Fiscal Fitness: Get Cash for Your Castoffs user
by Dayana Yochim, The Motley Fool, on Wed Jan 20, 2010 2:18pm PST 189 Comments Post a Comment Read More from This Author » Report Abuse The Motley Fool’s Fiscal Fitness Boot Camp is in session! Every weekday this month, we’ll walk you through a fresh money-saving/money-making tip as we work toward finding $2,000 in savings you didn’t know you had.
Stop picking the spinach from your teeth with that unredeemed gift card, and stop using that old MP3 player as a paperweight. There's cash to be had for your castoffs -- even if it's just $40 for an early-generation iPhone or 70% of the value for the remaining balance on a gift card.
There is a market for everything and a place to hawk it to the highest bidder. So in our mission to dig up $2,000 in savings opportunities this month, let’s clean out our closets, wallets, and anywhere else we’re stashing stuff and make some money.
Here's a brief rundown of some services that can help turn your trash into cash. Start your sales research here (this is by no means an all-inclusive list). Even better, if you have successfully used another service, share it with the entire class in the comments area below this article.
Old electronics and other gadgets: Most of us have a veritable gadget graveyard somewhere in our home. (Attention Smithsonian curators: I recently unearthed a stack of five-inch floppy discs at the bottom of a closet.) Here are a few places that’ll help you clear out some drawer space and get some cash:
· Gazelle.com buys “pre-loved” cell phones, digital cameras, laptops, camcorders, and other electronic doodads. Once the condition and market value of your item is verified, you'll get a check, PayPal payment, or gift card -- your choice. Recently, an iPhone 3G 8GB fetched $103, and a Samsung Solstice SGH-A887 earned the seller $116.
· Over at BuyMyTronics.com, you can price out what you’ll get before you sell by answering a few questions about the condition of the item and the accessories you still have for it. You can offer anything from PDAs to Apple software to eBook readers.
· Flipswap.com lets you recycle your old phone for cash (or a donation to a charity of your choosing), or trade it in for credit at a store that sells cell phones. At the high end, Flipswap pays out an average of $160 for old BlackBerrys and $220 for iPhones. Even that old Samsung Blackjack is worth $41, or your kid’s old Motorola RAZR around $20.
· Even retailers have gotten into the trade-in business. Costco has a program with Gazelle.com that enables members to recycle their electronics for grocery money deposited on their Costco card.
· And check out the market for your used stuff at RadioShack and GameStop, although stores typically only give you store credit for your castoffs. And at Gamefly.com, you can trade in those video games Junior has tossed aside for credit toward purchasing a new first-person shooter game.
Gift cards: You might think they're duds, but gift cards can be worth, well, almost their face value to other folks. With billions of dollars of gift card balances going unredeemed every year, it's no wonder there's a crop of services to help consumers off-load them.
· You can auction it off, sell it outright (Giftcardbuyback.com), or swap it (Swapagift.com) for something better. You'll typically find a full menu online of cards from stores like Lowe's, Wal-Mart, and Cheesecake Factory, among dozens of others. (Other sites to check out: plasticjungle.com, giftcardrescue.com, and monstergiftcard.com.)
· Don't expect to get full face value: Most pay out anywhere from 60% to 90% of face value. (You'll get top dollar by selling cards from hot retailers, in round dollar amounts, and with distant -- or nonexistent -- expiration dates.)
· Some sites charge you a percentage of the final transaction, and others charge a flat fee. Balances must typically be at least $10 to be eligible for swapping, trading, or selling.
Over at Dealnews.com, they ran a handful of these sites through the paces and recommend selling directly to the site (instead of auctioning the card off to members) and using a combination of sites for the highest payout.
Unused airline miles or points: At Points.com, you can swap, share, or redeem your unused rewards. If your points are spread around, you can even combine them so you can get something -- a gift certificate, song downloads, etc. -- before your points expire. At Loyaltymatch.com, you can sell your loyalty reward outright to another member or trade it for something else. Another option is to donate your miles to a cause. Many organizations are set up to facilitate this transaction directly.
Oddball, unusual, and limited-appeal stuff: To get top dollar for your collectibles and other items that might not have mass appeal, eBay is still the obvious first choice. You don't even need to go through the hassle of setting yourself up as a merchant. Simply take the treasures from your attic to an eBay drop-off location, and they'll conduct the transaction from start to finish. For a fee, of course. At the other end of the spectrum is craigslist.org, a digital town crier where you can list, for free, the stuff you want to sell.
As long as you’re cleaning out the garage … : If you’re burdened by a car lease agreement you no longer want or cannot afford, check out Leasetrader.com and Swapalease.com for some financial relief. These sites match folks looking for a short-term lease with those looking to get out of their contract early.
Clean out the attic and get cash this weekend
There are plenty of other places to sell your unwanted stuff.
Shine reader favorites!: After this post went up Shine readers pointed out some great sites they use, like swaptree.com, paperbackswap.com, swaptreasures.com and more. Check out the comments area below and chime in. Other ideas to consider:
· Consignment shops are great for designer-label clothing that's in good condition.
· Jewelry stores or pawn shops might buy that gold rope chain you sported in the '80s, which can be sold for its value in scrap.
· Children's consignment shops are a popular way to get a little money for those toys, clothes, and strollers that your little one has outgrown.
What websites or other venues do you use to get cash for your clunkers? Chime in below!
Get financially fit with The Motley Fool!:
· Start out with our 13 Steps to Investing Foolishly
Fool.com Fiscal Fitness instructor Dayana Yochim recently cleaned out her closet and raked in $189 from her neighborhood clothing consignment store. High five!
[Photo credit: Getty Images]
Saturday, March 6, 2010
100 Best Companies to Work For (2010)
Please see listing at:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/full_list/
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2010/full_list/
You Can Save the Smart Way
You Can Save the Smart Way
by Laura Rowley
Friday, March 5, 2010
The annual "America Saves Week," an event organized by more than a hundred organizations to encourage consumers to sock money away, wrapped up at the end of February. It's not having a huge effect, at least according to the latest numbers -- the January personal savings rate fell to 3.3 percent from 4.2 percent in December, the lowest rate in 15 months, the Commerce Department reported this week.
If savings behavior isn't changing, consumer attitudes may be. A recent Gallup poll found 62 percent of Americans say they enjoy saving more than spending, while 35 percent reported the reverse. Back in 2006, respondents were split about 50-50 on the question. Moreover, 57 percent say they are spending less money in recent months than they used to, up from 50 percent last July. Among the newly frugal, 38 percent say this spending pattern is the "new normal," while 19 percent say the budget cuts are temporary
The poll didn't examine how people are saving, but the latte-by-latte route is being challenged by some. "If you look at the things you spend the most money on, that's where you can save the most money," says Elisabeth Leamy, author of the new book "Save Big" and a "Good Morning America" consumer correspondent.
Leamy offers a hundred ways to save thousands of dollars on five top costs -- homes, cars, credit, food and health care. She argues that it's easier to squeeze money out of the big stuff than to pinch pennies. "I would rather focus ferociously on getting rid of junk closing costs when I buy a house or do the research every few years when I need to buy a car, than scrimping and struggling to save every day," she says.
The book offers step-by-step instructions to minimize closing costs on a house, negotiate the price of uncovered medical procedures and save on auto insurance, among other tips. Some suggestions are straightforward. You can save $9 a month by keeping your tires properly inflated, or save tens of thousands by buying a used car and paying cash rather than financing. (Been there, done that, it works; the only exception was the Kia we bought during the Cash for Clunkers program.)
Wiser Use
For consumers whose finances aren't particularly complicated, Leamy is a big advocate of pre-paying your mortgage. For example, suppose you take out a $200,000 mortgage for 30 years at 6.5 percent interest. The monthly payment is $1,264.14. Let's say you can afford to round up your monthly payment to $1,300, paying an extra $35.86 a month. You'll save $23,900 over the life of the loan.
But for me, this is the trickiest part of personal finance. There are multiple goals crying out for that extra $35.86 -- a fund for emergencies, college, retirement and those little expenses that make life worthwhile right now (like a vacation to Florida, especially if you lived on the East Coast this winter).
If you carry credit card debt, the best use of that $35.86 is paying down those cards as quickly as possible, because the high interest rate is dismantling your road to riches brick by brick. Three simple steps: 1) Take five minutes to call each card company and see if they'll lower your interest rate. 2) Make all your minimum payments on time and in full and shovel the extra $35.86 toward the highest interest-rate card. 3) When it's paid off, shift that minimum payment plus the extra $35.86 to the next card, and keep rolling until you are free of credit card debt. (Watch out for debt pay-down scams that charge you for that same advice.)
Next, I would allocate that $35.86 toward an emergency fund equal to three month's living expenses in a savings account. Personally, I keep my emergency fund in my checking account, because I get 3.5 percent interest on deposits up to $30,000 if I use my debit card 10 times a month. I know I can only spend the amount above my emergency fund "base." This works remarkably well if you're disciplined. (Rule of thumb: If you've had more than one overdraft charge this year, don't try this, because you don't have enough control of your finances to make it work.) First get a budget.
Now, let's assume you're free of revolving debt and have managed to save three month's living expenses. The next place I'd put the $35.86 is in a retirement account. If it grows at 5 percent for 40 years, you're looking at $32,864 (assuming a 2 percent rate of inflation). Click here for a method to compare the value of an extra mortgage payment to a 401(k) contribution.
Can We Have It All?
Frankly, I think you could make a good argument for splitting the $35.86 between a retirement fund and a vacation fund, because the days are long, life is short and all you take with you are memories.
Unless, of course, you have kids; then maybe you put one-third of the $35.86 to retirement, one-third to vacations and one-third to college. For instance, I used to make an extra mortgage payment but eventually allocated the money to my kids' 529 college savings plans. Why? Inflation on college tuition is running 7 percent. My returns over the last three years averaged 3 percent. The only way to reach our goal is to save more (and practice jump shots, on the outside chance the kids could ride a sports scholarship through college like their dad.)
Old-fashioned American optimism (and clever advertising) suggests we can have it all. Doing the math often demonstrates otherwise. At a certain point it comes down to making choices about the big things we want in life and setting goals to reach them, and then, as Leamy puts it, "buckle down and do the work."
It would be wonderful if America Saves Week inspires someone to skip a $3 latte and save the cash -- but even better if it gets people to think about what they really value, and use their money accordingly.
by Laura Rowley
Friday, March 5, 2010
The annual "America Saves Week," an event organized by more than a hundred organizations to encourage consumers to sock money away, wrapped up at the end of February. It's not having a huge effect, at least according to the latest numbers -- the January personal savings rate fell to 3.3 percent from 4.2 percent in December, the lowest rate in 15 months, the Commerce Department reported this week.
If savings behavior isn't changing, consumer attitudes may be. A recent Gallup poll found 62 percent of Americans say they enjoy saving more than spending, while 35 percent reported the reverse. Back in 2006, respondents were split about 50-50 on the question. Moreover, 57 percent say they are spending less money in recent months than they used to, up from 50 percent last July. Among the newly frugal, 38 percent say this spending pattern is the "new normal," while 19 percent say the budget cuts are temporary
The poll didn't examine how people are saving, but the latte-by-latte route is being challenged by some. "If you look at the things you spend the most money on, that's where you can save the most money," says Elisabeth Leamy, author of the new book "Save Big" and a "Good Morning America" consumer correspondent.
Leamy offers a hundred ways to save thousands of dollars on five top costs -- homes, cars, credit, food and health care. She argues that it's easier to squeeze money out of the big stuff than to pinch pennies. "I would rather focus ferociously on getting rid of junk closing costs when I buy a house or do the research every few years when I need to buy a car, than scrimping and struggling to save every day," she says.
The book offers step-by-step instructions to minimize closing costs on a house, negotiate the price of uncovered medical procedures and save on auto insurance, among other tips. Some suggestions are straightforward. You can save $9 a month by keeping your tires properly inflated, or save tens of thousands by buying a used car and paying cash rather than financing. (Been there, done that, it works; the only exception was the Kia we bought during the Cash for Clunkers program.)
Wiser Use
For consumers whose finances aren't particularly complicated, Leamy is a big advocate of pre-paying your mortgage. For example, suppose you take out a $200,000 mortgage for 30 years at 6.5 percent interest. The monthly payment is $1,264.14. Let's say you can afford to round up your monthly payment to $1,300, paying an extra $35.86 a month. You'll save $23,900 over the life of the loan.
But for me, this is the trickiest part of personal finance. There are multiple goals crying out for that extra $35.86 -- a fund for emergencies, college, retirement and those little expenses that make life worthwhile right now (like a vacation to Florida, especially if you lived on the East Coast this winter).
If you carry credit card debt, the best use of that $35.86 is paying down those cards as quickly as possible, because the high interest rate is dismantling your road to riches brick by brick. Three simple steps: 1) Take five minutes to call each card company and see if they'll lower your interest rate. 2) Make all your minimum payments on time and in full and shovel the extra $35.86 toward the highest interest-rate card. 3) When it's paid off, shift that minimum payment plus the extra $35.86 to the next card, and keep rolling until you are free of credit card debt. (Watch out for debt pay-down scams that charge you for that same advice.)
Next, I would allocate that $35.86 toward an emergency fund equal to three month's living expenses in a savings account. Personally, I keep my emergency fund in my checking account, because I get 3.5 percent interest on deposits up to $30,000 if I use my debit card 10 times a month. I know I can only spend the amount above my emergency fund "base." This works remarkably well if you're disciplined. (Rule of thumb: If you've had more than one overdraft charge this year, don't try this, because you don't have enough control of your finances to make it work.) First get a budget.
Now, let's assume you're free of revolving debt and have managed to save three month's living expenses. The next place I'd put the $35.86 is in a retirement account. If it grows at 5 percent for 40 years, you're looking at $32,864 (assuming a 2 percent rate of inflation). Click here for a method to compare the value of an extra mortgage payment to a 401(k) contribution.
Can We Have It All?
Frankly, I think you could make a good argument for splitting the $35.86 between a retirement fund and a vacation fund, because the days are long, life is short and all you take with you are memories.
Unless, of course, you have kids; then maybe you put one-third of the $35.86 to retirement, one-third to vacations and one-third to college. For instance, I used to make an extra mortgage payment but eventually allocated the money to my kids' 529 college savings plans. Why? Inflation on college tuition is running 7 percent. My returns over the last three years averaged 3 percent. The only way to reach our goal is to save more (and practice jump shots, on the outside chance the kids could ride a sports scholarship through college like their dad.)
Old-fashioned American optimism (and clever advertising) suggests we can have it all. Doing the math often demonstrates otherwise. At a certain point it comes down to making choices about the big things we want in life and setting goals to reach them, and then, as Leamy puts it, "buckle down and do the work."
It would be wonderful if America Saves Week inspires someone to skip a $3 latte and save the cash -- but even better if it gets people to think about what they really value, and use their money accordingly.
Tap into Your Secret Job Market
Tap into Your Secret Job Market
Stephanie Loiacono
Does today's tough job market have you stressed? With the unemployment rate at 9.7%, job seekers must use more imaginative ways to uncover job openings. We've all heard stories about great jobs found in unusual ways – a strange coincidence, word of mouth, a conversation overheard in the grocery line. How can you cash in? If you must leave your job, go out fighting for the best benefits you can get.
The Challenge
It's true that about 80% of all jobs aren't advertised. Although most job hunters spend hours every day responding to online openings, let's face it: it's probably easier to break into the Pentagon than to be noticed via an online job application. If your resume doesn't have exactly the right key words, it lands in the hiring manager's trash folder. And speaking of hiring managers, let's take a moment to recognize that they're just as overwhelmed by the stack of online applications they get as you are by sending them. That's why hiring managers are, in fact, looking for you elsewhere - by asking their current employees, colleagues, recruiters and friends.
Plant Many Seeds
Being on a job hunt is a lot like being a gardener: you must plant many seeds, because you never know which green shoots will surface. So, here are a few ways to tap into your secret job market:
Start with Your Own Contacts
Make a list of all your closest colleagues, college buddies and past employers. Don't forget Uncle Harry – working relatives can be a great source of job leads! Send your contacts a copy of your resume and ask to network with them. Be sure you're prepared with a professional resume and an idea of what position fits your skills. Call everyone on your list, and don't hang up the phone until they've given you at least one new referral. You'll quickly build an impressive network of new job lead sources.
Join LinkedIn
Social networking is a great way to expand your network. Set up an account on LinkedIn and post your profile and resume there. You can look for former colleagues, alumni, professional associations and other connections. Recruiters frequently search for applicants on LinkedIn, so put your best professional face forward.
Look for Temporary Work
Taking a temporary assignment has multiple benefits. First, it gets you out of the house and into a professional environment, which keeps your spirits high during a long stretch without work. Secondly, it generates income. Thirdly, you'll add another employer to your list of references. Finally, temporary assignments can often lead to full-time job offers. Head to your local temporary job agency and sign up.
Share Job Leads with Other Job Seekers
It may sound counter-intuitive to give leads to your competitors, but who's more up-to-date on the latest job openings than fellow job hunters? These folks have their ears to the ground and might know of a job that isn't a good fit for them, but could be for you.
Tell Your Tennis Buddies...
... or your golf buddies, or your book club friends or whoever else might be in your social circle. Even if they haven't worked directly with you, they still know you pretty well. They can recommend you for those qualities you exhibit socially, such as a good character, a positive attitude and a sense of team play.
Ask for Help
If you've applied for a job, ask those in your network if they know anyone at your target company. A call made on your behalf to a company "insider" can elevate the visibility of your resume and credentials, which is especially important in today's highly competitive environment. Those in your network are happy to help, especially if you can clearly give them a specific task to carry out.
Unearth Exciting Job Opportunities!
With persistence, creativity and a little luck, you, too, can tap the hidden job market and unearth exciting job opportunities from the oddest places.
Stephanie Loiacono
Does today's tough job market have you stressed? With the unemployment rate at 9.7%, job seekers must use more imaginative ways to uncover job openings. We've all heard stories about great jobs found in unusual ways – a strange coincidence, word of mouth, a conversation overheard in the grocery line. How can you cash in? If you must leave your job, go out fighting for the best benefits you can get.
The Challenge
It's true that about 80% of all jobs aren't advertised. Although most job hunters spend hours every day responding to online openings, let's face it: it's probably easier to break into the Pentagon than to be noticed via an online job application. If your resume doesn't have exactly the right key words, it lands in the hiring manager's trash folder. And speaking of hiring managers, let's take a moment to recognize that they're just as overwhelmed by the stack of online applications they get as you are by sending them. That's why hiring managers are, in fact, looking for you elsewhere - by asking their current employees, colleagues, recruiters and friends.
Plant Many Seeds
Being on a job hunt is a lot like being a gardener: you must plant many seeds, because you never know which green shoots will surface. So, here are a few ways to tap into your secret job market:
Start with Your Own Contacts
Make a list of all your closest colleagues, college buddies and past employers. Don't forget Uncle Harry – working relatives can be a great source of job leads! Send your contacts a copy of your resume and ask to network with them. Be sure you're prepared with a professional resume and an idea of what position fits your skills. Call everyone on your list, and don't hang up the phone until they've given you at least one new referral. You'll quickly build an impressive network of new job lead sources.
Join LinkedIn
Social networking is a great way to expand your network. Set up an account on LinkedIn and post your profile and resume there. You can look for former colleagues, alumni, professional associations and other connections. Recruiters frequently search for applicants on LinkedIn, so put your best professional face forward.
Look for Temporary Work
Taking a temporary assignment has multiple benefits. First, it gets you out of the house and into a professional environment, which keeps your spirits high during a long stretch without work. Secondly, it generates income. Thirdly, you'll add another employer to your list of references. Finally, temporary assignments can often lead to full-time job offers. Head to your local temporary job agency and sign up.
Share Job Leads with Other Job Seekers
It may sound counter-intuitive to give leads to your competitors, but who's more up-to-date on the latest job openings than fellow job hunters? These folks have their ears to the ground and might know of a job that isn't a good fit for them, but could be for you.
Tell Your Tennis Buddies...
... or your golf buddies, or your book club friends or whoever else might be in your social circle. Even if they haven't worked directly with you, they still know you pretty well. They can recommend you for those qualities you exhibit socially, such as a good character, a positive attitude and a sense of team play.
Ask for Help
If you've applied for a job, ask those in your network if they know anyone at your target company. A call made on your behalf to a company "insider" can elevate the visibility of your resume and credentials, which is especially important in today's highly competitive environment. Those in your network are happy to help, especially if you can clearly give them a specific task to carry out.
Unearth Exciting Job Opportunities!
With persistence, creativity and a little luck, you, too, can tap the hidden job market and unearth exciting job opportunities from the oddest places.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Own the Interview: 10 Questions to Ask
Larry Buhl ,
For many job seekers an interview can seem too much like an inquisition. That's usually because they're doing all the answering and none of the asking.
"Somewhere in the interview you have a chance to impress the employer on your own terms and see if the job is a good fit for you," says Florida-based career coach and executive recruiter Jonathan Milligan. "And you absolutely should take this opportunity. By asking the right questions you can determine if the job is right for you and also show you're engaged and interested in the job."
Employment experts identify five key question areas where you can gain insight, put yourself in a good light, and take some control in the interview.
Identify their pain.
"What is one of the biggest problems the company faces that someone with my background could help alleviate?"
"If I started in this job tomorrow, what would be my two most pressing priorities?"
Find out where the company is going.
"Where do you see this department/company in five years?"
"What are the long and short term goals of the company/department/work group?"
Determine whether you'd fit in.
"How would you describe your company's culture?
"What tangible and intangible qualities attracted you to the organization?"
Show you're really interested.
"What additional information can I provide about my qualifications?"
"What are the next steps in the selection process?"
Ask follow-ups.
"Can you clarify what you said about ...?"
"Can you give me some examples of ...?"
"By requesting clarification or examples, you show interviewers you care and that you're thinking deeply about the issues they brought up," says learning and development consultant Bill Denyer. He suggests taking notes in the interview, using keywords to jog your memory of what was discussed but not burying your head in your notebook.
What you don't want to ask are questions with obvious answers, according to Susan RoAne, author of "Face to Face: How to Reclaim the Personal Touch in a Digital World."
"You really need to do your homework," RoAne tells Yahoo! HotJobs. "Before the interview go to the company website and use search engines to get up to speed, and browse social networking sites like Yahoo! Groups to see who knows what about the company."
"And never, never ask an interviewer, 'How long is the vacation'? or, 'What does your company do?'" RoAne added.
Some experts suggest waiting for the inevitable "Do you have any questions for us?" at the interview, while others recommend looking for conversation openings to ask appropriate questions.
"It depends on the situation," Milligan says. "If the interviewer seems to be reading from a sheet of questions, don't interrupt. If it's a more casual conversation, you may have chances to turn the questions back on the interviewer."
"It's important to remember the job interview is a two-way street," RoAne said.
For many job seekers an interview can seem too much like an inquisition. That's usually because they're doing all the answering and none of the asking.
"Somewhere in the interview you have a chance to impress the employer on your own terms and see if the job is a good fit for you," says Florida-based career coach and executive recruiter Jonathan Milligan. "And you absolutely should take this opportunity. By asking the right questions you can determine if the job is right for you and also show you're engaged and interested in the job."
Employment experts identify five key question areas where you can gain insight, put yourself in a good light, and take some control in the interview.
Identify their pain.
"What is one of the biggest problems the company faces that someone with my background could help alleviate?"
"If I started in this job tomorrow, what would be my two most pressing priorities?"
Find out where the company is going.
"Where do you see this department/company in five years?"
"What are the long and short term goals of the company/department/work group?"
Determine whether you'd fit in.
"How would you describe your company's culture?
"What tangible and intangible qualities attracted you to the organization?"
Show you're really interested.
"What additional information can I provide about my qualifications?"
"What are the next steps in the selection process?"
Ask follow-ups.
"Can you clarify what you said about ...?"
"Can you give me some examples of ...?"
"By requesting clarification or examples, you show interviewers you care and that you're thinking deeply about the issues they brought up," says learning and development consultant Bill Denyer. He suggests taking notes in the interview, using keywords to jog your memory of what was discussed but not burying your head in your notebook.
What you don't want to ask are questions with obvious answers, according to Susan RoAne, author of "Face to Face: How to Reclaim the Personal Touch in a Digital World."
"You really need to do your homework," RoAne tells Yahoo! HotJobs. "Before the interview go to the company website and use search engines to get up to speed, and browse social networking sites like Yahoo! Groups to see who knows what about the company."
"And never, never ask an interviewer, 'How long is the vacation'? or, 'What does your company do?'" RoAne added.
Some experts suggest waiting for the inevitable "Do you have any questions for us?" at the interview, while others recommend looking for conversation openings to ask appropriate questions.
"It depends on the situation," Milligan says. "If the interviewer seems to be reading from a sheet of questions, don't interrupt. If it's a more casual conversation, you may have chances to turn the questions back on the interviewer."
"It's important to remember the job interview is a two-way street," RoAne said.
A telecommuting pioneer's call center revolution
By Jennifer Alsever, contributing writerFebruary 23, 2010: 12:52 PM ET
(CNNMoney.com) -- When Jim Ball ran a traditional call center in Golden, Colo., in the late 1990s, employee turnover was rampant. Often, Ball was forced to hire just about anyone who walked in the door because few people were willing to commute to the call center and sit in a sterile cubicle for minimum wage.
When Ball and his partner Steve Rockwood sold the call center in 1997, they decided the next business would be radically different: Customer service agents would work from home.
Alpine Access co-founder Jim Ball.
"We said, 'It's the holy grail,'" Ball says. "It's the only way you're going to keep and retain people."
The idea was slow to catch on with customers. EAS Sports Supplements was the first to sign on with the new business, called Alpine Access. Then a few others followed, including My Twins, Checks Unlimited and several direct marketers.
Fast-forward 13 years. Alpine Access now has 3,000 employees in 1,000 cities that take calls for clients such as America Online, Office Depot and Fortune 100 financial companies. The company booked sales of $53 million last year -- and employee attrition is about half of what it was under the bricks-and-mortar setup, Ball says.
"It's gone from a trickle to a stream to a raging river," says Christopher Carrington, who became the company's CEO three years ago.
Standing out from scammers
The work-from-home field is rife with scams, where job seekers are asked to pay for "training" or supplies. Alpine Access is one of the few companies with a proven track record of being legit.
Alpine's job applicants go through an extensive interview process, just as they would with a traditional company. The 2% of applicants who are offered jobs pay a $45 fee for a credit and background check, but they don't pay for training or for "monthly service fees," as some work-from-home jobs charge.
Those the company hires make a starting salary of $8 to $12 an hour, and have access to benefits including a 401(k) and health insurance. Alpine Access doesn't contribute to health care costs, but it does offer a corporate match to the retirement fund.
Employees don't have your typical 9-to-5 schedule. Their shifts vary: a worker might clock in from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and then again later in the day from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Employees must work 20 to 30 hours a week -- or at least four hours a day and five days a week.
A custom computer system enables Alpine Access' workers to clock in and field phone calls, but it also contributes to a company culture. Call center agents can mingle in chat rooms to gossip about work and life, sharing everything from recipes to baby pictures.
"We chat about our kids, how we're doing," says Don Noblin, a 47-year-old Alpine Access employee who takes calls for AOL (AOL) from his Phoenix home. "You bond with the people you work with even though some are 2,000 miles away."
Alpine Access managers, meanwhile, check in electronically, monitoring calls and wait times to measure productivity and using customer satisfaction surveys to gage employee performance. Workers also touch base with managers through instant messaging and video conference calls.
A changing market
Hundreds of companies moved their call centers overseas over the past decade to cut costs, but Carrington says the center of gravity for U.S. businesses is shifting back: "Seventy-five percent of our revenue growth is from companies that came back from India and the Philippines," he says.
In the past four or five years, things have really picked up for the entire industry, says Peter Ryan, an analyst who follows the call center sector for Ovum, a London-based research and consulting firm.
Today at least 20 call centers companies -- including Convergys (CVG), TeleTech and LiveOps -- have adopted the same work-at-home model.
One key driver is companies' ability to hire older, more educated -- and typically more stable -- agents who can handle longer, more complex calls. Companies also cut the overhead costs of having workers in buildings.
Ovum projects that around 48,500 people are now working from home answering customer phone calls, a number it expects to grow to 83,100 by 2012.
Despite the growth, not everyone is sold on home-based call centers. Some corporate executives worry that if calls are taken at home, workers will have too many distractions and too little supervision, Ryan says. Concerns about the security customer information also abound.
Just 1,700 of Cincinnati-based Convergys' 70,000 call center employees work from home. But that home-agent business is growing 20% a year at the $2.1 billion company, says Brad Kinhop, a vice president in charge of Convergys' home division. Convergys' home agents also claim 5% to 10% better customer satisfaction than their cubicle counterparts.
"I think Jim Ball and Steve at Alpine access were pretty visionary to come up with the idea," says Krinhop, who once worked at Alpine Access. "It just makes sense. Fast forward two to three years from now, and people will say, 'Really? You have to drive into work? You can't work from home?'"
(CNNMoney.com) -- When Jim Ball ran a traditional call center in Golden, Colo., in the late 1990s, employee turnover was rampant. Often, Ball was forced to hire just about anyone who walked in the door because few people were willing to commute to the call center and sit in a sterile cubicle for minimum wage.
When Ball and his partner Steve Rockwood sold the call center in 1997, they decided the next business would be radically different: Customer service agents would work from home.
Alpine Access co-founder Jim Ball.
"We said, 'It's the holy grail,'" Ball says. "It's the only way you're going to keep and retain people."
The idea was slow to catch on with customers. EAS Sports Supplements was the first to sign on with the new business, called Alpine Access. Then a few others followed, including My Twins, Checks Unlimited and several direct marketers.
Fast-forward 13 years. Alpine Access now has 3,000 employees in 1,000 cities that take calls for clients such as America Online, Office Depot and Fortune 100 financial companies. The company booked sales of $53 million last year -- and employee attrition is about half of what it was under the bricks-and-mortar setup, Ball says.
"It's gone from a trickle to a stream to a raging river," says Christopher Carrington, who became the company's CEO three years ago.
Standing out from scammers
The work-from-home field is rife with scams, where job seekers are asked to pay for "training" or supplies. Alpine Access is one of the few companies with a proven track record of being legit.
Alpine's job applicants go through an extensive interview process, just as they would with a traditional company. The 2% of applicants who are offered jobs pay a $45 fee for a credit and background check, but they don't pay for training or for "monthly service fees," as some work-from-home jobs charge.
Those the company hires make a starting salary of $8 to $12 an hour, and have access to benefits including a 401(k) and health insurance. Alpine Access doesn't contribute to health care costs, but it does offer a corporate match to the retirement fund.
Employees don't have your typical 9-to-5 schedule. Their shifts vary: a worker might clock in from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and then again later in the day from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Employees must work 20 to 30 hours a week -- or at least four hours a day and five days a week.
A custom computer system enables Alpine Access' workers to clock in and field phone calls, but it also contributes to a company culture. Call center agents can mingle in chat rooms to gossip about work and life, sharing everything from recipes to baby pictures.
"We chat about our kids, how we're doing," says Don Noblin, a 47-year-old Alpine Access employee who takes calls for AOL (AOL) from his Phoenix home. "You bond with the people you work with even though some are 2,000 miles away."
Alpine Access managers, meanwhile, check in electronically, monitoring calls and wait times to measure productivity and using customer satisfaction surveys to gage employee performance. Workers also touch base with managers through instant messaging and video conference calls.
A changing market
Hundreds of companies moved their call centers overseas over the past decade to cut costs, but Carrington says the center of gravity for U.S. businesses is shifting back: "Seventy-five percent of our revenue growth is from companies that came back from India and the Philippines," he says.
In the past four or five years, things have really picked up for the entire industry, says Peter Ryan, an analyst who follows the call center sector for Ovum, a London-based research and consulting firm.
Today at least 20 call centers companies -- including Convergys (CVG), TeleTech and LiveOps -- have adopted the same work-at-home model.
One key driver is companies' ability to hire older, more educated -- and typically more stable -- agents who can handle longer, more complex calls. Companies also cut the overhead costs of having workers in buildings.
Ovum projects that around 48,500 people are now working from home answering customer phone calls, a number it expects to grow to 83,100 by 2012.
Despite the growth, not everyone is sold on home-based call centers. Some corporate executives worry that if calls are taken at home, workers will have too many distractions and too little supervision, Ryan says. Concerns about the security customer information also abound.
Just 1,700 of Cincinnati-based Convergys' 70,000 call center employees work from home. But that home-agent business is growing 20% a year at the $2.1 billion company, says Brad Kinhop, a vice president in charge of Convergys' home division. Convergys' home agents also claim 5% to 10% better customer satisfaction than their cubicle counterparts.
"I think Jim Ball and Steve at Alpine access were pretty visionary to come up with the idea," says Krinhop, who once worked at Alpine Access. "It just makes sense. Fast forward two to three years from now, and people will say, 'Really? You have to drive into work? You can't work from home?'"
5 Ways to Wow Your Boss
5 Ways to Wow Your Boss
by Caroline M.L.
It's more important than ever to make sure your boss is happy with your performance. In tenuous times, your supervisor is one of the few people who may be able to shield you from a layoff. She may also be able to help you pursue a promotion down the road.
However, like any relationship, the one between you and your boss can get stale. You may grow complacent over time or you may never start off on the right foot. The good news is that it's never too late to breathe new life into how you work with your supervisor, thanks to these expert tips from Alexandra Levit, author of "New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career."
If you heed these five hints, you'll not only contribute to your job security; you'll also win your boss's admiration and appreciation -- as well as a little loyalty.
1. Be humble. In other words, be mindful of the fact that it's not all about you. Says Levit, "Don't approach your boss with a sense of entitlement, as though he is personally responsible for furthering your career. Instead, focus on learning what you can do to make his life easier, contribute to your company's goals, and make him look good to his boss."
2. Be honest. Everyone makes mistakes -- and you're no exception. Be forthcoming about it from the start. "Admit if you do something wrong, and then ask your boss how you can rectify the situation. Don't allow yourself to get caught in a maze of lies or excuses that will result in a loss of credibility," she advises.
3. Be respectful of the boss's time. If you think your plate is full, consider that of your boss. Use your time together wisely and efficiently. Levit suggests, "Appear in her office with a checklist of things you need to cover, and don't dwell too long on any particular subject. Your boss will be more receptive to meeting with you if she knows you'll be in and out of his office quickly."
4. Be self-sufficient. Be mindful of the fact that your supervisor doesn't have the bandwidth to hold your hand through every crisis or help you make every difficult decision that lands on your desk.
"Only approach your boss with a problem or complaint if you've explored all options for resolving it yourself. When you do, be prepared to have a solution at hand that you could implement with her help," says Levit, who is also a contributor to The Wall Street Journal.
"Choose your battles wisely, and decide carefully if bringing an issue to your boss's attention is really necessary or if you would be better off letting it go," she adds.
5. Be a "can-do" employee. Redefine the concept of a "yes man" (or "yes woman") at the office. She advises, "When your boss asks you to do something, accommodate him, if possible. The words 'I don't have time' should never escape your lips. If you know something needs to be done, do it without being prodded, and if your boss asks for help in a group setting, be the first to volunteer."
If you're always amenable, Levit believes, "Your boss will quickly come to see you as a huge asset to the team and as someone he can count on."
by Caroline M.L.
It's more important than ever to make sure your boss is happy with your performance. In tenuous times, your supervisor is one of the few people who may be able to shield you from a layoff. She may also be able to help you pursue a promotion down the road.
However, like any relationship, the one between you and your boss can get stale. You may grow complacent over time or you may never start off on the right foot. The good news is that it's never too late to breathe new life into how you work with your supervisor, thanks to these expert tips from Alexandra Levit, author of "New Job, New You: A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career."
If you heed these five hints, you'll not only contribute to your job security; you'll also win your boss's admiration and appreciation -- as well as a little loyalty.
1. Be humble. In other words, be mindful of the fact that it's not all about you. Says Levit, "Don't approach your boss with a sense of entitlement, as though he is personally responsible for furthering your career. Instead, focus on learning what you can do to make his life easier, contribute to your company's goals, and make him look good to his boss."
2. Be honest. Everyone makes mistakes -- and you're no exception. Be forthcoming about it from the start. "Admit if you do something wrong, and then ask your boss how you can rectify the situation. Don't allow yourself to get caught in a maze of lies or excuses that will result in a loss of credibility," she advises.
3. Be respectful of the boss's time. If you think your plate is full, consider that of your boss. Use your time together wisely and efficiently. Levit suggests, "Appear in her office with a checklist of things you need to cover, and don't dwell too long on any particular subject. Your boss will be more receptive to meeting with you if she knows you'll be in and out of his office quickly."
4. Be self-sufficient. Be mindful of the fact that your supervisor doesn't have the bandwidth to hold your hand through every crisis or help you make every difficult decision that lands on your desk.
"Only approach your boss with a problem or complaint if you've explored all options for resolving it yourself. When you do, be prepared to have a solution at hand that you could implement with her help," says Levit, who is also a contributor to The Wall Street Journal.
"Choose your battles wisely, and decide carefully if bringing an issue to your boss's attention is really necessary or if you would be better off letting it go," she adds.
5. Be a "can-do" employee. Redefine the concept of a "yes man" (or "yes woman") at the office. She advises, "When your boss asks you to do something, accommodate him, if possible. The words 'I don't have time' should never escape your lips. If you know something needs to be done, do it without being prodded, and if your boss asks for help in a group setting, be the first to volunteer."
If you're always amenable, Levit believes, "Your boss will quickly come to see you as a huge asset to the team and as someone he can count on."
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