~*~*~ THE RAT RACE REBELLION TELEWORK BULLETIN ~*~*~ Dear Reader, A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Chris and I are working on de-Rat Racing our lives a little bit -- trying to practice what we preach -- so with this week, we’ll be moving our Bulletin publication schedule from a strict every-Thursday cycle to a looser “once per week” calendar. The Bulletin will still go out to you every week -- “with the same great content!” -- but the day won’t always be the same. We hope you don’t mind. Enjoy, Good Luck, and Be Well. GOOD NEWS -- OUR NORFOLK, VA., HOME BASED JOB-FINDING WORKSHOP IS NOW FREE Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, our Sept. 20 telework job-finding workshop is now free! (That’s a $29.99 savings.) Chris and I will teach you everything you need to know to find the home-based job that suits you best. (Leading call center Arise, which seeks to hire 4,000 home-based agents by the end of 2008, will also be on hand to speak with participants and give the complete picture of their openings.) Seats are going fast, so grab yours today at http://www.workathomehamptonroads.com/. INTERVIEW WITH VIRTUAL ASSISTANT / VIRTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANT LAURIE MAPP Virtual support for lawyers has been available here and there for some time now, but is only beginning to get the attention it deserves. For an update on the niche, we chatted recently by email with Virtual Assistant / Virtual Legal Assistant Laurie Mapp (also a mom of three young boys), who runs Halo Secretarial Services (http://halosecretarialservices.com/) from her home office in Alberta, Canada. Laurie got her honors diploma in paralegal studies in 1993, worked for a solo lawyer, larger firm, and governmental legal department, then began the launch of Halo while on maternity leave with her third child. RRR: Tell us a bit about your typical working day. LAURIE MAPP: I work pretty part-time right now, mostly because I'm fairly new to the business. I spend a couple of hours in the morning working on my marketing and doing a little client work. I then spend several hours with my children and managing the household. In the afternoon I spend another hour or two on my work then break for supper and bedtime. Most evenings I find another hour or so for work or networking. It can be hard juggling the children's needs and still find time for business. My husband works long hours and I have three fairly young boys to manage. They get to watch a little TV in the morning while I work and then they keep busy playing in the yard, doing projects at the table or just playing together. I use a laptop so I can work wherever in the house it is convenient. I keep a portable filebox nearby with my notes and use my "main" office only for major projects or when I need the quiet and I have help for the kids. RRR: What led you to become an independent professional as opposed to an employee? Did you have any entrepreneurial role models to inspire you? LAURIE MAPP: My children were the inspiration for sure! I was an employee for many years first and didn't really have good entrepreneurial role models. Then I read a couple of books about being a Virtual Assistant (including the “Two Second Commute”!) and I knew that was what I wanted to do. RRR: Tell us a bit about clients. How did you land your first virtual assignments, and what kind of work do you do now? LAURIE MAPP: I found my first client through a combination of LinkedIn and Twitter [An instant messaging-like tool that lets you tell people what you’re doing at any given moment -- Ed.] and I work mostly on social networking for that first client, and I'm learning to help him manage some of his website updating. My goal is to work mostly in the legal niche or doing social networking, as those are my two passions. I normally charge a fee of $30 per hour, but will also work on a project or flat fee basis upon request. RRR: Give us your three favorite tips for success as a Virtual Legal Assistant or VA. LAURIE MAPP: Top tip is to treat your business as a true business, not a hobby or a few quick bucks, or a way to be an employee from home. A VA is a business owner. Number 2 would be to remember that if it will take time to grow your business. You need to be prepared to network for a few months and really hang in there -- the clients will come. Number 3 would be to work hard on staying up-to-date in your chosen area -- network right away and stay in the loop. You never know what opportunities will come if you are making contacts in your field. RRR: When I was practicing law in New York City in the 1980s, there was a clear distinction between "legal secretaries" and paralegals. Has that distinction blurred in recent years? LAURIE MAPP: I'd say those lines are still there -- they are just confusing because different companies use the terminology interchangeably. Legal secretaries generally have much less education -- they know some terminology but don't have a diploma or degree. Paralegals have a lot of schooling plus a lot of experience. Where I live you need a 2-yr. diploma to be a paralegal, but you still won't be hired in-house normally until you get some experience with a title like legal secretary or legal assistant. Virtually you can work with lawyers without the diploma, but for some types of work (drafting court documents, speaking with clients) you really should have significant experience. RRR: What range of income can one expect to make, and for how many hours a week, as a Virtual Legal Assistant in Canada and the US? LAURIE MAPP: It all depends on how well you market yourself and how much time you have to devote to your business. You can charge from C$25 to well over C$100 per hour as a Virtual Legal Assistant / Virtual Paralegal and you can eventually expand to a multi-VA practice if you choose. The sky is the limit I think! RRR: How do you see the Virtual Legal Assistant profession evolving over the next five years? LAURIE MAPP: I think Virtual Assistance will become a little more mainstream over the next five years, which will create many opportunities for Virtual Legal Assistants. Just be professional, work hard and always deliver what you promise and you can have an amazing career. *** -- For more on Laurie Mapp, see her blog at http://halosecretarialservices.com/blog/. -- For a home-office attorney who uses blogs, Twitter, and virtual support to grow his practice, see Grant Griffiths’ website and links at http://gdgrifflaw.typepad.com/about.html. -- For more on what paralegals do, how to become one, and the profession’s employment outlook, see the US Dept. of Labor’s (DOL) site at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos114.htm. According to DOL, “Employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 22 percent between 2006 and 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employers are trying to reduce costs and increase the availability and efficiency of legal services by hiring paralegals to perform tasks once done by lawyers. Paralegals are performing a wider variety of duties, making them more useful to businesses.” -- Wikipedia also has a useful entry on paralegals here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralegal. -- For more on Twitter (which I’ve just begun to use, and will report on when I’ve had more experience; blogging guru Darren Rowse and veteran entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki use it a lot, though some users warn it can be a time-hole), see http://twitter.com. LEADING INDIA FIRMS TO SEND EMPLOYEES HOME The work-from-home culture is spreading rapidly at India software giant Wipro, and nearly one-third of its roughly 82,000 employees may be allowed to work from home in the future, reported the Hindu Business Line this week. Some 1,200 enjoy the arrangement now. “’It is tough, but feasible,’ said the company’s CIO, Laxman K. Badiga.” Cognizant Technology Solutions, with 58,000 employees internationally and a number of offices in India, had a pilot project of 50 people working from home, the Business Line reported in a related article, and the firm would like to expand this to 20% of the workforce over the next two years. (These figures presumably refer to the company’s India-based workforce, though I’m only guessing from the context.) A Glance at Work-at-Home India’s Future The IT sector has led the way in home-based work internationally -- many smaller software firms, and even some larger ones, like MySQL, acquired by Sun this year for $1B, are entirely virtual -- so it makes sense that the same would be happening in India. Apart from companies furnishing their employees with telecommuting arrangements, however, infrastructure and disposable-income limitations may slow the spread of home-based work generally in India. Most of India’s Virtual Assistants, for example, appear to work on-site for their employers rather than at home, just as India’s call center agents do. On the other hand, the entrepreneurial drive that seems so much a part of India’s cultures and history should not be underestimated. Wireless communications and falling hardware prices will encourage the process, too, although red tape --reputed to be legendary in many aspects of Indian commercial life -- will figure in as well. For the article on Wipro, see http://tinyurl.com/5pg6aw . For the piece on Cognizant, see http://tinyurl.com/6po3jh . CAPSULE BOOK REVIEW: “THE CASE AGAINST HOMEWORK,” BY SARA BENNETT AND NANCY KALISH With lengthening workweeks and commutes and shrinking family time, homework in US public schools -- which according to the authors is increasing -- must justify itself even more than before. (For many children, the “Rat Race / Junior Division” is characterized by heavy homework burdens.) According to the authors of “The Case Against Homework,” however (and other experts too, whom we’ll get to in a moment), homework in many cases can hardly be justified at all, and often produces the opposite of teachers’ intentions: turning children against learning, taking the joy out of reading, and making school itself not a pleasure (or even a middling-interesting place to be), but a stressful and painful duty. Even from here in “upwardly mobile” Northern Virginia, where my 8-year-old daughter routinely had one hour of nightly homework in second grade last year, and parents talk of their teens burning out on homework years before college, the book was thought-provoking, and an eye-opener. Here’s a sample: -- What is the single strongest predictor of better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems for children 3-12? Not homework. Family meals, says a University of Michigan study. But on most weekdays, 42% of families don’t eat together. When homework intrudes, “[t]he first thing to go is often the family dinner hour,” the authors say. -- With homework increasingly invading family time, we’re teaching kids the wrong lesson, experts note. “The way things are now,” says Dee Shepherd-Look, a California State University psychology professor, “we’re giving kids the wrong message: that work is more important than family.” (That’s a painful irony in particular for parents who complain that their spouses are “married to their jobs” -- the homework grind helps foster the “salaryman” and “salarywoman” of tomorrow.) -- Every pediatric obesity expert the authors interviewed agreed on the connection between homework and childhood obesity. Yet as one expert noted, “no one has looked at whether there’s a correlation between how many hours of homework kids do and obesity because no one wants to find it.” (Physiologically, she pointed out, doing homework is the same as watching TV.) -- Elementary school students average 78 minutes of homework per night, and middle school students average 99 minutes, according to a recent AP / AOL poll. (That’s much more than experts and school guidelines often recommend -- 10 minutes of homework per grade level per school night.) -- One of the foremost researchers on homework, Prof. Harris Cooper of Duke University -- who reviewed over 180 studies of homework and its effects -- found “very little correlation between the amount of homework and achievement in elementary school and only a moderate correlation in middle school.” -- Evidence from school systems internationally suggests that the more homework the teachers assign, the worse students do on achievement tests. -- Homework for kindergarteners is the national norm. Fortunately, Bennett -- a former Legal Aid attorney and long-time advocate for reasonable homework policies -- and Kalish, a former senior editor at Child, Cosmpolitan, and other magazines -- give excellent guidance from the homework battles they themselves fought. Chapters like “What You Should Know Before You Talk to the Teacher,” and “Getting the School on Your Side” offer well-thought-out advice on how to prepare the case for you and your child, and communicate productively with teachers of varying temperaments and points of view. For more on the book, published by Three Rivers Press (2006) and available at Amazon, see Bennett’s site at http://stophomework.com and Kalish’s at http://nancykalish.com. If you have a moment for some homework, see also the article by Emily Bazelon at http://www.slate.com/id/2149593/, and the Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homework. MICROSOFT PREDICTS MASSIVE SHIFT TO HOME-BASED AND OTHER OFFSITE WORK IN UK BY 2033 Working with the UK-based Future Laboratory, Microsoft mobility experts predict a massive move toward offsite work in the UK over the next 25 years. Work/life balance concerns, growing employer flexibility, and WiFi and other communications tools will drive the trend, they say, emptying brick-and-mortar cubes and radically redrawing cities toward a “greener” model. While futurology is a notoriously iffy business, it’s nothing if not stimulating, and can help us find new commitment and envision our goals. For more on Microsoft’s UK predictions (Wales is the focal point of the piece), see http://tinyurl.com/65knv9. WHAT’S YOUR UTOPIA? Speaking of the future, we all dream about settings in which we’d “really” like to live -- a cottage by the sea, a mad-Bavarian castle, a houseboat on a lake, an apartment in Venice or Amsterdam or overlooking Hong Kong harbor. What’s your dream? Since I grew up in a log cabin, and then in a small town in rural Virginia (pop. 300), one of my habitation dreams is to live again in a small town. My Small Town 2.0 has these traits: -- You can walk to everything you need, and everything is produced locally, including some of the people. -- At night, it’s quiet, and nothing mechanical is heard (well, maybe a music box). -- The people are friendly and (as the French say) “at ease in their skin.” So are the goats, it goes without saying. -- There’s a ginormous bookstore, with fireplaces and overstuffed chairs, and butlers and masseuses, and transmogrifying conversation from wacky minds that have seen and thought a lot. -- Most of the town is artists (musicians, actors, painters, circus performers, etc.). Lawyers are readily available from taxidermy catalogues. -- The kids have fun. My home is a big treehouse, where people love to, well, hang out. Like the first one on this page: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/05/the_treehouse_w.php That’s mine. What’s your dream? FROM THE R3 MAILBAG -- QUESTIONS ABOUT WORKING FROM HOME, AND OTHER RAT RACE TOPICS DEAR R3: I’m a freelance Web Designer in the San Francisco Bay area. I designed a website for an eBay trader, but he has refused to pay me. I’ve emailed and called him and sent him a registered letter, but he says he doesn’t have the money. What can I do? R3: You might try working out a monthly payment plan, or perhaps a discount for an immediate settle-up. We can’t give you legal advice, but mediation may also be an option, and small claims court, too -- see the link below for more -- if the amount isn’t over $7,500 ($5,000 if you’re a corporation). Both will take more work, however, since you’ll have to prepare your case. (And if he really is broke -- eBay traders reportedly haven’t been faring well lately, as big retailers invade the community -- you’ll have wasted your time, unless he has something to “attach.” Even so, other creditors may have preference over you. To avoid this situation in the future, get money up front, and payments as the project progresses.) For mediation and small claims in California, see http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/smallclaims/. TO IDLE OR NOT, THAT IS THE QUESTION Should you let your car engine idle while you wait for your famished teenager to dart into 7-11 for a Slim Jim, or some other monstrosity? Who knows? Every expert seems to have a different opinion on when you should turn off your car when you’re waiting. (Here in Northern Virginia, where everyone waits in cars -- even in their living rooms (the car is the “living” room, you see) -- it’s a real issue.) But take heart. We now have the definitive answer, courtesy of the American Lung Association, who ought to know. If you’re going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds, they say, turn the horseless carriage off. For more on how to help the air, and get a nifty free “Own Your Air” decal, see http://www.ownyourair.org/. FRUGAL AND SIMPLE LIVING Voila today’s freebies, with compliments from our Freebiefinders. (You rock, people!) Yanks only, I’m afraid, unless otherwise indicated. If you see some you like, grab ‘em fast, as “free” goes quickly! Enjoy! -- Free photo prints at CVS: http://www.eversave.com/eversave/consumers/CVS_NoFooter-MiniFlow1093.jsp?cid=522&sourceid=32200 -- Free “Butt Paste” anti-rash ointment for babies: http://www.buttpaste.com/BLButtPaste.php -- Stuff a free toy puppy (at least, that’s what it looks like!) at Wal-Mart with Cottonelle Toilet Paper, Sept. 6 only: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid50714.aspx -- Six $1 coupons for Cheerios (This was popular, so we’re featuring it again): http://www.cheerios.com/promotions/challenge/default.aspx?WT.mc_id=paid_bannerad_Casale -- Free Quaker granola bars: http://startsampling.com/sm/100462/captureAddress.iphtml?item=100462&source= -- Free Tide Total Care: https://tidetotalcare.safeprocessing.com/?sw=1&utm_source=identitysite -- Free Meow Mix: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid47958.aspx -- Free Benefiber Sticks: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid46594.aspx RAT RACE QUOTE OF THE WEEK “The great consolation in life is to say what one thinks.” -- Voltaire 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. PowerPoint Presentation Specialist (US work authorization) ||||| US-based staffing firm The Creative Group is advertising for a PowerPoint Presentation Specialist. “Requirements: -Advanced Microsoft Power Point 2007 -Proficiency in Adobe CS3 -Ability to work from home -Strong communication skills to offer consultative approach to client.” => Learn More: http://directemployers.jobcentral.com/rhii/04410-128077.html <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 2. Green Bloggers (“College students and alumni”; US-oriented) ||||| Career site Experience.com is looking for college students and alumni “to write about their own experiences with living green lifestyles and launching green careers.” “We want students and alumni who aspire to work toward environmentalism in some capacity, or at least have a desire to make a difference…” Pays $250 per 12-week session. => Learn More: http://www.ventureloop.com/ventureloop/jobdetail.php?r=f_in&jobid=16559 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 3. Customer Relations Specialists for Second Life (“US, UK or Singapore”) ||||| Virtual world Second Life (Linden Lab) seeks Customer Relations Specialists “to maintain and shape Second Life's unique online community by assisting Residents with problems both technical and social, orienting new arrivals, and channeling community concerns and feedback to Second Life's Community Managers and developers.” Must have at least 6 months’ experience in Second Life, be at least 18 years old, and speak and write English fluently. => Learn More: http://lindenlab.hrmdirect.com/employment/view.php?req=20386 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 4. Customer Service Quality / Audit Representative for UnitedHealth Group Co. (US) ||||| US-based Fortune 100 subsidiary Ovations Enterprise Services is looking for a full-time Customer Service Quality / Audit Representative. “[R]esponsible for all aspects of quality assurance within the Customer Service job family. Conducts audits and provides feedback to reduce errors and improve processes and performance.” Must have at least 3 years’ customer service or call center experience and 2 in a Quality Audit role. => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/6drnz7 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 5. Senior Math Editor, K-6 (*US) ||||| US-based Nesbitt Graphics seeks a Senior Mathematics Editor to join its K-12 staff. “As a senior mathematics editor, you will be responsible for helping to direct and develop projects. Emphasis will be on coordinating the work of outside writers and editors, reviewing manuscript as it comes in house, and providing direction to writers and editors while ensuring pedagogically sound material.” Minimum requirements include a Bachelor’s in Mathematics or Education (with a Math concentration), and 1 year’s teaching and 3 years’ editorial experience. *“We can work this as either an off-site or in-house position in our Ft. Washtington, PA location.” => Learn More: http://bbboston.org/pageJobs_view.cfm?jobid=6923 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 6. Editor for eHarmony (“Training onsite in Pasadena, Cal.”) ||||| Matchmaking website eHarmony is looking for an Editor for a 30-hour project. “This editor will be reviewing an archive of older articles and providing a new and improved edit, in line with several SEO guidelines. The next step will be to input the articles into our content management system, and document the finished project.” Requirements include experience managing freelance writers, at least 2 years’ editorial experience, and “2 years in an Internet environment.” => Learn More: http://www.ventureloop.com/ventureloop/jobdetail.php?jobid=16344 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 7. Proofreader Needed Immediately ||||| Germany-based BMPwriters seeks a top Proofreader “for an imminent project (financial accounting and reporting manual) involving some 250,000 words/35,000 standard lines (starts mid September, ends mid November).” => Learn More: http://www.writerfind.com/freelance_jobs/job5036.htm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~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, visit http://www.helium.com/?ad=680&placement=HAP002 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 8. Senior Graphics Designer (“Work from anywhere”) ||||| High Tech Professionals seeks a Senior Graphic Designer with a good background in XHTML and CSS and Flash experience. “The ideal candidate for this position excels at designing and creating assets for use in websites, online ad campaigns, blogs, desktop applications and GUIs. Experience creating corporate identities and brands is also a plus. Design tasks will include complete websites, rich media banners, corporate identities, icons, and more.” “Structured 8 hour day” and “full benefits.” => Learn More: http://www.creativehotlist.com/index.asp?linkTarget=fullJob.asp&jobID=125275 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 9. Expert on Freelance Consulting (“Work from anywhere”) ||||| Information supersite About.com, owned by the NY Times, is looking for a part-time Expert (“Guide”) on Consulting / Freelance. “The ideal Guide for this site will have extensive experience as a consultant and freelancer and be a respected figure in the industry. He or she should have published articles and/or books on the subject, and have been quoted as an expert in the field.” Pays a minimum of $725 monthly during the first 2 years, with additional potential revenues based upon the popularity of the pages. “At a minimum, About Guides must publish two full-length articles every 14 days and update their blog one to three times per week.” => Learn More: http://beaguide.about.com/applynow.htm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 10. Customer Insight Managers for Second Life (“Anywhere”) ||||| Virtual world Second Life (Linden Lab) seeks Customer Insight Managers to (among other duties) “[t]ransform Second Life customer data into meaningful, actionable business metrics.” Minimum requirements include a Master’s in a “statistically demanding discipline,” a knowledge of databases (architecture, software, etc.), and the “ability to produce quantitative analyses of large, complex data sets.” => Learn More: http://lindenlab.hrmdirect.com/employment/view.php?req=25275 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 11. Expert on Travel in Germany (“Work from anywhere”) ||||| Information supersite About.com, owned by the NY Times, continues to seek a part-time Expert (“Guide”) on Germany Travel. “The top candidates will either live or have lived in Germany, or visit regularly enough to be considered an expert. Published travel clips are a major plus, and we encourage all applicants to browse our Travel section to gain a general sense of what constitutes a successful GuideSite.” Pays a minimum of $725 monthly during the first 2 years, with additional potential revenues based upon the popularity of the pages. “At a minimum, About Guides must publish two full-length articles every 14 days and update their blog one to three times per week.” => Learn More: http://beaguide.about.com/applynow.htm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 12. Freelance Section Editor for Wiley-Blackwell (“Job Location: Flexible, USA”) ||||| Publisher Wiley-Blackwell is looking for a Section Editor “to create a news section for the American Journal of Medical Genetics.” “Ideal candidate” requirements include “[a]t least five years of experience writing for and editing for specialized medical publications.” => Learn More: http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/jobview.asp?joid=82870&page=1 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 13. Medical Transcriptionists (US) ||||| US-based Meridian Healthcare Solutions seeks acute-care, full-time employee MTs with at least 3 years’ experience. “Compensation Information: $ 0.08 TO 0.10 PER 65 CHARACTER LINE WITH SPACES.” => Learn More: http://mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=16322 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 14. Quality & Training Supervisor, Customer Support, for Second Life (“US, UK or Singapore”) ||||| Virtual world Second Life (Linden Lab) is looking for a Quality & Training Supervisor, Customer Support, to oversee its support teams. Minimum requirements include 2 years’ supervisory customer-support experience, 1 year’s experience with Quality Control, and experience in Second Life. => Learn More: http://lindenlab.hrmdirect.com/employment/view.php?req=24975 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 15. Expert on Apartment Living / Rental (“Work from anywhere”) ||||| Information supersite About.com, owned by the NY Times, is looking for a part-time Expert (“Guide”) to cover rental-apartment living. “The ideal candidate will be: * A real estate professional who has extensive experience with apartment renters and buyers. * A journalist or writer who has lived in apartments, has published articles or books about apartment life, and is considered an expert in the field.” Pays a minimum of $725 monthly during the first 2 years, with additional potential revenues based upon the popularity of the pages. “At a minimum, About Guides must publish two full-length articles every 14 days and update their blog one to three times per week.” => Learn More: http://beaguide.about.com/applynow.htm <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 16. Medical Transcriptionists (“US residents only”) ||||| US-based ExecuScribe seeks full-time employee MTs with at least 3 years’ experience. “Immediate openings in the following specialties: Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Solid Organ Transplant, ER, Acute Care/Operative Notes, Neurology/Pain Management, and Medical/Radiation Oncology.” => Learn More: http://www.mtjobs.com/job_detail.cfm?RowID=16308 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 17. Sr. Learning Management System / eLearning Consultant (“Location: 100% Virtual”) ||||| US-based consultant staffing firm Clarity Consultants is advertising for a Senior LMS / eLearning Consultant “to help craft an LMS RFP, vet possible LMS options, and assist in the process of identifying and ultimately selecting an LMS. The project needs to be completed, with LMS selection, for a January rollout.” Requirements include a Master’s in Instructional Design or related field, 7 years’ experience in learning and development and 5 in project management. => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/5jffbt <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 18. Green / Eco and Transportation Bloggers ||||| Blogging network Simply Good Media seeks a Green / Eco Blogger and a Transportation Blogger. Apply with a short bio and 3 blog entries related to the position. => Learn More: http://jobs.problogger.net/view/1613 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 19. Instructional Designer / Pharmacovigilance (“Location:100% Virtual”) ||||| US-based consultant staffing firm Clarity Consultants is advertising for an Instructional Designer / Pharmacovigilance with advanced Lectora experience for a 3-month contract “to create a training program on pharmacovigilance.” Requirements include a Master’s in Instructional Technologies or a related field and “[e]xperience creating training for Pharmacovigilance.” => Learn More: http://tinyurl.com/6zwtqf <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ||||| 20. Web Designer ||||| US-based design firm Flower Press Creative Studio is looking for a Web Designer for 10-15 hours per week. Requirements include “[o]ne to three years of interface design, web design or graphic design work experience.” Work will include “HTML emails, blog interfaces, banner ads, downloadable PDFs.” => Learn More: http://www.creativehotlist.com/index.asp?linkTarget=fullJob.asp&jobID=125254 <= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ******************************* 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.