legitimate Internet jobs
Sieg Holle
'I Want a Real Home-Based Job. Who's Hiring Now?'
Chris Durst and Michael Haaren
As holiday expenses loom and the "jobless recovery" grinds on, many people are interested in home-based work and need it asap.
Here's a sampling of the larger job leads we've seen recently, out of the 4,500 to 5,000 positions that we screen weekly. Keep in mind that there's a high demand for legitimate home-based work and openings fill quickly, so these positions may or may not be filled by the time you read this. (If a job has been taken, bookmark the site and check back often, as these employers recruit regularly.)
MYSTERY SHOPPERS
Although the sector is rightly famous for scams, legitimate mystery shopping jobs do exist. (If you're new to the field, mystery shoppers are compensated to purchase goods or services and then report on the experience.) Here are two legitimate employers who have been recruiting recently:
-- Market Force Information, Inc. (MFI): MFI often recruits mystery shoppers across the U.S. and in Canada for various "shops" or mystery shopper assignments. Unfortunately, as their website notes, MFI has also been the target of scammers, who use its name on bogus checks. For details on current openings and to learn more about the scam, see their site at http://www.marketforce.com.
-- RitterAssociates: Like MFI, RitterAssociates recruits mystery shoppers in both the U.S. and Canada. For details, see http://www.ritterassociates.com/become-shopper.html.
HOME-BASED CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS
Known as the "homeshoring" movement, call centers now hire home-based agents to handle incoming calls from such clients as Eddie Bauer and Harry & David. Agents are also hired to provide consumer technical support. Pay ranges from $9 to $25 per hour.
Requirements generally include customer service (or technical support) experience and a quiet home office, with a landline telephone and high-speed Internet connection.
Companies that have been recently recruiting include:
-- Arise: Arise recently announced that it's looking for 6,000 agents. The company contracts with agents as independent contractors across the U.S. and in Europe. For details, visit http://www.arise.com.
-- Convergys: Convergys has been recruiting agents to serve as "Gift Advisers" for helping Harry & David customers. Agents are hired as employees and benefits include paid training. For more, see http://careers.convergysworkathome.com.
-- LiveOps: Like Arise, LiveOps hires agents as independent contractors. The company notes that most of their clients' calls are inbound, where a caller is responding to an offer on TV or in an ad. "Some clients offer outbound calls, customer service, casual dining orders and lead generation." For details, visit http://www.liveops.com.
-- Support.com: Support.com hires home-based agents in the U.S. and Canada to provide technical support. Agents are hired as employees and benefits include health care and a 401(k). "We are looking for talented technicians who love fixing technology problems," the company says. For more information, see http://bit.ly/gJrp3W.
-- VIPdesk: VIPdesk hires agents in the U.S. and Canada to assist with clients like Eddie Bauer. Agents are hired as employees and benefits include health insurance and a 401(k). For details, see http://www.vipdesk.com/info.
"SMORGASBORD JOBS"
Although many people are still unaware of it, the Web has spawned a wide range of home-based work and continues to do so. Here's a quick look at diverse leads we've seen recently:
-- TaskRabbit: TaskRabbit has been recruiting "runners" in Boston and San Francisco to run errands for customers. The company says it's expanding to other locations, and tasks can also be "virtual." For more information, see http://www.taskrabbit.com.
-- Lionbridge: Lionbridge hires Internet Judges to "rate websites based on an objective set of guidelines." For details, visit http://bit.ly/h9wzW8.
Christine Durst and Michael Haaren are leaders in the work-at-home movement and advocates of de-rat-raced living. Their latest book is "Work at Home Now," a guide to finding home-based jobs. They offer additional guidance on finding home-based work at www.RatRaceRebellion.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2010 BY STAFFCENTRIX, DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM
--
Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoede...@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -