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From the Email Bag – Home-Based Customer Service Agents By Christine Durst & Michael Haaren Feb. 2, 2012 Dear Rat Race Rebellion: I worked at the jewelry counter of a big store in our mall for several years, and I like helping the public. I also worked in a clothing store. Could I qualify for a home-based customer service job? – Shauna in Spokane, Wash. Dear Shauna: Yes, you could. Most virtual call centers prefer that applicants have customer service experience. You’ll also need a high-speed Internet connection, a land-line telephone and a quiet place to work at home. Many companies also require a background check and a credit check. But that seems to be a growing trend among employers generally, and all job seekers may ultimately have to deal with it. Alpine Access recently announced that it’s looking for 200 home-based agents right now, so you’ll want to check them out. Other companies that hire home-based agents include Convergys, Arise.com and 1-800-Flowers. For more, see our list at http://bit.ly/hbmtOc. Dear Rat Race Rebellion: I just started a mom blog but I’m not getting many visitors. I post to my blog several times a day, and I always try to include interesting topics. Do you have any suggestions about how I can build traffic? – Marianne in Salt Lake City, Utah Dear Marianne: Building traffic to any website often takes time. In addition to optimizing your blog for search engines (Google the search term “SEO” for more), you may want to consider reaching out to local or regional media to cover your blog. Media exposure can jump-start your traffic, and begin to establish you as an exceptional blogger, too. Consider approaching local radio hosts and journalists to get your feet wet. It takes time to learn to engage with the media and present yourself effectively. Better to learn the ropes with smaller audiences than to risk a misstep in front of a big crowd. When choosing a radio host or journalist to contact, make sure that their audience would be the type who would appreciate your blog. Also, be sure to familiarize yourself with the show or the journalist’s work before making your pitch. The more you know about your “target,” the more effective your approach will be. As a general rule, for radio hosts it’s best to leave a voicemail, so they can get a sense of what you sound like as well as the gist of your story. (The radio station’s receptionist or “phone tree” can put you through.) For journalists, a brief email is usually best. When you’re considering what to pitch, look for something unusual in your personal story or your blog. For example, what led you to blogging? How do you handle the question of disclosing sensitive personal or family details, which many blog readers have come to expect? Could you comment on the state of the “mom blog” movement? What tips could you share about launching a blog or a website generally? These are just a few of the issues that a radio host or journalist might be interested in. ---- Christine Durst and Michael Haaren are leaders in the work-at-home movement and advocates of de-rat-raced living. Their latest book is Work at Home Now, a guide to finding home-based jobs. They offer additional guidance on finding home-based work at www.RatRaceRebellion.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2012 BY STAFFCENTRIX, DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM |
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