Work At Home Seems to Mean Work for Cheap

[samrhett2]

Originally Posted by technista

Just a few thoughts on what you had to say. Please note that I am not trying to come off as rude or mean. I apologize if that is how it comes across. This is just my own opinion, experience and take on working at home.

1. The economy dried up. I doubt any brick and mortar place will pay you much better than WAHM at this time, plus you would only have limited hours, due to economy again. In fact, I make more money working at home than I did working outside of the home.

2. Take what you can get. Beggars cannot be choosers and this economy is a prime example of that. Some money is better than no money and you can continue to look while you have an income coming in.

3. Create your own leads. Do not just rely on Craigslist or other job listing sites.

4. If you have the will, you will find a way to find a job you desire. Looking for work is work. Anything worthwhile will not come easy.

Good luck and keep plugging away. You will get somewhere with your search.

Not sure where you are coming from here. I didn't say I was having a hard time finding leads or that I am in dire need and begging for a job. Internet research is one of my best skills, so there are no shortages of places to apply and I have only been out of work for a week. I have never drawn unemployment in my life, so taking my time and finding a company that will pay me fairly for my skills is my game plan.

I was merely commenting that many of these companies are paying the same wage they were paying years ago and seem to justify it by saying the employee will save money. I think it is an excuse and feels condescending since everyone who works at home already understands they don't have to pay for gas and a work wardrobe.

You are right, beggars can't be choosers, but until I am a beggar, I am going to seek a fair wage for my work whether it be at home or onsite. While I hate drawing unemployment and never have before, it makes no sense to take one of these jobs since my unemployment is more than some of them pay.

[Shell]

The whole "beggars can't be choosers" is what these companies count on. They know that people will work for those wages rather than be without a job at all.

samrhett2 have you tried Elance? There are some looking for cheap labor but there are also some who know the value of a good worker. I haven't been on there for a bit as I am happy in my current job (which I started through Elance) but you just bid on jobs. I always bid what I felt my time in doing the job was worth. If they aren't willing to pay that then oh well they missed out on a great worker.

[Lucycat]

Employers are mostly largely greedy little people dreaming of the day when they'll get a workforce with a master's degree at five bucks an hour. The only thing you can really do is figure out how to find the handful of decent WAH companies out there, invest your savings in dividend paying stocks and laugh bitterly.

[samrhett2]

Originally Posted by Shell

The whole "beggars can't be choosers" is what these companies count on. They know that people will work for those wages rather than be without a job at all.

samrhett2 have you tried Elance? There are some looking for cheap labor but there are also some who know the value of a good worker. I haven't been on there for a bit as I am happy in my current job (which I started through Elance) but you just bid on jobs. I always bid what I felt my time in doing the job was worth. If they aren't willing to pay that then oh well they missed out on a great worker.

Hi Shell,

I joined Elance a few years ago, but at that time it looked to me like the overseas workers were able to take things so cheaply that it might be hard to find anything you could make money doing. I will go back over there and take a look. I have received a few responses now and am talking to a few different companies, so we will see.

I appreciate the suggestion. I am finding a ton of things out there, so no shortage of places to apply, just a lot of unemployed or underemploye people looking for the same things as me.

[jesis138]

Originally Posted by technista

2. Take what you can get. Beggars cannot be choosers and this economy is a prime example of that. Some money is better than no money and you can continue to look while you have an income coming in.
.

I'd appreciate a company that appreciates me by paying me what my time is worth. Wanting a employer who pays a livable wage does not make anyone a beggar.

Choose and vent away! Because you are right, specifically for work at home call center work. I've finally come around and decided just not to even bother with those jobs anymore - because nobody can live on $8 an hour.

[AndreaM4567]

I've been on Elance, Odesk, Guru, and Freelancer and every time I apply, I am beat out simply because someone can offer what I do for $5 an hour or less. I just plum gave up on any of those sites.
The other thing I am seeing is "interns". I just lost a contract because she was able to hire "interns" to do my work for free. So I see my other jobs being compromised because of that.

[elph]

I agree with your vent. I haven't gotten a permanent raise in four years, and the last one I got was less than a dollar difference from what I started with. I get temporary raises when I take on temporary projects, but it seems like the temporary raise is getting lower and lower each time I take on a special project. It all points to the fact that we're not in a true economic recovery yet, we've just stemmed the bleeding. At least, workers aren't in recovery. Maybe the corporate bigwigs are.

[LuvWAHLife]

Originally Posted by samrhett2

Not sure where you are coming from here. I didn't say I was having a hard time finding leads or that I am in dire need and begging for a job. Internet research is one of my best skills, so there are no shortages of places to apply and I have only been out of work for a week. I have never drawn unemployment in my life, so taking my time and finding a company that will pay me fairly for my skills is my game plan.

I was merely commenting that many of these companies are paying the same wage they were paying years ago and seem to justify it by saying the employee will save money. I think it is an excuse and feels condescending since everyone who works at home already understands they don't have to pay for gas and a work wardrobe.

You are right, beggars can't be choosers, but until I am a beggar, I am going to seek a fair wage for my work whether it be at home or onsite. While I hate drawing unemployment and never have before, it makes no sense to take one of these jobs since my unemployment is more than some of them pay.

I couldn't agree with this more, except that I would add "shamefully greedy and calculating" next to the word "condescending". I don't think this applies to all companies (I know some businesses are just trying to stay afloat in this economy), but in some cases, I think these adjectives are entirely applicable.

[NSCountryGal]

I had my previous job which was part time at a call center because I couldn't handle it. I was making 11.55 an hour but that was because I had been there for over 2 years. Now I make something like 6-10 an hour working from home. It depends on the egg and depends on the day. As I need to do multiple work with multiple places now. Sometimes it gets stressful but I would rather be doing this then that crap call center.

[Scoots]

Interesting conversation for me to read as I am just starting out to explore true "work at home" opportunities and am already seeing what you talk about here.

What I've seen so far is $8-9 an hour jobs where you have to be more or less chained to your phone, in a "room with 4 walls and a door", with "no distractions, no pets, no this or that, etc."

Also "be available 24/7" and then one said that they could stop by "at any time" to make sure your office conformed to their requirements. Sounds worse than working retail at this point.

I am glad I just discovered these forums today. It helps me to hear from you all and to get insights into just what might be out there.

Call centers are not "it" for me either!