dinosaur to come out of his daze, before the competitive winds of the marketplace push him (and the company you both work for) into the tar pit? First, try the conventional route. Show him the studies that clearly establish the productivity gains, employee health benefits, real estate savings and, hence, the competitive advantages of telecommuting. If you can, show him, too, how his wily competitors have adopted telecommuting programs, and find quotes from their CEOs or managers crowing about how wonderfully it’s working for them. If none of that carries the day, apply the anxiety clamps. (After all, you’re doing this for his own good.) If he has kids -- especially kids old enough for Game Boys or Nintendo DSs, or Game Cubes or Xbox 360s -- chances are he already feels somewhat mummified, and concerned that he’s losing touch with his kids, as they quickly embrace the changes in their world (even as he does the opposite in his). So tell him about “Second Life.” In Second Life -- a “virtual world” I occasionally write about here, and which you may have seen recently in an episode of “CSI New York” -- people interact in the form of “avatars,” which are simply artificial beings who stand in for the humans. Some of the avatars get into mischief (which we can discuss another time), but the point for the mummy is that Fortune 500s like IBM and Sun have not only vigorously embraced telecommuting -- “On any given day,” Sun says, “more than half of our 33,000 employees are working remotely” -- they’re building environments and hosting events within Second Life to help their distributed employees feel connected and in sync for a common purpose. In effect, they’re using Second Life to “put telecommuting on steroids.” Sun has even taken it a step further, and is now building a “virtual world” for its employees -- known as MPK20 -- behind its corporate firewall (in other words, an “internal virtual world”). Sun is also considering offering the same service to other corporations. So when you’ve finally got the boss to see the light, and you’re finally working from home, who knows? You may soon see a new avatar walking stiff-legged through your company’s virtual world, its arms stretched out rigidly in front… Oh no! Could it be? Yes! Run for your life! It’s the mummy! For more: -- Sun’s virtual press conference in Second Life, announcing the opening of its pavilion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmMeLo4Wz7o -- Interview with Sun’s Nicole Yankelovich, of its Collaborative Environments Project, talking about Sun’s virtual-world initiatives and distributed workforce: http://tinyurl.com/yr6boq -- More on Sun’s coming activities in Second Life: http://blogs.sun.com/vw/ -- IBM uses Second Life to acculturate far-flung new hires: http://tinyurl.com/3yux5o “ROAD RAGE”? “RAT RACE RAGE” MAY BE MORE ACCURATE Here are 10 reasons why people might be feeling a little short-tempered these days. 1. They’re getting five or six hours of sleep when they should be getting seven to nine. 2. Their house is worth much less today than it was last year. 3. Their credit card debt is five figures and mounting, but without the cards, their lifestyle goes backward. 4. They’re working harder than ever, yet their job is insecure, and they have little or no savings. 5. They feel that the people who are being paid to care about them do not. 6. Their marriage feels stagnant because of stress, body weight, and a dearth of quality time with their partner. 7. When they add their workweek, time stuck in traffic, helping the kids with homework, and errands, what’s left for simple enjoyment? 8. The distance is growing between themselves and their kids, and for a long time now, anger has seemed much more accessible than love. 9. They are losing faith that things will improve. 10. They feel that meaningful change is beyond their reach. With respect to Americans, whom I had in mind when making this list, one has to wonder if “global competition” is bringing us a national psychological challenge, as well as an economic one. What do you think? I’m here to listen, at mhaaren@staffcentrix.com. “WHAT’S A SAHD?” ESSENTIAL JARGON FOR THE WORK-AT-HOME JOBSEEKER Every movement has its jargon, and the virtual-work movement is no different. Here are some terms (in lazy-editor order) that you’ll need to know as you navigate the Brave New World of Internet-Enabled Employment, Business, and Freelance Projects (or BNWIEEBFP). WAH -- work at home WAHM -- Work at home mom WAHD -- Work at home dad 1099 -- The number of the (US) IRS form used for independent contractors. (Many off-site workers -- including those Bohemian-looking folks working on blogs, website design, and freelance articles on their laptops in the cafes -- are independent contractors rather than employees.) DSL -- Digital Subscriber Line (Internet connection over regular telephone lines, but much faster than a “dial-up” connection.) Hotel -- (verb) To come into the office on a periodic visit, necessitated by your work or your boss. “I’ll be hoteling in the Stamford office on Friday.” IC -- Independent Contractor IM -- Instant Messenger IT -- Information Technology SAHM -- Stay at home mom SAHD -- Stay at home dad SOHO -- Small Office / Home Office Telework -- (verb) To work remotely from one’s employer or client, using electronic tools such as the Internet, phone, fax, etc., to send or receive work. Telecommuting -- Almost synonymous with telework, though often used when an employer requires regular on-site presence (as in, “My company has a telecommuting program. We get to work from home two days a week.”). Distributed Work -- Work done away from the employer’s offices (aka “remote work”). VOIP -- Voice Over Internet Protocol (telephone over the Internet, like Skype) Wi-Fi -- Wireless Fidelity (the connection of two network devices wirelessly) MLM -- Multi-Level Marketing business. Usually structured like a pyramid, with people higher up making more money, MLMs reward you for selling products or services, and recruiting salespeople to work under you. (Although MLMs have a negative reputation overall, many are in fact legitimate, but are difficult for those who are not inclined toward sales and recruiting, or who didn’t appreciate the amount of selling they’d have to do to succeed.) MEDIA BEAT -- RAT RACE REBELLION ON ABC, NBC, CBS WITH JOHN MATARESE Our website traffic trackers registered a big surge this week, so we took off our Coke bottle-lensed glasses (from staring at computer monitors since 1066) and went out to see where all the new folks were coming from. Turns out we got a wonderful TV mention by Emmy Award-winning consumer reporter John Matarese. (John’s remarks are at http://tinyurl.com/28l67j .) John’s segment, “Don’t Waste Your Money,” which also covers scam alerts and product recalls, is broadcast weekly in Phoenix, Tampa, Baltimore and other cities across the US. To see if John is in your area, go to http://tinyurl.com/2hxle4 . Thanks, John! FRUGAL AND SIMPLE LIVING Freebies and cheapos rounded up this week (below) include some fraud-prevention DVDs from the US Postal Service, which cover cross-border fraud and ID theft, too. (All samples are, alas, for US residents only unless otherwise noted.) As I often lament, our team has a tough time finding giveaways for folks outside the US. They do occasionally run into Canadian and UK promos, but if you come across any good non-US giveaways, please drop me a line at mhaaren@staffcentrix.com. Thanks! -- Free USPS DVDs: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/radDocs/consumer/dvdorder.htm -- Free Head & Shoulders Shampoo: https://pgpromotions.archway.com/hsreveal/?language=EN -- Free Metamucil: https://metamucil.safeprocessing.com/?src=metamucil -- Reusable Shopping Bags from Wal-Mart, for Earth Month, for $1, on April 19: http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Sustainability-Article_ektid39874.aspx -- Free AMBI Exfoliating Wash and Moisturizer, along with $1 coupon: https://www.ambiskincare.com/coupon.jsp?channel=INDEX FROM THE R3 MAILBAG -- QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKING FROM HOME, AND OTHER RAT RACE TOPICS DEAR R3: A month ago I received an email from the European Commission telling me I had been selected to receive some funds from them. I provided the details they requested, including my bank information, but I haven’t heard anything back from them. Now I’m wondering. Do you think this was spam? R3: Unfortunately, this is not just spam, but one of the worst kinds of scams on the Internet, since the victim (the person being told s/he is to receive funds) is asked to provide all the details necessary for the criminal to withdraw funds from their bank account. There are several steps you should take IMMEDIATELY: (1) Check your account balances for unauthorized transfers; (2) tell your bank the full details of what has happened and that you have NOT authorized the transfer of any funds; (3) close any account you provided information for and put those funds in a new account; (4) report the scam online at https://complaint.ic3.gov/Default.aspx . RAT RACE QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” -- A common quote, commonly ignored. 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. Home-Based Concierges, Training Provided (Selected US states) ||||| US-based VIPdesk, which provides concierge and other services to corporate clients, is accepting applications for its next Concierge Training Class. (Full- and part-time positions.) Applicants must reside in one of the following states: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. Requirements include 2 years’ customer service experience and “some” college. “Fluency in one of the following languages is a plus: French, German, Spanish or Italian.” “Ability to make $14+ per hour.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/2ab6nb <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 2. Medical Transcriptionists (US) ||||| US-based Iridium Services seeks MTs with at least 2 years’ experience. Specialties include “Oncology, Radiology, Orthopedics, Surgery, Nephrology, OB/GYN, and more.” => Learn More: http://www.mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=15214 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 3. Translators / Editors / Proofreaders (Various languages) ||||| US-based computational linguistics firm The Butler Hill Group is looking for Translators, Editors and Proofreaders with native or near-native fluency in the following languages: Arabic, Czech, Danish, Hindi, Dutch, Polish, European Portuguese, Swedish and Thai. “Work involves reading automatic translations of sentences into your target language, rating them on a provided scale and selecting the better of 2 sentences relative to an English source or a human-translated reference.” => Learn More: http://linguistlist.org/jobs/get-jobs.cfm?JobID=53100&SubID=174061 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 4. Logo Designer for One-Time Project ||||| US-based dental practice seeks a Designer for its logo. “Willing to pay $250 for final product.” => Learn More: http://www.creativehotlist.com/index.asp?linkTarget=fullJob.asp&jobID=118110 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 5. Freelance Copyeditors ||||| US-based American Book Publishing is looking for Copyeditors. Compensation is in royalties. “Book copyediting experience is preferred, but we will consider promising applicants with other backgrounds.” => Learn More: http://www.bookjobs.com/viewjob.php?prmJobID=1077408 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 6. Freelance Writers, All Categories ||||| Canada- and Germany-based Suite101, which according to its site has 7M monthly readers, and according to the lead “boasts over 1,000 talented writers and 100,000 high quality non-fiction articles,” is looking for Writers in all categories. Compensation based upon advertising revenue. “Get free training on writing for the web and work 1-on-1 with an editor.” => Learn More: http://journalism.berkeley.edu/jobs/details.php?cat=free&ID=6508 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 7. Freelance Broadcast Journalists to cover Animal Rights, Pet Issues (US) ||||| Pet Pulse, a news program carried on Zootoo.com, is looking for Broadcast Journalists in larger markets in the US to supply brief segments on pet issues. “The ideal candidate has the ability to cover both hard news and enterprise features. All candidates should know how to work a beat and have a minimum of two years broadcast experience, undergraduate newsroom experience considered; print experience is a plus.” => Learn More: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=875074 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~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, click here. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 8. Online Academic Program Director -- Residential Planning ||||| US-based Education Management Corp., which specializes in online higher education, is looking for an Online Academic Program Director -- Residential Planning. “Strong preference given to the position based in Pittsburgh, PA, with consideration given for exceptional remote candidates.” “The Online Academic Program Director (OAPD) is responsible for student success and persistence, curriculum and course implementation, and online faculty performance and retention.” Requirements include a Master’s, industry-related experience, and at least 3 years’ experience with online teaching or evaluating online courses. => Learn More: http://chronicle.com/jobs/id.php?id=0000553140-01&pg=s&cc= <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 9. Write a Blog about your City in Europe (English mother tongue not required) ||||| City-blog network Spotted by Locals is looking for people to blog about their city in Europe. “You don’t have to be a professional journalist.” Pays in advertising revenues. Cities of interest: Antwerp, Athens, Barcelona, Barcelona, Belgrade, Bratislava, Brno, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Cologne, Cracow, Geneva, Lisbon, Ljubljana, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris, Prague, Rome, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, Split, Vienna, Warsaw, and Zagreb. => Learn More: http://performancing.com/blogger-jobs/write-about-city-you-live <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 10. Linguists / Lexicographers (“US citizens; fluent in Pashto and / or Urdu”) ||||| HCC, Inc., seeks Linguists / Lexicographers fluent in Pashto and / or Urdu to work on English / Pashto and English / Urdu lexicon databases. “The work consists of editing translated Pashto/Urdu to English words/phrases, compiling slang lexicons, and adding new words and set phrases in a primitive word for word translation web-based system.” => Learn More: http://linguistlist.org/jobs/get-jobs.cfm?JobID=52961&SubID=173226 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 11. Web Designers and Graphic Designers for Foundation (“Location flexible”) ||||| US-based Apogee Foundation, “an international philanthropy dedicated to the development of human excellence in the performance arts,” seeks Web Designers and Graphic Designers “to assist in the ongoing development of the Foundation's website and other presentation and program materials.” “[C]andidates with strong and creative web design backgrounds will have preference for any paid position…” => Learn More: http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Job/247429-0 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 12. Freelance Health Copy Editor for NY Times-Backed Website ||||| LifeWire, a site backed by the NY Times, seeks a freelance, part-time Health Copy Editor with at least 3 years’ experience. “The copy editor will edit informative and practical articles on a range of medical topics including: cholesterol, chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia, psoriasis, menopause, breast cancer, urinary incontinence/overactive bladder, interstitial cystitis, eczema, erectile dysfunction, fibroids, osteoporosis, restless leg syndrome, anemia, appendicitis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, deep vein thrombosis, gallstones, hair removal, hernias, kidney stones and ulcers.” => Learn More: http://nielsen.careers.adicio.com/careers/jobsearch/detail?jobId=20004474 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 13. Blogger to Cover “Movable Type” ||||| An established blog seeks a Blogger to cover Movable Type (the publishing platform) and its community. Must be “fairly knowledgeable in how Movable Type works.” “Payment is $10-20, depending on how you want to layout the post, and the amount of content that's available for you.” => Learn More: http://performancing.com/blogger-jobs/looking-movable-type-maven-10-20-post <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 14. Senior Biostatisticians for UnitedHealth Group Company ||||| US-based i3 Statprobe, a UnitedHealth Group company, is looking for Senior Biostatisticians “to join our team at one of our following facilities: Ann Arbor, MI, Austin, TX, Basking Ridge, NJ, Cary, NC, Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, OH, Eden Prairie, MN, Lenexa, KS, Lexington, KY, San Diego, CA, or Waltham, MA. We are also considering people who are interested in Telecommuting or to be Home-Based.” “MS degree required with a minimum of five years experience in statistics or PhD with two years of experience in statistics.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/3y6zdm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 15. Online Academic Program Director -- General Education ||||| US-based Education Management Corp., which specializes in online higher education, is looking for an Online Academic Program Director -- General Education. “Strong preference given to the position based in Pittsburgh, PA, with consideration given for exceptional remote candidates.” “The OAPD drives course and program student persistence, manages the performance of online faculty, assures online classroom quality, assures curriculum integrity, monitors online classrooms, and resolves students' academic problems and complaints related to the General education Education courses.” Requirements include a Master’s, industry-related experience, and at least 3 years’ experience with online teaching or evaluating online courses. => Learn More: http://chronicle.com/jobs/id.php?id=0000553138-01&pg=s&cc= <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 16. Freelance Writers for Diversity-Themed Magazine ||||| US-based ColorsNW Magazine, which focuses on diversity issues, seeks “experienced writers with a passion for integrity journalism and a personal commitment to social justice among diverse groups. Applicants must have demonstrated writing experience and must be able to independently manage editorial deadline schedules.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/ypmpnv <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 17. Freelance Legal Writer, Estates Law (CAN; British Columbia) ||||| CCH Canadian Limited, “a WoltersKluwer Company” that provides publications and other services in tax, law, financial planning and other fields, is looking for a Legal Writer “to prepare precedents in the topical area of Estate Administration, with a focus on British Columbia.” Must have a law degree and a “sound practical knowledge of BC Estate Administration Law.” => Learn More: http://www.mediajobsearchcanada.com/job_view.asp?jobID=5240 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 18. Customer Service Agents (US) ||||| US-based virtual call center Alpine Access is looking for full- and part-time Customer Care Professionals. “Training for this position is done from home with a live trainer in a virtual classroom so the successful applicant must be able to work independently and master a large amount of information in a relatively short period of time. Testing is conducted throughout the training period to ensure the material covered is mastered.” Requirements include HS diploma or equivalent, with good typing and data entry skills. Pays $8-$10 per hour. => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/yqczy5 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 19. Editorial Content Writers, Lifestyle / Fashion Writers, Bus. Editors for CAN Site ||||| Canada-based site Canadian Trade Enclave is looking for Writers and Editors to cover a variety of issues. => Learn More: http://www.mediajobsearchcanada.com/job_view.asp?jobID=5249 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 20. Website and Logo Design (“Anywhere”) ||||| Israel-based startup SemantiNet seeks a Website and Logo Design person with experience working with Web 2.0 startups. “The candidate should have 5+ years of experience in web design with a strong appreciation to usability, typography & elegant solutions. The designer should also be well versed in web standards.” => Learn More: http://www.authenticjobs.com/jobs/2112/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ******************************* 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.