We're the Virtual Career Advisors for Military.com

Be sure to read our column!

We launched our virtual-careers training company, Staffcentrix, in 1999, and have been working with such clients as the US State Department and US Armed Forces for several years. We launched the Rat Race Rebellion website in February 2007.
 
To learn more about us, check our bio pages (linked beneath our photograph), and our media page. You can also of course Google our names (in quotes), Staffcentrix, Rat Race Rebellion, etc.
 
We also founded the International Virtual Assistants Association in 1999, and transferred it to its members, as planned, shortly afterward. (Chris is credited with having founded the Virtual Assistant industry in 1995.)  

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Yes. We screen each job lead we list on the Rat Race Rebellion web site. We do not screen Google Ads, however, as Google itself determines those. (Our site and research efforts are ad-supported to remain free to the public.)

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While job listings posted to this site have been screened by our staff, and we believe in good faith that all listings are legitimate, we cannot guarantee the legitimacy of all listings (if we did, we would have to charge visitors an insurance premium), and we can make no representations or accept any responsibility regarding prospective employers themselves.

Inevitably, with the vast number of “help wanted” ads that we screen, and the “camouflage” that inappropriate opportunities may sometimes wear, an illegitimate or inappropriate item may occasionally “slip below our radar” and make its way onto the site. 

As in any job search, it remains incumbent upon the individual to qualify prospective employers. Nor, as we hope you’ll understand, can we be responsible for the outcome of negotiations between employers and the users of this site.

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Yes! We continue to develop articles, videos and other resources to help people screen job leads on their own. Start with our article on "Spotting Scams," as it covers many of the basics. Then, view our 10-minute video that shows some of the steps we take when investigating various companies and work at home job offers.
 
Check back regularly for new materials that we’ll post in prominent places on the site.

We also encourage you to visit the forums at such sites as WorkPlaceLikeHome.com and WAHM.com, where you’ll find on-going dialogues regarding hirers, jobs, and scams. (Above all else, remember that you should never pay for a job!)

No. We strongly advise job seekers against making any type of payment for a job -- even if such a payment is referred to as a "registration" or "membership fee."

That said, there are times when a legitimate company may request a fee. Click here for more on "when fees are legitimate."

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Payment for the privilege of working is rarely acceptable, in our view. However, there are a few exceptions, when fees may be justifiable.

For example, when you apply for a position as a home-based call center agent, some hirers will require a background and/or credit check (usually around $30 or less), which the applicant must pay for.

Also, with regard to home-based craft assembly work (although many of these are scams, we have found a few legitimate companies), the crafter will almost always be asked to pay for materials or a start-up kit.

It's important to remember that there’s a lot of competition for legitimate home-based work, so it may take awhile to land the job or project you want. Also, many employers have done away with the "formalities" of acknowledging receipt of an application, and no longer notify all applicants when a position has been filled.  

You can improve your chances by making sure you have a standout resume – one that focuses on what you can do for the company.
 
You should also highlight your ability to work independently, your familiarity with virtual communications tools (e.g., instant messenger, Skype, GoToMyPC, or others), and, where appropriate, your home-based work experience.
 
If you don’t have a blog, consider starting one, to show your understanding of online communications, and to demonstrate your expertise in your specialty or niche. We recommend Helium as an excellent place to begin. (It’s free, as well.)

Also, be sure to follow instructions exactly. If the job lead requests a resume in the body of an email, DO NOT attach your resume – paste your resume in text format into an email (more on that below), and send it directly to the party or email address specified in the lead.
 
If the job lead specifies a written reply (online application form, resume, etc.), DO NOT phone the company to express an interest or request additional information. Human Resources personnel list this among their chief complaints, and smaller hirers may resent the interruption even more.
 
Failure to follow directions at the time of application is also often viewed as an inability or unwillingness to follow directions in general – not a trait most employers are seeking.

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Due to our ongoing commitment to provide everyone who uses our site with the best possible resources, we are regrettably unable to provide individual assistance to jobseekers.

However, we screen and upload fresh home-based job leads to our site almost every day, with over 4,000 leads uploaded since February 2007, and an additional 700+ screened links to ongoing hirers of home-based workers (under "WAH Job Leads / Hirers by Field," on the left of every page). We hope you’ll find something there that suits your background and goals.

If you’re interested in working from home as a freelancer, you may want to have a look at our popular manual, "The 2-Second Commute." It’s based on the highly successful 15-hour Virtual Assistant / Virtual Professional training programs we developed for the US Armed Forces and Department of State. It may be available at your local library, and is also carried at Amazon.  

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If you have a legitimate home-based job opening and would like to post it to our site, please use our job submission form. (There is no charge.)

We offer a wide variety of advertising options. Please visit our advertising information page to review your advertising options and place your ad.

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Unfortunately, the base is not listed because no one there has attended our Train-the-Trainer certification program. If you would like the MSVA Program to be available at your base, please contact your base family center’s employment resource professional to express your interest, and ask him or her to contact Chris directly at cdurst (AT) staffcentrix.com for more information about obtaining program facilitation materials at no charge.

In the interim, you may wish to get a head start by reading our manual for Virtual Assistants, "The 2-Second Commute," which is based in large part on our 15-hour MSVA training program. You may find a copy at your base library, and it's also available at Amazon.

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