Technology Blog

I got spammed today, about 12 months after I initially applied to a transcription based website. Kudos to them for not spamming me constantly, but over a year of waiting for an opportunity to type at home?

A friend of mine worked for them in the past, and while they may have a new website, new name, etc, the service is probably the same. I’d also caution anyone from considering this work at home opportunity unless you’re in 1) in serious need of money and 2) can type faster than the requisite of 65 WPM.

The biggest beef I have with this organization are their requirements.

Have at least 24 months of intensive word processing or transcription experience, not more than five years previous to the date of application. (General office experience, data entry experience, accounting experience, etc. are not sufficient.)

Why isn’t any kind of data entry acceptable for them? Are they kidding me? The truth behind my typing speed hasn’t been the result of intensive data entry. I’ve been chatting and writing on the internet as well as other online services since 1989. To be sure, if you want to get up to 65-70 wpm with 100% accuracy (which is roughly where I am not at my typing ability), all you have to really do is own a computer and learn to type on your own.

I have no qualms about their legal typing requirements, but I do believe they need to be a little slack in their general requirements, particularly if you can show proficiency in spelling, grammar, and score well on thier typing test. I also feel that $10-12 per hour is somewhat optimistic.

YMMV. If you’re looking to pick up a bit of work on the side, it’s possible this opportunity could be of interest to some people out there. But you’re going to have to work probably harder with them than you likely would in an office environment. I believe this statement is applicable for most people living in North America. Review the cost of living and minimum wage in your area.

I shouldn’t be a naysayer but I am. I have a lot of skeptism when it comes to a lot of work-from-home opportunities on the net. Odd, from someone who’s been working online since 1999, and working fulltime without outside employment since 2001. Still though, consider this a healthy warning.

If you’re still interested, let me know in a comment. I don’t get any kind of compensation directly from the company. (If I did, I’d name them on the spot. LOL!) But I know there’s people out there looking for opportunities.

I’m just suggesting that this may not be the best one for most.

Welcome to Tech Jobs. I’m adding this blog to the site mostly for fun, to write about anything technology related. The main website is mostly a listing of the latest job opportunities found on the internet.

A Brief History in Time: I’ve been telecommuting on and off since 1997. My first real venture into this foray started after the first dot com company I worked for, was sold to another dot com company in Toronto in 1997. Back then, the concept of telecommuting was hardly something that companies really embraced. In fact, the company I worked for made a friggin JOKE out of the concept of “outsourcing”. Their version and vision of outsourcing was not about branching out into the global economy. In fact, outsourcing for this company meant hiring a more expensive marketing firm from the United States. The result of this move, practically bankrupt the company (resulting in a buy out). Although I didn’t lose my job as a technical support analyst, I was “encouraged” to move to the new company, a full 4 hour daily commute, with absolutely no new compensation in terms of salary.

I put my foot down and requested that I telecommute from home. After all, with the internet, and my abilities to answer technical questions via email with positive results from our clients, it made sense. The new company agreed however within a few weeks, I was encouraged to come into work more often than what was agreed.

I quit with no regrets.

Since 1999, 2 years after I first quit my job I’ve been telecommuting with mixed results, not to mention mixed opinions! At university, one of the first snarky comments I received from a fellow student after I told them I was going to get into internet marketing was: well if it is that easy why doesn’t everyone do it? I wasn’t impressed with her to say the least.

8 years later, I do have an answer: telecommuting is not an option for everyone. I hardly thought it was an option for me on a fulltime basis but if I’ve been at this thing this long, I must be doing something right. But can anyone do it? The old adage “your mileage will vary” is certainly applicable here.

More on this another time. Enjoy the site.