A Couple of Quitters » WFH Opps

Lionbridge Now Recruiting Work-From-Home Consultants

Tammy — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:34:02 +0000

Many of our readers are looking for a good way to make the transition from the “Rat Race” to doing some kind of work from home. Quitting your “9-to-5″ can be a scary leap of faith if you don’t have an alternate source of steady income lined up. That’s why I want to tell you about a work-from-home opportunity that could very well be just what you’ve been looking for to make that move. What I’m going to fill you in on today is a legitimate work-from-home job that pays well, allows you to set your own hours, and doesn’t require you to sell anything or answer phones. If you’re thinking “too good to be true,” I get it. I was scammed by “work from home opportunities” more times than I care to mention before I found this company. However, I can tell you this one’s legit because I’ve been working for Lionbridge as an Internet Assessor for over a year now. If this is the type of opportunity you’ve been looking for, this is a great time to apply for a position with Lionbridge because they have recently stepped up their recruiting efforts and also created a new work from home position. Read on for all the details.

Is Lionbridge a Legitimate Company?

This should probably be the first question you ask about any work-from-home opportunity you’re considering. Let’s face it, there are a lot of scams on the internet and it can sometimes be hard to recognize the “real thing” when you see it. Here are a few things you should look for when you’re checking into any work from home job:

A legit company will more than likely have a professional internet presence, and a professional-looking website
A legit company will have clear contact information on their website
The company’s website should provide a pretty clear idea of who they are and what they do for their customers
The hiring process should “feel” like a hiring process. In other words, be concerned if you see instructions to simply send an email containing your personal info and start working.
Beware of hype. Most of the scams I’ve seen make some pretty outrageous claims of how much money you will make in “just 30 minutes each day” or some similar hype.
A legitimate work-from-home opportunity will not cost you anything to apply. Think about it. If you went to a local brick-and-mortar employer to fill out an application, and they asked for a $150 fee up front, you’d grab your purse and run, right? Just because you’re looking online doesn’t mean you should abandon your common sense. Simply put, a legitimate employer will do things you would expect a legitimate employer to do.

With these things in mind, I encourage you to spend some time checking out the Lionbridge website, which should reassure you that you’re dealing with a legitimate company.

What Work-From-Home Jobs Does Lionbridge Have Available?

Lionbridge currently has nine work-from-home positions. I don’t know how many workers they’re hiring right now. However, I was recently in touch with a recruiter who informed me that the most in-demand jobs at the moment are for the Internet Assessor Program and the newly created role of Social Media Search Consultant. Those links will take you to the job description page for each of these positions. Here are a few quick facts about these 2 positions:

These positions pay $14.50/hour
Both are independent contractor positions, which means you will not be an employee of Lionbridge. They will not deduct taxes from your pay for you, and you are not eligible for employee benefits.
Both positions require you to work a minimum of 10 hours/week, and a maximum of 20 hours/week, dependent on task availability. Since December, 2009 when I started working for Lionbridge, there have been three or four occasions when I logged into the system to work, and there was no work available at the time (several hours later there was work available again). There have also been numerous times when I have been notified that I could work more than 20 hours/week because of high volumes of work. At these times, there is often a monetary bonus offered for doing additional work. But typically, you should count on working between 10 and 20 hours per week.
Both positions allow you to set your own schedule.

Qualifications and Skills Needed to Work for Lionbridge

Obviously, you need a computer to do these jobs since all your work will be done via internet.

Here are the requirements for the Internet Assessors Program, which are listed on the job description page.

The skill set for this job is not high-tech, candidates need to be familiar with browsing the internet, be able to read and write fluent English, and have high-speed access to internet. Specifically:

Reading and writing in English is a mandatory requirement for program participation
Proof of English competency in some locales will be requested, e.g. English Certificate
For cultural and historical awareness purposes, you must be resident in the country for 5 consecutive years
You should be familiar with using both Internet browsers and content, and have access to a computer with a high-speed internet connection
You need to be motivated to apply your knowledge in a way that improves the browsing experience on the Web
You must be a mature person capable of managing your time to spend 10-20 hours per week in rating various online services and software
You can be a college student, teacher, retired person, on-line shopper, stay-at-home parent or professional from any field

For the Social Media Search Consultant role:

Fluency in written and verbal English
Preferred level of education/certification – Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent)
Regular user of Twitter and Gmail with a Google Profile
Familiarity with Google products is an advantage
Access to and use of a broadband internet connection and associated computer and software to perform the work, all provided at your own expense
Experience in use of web browsers to navigate and interact with a variety of content
Time Management Skills
Proficient with Microsoft Office applications
A legal resident of the United States for the last 5 consecutive years

[source: Lionbridge Social Media Search Consultant page]

From my own experience, I can tell you that you’ll need to be familiar with tabbed browsing, searching the internet quickly and effectively, and a good dose of common sense wouldn’t hurt, either. You’ll also need to have knowledge of popular American culture. The tasks you’ll be performing aren’t rocket science, but Lionbridge does set quality standards and you will be expected to do quality work in a timely manner. They do provide training and guidelines, which you’ll get a taste of during the application process. So, you’re probably wondering exactly how the application process works, right?

How to Apply for a Job With Lionbridge

Like any other job application, you should be prepared to make a good first impression. You will need the typical information like your name, address, phone number, a five-year work history, and your education details. You will have the opportunity to provide a resume, but it’s not required. Here are the steps in the process:

Read the job descriptions and decide which position you’d like to apply for. Again, the most in-demand positions right now are for the Internet Assessors Program and the Social Media Search Consultant.
On each job description page, you’ll find instructions for applying along with a link which will take you to the Lionbridge recruitment application wizard. You will go through the application wizard, providing all the information you would typically furnish for a job application.
Once you submit your application, it will be reviewed by the Lionbridge team. If you’ve included everything in your application, and are approved for the next step, you’ll be notified via email that you can take the online assessment. You’ll receive specifics of the exam from Lionbridge once you’re considered suitable for the role you’ve applied for. Basically you’ll be given instructions and guidelines which you’ll need to become familiar with before taking the exam. The exam will have you doing tasks similar to those you would be doing if hired. You have five days to complete the exam. I highly recommend you give yourself plenty of time to study the guidelines and complete the exam. You must pass the exam in order to be hired.

That’s it. Once you’ve completed your exam, it will be reviewed and you’ll get an email letting you know whether or not you passed. If so, you’ll begin the “onboarding” process similar to training you’d receive as a new employee on a “9-to-5″ job.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve written posts about Lionbridge in the past, and there seem to be some questions that come up often. I’ll address the most common ones here. If you still have questions, please post them in the comments section.

Can I apply for more than one position? Yes. You can apply for more than one position, however you will only be hired for one position. You can typically only work in one “role” or position.
Can my husband, wife, poodle, goldfish, etc. also work for Lionbridge? Nope. Only one person per household can work for Lionbridge.
What will my hours be? Make sure you read the job description of the position you’re interested in. As an independent contractor in the Internet Assessor Program, I set my own schedule. I am expected to work a minimum of 10 hours/week and I’m usually allowed to work a maximum of 20 hours/week. My daily schedule is up to me. I work whenever I want to work.
Can I take time off? Yes. Once you’ve been hired, you’ll have access to a portal where you’ll log in when you work. From there, you’ll also be able to report periods of time when you won’t be available for work. This is not paid vacation; you only get paid for the time you work.
How (and how often) will I get paid? You will report your time using an online “time-sheet” application. Once your time is reviewed and approved you’ll be paid via direct deposit once per month. I have never had any issues with payment.
Are there any full-time positions available? Lionbridge does not have any full-time work from home positions at this time.
Why is there a number “10″ in the word L10NBRIDGE? Well, look how observant you are! The numeronym “L10N” is used for the word “localization,” which is a service on which Lionbridge has based its success. You can read more about Localization Services on their website.

I’ve enjoyed working for Lionbridge for over a year now. Overall, it’s pretty much perfect for what I’m trying to accomplish. It gives me a steady income, allows me to work from home and set my own hours, and the work is usually pretty interesting and often even fun (imagine that…I just used “work” and “fun” in the same sentence!) Are there drawbacks? Of course, and this isn’t the right fit for everyone. If you absolutely have to have employer-provided insurance, for example, this may not work for you. If you’re looking for a way to transition from the “Rat Race” to a work-from-home lifestyle, then this may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Let us know if you apply for a position at Lionbridge, we’d love to hear how it goes for you!

Work From Home Opportunity: Lionbridge

Tammy — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 13:28:08 +0000

If you’ve been looking for a way to make money from home on the internet, Lionbridge has several work-from-home opportunities you should check out. The positions they are actively recruiting for are Internet Assessor, Internet Judge (US only), Labeling Editor (US only), and BT Segmentation Editor. I can vouch for the company’s legitimacy, because I know someone who recently started working for Lionbridge, and I am in the process of testing for one of these positions myself. Of course, my ultimate goal is to work from home and be my own boss. But, until that happens, I figure if I have to work for someone else I may as well do it from home in my PJ’s while drinking way too much coffee. Read on for more information about these positions.

Lionbridge Internet Assessors Program

An Internet Assessor is also known as a “rater.” Brief Job Description: “The Rater role involves evaluating results of a web search, for appropriateness to search query input. Participants will be required to provide their opinion of the result displayed based on a set of guidelines we provide.” Basically, you rate a given landing page based on its relevancy to the search query.

Hours & Pay: The hours are flexible, you work the hours you want to work. They ask that you be available for a minimum of 10 hours/week, and the maximum is 20 hours per week unless you are authorized to work more hours on a project. This position pays $14.50 per hour.

Availability: Lionbridge just recently started recruiting for this position in the US again. They are also actively recruiting for this position in many other countries.

This is the position I am currently testing for. If you apply for this position, be aware that it is an Independent Contractor position. You will not be an employee of Lionbridge, and you will not be eligible for insurance benefits, etc. More info about the job and countries they’re recruiting for are available on the Lionbridge Internet Assessor Program website.

Lionbridge Labeling Editor (US Only)

Brief Job Description: “This is a work from home position requiring attentive and motivated individuals. It involves labeling websites based on given criteria. The successful candidate will work within a web-based application comparing user search engine queries and advertiser keywords with website landing pages. The Labeling Editor must judge the relevancy and relationship between the query, keyword, ad snippets on the page and the page itself.”

Hours & Pay: Listed as “Part time – Regular.” 10-20 hours per week. Although the pay rate is not listed on the job description page, a friend who was recently hired in this position informs me the pay rate is $14 per hour. Again, once you apply for a position you will receive an email with more detailed information.

This position is hired as an employee of Lionbridge, and you will be eligible for benefits after a trial work period. You can find more information about this position on the Labeling Editor website.

Lionbridge Internet Judge (US Only)

Brief Job Description: “As an Internet Judge you will be a key participant in helping determine the relevance of search engines. We are looking for Internet Judges who would work from home review, and rate websites based on an objective set of guidelines. Candidates must be avid internet enthusiasts.”

Hours & Pay: Listed as “Part time – Regular.” “This position is a regular part time work and candidate must be able to commit to 20 hours a week (depending on availability of work) working at least four hours a day between the hours of 7am to 9pm your local time zone.” The pay isn’t listed for this position. From my experience, once you apply for the position you will receive an email with a more detailed job description and pay rate.

For more information about this position, see the Internet Judge website.

Lionbridge BT Segmentation Editor

Brief Job Description: “The Segmentation Editor supports online advertising products by building query segments that in turn train search algorithms used by the search engine. Candidates will work with the Behavioral Targeting analyst team to learn and use various user segmentation tools…This is a regular part-time work-from-home position requiring attentive, decisive and motivated individuals who can learn quickly and adapt to changing guidelines.”

Special Requirements: Applicants must be based in the greater Seattle and metropolitan area and must be fluent in English; both written and verbal. Candidates must be familiar with the culture, history, and current affairs of Australia. This is a major requirement of the program as the work you will be involved in will require an extensive knowledge of the Australian market.

More information about this position is available on the BT Segmentation Editor site.

For all Lionbridge positions, make sure you read the requirements and qualifications before you apply. I’ll post an update once I’ve completed the testing process.

Work From Home Opportunity: Transcriptionist/Typist

Tammy — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:33:18 +0000

Let me start by telling you what this post is NOT about. If you’ve spent any time at all scouring the internet for work-from-home opportunities, then you’ve probably run across something like this at least 53 times:

How would you like to make an extra $1,000 every day for simply typing a few lines? Everybody else’s program is a big fat scam, but if you pay me $29.99 you’ll have access to the real deal. We’ll send you a special password to our super-secret members only area, and then you’ll be super-special and super-rich by the end of next week. Really. You can trust me because I’m super rich. I mean, from typing jobs, not from suckers people paying me $29.99 to find out about my scam unique program. Just look at these really nifty Photoshopped images of my paychecks below.

You get the idea. Don’t freak out yet, there are legitimate opportunities to make money typing from home (hang on, I’ll get to that in a sec). What’s the deal with the ads like the one above? Basically, it’s affiliate marketing at it’s worst. You’ll more than likely be told to sign up for any and all affiliate programs and products you can find, and then spend hours a day typing ads for those products and spamming every conceivable nook and cranny of the internet with your ads. Typically, it involves typing up a bunch of short text ads and plastering those ads all over free ad sites like Craigslist, and spamming the comments section of other people’s blogs. This is not my idea of a legitimate work from home typing opportunity. This is NOT what this post is about.

A Note About Comment Spam: If I write a post about my poor 90-year old grandma getting run over by a John Deere tractor and losing both legs and a pinky finger, and you leave a comment like this:

“Wow, cool post. I really enjoyed reading it. You should check this out: [insert your completely unrelated affiliate link here]”

Then you’re guilty of comment spam. Don’t spam my blog post with your ads. If you do, I’ll delete your comment faster than … something really fast. Ok, ‘nuff said. Let’s move on to the real, legitimate, super-duper Typing thingamajigger.

What Does a Transcriptionist Do?

If you’re a transcriptionist, you’ll find yourself listening to some sort of spoken media and typing what you hear. You’ll be creating a text document (a transcript) of the file. Transcription work generally falls into one of three very broad categories: 1) Medical Transcription, 2) Legal Transcription, and 3) Everything Else. The first two often require some specialized training, education, experience, or a combination of the three. Why? Because people in the medical and legal fields don’t like to speak in plain English and it takes training, education, or experience to figure out what the hell they’re saying. If you’re just starting out, your best bet will probably be “general transcription,” which falls into that “Everything Else” category. In future posts, I’ll cover Medical and Legal transcription. But, for today we’ll focus on General Transcription.

General Transcription – The “What”

What type of work you do will depend on what services the company offers its clients. So, when you’re comparing potential employers, look for a listing of those services. Some companies specialize in financial transcription (from earnings conferences). If that would bore you to tears, best to move on and keep looking. Here are some other examples of what you could be transcribing:

Business Conferences
Lectures
Police Reports
Speeches
Press Conferences
Recorded conversations or interviews

General Transcription – The “How”

How you will access the files you’re transcribing will vary depending on the employer. Some use .WAV files, some will use other formats. Some might require you to log into their system in order to hear the recordings, or download them to your computer. Many transcription companies will require you to have a certain transcription software program that you’ll use for your transcription work. You may also need a headset and a foot pedal. The foot pedal is used in conjunction with the software program to pause, rewind, and play the audio, keeping your hands free for typing. The faster you can transcribe, the more money you’ll make, so the foot pedal is a worthy investment, even if your employer doesn’t require it. Make sure to check the employer’s website to see what equipment and/or software is required to work for them. Here are some common tools of the trade:

Express Scribe – Free transcription software program
TheRecord Player – another free one
StartStop Universal- $99 for software only. Packages including a foot pedal: $189-$219.
StartStop PowerPlay – $175 for software only. $249 for packages with a foot pedal.
Foot Pedal for Computer USB Port – $79

General Transcription – The “Who”

Here’s a list of some companies that hire work-at-home transcriptionists for general transcription work. I specifically tried to list the ones that look like they may not require prior transcribing experience. I’m sure there are more, so if none of these tickle your fancy, you can put Google to work and scour the internet. If you have one to add to the list, have experience with any of these, or have questions, feel free to comment! I applied for an entry-level typist job at Mountain West Processing on March 14th. I haven’t heard from them after 2 weeks. They say it may take up to a month to respond to applications. I’ll post an update when I hear from them.

General Transcription – How Much Can You Earn?

Could you work at home as a transcriptionist and make enough money to live off of? It’s entirely possible, and a lot of folks are already doing it. Will you become a millionaire and retire to Fiji doing this kind of work? Probably not. Of course, a lot depends on how many hours you want to work and what company you work for. Different companies have different pay systems. Here’s an example. SpeakWrite pays 1/2 cent per word transcribed. The more words you get on the page in an hour, the higher your hourly pay will be [By the way, at the time of this writing (3/29/09) SpeakWrite is not hiring]. Mountain West has a different pay system. They pay per audio minute. Pay per audio minute is determined by how many minutes of voice audio you transcribe, regardless of how long it takes you to get it done. So, if the pay is .35/audio minute and you get 60 minutes of audio to transcribe, you’re going to make $21.00 (.35 x 60) whether it takes you two hours or 5 hours to do the job. Regardless of how the company pays, one thing is clear: The faster and more accurately you type, the better these job will pay. Which is why it would be worth your time to improve your skills…

Tips to Biggify Your Skills

Download Express Scribe (free) and practice transcribing any audio files you can get your ears on. You could use audio books or podcasts to get your feet wet. Here are some actual earnings conference calls you can use as well: Audio clips
If you’re sure you’re going to pursue this line of work, go ahead and buy a foot pedal and start practicing with it. It really does increase your speed tremendously! If you’re still on the fence, consider getting the pedal anyway and trying it out. If you change your mind later, you’ll have no problem selling the pedal on eBay.
Practice your typing. Remember, it’s not just speed – but also accuracy and efficiency – that will put the most bucks in your pocket. It’s been a while since I used any kind of typing software program, but when I was taking a Medical Transcription course (that story later), I used IMSI Turbo Typing and I highly recommend it. It increased my speed and accuracy dramatically and was worth a lot more than the cost (less than 4 bucks).
Get more familiar with Microsoft Word. One of the secrets of the highest-earning transcriptionists is that they know how to kick Word’s ass and make it behave like they want it to. Keyboard shortcuts and macros are two of the things you should add to your skill set to make your transcription work more efficient. An excellent resource that I was turned on to (again while learning Medical Transcription) was The Medical Transcriptionist’s Guide to Microsoft Word®: Make It Your Own. It’s written by a certified MT and marketed to medical transcriptionists, but the book is worth its weight in gold to anyone doing any type of transcription work.

Enough reading. Get out there and make your mark. Compare the companies you’re interested in, check their requirements, improve your skills, and put your best foot forward. We’ll be waiting for you to let us know how super-awesome and successful you become! Good luck all over ya.

Work From Home Call Center Agent: Update

Tammy — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:05:25 +0000

Convergys update:

A while back I posted a review about working from home as a call center agent, and gave you a list of nifty links to a bunch of companies that hire work from home agents. One of them was Convergys.

According to a recent article in The Colorado Springs Gazette, Convergys is looking to expand its home agent program. They’re hoping to recruit 2,000 more work-at-home call center agents this year. So, if you’ve been on the fence thinking about trying out this type of opportunity, now might be a great time to give it a go!

Read the full article from The Colorado Springs Gazette HERE.

Work From Home Opportunity: Website Usability Tester

Tammy — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 15:53:24 +0000

Just wanted to pass along some information about another WFH opportunity I found recently. This one seems fairly easy and straightforward. Read more to find out how you could make $10 in about 20 minutes, testing clients’ websites.

What you do as a Usability Tester

The website hiring for this position is UserTesting.com. They would assign you to visit a client’s website, and you would be given a task to complete on that website. When you visit the website, you run a software program (free download from UserTesting.com) that records your screen as you surf and also records your voice. You are to “think out loud” as you complete your task, providing the client with feedback about your experience using the website. The client is looking for feedback related to how easy the site is to navigate, whether or not it’s user-friendly, etc. You record a 10-15 minute “movie” of your experience with the website, and then fill out a short form (4 questions) about your experience.

What it Pays

$10.00 for each website you test, paid via PayPal.

What You Need to Know

To apply for the Usability Tester position, you will need to download and install the screen recorder software and record a demo using a mock assignment. You’ll need a microphone. During the installation of the software, your microphone will be tested and adjusted.

There are demos on the website so you can see what they’re looking for. You’ll find a demo of a usability test and a sample of the written review HERE

You probably won’t make your first million with this opportunity, but it might be a fun way to fill up your gas tank once in a while. From the website: “[Our Users] normally participate in studies very infrequently because we have more users in our database than we have work opportunities. This is important so they remain like a typical Internet user.”

The tests you’ll be assigned to may be dependent on demographics. When you sign up, you’ll be asked for your demographic information. Some clients will only want 30-40-year-old males to test their sites, for example.

If you’re interested in this one, I’d recommend reading the FAQs on the website to get a good feel for what’s expected of you.

Interested?

I applied for this one this weekend. When and if I ever get an assignment from them, I’ll post an update.

To apply to be a usability tester, go HERE.

The site is also looking to hire for positions of Marketer and Developer. The details given don’t specifically say that these are telecommute positions, but I think it’d be worth asking about if you’re interested. Details on those jobs are HERE.

Good luck, and let us know if you have any success!

Work From Home Opportunity: Call Center Agent

Tammy — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 00:42:52 +0000

I’m looking for legitimate work at home opportunities to review for Quitters, and I’ve been spending a lot of time lately researching various types of work that can be done from home. As I dig up information that I think you might be interested in, I’ll pass along whatever I’ve found and maybe one of these opportunities will be a good fit for you. Please jump in with comments if you have experience with this type of work, or any information about a particular company that might be hiring, etc. In this post I review information about working from home as a call center agent. I’ll fill you in on what kind of work is involved, earning potential, and what to consider when you’re comparing employers. I’ll also give you links to 16 companies that hire work-at-home call center agents.

Who Hires Call Center Agents?

Let’s say you’re up really late one night because your neighbor’s paranoid poodle won’t stop barking right outside your bedroom window. At some point, you will probably find yourself flipping channels and if you do that, you’ll undoubtedly run across at least one infomercial. If you were to call the toll-free number on the screen to order that new mega-super-ultra fat burning wonder-pill, the person who takes your order may very well be working from their home office. Other companies use at-home agents to perform various customer service duties. Here are a few examples of what you might be doing, depending on the company you work for:

Processing customer orders for products sold via infomercial, advertisement, catalog, etc. This is known as inbound sales. This usually requires no selling on your part, although some companies may have you try to “upsell” or sell additional products and/or services.
Answering customers’ questions about their orders, products, or services.
Helping customers sign up for services, such as additional services from a cable TV provider.
Taking delivery orders for restaurants
Interviewing people for opinion surveys

Know What You’re Getting Into

I’m going to give you a list of companies I’ve found that hire call center agents – or customer service representatives – working from home. But first, there are some things you should be aware of that will help you compare these companies and find the one that’s right for you. When you visit these companies’ websites, make sure you know what you’re getting into before you apply. Don’t assume they’re all the same, because some of them are very different in some very important ways.

Employee or Independent Contractor? Some of these companies will hire you as a regular employee. Some even offer standard benefits like health insurance, 401K, and paid vacations. Others hire agents as independent contractors with no benefits. If you’re hired as an independent contractor, no taxes will be taken out of your pay. If that’s the case, you’ll be responsible for settling your debt with Uncle Sam when you file your taxes.
Are they hiring in your state? This one’s pretty self-explanatory.
When do you want to work? Look for details about scheduling on the company’s website. Most allow you to specify which hours you will be available to work for the following week. Some companies are more flexible than others. Some require you to work a minimum number of hours per week. Others allow you to work as much or as little as you want. Some of the scheduling depends on the clients being served. If a client only runs their infomercial at 2 AM, they will need agents to answer calls at that time. In general, the more flexible you can be with your hours, the more calls you’ll get and the more money you could make…depending on how the company pays.
So, how does the company pay? Some companies will pay you an hourly rate, whether you are talking to customers or twiddling your thumbs waiting for the next call to come. Other companies will only pay you for time you are actually on the phone assisting customers. The companies that pay agents by “talk time” are typically somewhat vague about how much money you’ll earn, because it will vary according to how many calls you take. Many say something like “our agents average between $7.00 and $9.00 per hour.” Other companies offer a guaranteed hourly rate, but even then the rate may depend on the program (which client you’re taking calls for). Most companies I’ve found pay agents bi-weekly and offer several payment methods (check via mail, direct deposit, etc.)
What are the technical requirements? Most of these companies require you to have a separate phone line dedicated to your call center work. Obviously, you don’t want calls from your mother-in-law, dentist’s office, or telemarketer interrupting you while you’re working. For almost all of these companies, you’ll have to have a separate line, and a standard corded land-line phone. Most won’t accept VOIP or cell phones. Also, most of them require you to have a headset with a microphone so your hands are free for typing. You’ll also need to make sure that your computer system meets the minimum requirements specified by the company. Take a good look at these requirements and you’ll get a good idea of how much money you’ll need to invest in order to get your home office set up for this type of work.
Will the company train you? Some companies offer paid training; others only want agents who already have verifiable work experience. Are you qualified for the job? And if not, will they pay you to train, or will they expect you to complete training “off the clock?”
How do you get the job? Make sure you read the instructions given before you apply for the job. If you can’t follow the instructions for the application process, your potential employer probably will assume you wouldn’t be able to follow the instructions given for the job itself. Does the company want your resume in the body of an email (some will not open attachments)? Do they have an online form to fill out? Or do they require you to take some kind of screening test? Whatever the case may be, if you decide to pursue one of these jobs, put your best foot forward just as you would when applying for any other job.

Improving Your Resume with Certifications

What if you want to land a gig as a work-from-home call center agent, but you have no experience in customer service? Is there anything you can do to make your resume look a little more impressive and increase your chances of landing the job? There are a couple of websites that some employers use to pre-screen potential employees. As a job-seeker, you can use these sites to “prove” your skills and to offer potential employers some kind of reassurance that you’ve got what it takes to get the job done. One of these sites is Brainbench.com. Basically, you register, pay for a course, study, take a test, and get a certificate that says you know your stuff (assuming you do know your stuff and you passed the test).

You can check out the Customer Service certifications at Brainbench here, and Sales Professional certifications here. Another place to find certifications is ExpertRating.com. Their Sales & Marketing certifications are here.

Will any of these certifications actually help you land the job? Hell if I know. But I don’t think it could hurt your chances any, especially if you don’t have the work experience or other training to put on your resume. I haven’t used either of these websites so if any of you have, leave a comment and let the rest of us know if it was worth it.

Companies Hiring Work-From-Home Call Center Agents:

Ok, now that you have an idea of what to look for, go out there and start looking. These are some companies I’ve found in my digging. I’m sure there are plenty of others out there, so if you know of any good ones, feel free to post their links in the comments. And if you know of any bad ones, let us know about those too!

Alpine Access http://www.alpineaccess.com/external/careers/

Arise http://www.arise.com/content/work-at-home.asp

Blue Zebra http://www.bluezebraappointmentsetting.com/Careers.aspx

Convergys http://www.convergysworkathome.com/

Customer Loyalty Concepts http://www.customloyal.com/Employment.aspx

Embarq http://about.embarq.com/careers/opportunities.html

Extended Presence http://www.extendedpresence.com/salesjobs/joblisting.asp

Grindstone http://www.grindstone.com/career.html

Auto Club Renewals http://www.aaarenewals.com/i_careers_RS.htm

J Lodge http://www.jlodge.com/employment.php (specifically recruits disabled workers)

Live Ops http://liveops.com/become-agent/index.html

Pitney Bowes http://pb.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=987626

Public Opinion Research, Inc. http://www.publicopinionresearch.net/apply/

Westat http://www.westat.com/atHome/index.cfm

West at Home http://apply.westathome.com/overview.asp

Working Solutions http://www.workingsol.com/agents_page/