| Janelle Delacorte has been happily answering calls for | | | | they've been able to allocate that money to their |
| the Home Shopping Network and various infomercials | | | | newest bills, without feeling overwhelmed. |
| since November 2004. | | | | Con's: |
| Several nights out of the week she tucks the kids in to | | | | - Voice strain. If you're not accustomed to talking |
| bed, turns around, takes 20 or so odd steps, and | | | | continuously for long periods of time, you might find |
| arrives at the office. In her pajama's, no less. | | | | your throat hurting for the first week or so until your |
| Janelle is a telecommuter. | | | | body adapts. "When I began answering calls for the |
| According to the 2004 ITAC American Interactive | | | | infomercial people I had to read a relatively long script, |
| Consumer Survey, she's one of 24.1 million people who | | | | depending on the product being sold. Those first few |
| is employed by a company, and works from home. | | | | days were murder on my throat," says Janelle. Her |
| And as you can imagine, she loves her job. | | | | solution was to keep a warm cup of tea nearby, as |
| In a recent interview she confided with me about the | | | | well as a glass of room temperature water with |
| pro's and con's of telecommuting. | | | | lemon. "It's very important to keep your throat hydrated |
| Pro's: | | | | with the right things, or you'll lose your steam very |
| - Working at home - especially if you have children. | | | | early on," she advises. |
| Janelle has a 1 and 3 year old. Having the kids at home | | | | - The pay can be volatile for those who are new to |
| with her has saved their family tens of thousands of | | | | the game. Janelle get's paid anywhere from $.17-$.27 |
| dollars in day care costs. "I was a latch key kid | | | | per minute when she's on the phone with a customer. |
| growing up, and that's not something I wanted for my | | | | So if you choose a slow period, you could literally |
| children," she says. "By working at home I've been able | | | | make less than a dollar an hour. "When I first started |
| to see them pass all of their major milestones, and I'm | | | | with HSN I would have really busy times when I'd be |
| very grateful for that." | | | | on the phone for almost the entire hour. Then there |
| - Being able to choose your own hours. The company | | | | would be times when the phone would ring 1 or 2 |
| Janelle works for routes calls 24 hours a day, 7 days | | | | times," she says. "Now before I book my hours I look |
| a week. Even better, she can work in 30 minute | | | | at what's going to be selling during that time frame. |
| increments, not a straight 8 hour shift as you would in | | | | Some items just attract a lot more buyers. So I |
| a traditional office. This enables her to work while the | | | | schedule my work time around those hot sellers, and |
| kids are asleep. And even if she wants to squeeze in | | | | my checks have been getting consistently better." She |
| a 1/2 hour during their nap time, she can do so. | | | | advises workers in her field to keep a diary of what's |
| - Not having to commute. Los Angeles - where Janelle | | | | selling when they work, so they'll know where the |
| lives - has the worst rush hour traffic in the United | | | | most calls come from. |
| States, according to the American Automobile | | | | - Not having a separate worklife away from home. |
| Association. Not to mention some of the highest gas | | | | Janelle says she sometimes misses the adult |
| prices. Janelle's family has saved over $200 dollars a | | | | companionship and change of pace that an outside |
| month by eliminating her daily commute to the office. | | | | office provides. "Yes, I sometimes long for a little |
| - Not having to invest in office attire. With two toddler | | | | watercooler banter," she laughs. "But when I can roll |
| age children, and a new car, Janelle's family expenses | | | | out of bed, put on my headset and start work anytime |
| expanded dramatically in the past 3 years. However | | | | of the day or night, I realize that I still have one of the |
| with a cut in certain expenses, like office clothes, | | | | best jobs in the world. |