Online Clerical Jobs
With the proper equipment and adequate skills, it is possible to make a living doing clerical work from the comfort of your own home. Whether you work as a telecommuter for a corporation, for a virtual employment agency or as an independent virtual assistant is up to you. However, the would-be at-home worker should beware of work-at-home scams, which are abundant and prey on desperate or gullible targets.
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Necessary Skills and Equipment
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All online clerical work requires certain equipment: a computer with email and high-speed Internet access and a telephone. A dedicated fax line can make clerical life easier, along with an instant message client and a service like GoToMyPC, which allows remote access to a computer. Typing skills should be very good to excellent, depending on whether the clerical work is primarily data entry or general administrative work. Knowledge of business software such as Microsoft Office is also a must, and more specialized skills such as HTML make the clerical worker more valuable. Independent virtual assistants and even clerical workers employed with virtual employment agencies should be savvy at marketing their services and keeping track of their finances.
Working as a Telecommuter
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Major companies such as American Airlines, 1-800-FLOWERS, Sprint , Aetna and Xerox have programs to hire workers as telecommuters or allow employees to opt for part-time or full-time hours at home. Companies are increasingly agreeable to such arrangements because they can retain talented employees, many of whom desire more life/work balance. Such programs also reduce the need for layoffs or transfers when locations consolidate. Telecommuters share the same status as employees who report to the office each day.
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Working for a Virtual Employment Agency
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Clerical workers for a virtual employment agency are either considered temporary workers or independent contractors, but the nature of the work is much the same under either arrangement. Workers register with an online agency such as internetLABOR.com. Skill tests and reference checks are often required as a condition of signing with the agency. Workers create profiles and either search for available assignments or are matched with potential employers by the virtual agency. Some virtual agencies such as Elance work on a bid system where clerical workers submit proposals and employers choose the one most suited to their needs (or the bottom line). Such workers almost never receive perks such as health benefits or paid vacations, but the trade-off is increased schedule flexibility.
Working as an Independent Virtual Assistant
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Independent virtual assistants function as entrepreneurs or consultants and work directly with a small group of clients. Their duties are usually more varied than straight clerical and administrative work, and can include scheduling and making travel arrangements. Virtual assistants can often merit high salaries and may work thousands of miles away from many or all of their clients. As independents, virtual assistants have the most command over their working hours and the types of work assignments they take. The International Virtual Assistants Association serves as a resource and certification agency for virtual assistants.
Warning
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Work-at-home scams are rampant, so a clerical worker who wishes to work online but is not employed as a telecommuter should be wary of offers that sound too good to be true or that require hefty upfront fees. No legitimate online agency will guarantee work simply upon payment of a fee. Genuine agencies have equipment and skill requirements for would-be online clerical workers, with no fees charged until after acceptance, if at all. They also do not guarantee assignments, but rather facilitate the process of matching workers with potential employers.
The Better Business Bureau has warned that some work-at-home scams are fronts for bad-check schemes. The unwitting workers deposit the checks in their accounts, which their banks honor. Weeks later, when the checks are discovered to be bad, the banks recover their money from the unfortunate worker. The best defense is to use common sense and ask questions before spending any money. Check with the Better Business Bureau or search press reports on legitimate agencies to screen out scam artists. Don't be afraid to contact the agency directly and ask questions.
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