~*~*~ THE RAT RACE REBELLION TELEWORK BULLETIN ~*~*~ Dear Reader, A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR This week, the mix includes news of a company that provides virtual receptionists to dentists’ offices (MDs and vets, take notice!), a look at the growing trend toward four-day work weeks, a complaint from an employer about the job applications he received (ouch!), and a bit of satire here and there, just for fun. You’ll also find a glistening fresh batch of hand-picked jobs and projects, and a nice clutch of freebies. Enjoy, good luck, and be well! CORRECTION -- A MISSTEP ON CHACHA Reader J. (whom I’ll quote anonymously, as I haven’t asked permission to attribute her comment) wrote us helpfully to correct an error we’d made on ChaCha in last week’s bulletin: “I wanted to clarify that with ChaCha, guides do not give their own personal responses to seeker questions based on guide expertise. Guides provide the most accurate and relevant answer they can with a link to the source.” Our bad. Thank you for the correction, J., and for taking the time to send it. “PLANET DDS” PROVIDES VIRTUAL RECEPTIONISTS TO DENTAL PRACTICES Planet DDS, a new US-based firm, offers a model that probably makes sense to most of us, as we call our dentist’s office to schedule or reschedule an appointment -- why not let the receptionist work from home? It may also make sense to many dentists, who waste time and lose money trying to “ride herd” on front desk staff. We don’t know yet if Planet DDS is hiring (we have an email in to them; for the moment, there are no virtual-receptionist postings on their site), or the pay and other details of the virtual-receptionist role, but if this position interests you, you might want to monitor their Careers page, at http://tinyurl.com/6j5lrs . Perhaps MD and vet practices will pick up on this model, too. If it works for dentists, it should work for them as well. (If you have experience in DDS, MD, or DVM offices, you might also want to propose receptionist services to practices yourself. Further, these busy professionals themselves can also often use a Virtual Assistant.) UTAH IS FIRST STATE TO MANDATE FOUR-DAY WORK WEEK AS SCHEDULE GAINS TRACTION In Utah, 17,000 public employees will go on a mandatory four-day work week, starting Aug. 4. Utah is the first state to adopt the “4/5” model. But in the US public sector generally, this trend already has legs. In a recent USA Today article, Leslie Scott, executive director of the National Association of State Personnel Directors, notes that most states already have a 4/5 option for their employees. The article adds that “[t]he four-day work week is fairly common among city and county governments.” The 4/5 plan has obvious commuter-expense, public-budget, and green benefits (that is, if workers don’t do much driving on that extra day off), and flexibility in work schedules is usually better than rigidity (if the level of services can keep some parity), but when you look at it in the round, it falls far short of telework. From the children’s point of view, I don’t see clear net advantages. Kids will spend more time per day in child care (or, in latchkey situations, alone), but will get an offset day when mom or dad skip work. On the parental-stress side -- which kids are hyper-attuned to -- I’m not sure 10-hour days, with commuting, will improve the overall mood-and-fatigue factor, even with an extra day off…. And as for the romance side of things, will 10-hour days improve anyone’s love life? (Children pay a price for this lack of parental “glue,” too.) Love lives in the US are already being hollowed out by stress, fatigue, sleep deprivation, excessive weight, poor diet, and libido-suppressing antidepressants (in 2006, 227 MILLION prescriptions for antidepressants were dispensed to Americans, says NPR). I’m not sure the 4/5 schedule offers clear benefits on the TLC side, when the parties are struggling not to snap at each other during the first four. Four / five is a start, but telework, for my money, is clearly better. Let’s get effective videoconferencing into home offices, iron out the security issues for home-based public-sector workers, scale back these feudal relics we call “government buildings,” and -- in letting people work from home -- start restoring “community” to communities. If the private sector can do it, the public sector can, too. For the USA Today “Utah 4/5” article, see http://tinyurl.com/5akfzu . For antidepressant use in the US, see http://tinyurl.com/6g8d32 . FROM THE R3 MAILBAG -- QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKING FROM HOME, AND OTHER RAT RACE TOPICS DEAR R3: I’m the CEO of a small but growing business, and one of our job leads was recently mentioned in your bulletin. The requirements for the position were clear and detailed, and we asked people not to apply if they did not meet them. However, many individuals, who were clearly not qualified, disregarded our instructions and sent us applications. A number of applications contained grammatical errors, typos, etc. Resumes were also geared toward onsite, “brick-and-mortar” positions rather than remote work. Please ask your readers not to apply for jobs for which they are not qualified. It creates an undue administrative burden and expense, and prejudices the chances of home-based jobseekers generally by giving employers second thoughts about recruiting and managing offsite workers. (We also share our hiring experiences with other employers.) As for the grammatical and other errors in applications, how can an employer begin to trust an unseen individual who doesn’t even proofread his or her own job application? Please mention these things to your readers. R3: Consider it done. DON’T MISS OUR WORK-AT-HOME JOBFINDING WORKSHOP IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, SEPT. 20 If you want to find legitimate work from home, meet us in Norfolk for this definitive four-hour workshop. Chris and I developed it for the US State Dept. and the Armed Forces (it’s by far our most popular workshop), and it’s never been offered to the public before. Seating is limited, so get your ticket today at http://workathomehamptonroads.com/! TRAFFIC PUSHES TELEWORK OPTION IN DUBAI AS MASSIVE JAMS LOOM Dubai is on an urgent quest to cut vehicle use, exploring telework and other options as car ownership grows a whopping 17% annually. According to GulfNews.com, the emirate -- slightly larger than the US’ Rhode Island -- is expected to have 5.3 million vehicles by 2020, “threatening massive traffic congestion and economic losses running into billions of dirhams.” Cars will outnumber people, the article goes on to note. But if you think 17% annual vehicle growth is high, consider China. There, vehicle sales grew 26% in the FIRST HALF of 2007, and have been growing over 20% annually since 2004. (Source: BankNet360.com) For the GulfNews article, see http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/General/10230612.html . RRR “IN THE NEWS” -- BUILDING THE BUZZ ON TELEWORK One way to get bosses and employers to adopt telework is through media exposure, which, by making the concept conventional, pressures them to accept it. This benefits our own business, too, of course, and our mission (to Help de-Rat Race the World), so Chris and I crank to get the word out on home-based work, always appreciate an RRR mention, and strive for good media relations. This week, we’d like to thank Dr. Al Lee, also known as “Dr. Salary,” for mentioning us in his popular blog on salaries, jobs, and related issues, at http://tinyurl.com/65wm63 . Dr. Lee is Director of Quantitative Analysis for PayScale, Inc. We’d also like to thank The Clark Howard Show, a syndicated radio program carried on 150+ stations across the US. Clark -- whom we’d readily recommend even if he hadn’t mentioned us several times -- is a dedicated consumer advocate and a supporter of telework, and offers excellent advice on avoiding scams, saving money, and spending less. (The show’s website is also a rich resource on these themes.) For more, see http://clarkhoward.com . REDUCE “PHANTOM” ELECTRIC USE (AND GO GREENER) WITH THIS LOW-COST GADGET You may have seen the “Kill-a-Watt” (it’s been out for awhile), but it was news to me this week as I caught it on the tube. In a nutshell, it tells you how much juice your appliances -- even when not used -- are drawing down each month. For example (at DC metro electricity rates): -- VCR in standby mode: $10 -- Laser printer in standby mode: $9 -- Game console, or cordless phone: $2 In the news clip (at http://www.nbc4.com/consumer/16946725/detail.html), the reporter tallied $57 per month in such “vampire” drain-offs. (Unplugging the parasites, of course, and turning power strips to “off,” are the remedy.) I found new Kill-a-Watts at less than $20 at Amazon, with used units advertised too. HEADLINES WE’D LIKE TO SEE Just about everyone has headlines they’d like to see. Here are some we’ve dreamt of lately. -- Environmental Protection Agency Discovers Environment! -- Corn Syrup Disappears from American Food! -- Public Wakes from Deep Sleep, Opens One Eye! -- TSA Airport Screeners Thank Bewildered Passengers, Act Grateful for Jobs, Benefits! -- Public Servants Worldwide Thank Disoriented Taxpayers, Act Grateful for Jobs, Benefits! -- Public Opens Second Eye! -- Amateur Singers Banned from TV! Have some headlines you’d like to see? Send ‘em to me at mhaaren@ratracerebellion.com. POLAR BEAR DROWNINGS TO DECLINE SOON, SOME ECONOMISTS PREDICT Some economists are predicting a decline in drowning deaths among polar bears, which had reached crisis proportions due to global warming as the creatures vainly sought to swim to receding ice floes during hunting forays. “Polar bears will soon benefit from the increase in automobile ownership in China and India,” pointed out Dr. Felix Macadamiac, an economist with the Petroleum Institute for Arctic Studies. In a recent interview with GreenCarbons Magazine, Dr. Macadamiac noted that, “thanks to the economic miracle of automobile ownership, demonstrated so impressively in the US,” the animals will soon be able to hunt even more effectively than before. “With the healthy growth rates we’re seeing in automobile registrations, we predict that by the year 2020 the bears will actually be able to walk wherever they like on the roofs of Chinese and Indian automobiles.” “You’ll probably be running into polar bears on Hawaii,” the economist added humorously. “And they won’t even have to get their feet wet!” REMINDER FOR U.S. KIDPRENEURS -- “BEST LEMONADE STAND IN AMERICA” CLOSES AUG. 15 Got a young entrepreneur at home? (I’ve always maintained that “entrepreneurial child” is a pleonasm. All kids are entrepreneurial, till we drum it out of them.) Inc. magazine, as we mentioned awhile back, is offering cash and other prizes for the Best Lemonaders in America. Stands can also qualify for “Lemonade Stand of the Week,” and be featured at Inc.’s website. For recent entries, see http://www.inc.com/lemonade/2008/recent_entries.html . (Some of these stands look like Venture Capitalist portfolio operations! Pretty sophisticated! Which reminds me -- Parents, don’t forget to let the kids have their fun!) Note to kids: As a longtime patron of lemonade stands -- I must have spent millions -- I gotta tell ya, don’t sell watery lemonade! Make it lemony, and you’ll sell a lot more! Just saying. Details at http://www.inc.com/lemonade/2008/rules.html . FRUGAL AND SIMPLE LIVING Herewith the freebilicious links for this week. (US-only, I’m afraid, unless otherwise indicated.) If you see something you like, act fast! And enjoy! -- Free Tide: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid49404.aspx -- Free Reach Access Flosser: http://www.reachaccess.com/sample_accept_decline.htm -- Free Old Spice “Swagger” body wash: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid47986.aspx -- Free True Lemon, Lime, Orange flavors, to flavor water (US and CAN): http://www.truelemon.com/sample.html -- Free Dove “Pro Age” body lotion: http://www.doveproage.com/samples_hbl.asp -- Free Parent’s Choice infant formula: http://www.parentschoiceformula.com/sample-gentle-baby-formula.aspx -- Free “Sunsilk” hair products: http://www.sunsilk.us/samples.php RAT RACE QUOTE OF THE WEEK “There are well turned-out follies, just as there are smartly-dressed fools.” -- Chamfort 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. Copywriters for Harlequin Covers ||||| Harlequin seeks freelance Copywriters to write compelling copy for the back covers of their books. “Ideal candidates will possess advertising and marketing experience and strong portfolios of published back cover copy.” => Learn More: http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/jobview.asp?joid=80912&page=1 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 2. Transcriptionists for Insurance Claims (US; “no experience required”) ||||| US-based World Wide Dictation seeks Transcriptionists to transcribe insurance claims (“nonmedical”). “You must pay attention to detail and be available to complete a minimum of one hour of audio per day. Must have an Infinity foot pedal and high speed internet.” “Pays 7-9 cents per line.” => Learn More: http://www.mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=16048 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 3. Guides on US Cities (“Should be a resident of the city or of a nearby area”) ||||| Information supersite About.com, owned by the NY Times, seeks a part-time expert (“Guide”) on each of the following US cities. Must have “published writing experience.” -- Houston -- Las Vegas -- New Orleans -- Indianapolis -- El Paso -- Seattle / Tacoma -- San Antonio “The Guide should serve as a ‘friendly neighbor’ by providing in-depth resources that appeal to residents (not tourists). Fostering a strong sense of community among users is a major priority for the Guide, which is achieved through the creation of neighborhood-specific content, conversational and topical blog posts, user-submitted reviews, and tips and advice that relate to the… area.” Guides are paid a minimum of $725 per month during the first two years, with opportunities for additional payment based on the popularity of their pages. => Learn More: http://beaguide.about.com/applynow.htm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 4. Writer on “Gender and Business” for Paris-Based Company ||||| Womenomics.eu, which focuses on the “issue of gender as a business and economic issue for global corporations,” seeks a Writer. “Content development includes research, reporting, interviewing and writing about gender with a corporate perspective.” => Learn More: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=954878 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 5. TV Reviewers (US-oriented) ||||| Bloggy Network seeks TV Reviewers for TVJab.com. “Bloggers will be paid $25/month per show they review. Reviews must be posted the night the show airs or the morning after at the latest.” => Learn More: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/1517 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 6. Web / Graphic Designer (“Anywhere”) ||||| US-based design firm Aimed Arrow seeks a Web / Graphic Designer to handle work overflows. “The work covers a wide gamut of media but mostly revolves about web design and development. Occasionally, branding, print design and packaging too.” Must be able to “[d]evelop HTML and CSS from scratch or within existing template code-bases.” => Learn More: http://authenticjobs.com/jobs/2638/ <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 7. Medical Transcriptionists (US) ||||| US-based Transcription, Technology and Support seeks full-time MTs with at least 3 years’ acute-care experience. => Learn More: http://www.mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=16060 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 8. Mobile Tech Blogger and Bloggers in China, Taiwan, Korea or Japan ||||| UnwiredView.com seeks a Mobile Tech Blogger with “good writing skills, good knowledge about cellphone industry / mobile phones. The more, the better. (Demonstrated writing skills are not necessary, if you have access to an exclusive news materials- unannounced models, specs, spy pics, etc.)” Payment ranges from $8 to $100+ per post. “We are also looking for the tech savvy bloggers that are based in China, Taiwan, Korea or Japan, are fluent in that language and (written) English, and can cover these markets for us.” => Learn More: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/1520 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 9. Instructor for VIPdesk Call Center Agents (US) ||||| US-based customer services firm VIPdesk seeks a temporary Instructor to help certify its call center agents, known as Brand Ambassadors. “This role is responsible for attending the ‘Certify the Instructor’ classes as well as conducting certification classes (6 - 8 hours per day, 30-40 hours per week) for about two weeks at a time. During the certification process, this person will conduct classes as a sole instructor with a group of 10-20 Brand Ambassadors and will be responsible for conducting and facilitating all sessions as well as administering the various certifications.” Requirements include “sales training experience- cross-selling/up-selling.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/5v9d5b <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 10. Technology Bloggers / Writers ||||| Applicure.com, a web application security site, seeks two Bloggers. Must make at least 20 posts monthly and, by way of qualifications, be able to show “at least six months of consistent, regular writing (either on your site or on a commercial site).” => Learn More: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/1519 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 11. Online Accounting / Finance Adjunct Faculty, Univ. of Maryland ||||| The University of Maryland University College seeks part-time online Accounting / Finance Adjunct Faculty. “You may qualify with a terminal degree (i.e., PhD, DBA, JD, etc.) from a regionally accredited institution. In certain disciplines, candidates with a Masters degree and professional or industry experience and extensive teaching experience may be considered.” “The University of Maryland University College has locations in Maryland, Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, as well as on military bases in Europe and Asia.” => Learn More: http://www.pr.com/job/3785808 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 12. Expert on Work-at-Home Moms (“Work from anywhere in the world”) ||||| Information supersite About.com, owned by the NY Times, continues to seek a part-time expert (“Guide”) on Work-at-Home Moms. “The Work at Home Mom guide will be someone with professional experience as a mom who works from her home, either part time or full time, has a successful business and a happy family. Ideal backgrounds include a mom who started her own home-based business or one who works for a large company out of her home office.” Guides are paid a minimum of $725 per month during the first two years, with opportunities for additional payment based on the popularity of their pages. => Learn More: http://beaguide.about.com/applynow.htm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 13. Graphic Designer (US; “Occasional meetings in DC Metro area”) ||||| US-based Dark Corner Software seeks a full-time Graphic Designer eligible for a “Secret” clearance. “Candidates need to have strong Adobe skills, particularly Illustrator, and graphic interface design. Vector graphic experience a definite plus. Knowledge of Flash is not necessary, but the desire to learn it is.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/6qz83d <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 14. Online High School Teachers for Connecticut (“Connecticut certification req’d.”) ||||| US-based CT Virtual Learning (http://www.ctvirtuallearning.org/) seeks Teachers for the following classes: AP Psychology, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Art History, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and Music Appreciation. “Qualifications: Applicants must hold a current CT teacher certification and possess exceptional communication skills. Ease of use with computers is required and exposure to online teaching and learning is preferred.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/5sokl8 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 15. Medical Transcriptionists (US) ||||| US-based InScribe seeks full- and part-time MTs with at least 1 year’s acute-care experience. “Compensation Information: 7 cpl - 9 cpl or 8 cpl to 10 cpl Meditech.” => Learn More: http://www.mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=16042 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 16. Online High School Teacher for Kaplan (“California teaching certificate req’d.”) ||||| US-based Kaplan Virtual Education, owned by the Washington Post Co., seeks Online High School Teachers. Requirements (quoted from the lead) include: -- Highly qualified secondary school teachers (9-12), holding a Bachelor’s Degree (Masters preferred) and CALIFORNIA state certification in your subject area -- At least 2 years of conventional teaching experience -- Online teaching a big plus => Learn More: http://jobview.monster.com/GetJob.aspx?JobID=73402780 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 17. User Interface Designer for 6-Month Project ||||| US-based firm Q Analysts is advertising for a UI Designer with at least 5 years’ web design experience, Bachelor’s in relevant field, and “[e]xpert abilities with HTML, CSS and graphic design tools such as Adobe Creative Suite or equivalent.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/5zx397 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 18. Concierges (CAN; Ontario) ||||| US-based virtual concierge and call-center firm VIPdesk continues to accept resumes for training classes for part- and full-time Concierges. Duties and responsibilities (quoted from lead) include: -- Handle customer requests from home office via phone, e-mail, and chat. -- Research and fulfill requests from customers in the United States and abroad for the following categories: Dining, Entertainment, Travel, Sports and Recreation, Tourist and City, Household, Shopping, and Unusual Requests. -- Apply high quality customer service guidelines when fulfilling customer requests. Requirements include HS diploma, some college, and at least 2 years’ related customer service experience. “Ability to make $14 US + per hour [and bonuses]. Information about compensation will be discussed further in the interview process.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/54s82r <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 19. Online Adjunct Faculty, Foreign Languages, University of Maryland ||||| The University of Maryland University College seeks part-time online Adjunct Faculty for Foreign Languages. “A Master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in language, language pedagogy, applied linguistics or similar field is required. Teaching experience strongly preferred.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/6a42pr <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 20. Editors and Proofreaders ||||| Demand Studios / eHow.com is looking for experienced freelance Editors and Proofreaders “to help copy edit our vast and rapidly growing library of informative articles.” “We pay a flat fee per article (starting at $2.50 per copyedit) and process all payments on a weekly basis via PayPal.” => Learn More: http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=954737 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ******************************* 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.