Homeshoring, work from home, and work-life balance from LittleWhiteEbook.com

More information about our newest guides...

2010-01-07T21:03:00.000-08:00

We thought we would link directly to them, in case you would like to visit. Thanks for all of your support, and we hope you visit soon!

Find more freedom with a work from home career or home business option...

Find, Apply for and Win a Virtual Assistant Job. Find your career options for home-based secretery work with the complete exclusive virtual assistant guide, The Little White Ebook of Virtual Assistant Jobs. Find a Homeshoring Job, and work from home on the phone for reputable employers, completely researched from A to Z. The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs is a critically acclaimed ebook that pulls out all the punches when it comes to accuracy and legitimacy. It's even been independently referenced in Wikipedia.

Start a Home-Based Answering Service. Learn the basic in's and outs of this lucrative home-based business -- it's easy to start and requires very little in terms of start up costs.

Start and Run Your Own Wedding Video Business, the complete minikit that even comes with sample contract templates.

Interested in decorating for a living? Learn How to Start Your Own Interior Design Business and find out the essentials of running and succeeding as a self-employed interior designer.

Live a happier and healthier lifestyle...

Learn How to Stop Your Depression Now and Reclaim Your Life. It's challenging to beat it, but it is very much worth it. Learn how to focus your mind -- and your life -- on recovery and hope.

Make your own bath and beauty recipes, naturally. Find organic and holistic recipes to help all hair and skin types -- as well as solutions for common beauty problems. Our 500 Bath and Beauty Recipes Guide gives cheap and natural solutions to do-it-yourself.

Live better through dream interpretation. What are your dreams really telling you? Change your life by focusing on your the messages of your sleep. This amazing 300+ page guide, Your Dreams Revealed, gives you the ins and outs of deciphering the dream world.

Frustrated by memory problems? Advanced Memory Techniques will train any learner in the advanced tricks and methodologies for successful memory retention. Outsmart a bad memory by learning the secrets that mentalists and magicians use!

Cleanse your colon, body, and brain with our Home Detox Guide - the natural, safe, effective path to removing impurities from your system.

Make fruit smoothies to enhance your athletic performance and overall fitness, with Smoothies for Athletes. Find the perfect recipes for new - and ongoing - fitness regimens.

Learn how to tell if somebody is lying to you - and how to get the truth out of them every time. This hard-hitting guidebook will reveal the secrets the experts use to get the truth from a liar.

Help your small business grow big...

The Complete Guide to Starting a Virtual Corporation is powerful reading for the small business owner or solopreneur. This amazingly detailed guide will help any small business build and grow - with inside details on going big time with a small time budget.

Amazing news -- new guides for 2010 available now -- improve your life

2010-01-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

What is your New Year's resolution? Do you simply want to improve your life? Read more? Research a new work from home solution? Find a better job? Eat healthier? Stop being manipulated?

What are your new ambitions and dreams for the upcoming year?

For some people, 2010 is big. To be honest, it hit ME like a ton of bricks. In the back of my head, I shamed myself. Why hadn't I planned to add "2010" to every copyrighted webpage page I owned? Why were all of the new products not up by the first of the year? And WHY, after ALL THIS TIME, was I still being so hard on myself?

I am sure it's something everybody can relate to. Resolutions, I believe, are hogwash, pure and simple. And I don't care if the word "hogwash" is out of date in 2010.

I believe in education. I believe in goals. And yes, I believe in happiness in 2010 and beyond.

That's why I am VERY proud to present LittleWhiteEbook's new storefront. We're getting a new logo, and adding some more stuff over the coming month. We currently have 14 total products up. Yes, some of them are previously published, but they have been checked for quality and we are NOT claiming any of them will make you rich, famous, or gorgeous overnight. (Of course, we DO wish you all the success in the world..)

We HAVE chosen books to help you live a better, more successful life. After all, isn't that all ANYBODY can hope for?

Visit our new, improved, happy Little White Ebookstore for our homeshoring ebook and much, much more.

15 More Free Mystery Shopping Companies

2009-11-27T21:24:00.001-08:00

It's a great time of year to be a myster shopper - you can get compensated for what you purchased, and get a small bonus for reporting back your experience. Here are 15 more companies that hire consumers to do their semi-dirty work.

Customer Service Experts, Inc
http://www.customerserviceexperts.com/

From the website: Customer Service Experts, Inc. (CSE) was created with a vision to improve the customer experience by focusing on the internal team and their direct link to customer satisfaction

Concerto Research
http://www.cv-market.com/
From the website: Concerto Research is the market research division of concerto marketing group, a truly integrated marketing services firm providing all three essential disciplines of marketing – consumer research, strategic planning and brand communications under one roof.

Data Quest
http://www.dataquestonline.com/
From the website: Established in 1981, Data Quest, Ltd. is a licensed, corporate private investigations agency that provides elite information gathering, loss prevention and detection expertise to companies, attorneys and individuals nationwide

DSG Associates,inc
http://www.dsgai.com/
From the website: Our experience indicates the higher standards clients have for their field information programs, the more they appreciate the unique perspective and unrivaled commitment to program integrity afforded by DSG Associates, Inc

Dunlap Associates
http://www.dunlapenterprises.com/
From the Website: We are continually looking for conscientious people to participate in Customer Feed Back Surveys. If you have a sincere interest in providing Customer Feed Back to restaurants and retail stores that you frequent in your neighborhood, please fill in the form below. When we have clients looking for Customer Feed Back in your area, one of our staff members will contact you..

Ellis Partners In Mastery Shoppers
http://www.epmsonline.com/

From the Website: Mystery Shopping is a method of anonymously evaluating how well and how consistently community personnel are carrying out standards, policies and procedures

Focus on service
http://www.focusonservice.com/

From the Website: We need Mystery Shoppers who can be assigned a Dinner or Lunch visit to visit Longhorn Steakhouse and complete our online Survey about your experience.

Franchise Compliance
http://www.franchisecompliance.com/home.php
From the Website: Creating a consistent customer experience is really the magic of franchising. From the customer's first impression, to the point of sale, and back again - whether they're doing business in Texas or New York, Hong Kong or Europe, it must be the same experience.

Full Scope Inc
http://www.fullscopemysteryshopping.com/

From the Website: Full Scope Inc. is hired by restaurants, retail businesses and other service businesses to help them determine how the consumer perceives the quality of their service and product. We send shoppers anonymously into their locations to order a meal in a restaurant

Go Feedback
http://www.gofeedback.com/

From the website: The mystery shopper acts like any normal customer. After the visit, the shopper fills out the designated form on our website, answering yes or no to simple questions and adding comments about the events that happened during the visit. In some cases, a narrative report is required. The information should be objective

Simon Survey
http://www.hndsight.com/

From the website: Simon Survey is a full-service information collection company. Along with Hindsight Mystery Shoppers,

ICC Decision Services
http://www.iccds.com/

From the website: Enhanced customer loyalty, increased transaction size and conversion rates are goals that all retailers strive towards

Imaginus Inc
http://www.imaginusinc.com/

From the website: At Imaginus we are all about results...your results. Our mission is to provide business solutions that enhance organizational competencies and add significant value to the customer's experience, separating you from your competition

Imyst
http://www.imyst.com/

From the Website: We provide customized mystery shopping solutions for clients of all sizes throughout every industry

Infotel Inc
http://www.infotelinc.com/

From the website: Our strategic mission is to provide technology-driven mystery shopping services, delivering timely, accurate and actionable business solutions. Our services are built on quality, professionalism, dedication to service and 100% client satisfaction.

Intelli-Shop
http://www.intelli-shop.com/

From the website: IntelliShop helps companies better understand their performance, and that of their competitors, by providing customer-focused research services such as mystery shopping,

Ann Michaels & Associates
http://www.ishopforyou.com/

From the website: For the last decade, Ann Michaels & Associates has provided solutions for companies to keep abreast of issues that affect their business, brand, and reputation. Partner with us to ensure your company's success!

Jancyn Solutions
http://www.jancyn.com/

From the website: For 30 years, Jancyn has offered the utmost in client improvement programs

JC and Associates
http://www.jcandassociates.com/jc/assoc.nsf

From the website: J.C. & Associates LLC began business in 1999, with its mission to help businesses achieve and maintain the highest levels of Customer Service and Quality.

JKS-Inc
http://www.jks-inc.com/

From the website: JKS Inc. is a consumer market research firm that keeps your business growing...by keeping your customers and finding new ones

We thank our customers, contractors, and friends...

2009-11-25T20:15:00.000-08:00

It's the big things, AND the little things that matter.

On Tuesday evening, our landlord brought our shared house a 15 pound turkey for Thanksgiving. She brings something to us ever month when she picks up her rent check - as a little "thank you". Although we appreciate the sentiment (her charming gratitude for us paying the rent..) we all had holiday plans, and everyone know what that means - 15 pounds of freezer space on a turkey that we didn't really deserve - or would ultimately appreciate, as a kind donation.

Most local DC food banks and churches places have run out of turkey donations - and yet, it was too late to do it last-minute, too - we would have had to wait for an announcement on the news for new drop-off locations. Hunger in the DC area has been high, with unemployment rates still rising.

We didn't need to have the turkey. Somebody else who needed it, did. Otherwise it would sit there until at least Christmas, so I put it in the fridge to let it defrost, and slept on it. Wednesday morning arrived and had to think fast.

I didn't have time to search down a church and get out to it - to be honest, I have a ton of things to do before tomorrow, aside from hunting down a day and a time for a last-minute turkey donation.

And then it came to me: CraigsList. You can find so very many things you need on Craig's List. And people who need things. A woman that she needed a holiday turkey desperately had posted the day before in "Stuff Wanted". She hadn't taken the ad down, so I assumed she may still be in needed, and my roomies and I agreed to call her immediately.

I told her I had a turkey she could have, and how it had actually come from our landlord, but we didn't need it. "I can drive," she said. "I can come over now if you give me the address.." She was at my door 15 minutes later, with an SUV holding a waiting, smiling son. Her name was Elsa. I handed her the heavy, cold poultry. I mumbled that it hadn't been defrosting too long, only about 15 hours, so I hoped it would work for her. She just said, "Thank you, thank you very much..." Her child, not school-aged, stuck his head out the window (there was a baby carrier in the front) who rolled down his window to smile and wave. My roommates kind of crept up behind me.

The cute little boy in the back gawked, and we gawked back, but it was friendly, and curious, a tiny last wave. I didn't learn the child's name or where they live or why they couldn't afford a turkey. I didn't have to feel a mistrust - even if you were just being frugal, a turkey is something you definitely need to save money on. I don't know the ending. I got a hug and a tiny twinge of relief that I was able to help somebody today. But it occurred to me that my optimism is definitely better when I am able to do just a small, decent thing for somebody now and then.

I believe that most people are like that, and I would really like ask you to support a cause this year. To be honest, I personally have invested much money in this business for rewards that will reap slowly. But I try to give wherever I can in whatever ways that I can, because I believe giving truly IS recieving.

This year has been a tough year for many people, and so many people are giving in so many ways, I hope you find a way to support a cause of your own this year. An amazing charity that helps women with homelessness and trauma issues, helps them get job training and recovery tools, and provides almost every tool for a healing a woman who is suffering can possibly need, is at N Street Village. If you don't have a specific charity in mind, please consider donating something (even products) to N Street Village this year.

Have a safe, warm, and Happy Thanksgiving.

-Melissa Brewer
Taking the Work from the work-at-home job hunt.

Would-Be Mystery Shoppers : Mystery Shopping Jobs

2009-11-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

We've decided to let you all in on a little secret - we've got a list we're going to publish for free on our website, but first we're going to publish it here, in small increments. (It's HUGE) Mystery shopping isn't so much as a job, it's more of a "gig", so to speak. You either get paid or reimbursed for critiquing an experience being a consumer.

Here's the first batch of places you can sign up. It's recommended that you get a separate email address for these prospective gigs, some companies inundate you with emails!

Capstone Research
http://www.capstoneresearch.com/
From the website: CAPSTONE RESEARCH is a 30+ year old marketing research organization committed to delivering quality service. Client service is our hallmark, and we strive to partner with our clients to provide information and insights in a timely manner by the most cost-effective means possible.

Certified Reports Inc
http://www.certifiedreports.com/
From the website: Certified Reports, Inc. has been providing critical intelligence at the theatre level since 1956. Since its inception, CRI has been continually developing new and innovative methods of managing and reporting data to its clients.

Check Mark Inc
http://www.checkmarkinc.com/newhome/index-flash.html
From the website: What is today's consumer looking for? A store where the personnel are friendly and knowledgeable. One where the environment provides a positive experience and excellent service.

Cirrus Marketing
http://www.cirrusmktg.com/
From the website: You need the trained eyes and ears of a professional mystery shopper, a qualified Cirrus Marketing Consultants field representative, who can help you get important feedback from the real world, to see your business as your customers see it.

CKA
http://www.ckagroup.com/
From the website: We provide the tools to make informed business decisions that improve your customers' experience AND improve your company's bottom line.

Confero Inc
http://www.conferoinc.com/
From the website: Elaine Buxton, president of Confero, Inc., (www.conferoinc.com), has announced that the national customer experience measurement firm has been recognized by Inc. magazine as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies.

Consumer Connection
http://www.consumerconnection.net/
From the website: Consumer Connection specializes in customer service evaluations and analysis.

Consumer Impressions Inc
http://www.consumerimpressions.com/
From the website: If you have received unsolicited correspondence in the US Mail that includes a check for several thousand dollars, and asks you to wire money through WESTERN UNION or MONEY GRAM, THIS IS A SCAM. Pleasew sign up with us to get mystery shopping offers.

Ath Power
http://www.athpower.com/home/
From the website: Ath Power is a full service marketing research firm providing demand-side research to banking and financial institutions. We deliver actionable data and recommendations based on the most current qualitative and quantitative analysis methods.

Coyle Hospitality Group
http://www.coylehospitality.com/
From the website: Founded in 1996, Coyle Hospitality Group is a market leader in providing mystery shopping, quality benchmarking, brand compliance, and market research services exclusively for the global hospitality industry

Check Up
https://www.checkupmarketing.com/casestudies.html

CRG Mystery Shoppers
http://www.crg2000.com/
From the website: Are you wondering why some retail chain organizations continue to flourish in spite of headlines like above? Today's successful chains never stopped funding their key competencies -- employee recruiting & training, customer service and product innovation.

Customer-1st
http://www.customer-1st.com/shopper/default.asp
From the website: Consumers rate customer service by the manner in which they are treated by employees.

Customer Perspectives
http://www.customerperspectives.com/
From the website: The secret shopping services of Customer Perspectives™ allow you to view your company's service levels through your customers' eyes

That' s the first segment of our free mystery shopping job list. We'll be posting some every day until we run out... Then we'll be compiling a FREE EBOOK on our website, LittleWhiteEbook.com.

Brighten Employment Currently Hiring Home Agents

2009-11-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

Brighten Employment is currently hiring home agents in various locations, including Michigan. These are outbound calling positions that pay an hourly rate, plus commission. You should have telemarketing/sales experience and a standard home office setup.

Learn more about this work from home employment opportunity here.

Work from Home Employers in the News

2009-11-14T22:35:00.001-08:00

Alpine Access and LiveOps make the news a lot, but it's ALWAYS good to know that they are around, and still hiring. WSAW reports: http://www.wsaw.com/money/headlines/65130652.html

Online Tutoring - a great work from home employment opportunity for moms and dads

2009-11-14T22:20:00.000-08:00

hhhhhOnline tutoring is a wonderful source of income for a stay-at-home mom. Many mothers dream of finding a way to make money at home so they don't have to put their children in daycare. Legitimate work-at-home positions are few and far between because of all the competition. Sure, there are plenty of phone jobs out there, but with noisy kids running around the house, it won't sound very professional and most companies will not allow noise in the background. Luckily, there is a growing demand for online tutors and it is strictly an computer business; no phone required.

Most online tutoring companies require their applicants to have at least a Bachelor's degree, although some require a teaching certificate as well. For women who have put their careers on hold in order to rear children, tutoring is a great way to supplement their husband's income while maintaining activity on one's resume. A background in tutoring is a plus, but not required, as it is easy enough to be trained for the position.

Typically, an online tutor will teach via an electronic whiteboard and chat session. With the whiteboard, both tutor and student are able to see each other's work and are free to draw math problems, load lesson plans and homework, etc. The chat portion of the screen is, of course, a way to speak to each other. The fact that student and tutor are not physically in the same room does pose an additional challenge to the lesson.

Some online tutoring businesses have been funded through the No Child Left Behind Act. Because of this government funding, tutoring has been made available to many at-risk, inner city children. Again, this poses another challenge, as the tutor may encounter troubled kids that don't want to be tutored at all. Tutors are instructed to be friendly and personable, but not to address any crass or rude remarks made by the students.

Online tutoring will not make anyone rich. It does, however, provide a respectable part-time income, with most companies starting at $10/hr. Certain businesses allow tutors to bid for jobs and claim their own hourly rate, with some successful tutors making as much as $50/hr. That is, however, rare. Although a stay-at-home mom may not be able to make full-time income from one tutoring company, scheduling with several different companies may be a viable option and a way to increase earnings. Either way, it can be a blessing for those wishing to stay at home and it certainly beats telemarketing.

Little White Ebook recommended by SavvyMommy.com

2008-03-09T06:35:00.000-07:00

Victoria Pericon of SavvyMommy.com recently recommended the Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs for moms looking for work from home jobs. If you are unfamiliar with Victoria's work, she's one of the top moms-businesswomen on the web, and has been featured in countless national publicications and been on hundreds of television show across the US. We sent her a review copy back in December and she's a busy woman - but we still wanted to thank her for her recommendation! Check it out.

Blue Zebra Appointment Setting is Hiring Experienced Telemarketers to Work from Home

2008-02-22T00:01:00.001-08:00

Blue Zebra is hiring experienced telemarketers to join their home-based telemarketing team. The pay is $15-$25 dollars an hour to start, with an increase after an initial probationary period. View the job listing to apply here.

Make money with your camera - a fun independent contractor job

2008-02-21T23:53:00.000-08:00

There's a growing need for contract workers to go to places and take photos of places for "cirtual tours" for busy realtors. I came across this job ad today and although it's by no means a full-time income, a virtual assistant or other freelance professional might make some spare money by being on hand.

Here's another company that hires people to take photographs for virtual tours.

Outsourcing (offshoring) as a political issue...

2008-02-21T23:36:00.000-08:00

Apparently the Democratic candidates know that outsourcing jobs overseas is a hot topic in middle America. India has taken notice of Hillary Clinton's newfound vocal opposition to offshore outsourcing, although I couldn't find any American press coverage. I will assume that India is paying attention because it will, of course, affect their economy as well.

Here's what was said in recent rallies:

Barack Obama: "We've got to stop giving tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas and invest those tax breaks in companies that are investing here in the United States of America."

Hillary Clinton "... we are going to rid the tax code of these loopholes and giveaways. We're going to stop giving a penny of your money to anybody who ships a job out of Texas, Ohio or anywhere else to another country."

Team Double Click is Hiring for Several Work at Home Positions

2008-02-21T23:22:00.000-08:00

Team Double-Click® is looking for qualified candidates for the following positions:

Real Estate Virtual Administrative Assistant - Experienced Only

Real Estate Virtual Assistant Familiar with the Asheville, NC area

Cold Caller Located in United States or Canada

Cold Caller Located in the United Kingdom

Experienced Cold Caller/Real Estate Virtual Assistant Experienced with Top Producer

Real Estate Virtual Assistant Experienced with Relay Transaction Management System

Marketing Assistant

Public Relations Virtual Assistant

Please visit the website for detailed job descriptions. If you would like to be considered, are interested, motivated, and have a great attitude, please apply today by visiting our website at www.teamdoubleclick.com. Click on the “I want to work” button and you will be taken through the interview process.

Convergys is Closing Call Centers in Canada

2008-02-21T23:17:00.001-08:00

The recent changes in the economy, specifically the US to Canadian dollar, are hitting Canadian call centers pretty hard. Convergys, a company that has standard brick and mortar call centers in Canada, and across the world, is now considering closing several of its Canadian call centers. It could be the first in a line of call center closings in Canada, as US companies can't afford to spend the money with the plummet of the US dollar.

Convergys also employs home-based agents in the US and other locations, but it remains unknown if they plan on replacing some of the Canadian jobs with virtual call centers.

Work from Home - or Anywhere

2008-02-21T23:11:00.000-08:00

If you're a freelancer or other telecommuter who is responsible for your own technology, there's a great article from Inc Magazine on different technologies to use for collaboration, maintaining computer security, and accessing your work from remote locations. Sometimes telecommuters just don't even think about all of the aspects we need to cover to work from home, so even if these services are out of your price range, you may see that there is a solution or two that you need to investigate further to beef up your technology.

LiveOps is hiring

2008-02-21T23:07:00.001-08:00

LiveOps is currently hiring agents for the following positions:

Inbound Sales
Casual Dining Orders (Food delivery) - These positions are primarily working Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Bilingual Agents
Financial Services & Insurance Industry Positions

Visit the website to learn more about becoming an independent contractor with LiveOps and their current requirements.

Homeshoring Employer Alpine Access Awarded Above and Beyond Award

2008-02-21T22:38:00.000-08:00

From TMCNet.com:

"Home agent call center service provider Alpine Access today announced that it has been honored with the “Above and Beyond” award from the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR).

The Above and Beyond award is presented in limited numbers to employers at the state and local level who are recognized as having "gone above and beyond the legal requirements for granting leave and providing support for employees serving military duty."

Home Jobs for Moms - A Guide to Choosing The Right Opportunity For Stay at Home Mothers

2008-02-20T02:22:00.000-08:00

When you are considering working from home, there is a set of decisions that must be made before anything. First, you need to know if you really have the skills and equipment to work from home. Then, you need to decide how you can put those skills to work - either through a telecommuting employer or your own business venture. There are many opportunities for working mothers to explore, especially online. Becoming a successful work from home mom is dependent on your research. Finding the right match for your skills, income expectations, and equipment is vital for a successful work from home venture.

Sometimes the best place to start a work from home career is where your last career ended. If you have done customer service in the past, there are a ton of virtual call centers such as LiveOps, West at Home, and Alpine Access that hire experienced customer service professionals and people with retail experience. When you work as a customer service agent from your home, you just need a reliable Internet connection and a working phone. Do you have experience in the hospitality industry? Some companies hire virtual concierges to schedule tasks for busy executives. Companies that hire home-based telemarketers are often looking for new workers and pay an hourly rate, with flexible schedules.

Experienced in childcare or teaching? There's a growing demand for online tutors with the right qualifications and patience to teach kids online. If none of the above seem to fit, there's always a chance to use your skills to form your own administrative assistant business. Virtual assistants are becoming widely accepted as an essential member of the virtual workforce -- and they can easily branch into new areas once they've grown a small list of clients. Usually, you need to have proficient internet skills and a comprehensive knowledge of word processing programs, as well as the ability to make and take calls from home.

If you want to start your own business, the opportunities are endless - but it will take some work and dedication. You can start with a direct sales company and sell products from an established brand to friends and neighbors. You'll be working on commission, however, so you'll need to plan your budget accordingly.

Another option for starting your own business is offering a local business such as daycare, personal assistants, or pet walking. All of these will require that you leave the house from time to time, but they can help you generate income. Just be sure to check the licensing requirements in your state before you make a decision.

If you're more of a mompreneur than anything, you may want to start an online business. Ebay stores and other retail prospects are always a good choice for moms, and there are many websites such as Work at Home Mom (WAHM.com) that have offer support and guidance for online ventures. Just make sure that you do your homework and don't get caught up in any scams pr pyramid schemes - they seem to run rampant on the internet. Many stay at home moms have found a home in the internet marketing community by directing web traffic to a website and then recommending certain products and services.

Decide first what type of job you'd like to do and then work from there. You don't have to limit yourself to one source of work from home income. Many moms take part-time telecommuting jobs while they work on building a business of their own. Don't limit yourself to what you know, take time to explore your options. Make sure you find an online community for support that you can turn to for new ideas, job leads, and guidance. There are a ton of successful work at home moms out there that love to share their expertise.

A few good forums to check into:

http://www.wahm.com

http://www.whydowork.com

http://www.wahmforums.com/

Working from Home in the News

2008-02-19T01:59:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to a great news clip out of Norfolk talking about a ton of work at home scams. it explains in a nutshell why survey scams, medical processing, and stuffing envelope companies are all similar scams that prey on unwitting consumers. They also spotlight Working Solutions as a legitimate work from home employer. Check it out.

Work from Home Computer Geeks Wanted

2008-02-18T17:02:00.000-08:00

I came across MinuteFix today - a company that will soon be providing IT-related support to consumers remotely. They are currently in beta, which makes it a great time to jump on the bandwagon. Sign up for an early invitation to become a Certified MinuteFix Technician by visiting the website and filling out the form. It looks like their technical requirements aren't terribly stringent.

Homeshoring Company Affiliated Computer Services acquires German company

2008-02-18T03:18:00.000-08:00

BPO (Businss Process Outsourcing) services provider Affiliated Computer Services is acquiring SDS Business Services from Waterland Private Equity Investments for approximately $67m. SDS will continue to be managed by its existing executive team, and will add approximately 160 employees to ACS's Europe workforce.

Details (admittedly, boring details aimed at stockholders) are here... But the bottom line is, if you are looking for work for virtual call center job in Europe, try after the deal closes in March. ACS hires people to work from home around the world.

Team Double Click expands services to nonprofit sector

2008-02-18T03:09:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard of Team Double Click, they are one of the largest companies employing virtual assistants in the world. They place administrative professionals with businesses and handle the contracts and logistics. They also employ virtual personnel to handle customer service calls, answering services, and do telemarketing from home.

Team Double Click's virtual assistants go through a rigorous screening and testing process before receiving work, and they currently have a pool of over 34,000 trained professionals to choose from.

Hopefully, by expanding their virtual services to a new industry, more of those professionals will be able to get work from them, and work from home.

Esurance and Working Solutions in the News

2008-02-18T01:47:00.000-08:00

There's a nice writeup in the Argus Leader Media - News today about how Esurance is employing people is Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Esurance currently employs 100 employees that work from home, and their shift schedules are self-designed.

They also speak with Nedra Harris, of Working Solutions, about the homeshoring model and the companies that aren't quite ready to adapt to the virtual call center model.

Check it out more about working from home in South Dakota here.

American Kidney Fund Pickup is Hiring Work from Home Telemarketers in Georgia

2008-02-17T17:41:00.000-08:00

AKF Pickup is currently hiring people to schedule pickups from home in the Atlanta area. They don't pay per hour - rather, they pay per scheduled pickup. They provide you with all the information and training and pay $2.50 per scheduled pickup of donated goods. They DO pay via direct deposit an provide all training, call lists, and scripts .

Visit their website to apply.

APAC is hiring work from home customer service in Green Bay, Wisconsin

2008-02-17T17:10:00.001-08:00

APAC Customer Service is hiring for both their on-site call center and work from home positions in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are a W-2 employer and offer benefits after a certain probationary period. You can find out more about the company and current openings here.

Is Amerisave a legitimate work from home employer? Or a scam?

2008-02-17T16:45:00.001-08:00

I thought I would bring this up, since Amerisave tends to advertise a LOT on the various employment websites. And we've been updating our spreadsheets today.

We chose not to list them in our homeshoring employment directory because we don't really like the way the word their ads and don't feel that they are exactly honest about Amerisave - it's more of a business opportunity than a job. The positions we've investigated are actually commission-based - they're not salaried jobs, you're not paid a base. And yes, if you qualify (after earning a certain amount) you can qualify for benefits.

We're not saying you can't earn money working for them, we just don't feel comfortable with commission-only jobs as a viable career option. Maybe somebody who works for Amerisave can step up to the plate? If you're out there, let us know.

Convergys, homeshoring employer, is hiring in Omaha, Nebraska

2008-02-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

Just a heads-up, Convergys is hiring and advertising on Monster.com

I didn't notice this before, but apparently they hire employees age 16 and up - so this could actually be a good opportunity for a younger person or college student to work from home as well.

Right now, they are specifically hiring in Nebraska. They have other positions as well, but the one in Nebraska seems to be an immediate need. Click here to apply.

Telephone Outsourcing

2008-02-17T16:35:00.001-08:00

Here's a cute clip from a Youtuber who's obviously tired of calling customer service and getting somebody overseas. She must feel strongly enough about it - she created a video. (It's Sunday, watch it, have a little fun. )

Guest Article: How To Use Outsourcing And Virtual Assistants With These 3 Main Areas Of Business

2008-02-17T16:09:00.000-08:00

This guest article by Diane Barnum is meant for businesses - but if you are interested in virtual assistant work, you'll find her to be a knowledgeable lady about how businesses are utilizing virtual assistants to save money and time.

Guest Article: How To Use Outsourcing And Virtual Assistants With These 3 Main Areas Of Business

By: Diana Barnum

The contracting of Virtual Assistants (VA) is the next big step for allowing businesses to cut costs while operating in an efficient manner. And companies like Moving Ahead Communications are bringing affordable outsourcing through their Virtual Assistant Plus programs, changing the face of outsourcing as we know it.

A Virtual Assistant provides any combination of tasks including administrative, technical and
even creative services to their clients, acting as an independent contractor. They work from their own offices, cutting out the costs of office space, operations costs and employment taxes, all of which usually fall to the responsibility of the employer. However, this type of outsourcing allows businesses to reduce expenses and redirect certain tasks to Virtual Assistant so that key employees can focus of vital responsibilities.

Research

Research is a vital aspect of marketing and valuable time can be wasted within a company by employees who do not have the training and skills to conduct efficient research or who are tasked with multiple duties where research is a fraction of their responsibilities. By outsourcing a Virtual Assistant to utilize research tools such as those offered by eBay, and Best Sellers at Amazon.com, and do nothing but research, a company can maximize its efficiency and stay ahead of the game.

Google Adwords and Adsense tools can be outsourced to a Virtual Assistant which means that there are no distractions stemming from other responsibilities. With this type of focus, a company can get very timely information on their market, what people are searching for and what they want to buy. When the VA delivers the information in real time, companies can get a jump on the competition. In marketing, timing is everything. It is imperative that a company receive up to the minute information on their target market, what is moving and what is losing ground. An employee who is torn between research and a dozen other tasks can not give this vital assignment the time and attention that is needs to keep the company at top notch competitive status.

Product Creation

While research tells a company how to fulfill the 4 P's of marketing, Product, Price, Place (distribution) and Promotion, the product is what generates the profit. Many products can be constructed by Virtual Assistants. Videos and EBooks are two prime examples of products that a business can outsource the majority of the creation process. Virtual assistants can even offer a service or a product on demand where specs are provided. For instance, an eBook company can take requests from clients. The company can then turn around and contract the Virtual Assistant to write the eBook to spec.

Other products may not necessarily be sold for profit, but may be use to attract customers and drive traffic to the company so that they will be exposed to the actual product. Autoresponders and various website visitor freebie give-aways like free eBooks can also fall into the category of products even though they will not directly contribute to the company's profit margin. Ecourses are another popular product that can be a free offering from the company or one of its products used for profit.

Sales & Marketing

A product can be top of the line, something that everyone needs or wants, but it does no good if no one ever sees it - if there is no promotion. A Virtual Assistant can be outsourced to conduct various aspects of the marketing process such as design and create websites, set up and manage affiliate programs, conduct the company's online campaign and do various other sales and marketing tasks. Article marketing and blogging are both very popular and very effective methods of marketing. The Virtual Assistant can focus all energies on the marketing process, attending to details that may normally be ignored or missed by employees who are tasked with a variety of responsibilities.

The Virtual Assistant can focus solely on driving relevant traffic to the company's website and can draw interested eyes to the product. They can help to increase the company's website ranking in the search engines. They can perform many duties including direct sales and sales calls. There are many options for promotion like ezines and newsletters, do social networking and email campaigns. The experts at Moving Ahead Communications can devise a plan for any business and any form of marketing campaign.

By outsourcing vital tasks to Virtual Assistants, businesses can delegate non core operations to experts that exist outside of the business. Moving Ahead Communications is breaking ground in providing businesses of any size a one stop shop for outsourcing through Virtual Assistants. From administrative duties, press releases, copywriting and marketing, to web content, auto responders and other tasks, Moving Ahead Communications meets the needs of businesses where it counts and they allow those businesses to utilize outsourcing and Virtual Assistants through three primary areas of business, research, product creation and sales and marketing, thus cutting costs and increasing efficiency and production.

About the Author:

Check out the popular virtual assistant programs at: http://www.movingaheadmemberships.com/members.html and sign up for a free newsletter & Top Tips at http://www.movingaheadcommunications.com/ecourses.html

West at Home releases environmental impact statistics for telecommuters

2008-02-17T04:23:00.000-08:00

Admittedly, it's self-serving, but at the same time, frighteningly clear - West at Home employs several thousand work at home call center agents. And they're really helping the envirnment. According to Fox Business News, West's home-based employees prevented an estimated 17,000 metric tons of air pollution from reaching the earth's atmosphere in 2007. West at Home agents also reduced gasoline consumption by more than 2 million gallons and saved approximately $22.9 million in commuting expenses.

When you think about the thousands of people NOT telecommuting, it's a scary thought. Telecommuting drastically reduces our carbon footprint. And it makes a lot of people happier. And it saves gas...

I would love to see more statistics like this from other homeshoring companies.

Hiring a Virtual Assistant - the work, the need, and the business

2008-02-17T01:19:00.001-08:00

Hiring a virtual assistant is fast becoming a need for the busy entrepreneur, small business owner and person on the run. With the advent of new technologies and ways of doing business, the VA is here to help you on your way.

Virtual assistants are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use technology to deliver services to clients globally. Most work from their home offices and receive their project instructions by phone, fax, e-mail or even instant message. Many virtual assistants offer secretarial services, marketing, graphic and Web design, IT support or even translations are becoming more common.

Clients are most likely to hire virtual assistants to save money. Virtual assistants pay for their own equipment, taxes, training, healthcare and insurance. Industries most often hiring virtual assistants include the real estate, insurance, financial services, accounting, legal, engineering and large corporations as well as small business owners to reduce financial constraints while building a business.

Clients benefit from:
* No Overhead
* Minimal investment
* No long term commitment
* No multiple vendors
* No hidden costs
* No hiring and payroll headaches

Working virtually is especially powerful for many reasons:

Giving work to a Virtual Assistant gives back time and space for an abundance of other things, which may include:
* Growing a business
* Doing just the work you love
* Spending more time with family and friends
* More balance in life

Virtual Assistants will manage all the services that your business requires. Some of the more common services offered are:

* Business and Personal Services
- Word Processing
- Photography
- Desktop Publishing
- Ad Campaign Management
- Personal Assistance - errands, scheduling, reminders
- Database Management
- Corporate and Personal Travel Services
- Corporate Event and Party Planning
- Copywriting - News articles, blog, press releases
- Promotion Products search
- PowerPoint Presentations
- PDF Conversions
- Consulting - Home Based Business

* Design and Site Marketing
- Link Building Campaigns
- URL submissions
- News Articles/Blogs
- Web Design and Marketing
- Website Page Content
- Commercial Photography Services
- Photo Enhancing and animation

* Other Services
- Mapping Services - Digitizing, GIS (Geographical
- Information Systems) and AutoCad

Work at Home Reservations Agents - a Growing Trend

2008-02-17T00:33:00.001-08:00

How many times have you wished that there was a work at home opportunity for an entry-level office job applicant? Do you daydream about the time you would save each day if you didn't have to make that commute to work? Do you wish you didn’t have to dress up to attend that lame morning “pep talk” during your first cup of coffee?

You’re in luck – the times are changing. Many men and women across the country have changed career paths – and their lives, by cashing in on the latest trend in the travel and tourism industry – homeshoring. For reservation agents that work-at-home, the commute is simply moving from one room to another to start their day. It’s happening on a regular basis in the time (and sometimes cash) strapped travel and tourism industry, and most of these companies provide local training before their employees take their virtual jobs home.

Companies that hire homeshoring workers in these industries provide a full course of paid training. If you're looking for a work-at-home opportunity, and have a home office complete with computer, Internet connection, and a second phone line, then you may be able to find employment as a reservation agent with airlines such as Jet Blue, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, or hotel chains such as Outrigger Hotels, Marriot Global Reservations, or Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.

JetBlue’s virtual opportunities set the homeshoring trend.

Jet Blue, who started their work-at-home program during the company's infancy, quickly saw a 25% increase in productivity once employees were allowed to work from home. It is for this reason the company continues to hire work-at-home reservation agents today and why so many other companies are following their example.

In an effort to control the costs of operating traditional call centers, many US-based companies have created programs that allow employees to work-at-home instead. As a result, fewer jobs are being outsourced to countries like India and Mexico. Because most US customers would rather speak to someone whose native language is English, these companies feel they are providing better customer service in addition to providing jobs to those in the US. It’s also easier for them to schedule people during peak hours when the weather’s bad – an essential component for an industry whose reputation is at stake during the holiday season.

Currently, there are about 112,000 people working from home as customer service representatives (reservation agents, telesales, insurance agents, etc.). By 2010, this number is expected to increase to about 330,000.

Jet Blue Airlines is a success story because the company has always relied on work-at-home employees to help Jet Blue customers book reservations and answer their questions or complaints about flights and airline policies. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Jet Blue Airlines employs over 1,200 reservation agents who work locally.

In fact, many of the companies who hire people to work from home expect them to work locally so they can be contacted quickly to work extra shifts or to cover shift changes. Some companies even provide additional space in their home offices for employees to complete their shift if employees are having technical difficulties with home office equipment.

Looking for an opportunity as a virtual reservation agent?

To become a virtual agent, you may need to have prior customer service experience or you may receive on-the-job training in a nearby facility. Depending on the company, you may have the option to work part-time or full-time, you may have to work weekends and holidays, and you may be asked to cover additional shifts when necessary.

When researching possible virtual opportunities, finding companies that are within driving distance is important because many companies require that you be able to commute for on-site training. Paid training is usually provided. Keep in mind that you may be responsible for finding your own health benefits, however, as some companies do not provide health coverage for those who work from home.

Job duties vary based on the services provided by the company, but for many virtual reservation agent opportunities, you should be able to research flights, hotel room availability, make recommendations to customers about travel, quote accurate prices, input reservation data, send verifications, and answer most questions or address complaints that customers have.

The income level you can earn for most of these virtual opportunities will vary based on company criteria. Most jobs start between $7.50-$10.00 with salary differentials given on weekends and holidays. All paid employees reap the benefits of the travel industry, such as free and discounted travel, as well as qualify for standard benefits after a certain probationary period.

Although salaries tend to be on the lower end of the spectrum, home based reservations agents save, on average, up to $4000.00 on their commuting expenses alone. Not sure you can take a salary cut? Add up the cost savings of wardrobe, daycare, and eating out for lunch – and you’ll see there’s a lot more take home pay in the home-based reservation agent model. And don’t forget that you can often write off your job-related expenses in your taxes.

In the end, most employees find working from home, especially in a job that can be stressful at times, allows them to remain focused, relaxed, and gives them more time to spend with family or to pursue other interests.

Telecommuting is good for people & the places they work

2008-02-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

A recent (late 2007) study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology that shows clear facts about the benefits of telecommuting. Pennsylvania State University conducted an extensive review of 46 studies on the subject featuring 12,883 employees.

They found that telecommuting helps staff and employers in the following ways:

1. Telecommuters feel more in control of their time and environment.
2. Increased work-life balance that allos more time for family roles.
3. Better supervisor-staff relationships. This one may be surprising to some - Supervisors who have less opportunity may contact them more and have longer and better quality conversations. Staff that works from home may also seek the supervisor out to update him or her regularly.
4. Less stress and more job satisfaction. Nixing the commute and ditching the culture and politics of the regular office world makes workers happier.
5. Increased loyalty and employee retention. Being happier makes employees more loyal.
6. Increased productivity. Because employees are more loyal, they want to do a good job.

Read more about the study on telecommuting here.

MetLife sends their Indianapolis call center home

2008-02-16T00:39:00.000-08:00

A new trend seems to be following call center closings - the call center closes, but the employees keep their jobs. MetLife, of Indianapolis, IN has closed the call center to save money. However, the are converting their call center jobs to virtual call center jobs. Which means, in the future, they will be hiring more people to work from home.

Cool, huh? You can read more about it in the IndyStar.

Is Work at Home Agent a Scam? (i.e. west at home)

2008-02-14T22:02:00.000-08:00

Somebody emailed me about West at Home today, asking if it is a legitimate opportunity. Yes, it is just that - an opportunity. West hires independent contractors, not employees. West at Home Agents are paid per minute of talk time - some people are comfortable with that, while others aren't - if you're squeamish about a part time income, paid by the minute, then West may not be the opportunity for you.

Here's a bit of the information we've profiled on West from the Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs:

West at Home / Work at Home Agent / West TeleServices

Scheduling: Depending on client projects that you work - some people work up to 100 hours a week. Available shifts are posted by West. It is up to the contractor to monitor the schedule and pick up hours they want to work.

Training/Experience: Training is unpaid and provided for every client project you work on.

Compensation: Pay rate is usually in "talk time", which means by the minute. The per minute rate can range from .17c to .30c a minute. A Full Time (30-40hr) contractor could expect to make $200-500 a week depending on call volume. West At Home employees are paid on a biweekly basis and Direct Deposit and/or Pay Card options are available immediately

Employment Page: http://apply.westathome.com/
Main Page: http://www.westathome.com
Yahoo Group for Agents: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/WestWorkAtHomeAgents/
WAHM Forum for West: http://www.wahm.com/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=84

Homeshoring Company Hiring in Raleigh, North Carolina

2008-02-14T20:42:00.000-08:00

We just came across a call center that's based in North Carolina, and currently hiring.

RTI International plans to double the size of its Raleigh Call Center, adding nearly 600 employees.

Expanding the call center is necessary to handle interviewing requirements for the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), which RTI is conducting for the U.S. Department of Education. The NPSAS work will entail more than 200,000 hours of interviewing and tracing over a six-month period.

The call center will contract about 600 additional temporary workers to fill all the additional interviewing seats, including 100 remote interviewers working from home via RTI's Virtual Call Center infrastructure.

"The call center's growth will give RTI extra capacity for taking on additional large interviewing projects in the future," Richard Heman-Ackah, RTI's director of Call Center Services.

If you're interested in applying with this company, visit Green Resources and scroll down to "Telephone Interviewers Click Here".

Work at Home and Easy Money Scams

2008-02-14T20:39:00.000-08:00

We've set our Google alerts to send us daily information on working from home. Mostly, this floods our inbox with junk. Which is really not cool, but comes with the territory. I tend to burn the midnight oil when doing work for LittleWhiteEbook, so usually, around the time the clock strikes midnight, my inbox starts to flood.

"Make 5000 a week working from home"... "Work from home for just five minutes a day!" - these are the typical ads that get delivered to me. Mostly, the claims of easy money come with an earnings disclaimer - saying basically, if you're not smart/a hard worker/ dedicated, they can't guarantee you'll make anything. That's in the very find print at the bottom of a sales ad. That's so, if you buy their system, you'll feel bad/undedicated/or basically like a failure. (And they're betting on this so that you don't ask for a refund.)

Is there a such thing as easy money? Really?

Here's my take on it.

I live near the DMV here in Washington DC, and in the summer, a lot of men and women go up to the Giant grocery store, buy a cold 24 pack of water, and stake out a spot on a median strip. This is usually when they go sell it in the 90-some degree weather. Technically, you could call that easy money. But you still have to weather the heat and deal with the police if you don't have a vendor's license. The need is immediate, though, so these minipreneurs make some quick, easy cash, and then go home. They pay about 5.00 for each crate of water and then sell the water at two bucks a pop.

On the web, however, people take their time making decisions. Nobody will buy from you simply on request. You can't get website traffic without some sort of effort - either time or money. And in the end, you still have to offer something of value.

Nobody is going to pay you $5000.00 a week to "type simple ads". If they did, I would be typing for them right now instead of typing this blog. And so would the guys who write those sales letters. Trust me on this. Usually, these kinds of scams are Adwords and Adsense-related "systems" - but they don't tell you that until you've paid them some big bucks. Suddenly, that "work from home job" has become an Adwords "scheme".

There's no such thing as "easy money" - there's always some sort of work involved. Easy money can be had sitting in place, selling water - but you still have to buy the water, find a spot, and weather the heat. You probably have to defend your territory on that, too.

You can set up an online store but you (or somebody) still has to work at getting you some traffic.

Work always comes before money. That's a good thing to remember when you're searching for legitimate jobs online.

Psst... The Little White Ebook of Virtual Assistant / Admin Jobs

2008-02-13T02:57:00.000-08:00

First of all, if you want to get an EXCLUSIVE great deal on BOTH The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs and The Little White Ebook of Virtual Admin Jobs in the next week, jump on our email list now.

If you are a member of the media or a blogger, and would like to review either ebook, email melissa at littlewhiteebook.com

And if you just want to see the super-secret sneak preview, with over 70 employers that hire work from home administrative professionals, download it below. You're the first to set eyes on it - and we're doing the final edit as I type this.

Free Virtual Career Training & Support for Military Spouses

2008-02-12T22:10:00.000-08:00

There are a couple of great companies out there that provide support, services, and career matching for military spouses that want to work from home. While they primarily focus on helping miltary spouses learn to start their own virtual enterprises, the training they give is worth hundreds of dollars, and the support they give is priceless with their online communities.

VSS CyberOffice

Military Spouse Virtual Assistants

Home Base USA

We applaud these companies - please let us know if you hear of any more like them!

Little White Ebook Update - it's HUGE

2008-02-11T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs is now a HUGE 243 pages. And we've learned the alphabet as well, so all of the companies are in order :-) We've also moved the Canadian-only companies to a new section and created a section for companies that give preference to vets, military spouses, and persons with disabilities.

There are now 198 businesses listed in the Little White Ebook, and some major players are currently hiring - including Convergys and Alpine Access. Many of the companies tagged in red as "NEW" currently have openings so if you're still job-hunting, you may want to jump right to those pages.

Just a few names we've added to the Little White Ebook this update are: Dow Jones, Alaska Airlines, AccountNow, Ascend One, Esurance, and Hilton Reservations.

First Call Marketing - a Scam?

2008-02-10T16:52:00.000-08:00

Maybe not a scam - but a trick. The job is "making outbound calls to consumers interested in business opportunities." Be wary! There is no website for them, and they are based in Overland Park, Kansas... Just like NHCD...And Global Homesourcing.... Who we revealed as a scam here.

Work at home scam reviewers wanted

2008-02-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

Work at home scam? Or work at home opportunity?

If you're arriving at this blog to investigate an online company that claims you can make money from home, and you're interested in finding out if it's a scam - well, we can't afford to buy the product for you. And we're kinda busy with our own stuff....

But our friends at I've Tried That have a great offer for those that don't want to fork over any hard earned cash... They're offering to take up the cost in exchange for an honest review. And if it turns out that the company in question is NOT a scam, you can pay them back cuz you're making money.
See the post on investigating business opportunity scams here.

GlobalHomeshoring.com - scam?

2008-02-04T21:17:00.000-08:00

We haven't added them to the book yet, but we wanted to let everyone know that this company has complaints from ex-employees as far away as India and as close to home as Kansas. It's actually a front for the National Health Care Discounts - which is pretty much a company that recruits people to sell "health discount plans". And they have a really lousy reputation on RipOff Report - including complaints about not getting paid and running off with people's money.

Homesourcing

Offshoring clinical trials - welcome to 2008

2008-02-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

It almost seems like an ethical nightmare when companies are considering offshoring so many vitally American business processes, such as when the Orlando Sentinel wanted to send our journalism overseas.

What about offshoring clinical trials? I am sure that there are many ethics involved in that one. I'm not a doctor, I'll admit, but I did once work in a company that marketed clinical research trials to American doctors. I signed a confidentiality on that one, but from my short-lived perspective, many pharmaceutical companies were, well, desperate to get doctors to test their products on patients. It wasn't pretty and I was relieved when that temporary assignment was over.

Does this scare anybody else? 10% of the trials listed at Clinicaltrials.org, out of the 50,000 of clinical trials currently underway - are being tried outside North America, typically in western Europe and Japan. On top of that, ClinicalTrials.org is the website that our government uses to do clinical testing. Creepy, anyone? There's a really long article about the trend of companies like GlaxoSmithKline transfer of clinical trials overseas at the Financial Times, but you have to register to get access to it. It's interesting to note that some big corporations don't see it as a problem - in fact, they may even see it as a solution to the prying eyes of the FDA and the regulations that slow down the drug approval process... Which they view as an unnecessary evil...

Telecommuting in the state of Washington

2008-02-04T19:38:00.000-08:00

There's an interesting blog entry with some responses from people that telecommute in North Kitsap, Washington. One of the respondants works from home for Alaska Airlines as a reservations specialist. Her name's Mary Crawford. She sings the benefits of working from home: reclaiming four hours of her day by not commuting, saving money on gas, and getting sleep back. Another woman works from home as a medical transcriptionist and names a few local companies that employ telecommuters. Apparently, there's a bill out in Seattle supporting a new telecommuting initiative. And a lot of local employers over there see the benefits already. Read the whole article on telecommuting in Washington State over here.

Homeshoring is the outsourcing of American Jobs, to Americans (or whatever country you live in)

2008-02-04T17:50:00.001-08:00

In America right now, we're facing economic fears and the looming idea of a recession.

There's been a lot of talk about the outsourcing of American jobs by the media and the political world. When candidates talk about outsourcing, they are typically referring to offshoring, but not the outsourcing industry that employs Americans. How come there hasn't been any talk of homesourcing?

It's a legitimate question. We're thinking it could be sheer ignorance... Homeshoring seems to be talked about more on the web, mostly in terms of the capabilities of VOIP technology and social media. Homeshoring companies use forums, chat rooms, webinars, and some other "fancy" stuff to connect their employees to a job online.

If you think about it, it's really amazing and hard to imagine that this could be the future of call centers. It's a fantastic solution for turnover rates in the customer service industry - something that brings consumers to spend more money. Customer service workers that don't have to succumb to the strange dynamics of a call center are a lot less grumpy. If you've ever worked for a traditional call center, you'll know what I'm talking about.

I worked at a call center when I was 20 years old, in one of those "get in a line" cubicles, where you shared headsets with an anonymous night crew member. We had to have log out of our computers on timed bathroom breaks. We were monitored all the time. We got yelled at by people on the phone all day, and we did the best we could to fix their problems - or sell them something. And our company meetings? They handed out prizes --- which was pretty much the best part of the job. We were eligible for raffles if we bothered to show up for the monthly team meeting. People quit all the time, and moved on to another company that we heard didn't "suck as bad". Customer service is a stressful industry. (And for a while, I took 240+ calls a day, and won a prize for it... A piece of paper with my name... 5+ ratings... Whoo-hoo!)

The actual setup of a call center is demeaning, at least depending on the pay. No offense to the customer service industry - but sometimes you feel like a caged animal in a mill. I always had a cold or the flu, just like my coworkers due to the shared headsets. There was always leftover coffee in the breakroom from some other shift. (You'd forget that it had been sitting there for 8 hours.) The call center crew was an interesting mix of people - we all had different reasons for working there. For the younger ones of us, the pay was good. But the truth was that a lot of people had kids, and child support, and few skills...or someone in their family they had to care for. Some people were alcoholics. Some people had to go to school at night and work all day. We even had a few people that were in the US on school visas to learn IT skills - and take them home to Pakistan.

We all stayed because we needed the money. Many of us were miserable at work. And misery spread easily when raises were halted (yup, telecom industry recession) and work reviews meant nothing. We complained a lot to eachother in the bathrooms. We provided lousy service sometimes. I knew somebody who pretended that I was the supervisor so we didn't have to escalate calls and possibly get in trouble. We had a system to know if we were being monitored and we got away with a lot more. We were all also busy writing our resumes and praying to work for these new internet companies - AOL was hiring smart people who were stuck in cruddy jobs and paying a lot more money. Northern Virginia was booming with jobs that people had never heard of - "forum managers" and and some of us had skills enough to pursue them. The web industry was booming.

Well, now it seems the telecom industry has caught up with the internet. They have their own technology to improve relationships with customers and make more money for corporate America. They're employing people who need jobs -- and learning how to treat them well. Sure, the pay itsn't the greatest, but the rewards are sound. Telecommuting give people more time with their families, reduces CO2 emissions, and improves employee loyalty. Many people that work for companies like Alpine Access and LiveOps sing their praises. (And yes, others have some valid complaints...Such as the instability of getting paid per call, rather than per hour.)

Homeshoring is a real economic trend that our Presidential candidates should be embracing -- and creating ways to encourage. If larger companies continue to follow the trend, it will actually help our environment, help moms and dads spend time with their families, and give caregivers and the disabled some added relief. It keeps jobs in the US and puts money in people's pockets that don't always have the ability to make money.

Marriot call centers consolidate & send more workers home

2008-01-26T05:32:00.000-08:00

Marriot may be closing its Salt Lake City call center, but they're hiring home-based workers to pick up the slack. Marriott has been working with a virtual call center for a while now, but they are now restructuring to catch up with technology. People just aren't making as many phone calls with the internet being so widespread, and they don't need huge call centers anymore.

Employees were laid off, which is unfortunate, but Marriott says they will be giving former employees priority for the new work-at-home positions. There's an article about it in the Deseret Morning News.

Homeshoring Company Hiring in Canada - Rural Ex

2008-01-26T05:07:00.000-08:00

It's an exciting time for homeshoring - everywhere. It seems that new companies are popping up all over - especially in Canada. RuralEx, a new teleservices provider in Saskatoon, actually has based its whole model on homeshoring.

"Weber is planning to tap into a somewhat forgotten workforce with the launch of his new company. The entrepreneur believes the work from home services provided by RuralEx, such as technical support, outbound marketing and market research, will appeal to stay-at-home parents, the recently retired, rural workers reluctant to travel for work and people with mobility challenges. Starting with 25 out-of-office positions, Weber hopes to expand his in-home workforce to 100 employees by the end of the year..."

There's an article on the business venture here. And a link to current openings here.

UK homeshoring news

2008-01-24T05:31:00.000-08:00

Good news for people that want to work from home in the UK - several companies have finished their pilot programs and are migrating to the homeshoring model.

"Accelerate Nottingham and Connecting Bristol and- technology programmes supporting their respective councils - are using the idea of home and flexible working to create employment in call centres for disenfranchised members of their communities, they told attendees of the Mobile and Flexible Working in the Public Sector conference in London yesterday."

Read more about these new UK homeshoring opportunities here.

News, News, News - and an apology

2008-01-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

First, the news.... We're really aching to get our hands on the newspaper articles that are circulating about The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs - so if you happened onto our website from somewhere in North Dakota, please let us know! From what we understand, the community newspapers that published the articles don't have websites, so the only way to get a copy is to ask our readers! We'll make it worth your while, I promise!

We are also running another contest - this time alongside I've Tried That. You can win a copy of our ebook and theirs by registering and participating in their forum. It's worth it, especially if you hate all those work from home scams and "systems". They have a loyal following with MyPowerMall refugees that always makes for interesting reading - funny stuff, but kind of shows how the online Amway crowd works.

Finally, we are behind on just about everything, including emails and phone calls. Michael is out of town but will be back in town shortly to help me sort through it all. We've gotten a lot of press recently and it's hard to keep up! So, please be patient, if you emailed with a question, we'll get to you before next Monday. (When I got to an email sent by a reporter at CNN that had somehow landed in my spambox, I almost had a heart attack. So, please, please be patient. As of now, we are still a two-person operation with a small freelance staff, and sleep deprivation makes us kind of loopy...)

Thanks!

Great video! Scam-proof!

2008-01-20T21:22:00.000-08:00

This YouTube video is a great spoof of all the "online systems" that "teach you" how to get paid to read emails, blogs, and, well, all the other crap that you could easily learn on your own. Don't you love it when you come across a sales pitch with vague descriptions of what you'll get, a long list of bonuses, and claims that don't even really make any sense? "Gabe and Max's Internet Thing" will make your day.

A link to a long list of work from home telecommuting jobs

2008-01-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

I know there are a lot of websites with lists like this - but we came across this one from Persistant Sue that's just been updated. Keep in mind that this list is unsorted and each company offers various home based positions. You'll want to do your research before applying. Enjoy!

Interesting information about the homeshoring model

2008-01-17T02:41:00.000-08:00

We came across a term paper that traces the origins of homeshoring back to its roots at JetBlue Airways.

It provides an interesting perspective and look into JetBlue's hiring and training practices, especially if you are interested in applying for one of their home-based jobs.

Offshoring the NEWS?

2008-01-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard the controversy, here's a story about it. Basically, the Miami Herald was going to ship its copyediting and other pre-production processes overseas in an effort to save some cash.

When are we send too much offshore? How would you feel about your daily being print and run in a country overseas?

Shouldn't American news be American news?

Hilton reservations move their call center employees home

2008-01-16T17:27:00.000-08:00

Hilton Reservations, based in Illinois, is closing its call center. But that doesn't mean the people that work there are out of a job.

Workers have the option of keeping their jobs and becoming a part of the virtual workforce.

To smooth the transitions for their workers, Hilton will provide $250 and an allowance for high-speed Internet service to allow employees to work from their homes. Pay rates will not change.

600 people across the US work for Hilton Reservations taking phone calls from their home. The call center in Illiois closing reflects their dedication to the new virtual call center model.

Here's more information about the Illinois call center.

Virtual Assistant Blog Hopping :-) ebook

2008-01-16T02:00:00.000-08:00

There's a fun new ebook out that should be a great resource for small business owners and others interested in the virtual assisting businesses. Sharon Williams, a professional VA, spent 45 days "blog hopping" - answering questions from people around the world. She's turned the Q & A into an Ebook.

2007 Virtual Assistant Blog Hopping and Podcast Tour hits the virtual shelves this week.

The new eBook recounts Williams' virtual 45-day trip around the Internet as she visited different blogs and podcasts, responding to 200+ questions about the Virtual Assistant Industry and its annual online convention. She stopped in Australia, Canada, the US, England and other countries, virtually, providing insight regarding the industry's history, technology trends, benefits of working with VAs -- anything blog readers and podcast listeners wanted to know about one of the fastest growing home-based businesses of the 21st century.

A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an entrepreneur providing administrative and other business support services to business owners, remotely. "Savvy small business owners as well as overworked and overwhelmed solopreneurs can now delegate back office, mundane and non-income generating tasks to more than 20,000 work-from-home admin. specialists, while they concentrate on responsibilities that fuel their passion."

Many participants were interested in learning how to build a successful VA practice. Others wanted answers to questions, such as, "Isn't working with a VA more expensive than hiring an employee?"; and, "How can I be confident that a VA who specializes in my industry won't share my business ideas with other clients?" Ms. Williams used the tour to respond to these and similar inquiries from emerging, aspiring and veteran VAs as well as Web-based business owners.

The tour was, and will continue to be an opportunity to educate executives and entrepreneurs about the advantages of working with VAs," states Ms. Williams. It covers many topics including pricing, promotion, marketing, networking, niches, branding -- just about any topic a small business owner and/or VA would be interested in exploring about the virtual assistance industry.

Sounds like a fun project with some interesting insight. Go check it out.

Outsourcing, Offshoring and Homeshoring

2008-01-16T01:46:00.001-08:00

A new study by Brown-Wilson Group came out today regarding people's political preferences and beliefs about offshoring and outsourcing, revealing that offshore outsourcing would be a key decision factor in selecting their 2008 presidential candidate.

"Of the 3,000 Democrats, more than half (55%) of voters see offshore outsourcing as unpatriotic, a significant decrease from October 2004 when 93.9% of voting Democrats felt offshoring was anti-American. In the Super Tuesday collection of states, 84% of Democrats believe offshore outsourcing is unpatriotic. Less than 7.9% of Republicans viewed offshoring as unpatriotic in 2004 and 6.5% in 2008."

People apparently have a bit of difficulty defining the difference between offshoring and outsourcing. (Homesourcing and homeshoring are not words that are actually used in the article, which may be a part of the confusion.)

If you're unsure about the differences between these terms, here's the difference:

Outsourcing is the act of paying somebody, who does not work as a W-2 employee for your business, to complete a task. Virtual assistants, home-based telemarketers, and countless other contractors fulfill this task.

Offshoring is the act of moving these same types of functions overseas, to foreign workers, in countries where the labor is typically less expensive.

Homeshoring or homesourcing is the act of outsourcing these types of functions within your own country, typically to telecommuting personnel or independent contractors.

It's a shame that the word "homeshoring" is not used in these study results. Especially since the press release mentions public dissatisfaction with the views of the candidates. Homeshoring creates options for a whole other workforce, is environmentally friendly, and is considered to be an economical alternative that can help companies grow their businesses.

It would be really cool to hear some of the current presidential candidates give some praise to companies like LiveOps, Working Solutions, and Alpine Access. They're truly innovative businesses that are helping Americans keep their jobs no matter what their physical constraints. Homeshoring is one of the "most patriotic" outsourcing models around. When is the media and the government going to sit up and take notice? It would be nice to hear about tax breaks for some of these innovative employers.

Homeshoring company Alpine Access is hiring in tennessee

2008-01-15T19:13:00.001-08:00

Alpine Access has announced that they will be hiring 100 new agents in the state of Tennessee. They're a great company to get started working from home with - they hire W-2 employees, not independent contractors. Visit their website to apply for one of these virtual positions.

Here's the link: Alpine Access

Global outsourcing to grow 8.1 % in 2008

2008-01-15T18:50:00.000-08:00

But we're not sure if that's a good thing. Gartner says that it's mostly outsourcing to India and other countries. However, as companies becoming dissatisfied with the negative consequences of outsourcing, expect homeshoring to take off even more.

Many of the comopanies we've profiled plan on hiring additional workers in 2008, and we're sure that's a trend that will continue for a while.

Updates coming soon

2008-01-08T15:01:00.000-08:00

We're hitting the 200 company mark for The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs. A new release will be out this Friday. we're excited - and you should be, too! And next week, The Little White Ebook of Admin jobs will be sent to ClickBank for final approval. Hooray!

Homeshoring in Canada

2008-01-04T22:00:00.000-08:00

A new company is hiring in what is apparently considered a rural area - Thunder Bay.

The article on it definitely reflects a local flavor. "The Conference Board of Canada may not think Thunder Bay is an attractive city for investment but his company begs to differ and has major expansion goals. Telantek plans to expand into the region over the next couple of years, hiring close to 200 employees." So, I guess if you happen to know somebody in the Thunder Bay area, there's a new employer in town and you can work from home. :-)

SUPERWAHM Contest, and interesting information on LiveOps.

2008-01-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

We've partnered with SuperWAHM.net to sponsor a giveaway...go visit the blog to learn how to win a free copy of The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs.

In an article about LiveOps in today's Houston Chronicle, there's an interesting story about a few women in Georgia are suing because they believe that they are employees and entitled to a minimum hourly wage. (LiveOps pays by the minute, not the hour and all employees are independent contractors.)

It will be interesting to see how this case plays out. On one hand, it could mean higher wages for home-based contractors. On another, it could mean more companies will be reluctant to hire home-based agents in the future for fear of being sued.

Unless your employer is a discriminating or demeaning jerk, I have also thought it was better to find a new job then haggle for something they weren't able or willing to give.

If you're not making enough money, it's a great time to find a new job. And there are plenty of other work from home opportunities out there.

It's a Wonderful Job

2008-01-02T08:13:00.000-08:00

Award-winning national columnist, Dane Dauten, created an ebook for the unemployed. Nobody wanted to pubkish it because they swore the unemployed have no money. Hos solution? He converted it to an audio book and an ebook and lets folks download it for free from his website.

Need some inspiration in your job hunt? Get It's a Wonderful Job. It's free right here.

Top goal for 2008: Balancing Work and Life

2007-12-28T07:08:00.000-08:00

The Phoenix Business Journal reports on a survey from Beyond.com, "Fifty-seven percent of those polled by the Pennsylvania-based operator of career and employment sites, reported they would most like to achieve a healthy work/life balance, followed by furthering education (18 percent), staying organized (16 percent) and improving workplace relationships (10 percent)."

So, what does that really mean? A healthy work-life balance can mean any of the following:

You want more time with your family and friends
You want to worry less about your time in the office
You want more time to pursue non-work related goals
You want more of a life, period!

Working from home isn't always the ultimate solution to a healthy work-life balance - but it can help you get there. While a pay cut may be in order if you take an entry-level telecommuting job, you'll nix the commute, gas, and related expenses of traveling to a brick and mortar job. And if an emergency comes up, like the basement flooding or the sitter calling in sick, you'll be right where you're needed - at home.

Work-life balance also goes hand in hand with a need for financial stability. If your income doesn't make ends meet, you'll still be fretting over debt or childcare related expenses.

However, a work from job can afford you something precious - a little more time to find another source of income, a little more time to start your dream business or finish up school, and a little more time living the live you want to live most.

The Best Virtual Jobs for Moms

2007-12-28T04:58:00.000-08:00

If you're a stay-at-home mom, a virtual job can help you find that balance between raising a family and earning a steady income. Moms who want to contribute financially to their family while taking care of their children can find work as virtual assistants, customer service representatives and telemarketers. Home-based positions tend to be more flexible and allow you to create a schedule around the schedule of other activities.

Working from Home

In order to work from home, you need to be able to dedicate enough hours each day to complete a shift or accomplish all daily tasks required. If you have small children, you may need to hire a babysitter or consider daycare options so you aren't distracted during your shift. Many companies have specific criteria that require employees to work in a quiet environment in order to better serve their customers.

For most work-at-home jobs, you will need a computer, Internet connection, dedicated phone line, and other items including a printer, fax machine, or transcription equipment. When applying for a virtual position, you should ask if special equipment will be needed. You may have to attend on-site training for a week or longer to learn how to use special equipment or to learn more about the company's customer service procedures.

Types of Virtual Jobs Available

Depending on the job experiences and training you already having, obtaining a work from home position may be easier than you think. Virtual secretary jobs are best for those who have worked in business administration or those who have typing and other office skills. You can start your own virtual assisting business, or you can work for a virtual assisting service. Common job tasks include typing documents, transcription, email monitoring, meeting planning, event planning, and maintaining business calendars. You may also be asked to edit reports and other documents, create spreadsheets, or update web pages.

Work-from-home customer service positions require prior customer service experience in many cases. Because you will be answering customer questions, taking reservations, and processing orders, you need to have excellent typing and data entry skills. You should also be able to talk to customers easily and be able to problem solve quickly in order to maintain quality customer service. If you enjoy helping others and are able to maintain a professional demeanor in any situation, this position may be for you.

At-home telemarketing positions are best for those who feel comfortable speaking with others and selling goods and services over the phone. Some companies prefer hiring employees that have sales or telemarketing experience, but others are willing to train the right people.

Other virtual positions include appointment setting, reservation services, concierge services, and help desk services.

Where to Find Virtual Jobs

There are many places to look when trying to find a virtual job. Paid online classifieds (and a few free classified sites like Craigslist), job boards, and company websites are some of the best places to look. If you're interested in starting a virtual assistant service, you should ask former employers, former co-workers, place an ad in trade newspapers or local newspapers, and join a small business group in order to meet people who may be in need of your services.

Is it a job? or is it an "opportunity" ? read the earnings disclaimer

2007-12-27T06:43:00.000-08:00

We've found a great shortcut to investigating those companies that are charging for "work from home" information. It's simple and it's easy.

Companies that tell you that you can make $100-1000 per day, working from home are usually selling you something (and it's not an hourly wage.)

They know they're in danger of being sued. They have to cover their butts.

Hence, the "earnings disclaimer". This may appear as a tiny link a the bottom of a long sales letter. But it's not to be ignored.

Jobs, and job directories, have no need for an earnings disclaimer. They tell you how much you'll be paid if you get the job.

If you're afraid of being scammed, check out the "earnings disclaimer" of your potential opportunity. It will tell you how the results aren't typical. Some earnings disclaimers put an even better spin on it: "MONETARY AND INCOME RESULTS ARE BASED ON MANY FACTORS. WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW WELL YOU WILL DO, AS WE DO NOT KNOW YOU, YOUR BACKGROUND, YOUR WORK ETHIC, OR YOUR BUSINESS SKILLS OR PRACTICES" say a few of these "cash cow" type websites.

Ugh. While there are many websites out there with earnings disclaimers that may be legitimate business opportunities - it's a sure-fire scam when the companies goes from "guaranteed" on their sales letter page, to " It's your fault if you don't make money - we don't know you, so we can't guarantee anything!"

If you feel like laughing at outlandish claims of riches, and then reading about how they can't really guaranttee you'll make a penny, browse Google for some interesting earnings disclaimers.

I've Tried That tries "The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs"

2007-12-26T06:30:00.001-08:00

If you're not familiar with I've Tried That, it's a fantastic blog dedicated to online programs and scam-busting. So, they tried The Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs. Here's what they think.

A thought as the new year approaches

2007-12-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

In prepping for the New Year, we've decided to post some video motivation for those seeking to change their career, job and life in 2008. The Motivator has some great things to say about what to do if you are unhappy about your current job situation.

Some thoughts for the holiday season... Work and life balance

2007-12-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays to all! We hope everyone is safe and warm this holiday and had the time to get the things done that they wanted to.

There's an excellent article in The Lakeland Ledger about the strides that have been made in workforce flexibility in the past year.

If you own a business or have a position where your input is valued in HR issues, we highly suggest you consider ways to make your business more family-friendly in the upcoming year. Whether you choose to allow employees to work from home, offer flextime, or create a childcare program, there's always a way to create more value and loyalty with the people who make your business a success. If you think that the best way to do this is to host an annual company picnic, then it's time to reevaluate your employee retention strategies. Technology has caught up with the desire for true work-life balance - with VOIP and other telecommuting tools, it's easy and cost-effective to allow your employees more options for productivity.

Happy families make happy employees. And sometimes vice versa. It's important to remember the reasons people have jobs - so that they can afford to live the best life possible.

Work at Home Assembly Scams

2007-12-20T10:38:00.000-08:00

It's nice to know when somebody makes a living off of work-from-home scams, they're actually prosecuted when they're caught. National Home Assemblers made 3 MILLION dollars off of people who wanted to work from home. Now they're going to prison.

The article is the Houston Chronicle and it gives a lot of insight into how those "assembly work from home" scams are run. Pay a ton of fees, buy the sample product, pay to ship it, then the assembly company rejects it because it's not up to their standards.

The Gadgitech Reviews the Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs

2007-12-19T20:39:00.001-08:00

Ignotius - smells like a scam

2007-12-19T07:58:00.000-08:00

Never pay anything up front for a work at home job - especially if you're really just paying for a CD!

Ignotius offers a work from home "homeshoring opportunity" - but first, you have to order their "training cd" to learn how to work from home. (They talk about answering the phone, medical transcription, etc - all which are very very different occupations and require completely different training.)

Ignotius's BBB Reliability Report - F

They have a logo for the Association of Teleservices International on the website - and they're not a member. The clients they list all have invalid telephone numbers and they actually own and host the domain for one of the websites.

Cute that they say "October 2nd, 2007 Quan's Rockin Sushi becomes our 100th client since opening. We will be servicing their guest-list line, info line and complaint line." and the phone number is simply out of service. They must be doing a hell of a job.

Don't give them your money! And warn others if they ask

Working from Home is Healthier

2007-12-18T21:06:00.000-08:00

That's according to a study conducted by the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

That's a good thing. It's also healthier for the bottom line for many companies.

Let's hope this moves us toward more telework programs in the future.

Stay at Home Moms Easy Prey for Scams :-(

2007-12-18T20:54:00.000-08:00

Scamming stay-at-home moms seems to be the norm. We think these individuals are scum.

Moms are desperate to balance their family and work situations and often become easy prey to evil con artists. It's even worse when unknowing moms get caught up in federal investigations!

Consumer Affairs has published their top 10 Scams of 2007. Of course, work-from-home schemes take a big slice of the pie.

If you've been scammed by somebody regarding work from home employment, please get in touch with us. Send us your (brief) story. We'll make sure you get a free copy of one of our products in the future.

A few more homeshoring employers - including one for military spouses

2007-12-18T19:46:00.000-08:00

We've decided we're going to just post the new employers we come across in our blog until they are added to our ebook, to make life simpler. Keep in mind, you'll have to do your own research.

Home Base USA is a work-from-home call center employer that employs military spouses
PinPoint Select is a staffing firm that recruits for an (anonymous) virtual call center
Tele-Pros is a virtual call center specializing in lead generation and telemarketing

Oh, and Alpine Access is hiring work from home agents in Pennsylvania.

Work from Home Moms - in Pakistan

2007-12-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting news tidbit we came across today.

80% of Pakastani's work from home. That's right - 80% of the workforce. But that's not all.

"Surprisingly, 50 per cent of those HBWs are women, whereas, out of 50 million HBWs in the South Asia, 65 per cent consist of females."

Although this is a monumental trend, home-based workers aren't really considered employees, and don't have the same pay as office workers. (Think: sweat shop in your own living room...) Luckily, they're fighting for change. Read the whole article here.

The Top 10 Virtual Job Picks for 2008

2007-12-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

We've released a free report on virtual jobs to be on the lookout for in 2008. It's 12 pages profiling real work-at-home positions, typical salaries, and a few (OK, 50) companies that are already hiring for these types of virtual positions.

We've also got some additions coming up in the January release of the Little White Ebook of Homeshoring Jobs.

We haven't done the research yet - so please, if you're looking for a virtual call center job,
be sure to check the Ripoff Report and the BBB before you apply.

A few new homeshoring companies we'll be profiling:

What we're working on right now

2007-12-11T17:02:00.000-08:00

We've got a few great ebooks coming out for the New Year. The Little White Ebook of Virtual Admin Jobs and the Little White Ebook of Virtual Teaching Jobs are coming out in January. We also have two FREE, secret ebook in the works - aiming for around Christmas.

Welcome to our Blog

2007-12-11T16:54:00.000-08:00

We created it to talk about homeshoring, work at home jobs, and our cool products. We'll also be letting you know when some of the employers in our eBook are hiring- so stay tuned :-)