~*~*~ THE RAT RACE REBELLION TELEWORK BULLETIN ~*~*~ Dear Reader, A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to this week’s fresh dose of Rebellion, with a recruiting announcement from call center VIPdesk, news of robots ready to do our “parenting” for us, reports on the state of telework in Ireland and New Zealand, free lemonade stands for kids, and -- along with 20 hand-picked work-at-home jobs and projects -- beaucoup more! Enjoy! Good luck! Be well! US CALL CENTER VIPDESK “ACTIVELY SEEKING THOUSANDS” OF HOME-BASED AGENTS Virtual call center VIPdesk announced on Tuesday that it is “actively recruiting for thousands of home-based customer service contractors,” via a revamped online application process. For details, see lead no. 1, below. ROBOT CHILD CARE -- “BEING TESTED NOW” According to a professor at the UK’s University of Sheffield, “electronics multinationals [are] developing domestic robots that are already being heavily tested in ‘childcare activities.’" "These robots are great for monitoring children. Adults can log into the robot from the internet or from their mobile phones. They can direct the robot and see through its cameras, they can even speak to the children through the robot’s voice.” Maybe it’s only a small step from having strangers look after our children to having robots handle the “chore,” but do we really want mechanized moms and dads? (Or, more importantly, do our children?) The professor goes on to ask, “Could this lead to a generation of social misfits?” If the robots could be programmed to take the children outside once in awhile, at least that would be a step in the right direction… For more, see http://tinyurl.com/5bbx63 . “HOW MUCH WE DADS ARE MISSING” BY BEING IN THE RAT RACE I think many fathers struggle with the increasing conflict between commute-bracketed “breadwinning” -- claiming more and more of our time, energy, and attention -- and “being there” for our kids. I believe that many fathers also carry an unhealing wound in their hearts -- a hidden but persistent sorrow -- from this conflict. We don’t talk about it much, because we feel it’s a dishonorable thing for a man to complain, unless he’s prepared to do something about it, and we’re not sure what to do about it. So it was a delight to read a recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Jim Costelloe, a dad in that traffic-snarled area, who discovered the joys of de-Rat Raced fatherhood when he was laid off (fortunately eased by a severance package) and for nine months worked from home. Some of Jim’s remarks stood out for me, and, as we approach Father’s Day, I wanted to share them with you here: -- Speaking of his commuting life, he notes, “…I and the other fathers traipse off to work each morning, braving the Atlanta traffic in the hopes we might actually make it home in time to see a softball game or put the kids to bed.” -- Then, when he was suddenly home-based: “I took my kids swimming during the day, to the library, and to the movies. And when school started, I was there to take my daughter to the bus, and I was there when she came home. It was far and away the greatest time of my life.” -- “I read the Polar Express to my daughter's class during the holidays and helped my wife and her friends haul over a thousand cans of food to the food bank. I could go have lunch with my daughter at school any time I chose. Any time I missed from work to get involved in my kids' lives was made up at night after they went to bed, or in the morning before they got up.” It’s an excellent piece, and a welcome contribution to the public voices of fathers who object to the increasingly onerous burdens of commuting and overwork, and understand the cost to themselves and their children. The article is online at http://tinyurl.com/6enab4 . FIND THE CHEAPEST GAS IN YOUR AREA (US) If you live in the US, enter your ZIP code on this page and find the cheapest gas in your area: http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx For readers outside the US, send me your favorite website for finding the lowest prices -- I’m at mhaaren@ratracerebellion.com -- and I’ll post it here. TELEWORK IN IRELAND -- BT IRELAND AND DANSKE BANK HELP LEAD THE WAY Telework in Ireland is gradually taking hold -- helped by the spread of broadband Internet access and a welcoming attitude among blue chip corporations such as BT Ireland and Danske Bank -- according to a recent piece in the country’s Sunday Business Post Online. While the overall numbers are modest by US standards -- a 2004 study showed that “over 150,000 people in non-agricultural employment in Ireland work from home to some extent, while about 40,000 were self-defined as home-based teleworkers” (for comparison, in the US, over 100,000 people work from home as call center agents alone) -- BT Ireland has over 300 full-time teleworkers, and Danske Bank has over 200 “equipped for teleworking.” Perhaps they took their cue from this opening paragraph of an Irish IT newswire article: “With commuters now spending an average of two hours per day in the car, the lack of viable telecommuting options has added to the nation's traffic woes.” That piece was written six years ago. (No need to mention the trend since then.) For the Sunday Business Post article, see http://tinyurl.com/67h7vx . For the Irish IT newswire piece (“traffic congestion in Dublin is worse than New York City or Central London”), see http://www.electricnews.net/news.html?code=8646302 . TELEWORK IN N.Z. -- “SLOW PROGRESS, DESPITE TRAFFIC & RECORD PETROL PRICES” “Given Auckland's ridiculous traffic and record petrol prices, you'd think there would be a lot more people working from home.” So begins a recent article in The New Zealand Herald, which goes on to quote Bevis England, Director of Telework New Zealand, to the effect that only five to six per cent of Kiwis regularly work from home. The reasons? The usual suspects: -- managers afraid of productivity declines (or appearing superfluous) if people are out of sight (with all the evidence to the contrary, you’d think this canard would be dead by now, but no); -- employee fears that reduced face time may mean reduced promotions (while more reasonable, this concern can be addressed with regular weekly time in the office -- and superior performance); -- a lack of robust local success stories (a management professor quoted in the article says, “I don't think there are any jobs where people are telecommuting five days a week anyhow." Alas, he’s in the unenviable position of never having subscribed to this bulletin). What to do? Kiwi brothers and sisters, keep the faith! The swelling band of Rat Race Rebels will not falter! One Ring Shall Not Rule Them All! The article’s online at http://tinyurl.com/45wa3e . For Telework New Zealand, see http://www.telework.co.nz/ . CAN WE REALLY “DRIVE OUR WAY” TO GREENER PASTURES? While you can’t gainsay that it’s progress to go from gasaholic SUVs to tinny trollmobiles, with China and India’s billions of future drivers itching to take the wheel, the long-term Green benefits may not add up. I mean, what’s the difference between six billion drivers (the approximate global total as of 2006) getting, say, 20 mpg, and 18 billion drivers getting 60 mpg? Or, looking out a bit further, 500 trillion getting 100 mpg, and 1.5 quattuordecillion getting 300 mpg? Or 900 sextillion getting 200 mpg, and 2.7 vigintillion getting 600 mpg? And even if the “g” stands for water, well, it also stands for “Gee, where did all the trees go?” Plus, speaking just for me, I’ve put on 40 lbs. from desk work over the past two years, and can hardly fit into the “commuter car” I own now. So I have questions: -- How can I “See the USA in my Chevrolet” strapped to the top of a trollmobile? -- What will the roof seats do to its center of gravity? Will it be safe? -- What about rain? -- Suppose I want to go out on a date some day, instead of work? Can two fit on top? -- What about McDonald’s? Will the height be right for the drive-in window? Stay tuned! As they say on the Psychic Hotline, everything will be revealed in the course of future events. FRUGAL AND SIMPLE LIVING Voila our moneysavers for this week, herded in from around the Net. (US-only unless otherwise noted.) (PS -- Freebies often disappear quickly on the Net, so if you see something of interest, act fast!) Enjoy! -- Free Sunkist Lemonade Stands for kids 7-12 (US and CAN): http://www.sunkist.com/takeastand/ -- Free Beneful dog food (NZ only): http://www.info.beneful.co.nz/register/index.html -- Free Nivea Natural Tone moisturizer: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid42206.aspx -- Free Lancaster anti-aging products: http://tinyurl.com/63cdfj -- Free Parent’s Choice Baby Formula: http://www.parentschoiceformula.com/sample-gentle-baby-formula.aspx -- Free Emergen-C: http://www.emergenc.com/ (Click on “Shameless Bribe” on upper right) -- Free Philly Cream Cheese: http://snagwiremedia.com/lovemyphilly/2008/06/free-philly-contest.html -- Free Clorox Color Safe Bleach: http://www.homecleaningsquad.com/clorox_offer.html -- Free Delicio Gourmet Chocolate: http://deliciochocolates.com/gourmet_chocolate.php FROM THE R3 MAILBAG -- QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKING FROM HOME, AND OTHER RAT RACE TOPICS DEAR R3: I need a job working from home. Can you help me find one? R3: Chris and I would love to be able to help people on an individual basis, but our training, newsletter, speaking and website responsibilities (not to mention a bit of time here and there for momming and dadding) make it next to impossible for us to do so. However, stay tuned for announcements this summer of significant new offerings which you may find of interest! RAT RACE QUOTE OF THE WEEK “It is easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.” -- Alfred Adler 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. Customer Service Representatives for VIPdesk (US) ||||| US-based VIPdesk, which hires home-based Customer Service Representatives (“Brand Ambassadors”) for *in-bound calls on behalf of premium brands, has announced that it’s recruiting for thousands of agents. Agents are hired as independent contractors rather than employees. Pay is based upon active talk minutes, or approximately $14 per hour. (For comparison purposes, see our call center jobs chart at http://www.ratracerebellion.com/CS_Comparison.html .) For qualification and other details, see http://www.vipdesk.com/connectrecruiting For VIPdesk’s press release announcing its hiring plans and new application portal, see http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/6/prweb993174.htm . *(Editor’s Note: According to VIPdesk’s website, “At this moment, VIPdesk Connect Brand Ambassador opportunities do not involve any outbound sales. However, some client programs might require outbound customer service calls.”) => Learn More: http://www.vipdesk.com/connectrecruiting/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 2. Athlete / Activist Bloggers (US) ||||| Nonprofit social networking site YouthNoise seeks Athlete / Activist Bloggers. “YouthNoise is partnering with the Nike Let Me Play campaign, a global initiative dedicated to supporting community-based sports programs and providing athletic opportunities for youth. Let Me Play will engage young people (ages 17 to 24) in ways to use athletics to support worthwhile causes.” “We are looking for five Let Me Play bloggers who are passionate about both sports and social change to be the voice of this campaign.” Requirements include blogging and / or social networking experience and a great sense of humor. Pays monthly stipend of $500. => Learn More: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/1368 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 3. Telephone Interviewers, for Surveys (US) ||||| US-based Public Opinion Research seeks part-time Telephone Interviewers. Pays per interview, $13.25-$25 per hour. Interviewers work as independent contractors (not employees). Land line, cell phone or VoIP telephone service is acceptable. => Learn More: http://www.publicopinionresearch.net/apply/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 4. Project / Developmental Editor ||||| US-based adult-education provider Education To Go seeks a full-time Project / Developmental Editor “to help our knowledgeable instructors produce online courses that are engaging, clear, informative, and exceptionally well written.” Requirements include a Bachelor’s in English, Journalism or Communications, and “4+ years paid experience as an editor, marketing or advertising copywriter, journalist, or corporate communications developer.” “We're located in Temecula, California, but the right person could do this full-time position at a distance.” => Learn More: http://jobs.copyeditor.com/c/job.cfm?site_id=502&jb=4474357 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 5. Customer Service Representatives (US) ||||| International business process outsourcing firm NCO continues to advertise for full-time Customer Service Representatives (incoming calls) for evening shifts. Requirements include (quoted from lead): -- High School Diploma or General Education Degree (GED) certificate. -- Previous customer service and/or call center experience preferred. -- Bi-lingual (Spanish) a plus. -- Proficient personal computer skills, including Microsoft Office. => Learn More: https://ncogroup.taleo.net/careersection/1/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=080000655 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 6. “Deals, Tips and Tricks” Blogger (“Blogging experience not required”) ||||| Website ComplexSearch seeks a Blogger to cover “Deals, Tips and Tricks.” “The writer should be able to cover the latest deals from banking to grocery shopping; from e-stores and travel destinations. Tips and tricks should be helpful, and the writer should be able to effectively communicate the idea to the users.” => Learn More: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/1367 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 7. Virtual Assistant (CAN) ||||| Virtual Assistant staffing firm Team Double-Click seeks a Canada-based Virtual Assistant. “Previous experience in the Canadian real estate industry a plus. Fluency in French a plus. Willingness to learn the Canadian real estate industry a must.” “$12.00-$15.00 per hour.” (Editor’s Note: The hirer’s website was unavailable as of Thursday afternoon US Eastern, but we assume this is temporary.) => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/3l7ngu <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~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. TV and Movie Bloggers ||||| Online DISH Pronto, devoted to satellite TV, seeks Bloggers to cover programming -- movies, shows, sports, etc. Pays stipend plus $100 per customer brought in via blog posts. => Learn More: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/1365 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 9. Medical Transcriptionists (US) ||||| US-based transcription firm Transcription, Technology & Support, LLC, is looking for full-time, acute-care MTs with at least 3 years’ experience. => Learn More: http://mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=15745 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 10. Internet Data Gatherers ||||| Online Targeted News Service is looking for part-time Internet Data Gatherers / Processors. “We give you a set of URLs and you gather documents from them, briefly edit if necessary and post to our system.” Pays per document. Requirements include fluent English and excellent MS Word skills. => Learn More: http://journalism.berkeley.edu/jobs/details.php?cat=free&ID=6678 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 11. Freelance Writers / Researchers (US) ||||| International market-research firm Mintel continues to recruit for experienced freelance Writers / Researchers with a background in consumer psychology and the marketing of credit and debit cards. (Editor’s note: It isn’t clear whether expertise must lie in either area or both.) “The ideal candidate will have at least 3-5 years of relevant experience and be highly skilled in consumer research/data interpretation. Someone who is a strategic thinker and able to produce quality writing within tight deadlines is a must. Expertise in the subject matter of the report is essential. This position can be based anywhere in the US and would be paid on a project basis.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/3qhk4u <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 12. Paid Internships at Linden Lab (creators of virtual world “Second Life”) ||||| US-based Linden Lab, which created and maintains virtual world Second Life, is offering paid internships in the following areas: * Development * Web Development * Finance * Public Relations * Software Engineering * Linux Sysadmin * Product Management * General Engineering Requirements include a minimum age of 18 and college enrollment. => Learn More: http://lindenlab.hrmdirect.com/employment/view.php?req=20943& <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 13. Freelance Ruby / Rails / Merb Developer (*“Seattle, Wash., or anywhere with right person”) ||||| US-based web design firm The 6th Republic seeks a Ruby / Rails / Merb Developer. “Requirements: -- 5 years experience as a developer with solid MVC work (not necessarily all Ruby) or directly relevant educational equivalent -- 2+ years focused experience with Ruby -- comfort with Unix/Linux, Apache, Mysql and tools like svn/git” *“We believe regular in-person meetings (at our office) are important but for the majority of your time, if you’re more productive at night or up in your attic, and you’re doing great work on time and on budget, and if you’re communicating regularly and keeping us in the loop, we’ll respect your working style.” => Learn More: http://gigs.37signals.com/gigs/3812 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 14. Library Students Sought for Library Research; Temporary Contract (“Work anywhere”) ||||| The MaintainIT Project, funded by the Gates Foundation, is looking for library students to interview working librarians remotely (virtually) regarding their “best practices.” Pays $12 per hour. => Learn More: http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/jobweb/JobDetails.php?JobID=25017 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 15. Bloggers to Cover “Mobile VoIP” ||||| Website Mobile VoIP Reviews seeks Bloggers to produce same. UK-based Blogger preferred, “although I am willing to entertain all comers.” => Learn More: http://performancing.com/blogger-jobs/mobile-voip-bloggers-wanted <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 16. “Interactive Strategist” to Prepare RFPs, Statements of Work, etc. (“Anywhere”) ||||| US-based design firm Synonym is looking for an Interactive Strategist with “design / development skills” to prepare Requests for Proposals and related documents and assist with project management. => Learn More: http://authenticjobs.com/jobs/2374/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 17. Virtual Community Evangelists for Linden Lab ||||| US-based Linden Lab, which created and maintains virtual world Second Life, is looking for Virtual Community Evangelists “with the analytic chops to identify and qualify customer segments, the communication savvy to engage audiences, and the drive to launch marketing programs to online communities.” “Strong candidates for this position will already be immersed in the development of online communities. You will advance community development while acting as an adviser for brands, educators and entrepreneurs seeking to attract and retain a highly networked, creative, opinionated audience.” => Learn More: http://lindenlab.hrmdirect.com/employment/view.php?req=20393& <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 18. Freelance Flash Developer ||||| US-based Web-applications firm GovTrends is looking for a Flash Developer. “One client in particular is looking for a flash map like this: http://www.24hourfitness.com/clubs/find_a_clu b/interactive.html .” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/4bxwba <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 19. Web Marketing Expert for The Village Voice ||||| US-based alternative newspaper chain The Village Voice is looking for a full-time Web Marketing Expert “who has experience generating gazillions of page views based on quality editorial content.” Requirements also include a Bachelor’s and 2 years’ experience. “Regular tasks will include tracking/analyzing traffic due to changes both internal and external, delivering monthly performance reviews of SEM strategies, reaching out to online partners, and staying ahead of current search and SEM trends.” “We'd prefer the candidate live in the Phoenix area; however, the right person may telecommute.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/6gol2v <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 20. “Stay at Home Moms” & “Stay at Home Dads” Guides (“Work from anywhere in the world”) ||||| Information supersite About.com, owned by the NY Times, is looking for a part-time Guide on “Stay at Home Moms” and another on “Stay at Home Dads.” “The Stay at Home Moms Guide will be a mom, ideally with very young children at home, who has decided to leave the outside work force and stay home or one who has not worked outside the home.” “The Stay at Home Dads Guide will be a dad, ideally with very young children at home, who has decided to leave the outside work force and stay home to raise children.” Pays a minimum of $725 monthly during the first two years, plus revenues based upon the popularity of the Guide’s pages. => Learn More: http://beaguide.about.com/topics.htm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ******************************* 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.