How to Get Hired For A Work At Home Agent Job

A work at home agent is responsible for answering customer service calls and processing orders online for clients.  Work from home agents usually get hired for assignments as an employee of the company, not as an independent contractor. This obviously isn’t a dream job, but the idea of working out of the house, instead of a depressing office, is the main reason people pursue the opportunity.

If you are having a hard time finding a local offline job, applying for online work at home jobs is a good alternative, at least temporarily.

Here’s how to get hired for the best work at home agent job…

1. Set up your home office. A quiet work space, reliable high-speed Internet connection and land line telephone is required by all companies. You will need the land line to answer incoming telephone calls and Internet for logging-in at the start of your shift each day. You will also need Internet for logging into live chat rooms to answer customer queries. Most importantly, your work space must be quiet, without any disruption.

2. Prepare your online resume. Customer service experience will help you get the best paid agent job, but experience usually isn’t required to be eligible for employment. Make your resume look its best and don’t exclude any important customer service related skills from your resume.

3. Search ads for work at home agent jobs. West At Home, Alpine Access and LiveOps are a three companies that provide customer service job, but there are many more. Take the time to look around and compare the pros and cons of each one. Some companies provide travel agent jobs, customer service, data entry and more.

4. Compare the hourly pay and benefits between available work at home agent jobs. A typical work at home agent earns between $8 to $15 per hour, but it is possible to earn more, depending on the company and the assigned tasks at hand. Agents start off at the low end of the pay scale, but earn pay raises over time. A few companies who hire agents as an actual employee of the company will even provide insurance benefits after the employee works so many hours per week.

5. After you find the best job opening, apply right away, because it won’t be open for long. It would be best to check your favorite job sites and job boards daily, throughout the day, so you can jump on them the minute they get posted. Apply for more than one work at home agent job. You will need to submit an online application and probably a resume too.

6. If you are contacted by an employer, you will need to pay for a criminal background check and also pass a voice test. The background check fee usually costs between $40 to $50. Almost every work at home company requires a background check, so don’t be alarmed when you’re prompted to pay for one — it is not a scam. Some companies provide paid training.

Tips & Warnings

Visit work at home forums and find out what companies others are recommending for work at home agent jobs.

Working from home has its privileges, but remember that it’s a job and there can’t be any distraction while taking calls. Noise from children, or a barking dog, can cause problems for you and your employer.

Work at agent jobs have advantages, but there are other opportunities, such as freelance writing. Explore other options and see what works best. There are all sorts of ways to work at home now.