Here are a few work at home job leads I thought I would pass along today, both of which probably won’t be open long:
oDesk Project: Blurb Writing
I actually did this for quite a few months earlier in the year. It’s pretty easy writing. The way it works is you’ll be sent batches of keywords (they come to you in the form of a spreadsheet in Google Docs). You must complete 250 of these, writing descriptions based on the keywords you are given. The descriptions must be 150 characters long (note I said characters, not words so these aren’t as long as you think) and you have to provide some source links.
You get to pick the categories that you want batches in (ex. entertainment, health, science/tech, etc.) and you will have seven days from the date you receive your batch to complete it. You can do as many batches in a seven day period that you are able to complete. After you turn one in, you’ll typically get another one pretty quickly if they have enough work to go around (sometimes they don’t).
For this project, it looks like it’s paying $88 per batch. When I did it, it was only about $70, but I think this time around they are requiring more links so perhaps that’s why it pays more now. Update – Even though it says $88 when you click through to the job posting, it appears that pretty much everyone is only getting $80 for each batch.
You are not doing this for an individual — the client is actually a well-known internet company. You will need to create an oDesk account to apply if you don’t already have one because they’ll want a link to your oDesk profile. Here is the link to apply for the position through oDesk.
My experience with this project was very good overall. There is also a group on Facebook you can join after you’re accepted for the project so you can stay updated on when batches are going out, etc. The only gripe I had was that sometimes the category I wanted wouldn’t be available, and when that happens they just give you whatever they have. Sometimes that might be in a category you don’t know much about, which makes the writing more difficult.
Phone Mystery Shopping – Calling Pizza Places
I found this lead on Work Place Like Home. I think it’s one a lot of people apply for but not very many ever hear back. Still, it may be worth a try so I figured I’d share the info in case anyone is interested. From what I gather, you are calling pizza restaurants during lunch and/or dinner hours depending on your availability and asking questions. You are paid .50 cents per call and apparently most people average about $10 an hour. I do not think this is a position where background noise matters. They pay weekly with either check or Paypal.
Some people have posted on Work Place Like Home that they work for this company and they are legit. I did apply for this myself a few months ago, but no one ever got back in touch with me.
If you’d like to try it, you’ll need to send an email to jobs (at) brmysteryshop dot com and inquire about the position. Do not use the Craigslist link in the Work Place Like Home thread to apply because it’s outdated and no longer works, just use the email I posted here and you should get an auto-response back that includes more info and a link to the form to fill out. Good luck!
{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the heads up on these job leads!
Jess recently posted..How Much Did I Make In July?
Hey Anna. I’m curious about the oDesk job – how long on average did it take you to do a batch? The pay is certainly good – I’m just curious.
Working as much as possible (and with two kids running around that had an impact on how much I could work), I could usually do one batch in two days. But most of the time I only managed one or two batches a week because I had other things going on that I had to work on. But there were a few instances where I focused all my energy on getting batches done and I could crank one out every two days if I really tried.
All right, that really puts it into perspective. Whenever I see, “You have to add links,” I die a little bit inside. But that seems like a reasonable turn-around time.
Just a warning, I think they are now requiring more links than they were (which might account for the higher pay). So it could take longer. But they weren’t extremely strict on the links you can use. Ask.com has a Wikipedia like site themselves and when I was doing this, anything sourced from that was OK.
I don’t think I understand this. I have been writing product reviews and related stuff for the past year or so, so I think the Blurb writing job is something I can have a go at.
So, you need to complete all 250 blurbs in a single day or two?
No, they give you seven days. But you are free to complete as many as you can in the seven-day period (provided they have the work). But you have seven full days to do each batch you get if you need that long.
The blurb writing gig on ODesk sounds like a great extra money opportunity! If you have enough of these little side jobs, it can really add up!
Lisa Mills recently posted..Work at Home: Medical Editor Job with SanovaWorks
It is, Lisa. I was blessed to have that “egg” for the time period that I did. Which is why I was so excited to see it open again so I could share with others!
Yeah, as long as the links aren’t that hard to dig up, I’m not too worried. $80ish bucks seems reasonable given the amount of work. I was wondering if it had to be academic sources, and only one of each, and…well, you get the picture. Thanks, Anna.
Double thanks – I’m officially on for the writing gig! I was getting very worried, as I help look after my nephew. The family’s been shifting around schedules trying to pick him up from school. As long as I can keep the work-from-home stuff going, I can help look after him. It’s a load off my mind.
Congrats, Markato! I am glad to hear it! It should (hopefully) be good, steady work for a while. They do run out of batches occasionally, but the fact they are hiring makes me think they anticipate having plenty. I think typically this can be counted on for 3 or so months before batches start running out. Hopefully that will be the case this time around, too.
I found your site a few days ago. I just want to THANK YOU SO MUCH!! for having this site going! It has already helped me more than most of the forums and such I have been frequenting over the last few months. I wish I had found it sooner!!
I have a lot of physical issues that are making it harder and harder for me to do “regular” work. I have been working from home for the last year, but have been getting VERY burned out at the job I have now (that also pays peanuts). I want to keep working from home, and started looking online for places to help me sort through all the scams that are out there. I am a member of several forums, but, by their nature they are hard to search for the information I really want. They are great for getting feedback about specific things, so have their place. Your site is organized in a very useful way. I have found more info in the last few days that was JUST what I wanted to find than I have in several weeks of digging and reading and getting frustrated elsewhere. So again, THANKS!!!!
Please keep up the great work! Big fan here
Thanks so much for the kind words, Judy
I am so happy that you find my site helpful. I am always trying to find ways to organize my info better because, as you said, I also have difficulty finding specific things when looking on the forums, etc. so that has always been one of my goals.
Keep it up
You are doing great!
I do not know where you find the time and energy to research soooo many different ways to make money at home, but I am super grateful that you are so generous with sharing what you have learned. <3
The DIRECTORY page was my favorite find so far!
Just last week I was scouring and scouring looking for a post I remembered seeing (and kicking myself for not writing down!) about a website usability testing job (and of course I had no idea it was called that–just that I remembered what the job entailed–I had even gone out of my way to buy a microphone to use with the computer!) a few weeks back on one of the forums, and I JUST could not find it. The day before yesterday when I finally fumbled onto your directory page–there they were!! “Website usability testing” sounded like what I had been hunting, and that it was–and you even know of SEVERAL different places to try! I was so excited! That was when I wrote you the note above
Judy, thank you for the kind words!! I am so glad you found exactly what you are looking for. I really enjoy seeking these opportunities out and posting about them
Thanks for posting these job leads! I just got hired at Odesk for the blurp writing and I’m so excited. I’ve never had an application accepted at Odesk and I had honestly given up on the site for a while. If it hadn’t been for this post I would have never thought of checking the job postings there.
clauemi recently posted..Payments From Irazoo
Clauemi, I had given up on odesk for a while too because all the application I put in kept getting turn down or the jobs I wanted to apply for required that I have odesk work hours.
I recently was hired for odesk blurb writing gig and I would like the link to the facebook group who does this type of writing. Also, are there any places I can go to read up on how to do this type of writing. Thanks Anna!
Here’s the link to the group Michelle: https://www.facebook.com/groups/359716497387394/
That would probably be the best place to find out more about how it works. It’s a private group so you’ll have to ask to be invited. Good luck!
Thanks Anna! Does this group have a name on Facebook that I can look up? Because you were right about them being private and me needing to be invited.
I think it is just called Team Mocksa. Did you use the link I posted above and ask to be invited?
Yep, I did but the web page said “No Content Found”, so I thought I would try to search for the group on Facebook. Thanks again Anna!
I tried to sign up, but it didn’t work and I couldn’t find them on Facebook via search. Maybe they closed their Facebook account?
As far as I know it is still there. You could email them at Mocksa and ask for the link in case they changed it. I’m sure they would be happy to give it to you.
Thanks for the suggestion, Anna!
Thanks so much for the job leads! I have a question about the blurb writing job. So, the pay is $88 per batch…Does that amount include the fee oDesk charges the client?
I don’t think that includes the fee. I think that is what you get, although oDesk does charge $1 (I believe) for you to transfer your earnings over to Paypal when you get paid.
I was accepted onto the Fortress Blurb project, its all about vehicles… Did anyone get feedback from the editor that contradicts advice in the guidelines?
This is putting me off this project, although I may continue to see if things get better.
I also got $80 not $88 did this happen to anyone else?
They offered me $80 too.
I was also given all vehicles, KP. The advice that I got from my editor was pretty sparse and pretty basic, i.e.: “Make sure you use all keywords in the blurb.” If it was “Harley Davidson windshield bags,” a few times I was guilty of omitting “Harley Davidson.” He also told me to keep my Template B/refining blurbs to 100 of the 240.
For anyone who wants an idea of what they’ll accept, a few of my blurbs were literally like so:
Keyword: Ford Fiesta
Blurb: The 2012 Fiesta is a car manufactured by Ford. It features (x) MPG, a (x, y, z) engine, and (some other random detail about the car). Ford Fiestas are available for purchase from Ford dealerships, private sellers and classified listings.
And boom – you’re done!
Thanks for sharing that, Markato. The job is still listed as paying $88, so I’m not sure why it seems everyone is being offered $80, but others have also said that’s what they were offered, too.
Did anyone ever hear anything back from the other job listed on this post, the calling pizza places job?
Anna, I’m not American so I decided that I would rather not apply!
Markato, thank you very much for your input. It’s good to know that someone else got the same pay! The issues with the editor seem to have been sorted out though.
It’s also nice to be acknowledged by someone on a blog post :p
Oh and thank you Anna for putting up the Blurbs opportunity, were it not for this blog post I would not have applied! Great work on your blog!!
Thanks, K.P.!
Thanks Anna! You blog is amazing. It has really helped me out. I applied yesterday and was accepted today. The rate they are paying me is $80, not $88.
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words and glad you got in. I need to update this post I guess. Seems everyone is just getting the $80.
Thanks for this post. I applied and was accepted. Although the work is easy, it comes out to far to little hourly pay for my taste, not too mention you have to be extra careful or you won’t be paid. There are 250 blurbs. Fast to me is finishing each blurb at about in 3.23 minutes. That comes to a measly $7.04 an hour. I think this is on the high end because I don’t believe all blurbs will be as easy. I still think it’s good for those who are willing.
Oh and I wasn’t asked to chose a category. If I was asked then it did not work. I have keywords ranging from online banking, federal prisons and hedge funds.
————–
NOTE: Fortress Mocksa may stumble upon this article. Therefore, I’d like to remain anonymous because when push comes to shove I may need to apply with them again, but I still want to share my experience. So I hope my name “Anon” is okay.
————–
First, I went to their application site to get on with them and provided my oDesk username in the provided field on their form. I later received an email notification from oDesk, stating something about someone wanting me to accept their offer or hire me. I learn it’s the blurb writer opportunity. WOW! I’ve been on oDesk for an extremely long time and never been hired. I thought this would be quick and easy money. Excited, I immediately accepted their $80 offer they wanted me to accept. I didn’t hear anything back other than a ‘thank you’ from the hiring manager (no welcome letter – nothing). But some days later, I receive a mass email about a $5 bonus for those who finished their blurbs with a certain time frame. I still hadn’t received the welcome letter or further instruction since being hired. After contacting them, I was “officially” brought on.
Now, after doing research on this opportunity, I found this is not the first time in history they’ve hired blurb writers. So why don’t they have the accurate and updated guidelines of what they want their blurb writers to do? It’s not hard to update the Google .doc, itself. This conflicting information is a put-off.
After reading the welcome letter I went back up to the top where it states, “You MUST follow the Style Guide:…” and clicked on the link to start learning what is expected and how they wanted everything done, etc. After I read it over and watched the vids, I opened up my designated file of keywords only to find a list of keywords that I am far from being knowledgeable on. Now, on their job application they ask about categories/topics you’d be willing to write about. What was the point, if all they were going to do was give me keywords related to topics I did not select out of their plethora of choices? Regardless how I felt, I started working. It might not be hard. I was wrong, it proved to be quite challenging, which I’ll come back to in a minute.
I did have to keep going back and forth (every now and then) to the guidelines to better learn how to do the 6-8 extra columns that was provided on my spreadsheet. (I did think it was strange to expect all of this to write a blurb, but went at it anyway.) This process had me thinking about the $80 they offered for this project of 250 blurbs. I complained a little bit to myself, went back to look at the oDesk description (their $88 budget also caught my attention -hmmm), re-read this was all to be done in no more than 7 days, and in the end I tried to figure out a way to be accurate and speedy about the work delegated to me.
————–
FUTURE REFERENCE NOTE: I should’ve communicated this to them or tried asking them for a new list of keywords. And, at the time, they were still (and still are) hiring for blurb writers. So they still have different batches of 250 keywords. Considering they are encouraging blurb writers to finish within 72 hours of receiving your batch of 250 keywords with a $5 incentive in hopes to gain more work from Ask.com, this new list request isn’t asking too much. Delegating work based on the applicants’ application choices, definitely makes for a more productive turnout.
————–
Please don’t get me wrong. I do not mind a challenge nor do I have a single problem learning new things that are not related to things I already know. It just may take me a little longer to understand certain new topics. So, when they make known to the team of their real vision of what they really want (by mention of the bonus incentive), I automatically think, “…and, I would love to help you fulfill that goal or desire, so how about giving me keywords related to topics I selected on my application? That way I can spit out blurbs left and right instead of spending time learning a new topic to create high quality blurbs.”
I’m not going to lie, my keywords were way more difficult than I already thought. I was given a spreadsheet with a bunch of finance-related keywords in areas of finance that I am just not knowledgeable. So, of course, that took extra time in finding credible sites and sites that put it in terms that I could get a good understanding of what the keyword was so that I could write a blurb that, at least, made sense to the one who knew the topic or one who didn’t. I also wasn’t sure if the person who wrote it was credible or not. So, I tried to look for business websites on the keywords or .edu, .gov, or .org, which is what Fortress Mocksa wanted. It was discouraging and I even stopped doing it for some hours to contemplate on the real worth of my time and this $80 project.
When I snapped out of my frustrations, I went back to my spreadsheet to just get it done and found a comment by one of the staff telling me that my doc had too many columns. Huh? Too many columns? Did anyone else receive a doc with as many columns as mine? I look at my spreadsheet and the columns I learned how to do through the guidelines doc and vids, researched the answers for and completed, according to the “MUST follow” guidelines, were suddenly removed. WTHeck! Did I miss something? I ask the staff member and get no response. I re-read the guidelines and see there were no changes to the instructions. I re-read the welcome email. Shoot! Those 6-8 extra columns were no longer needed and they just hadn’t updated the “MUST follow” guidelines. What I waste of time I spent, which is my mistake.
Additionally, the FM staff member commented on my use of a url within a blurb. Obviously, the examples provided in the “MUST follow” guidelines on how to properly write a blurb with a url are inaccurate as well. Now, my blurb did not contain that long url, it was more like, “…CompanyXYZ.gov states…” Well, come to learn from the FM staff member, using urls in blurbs is prohibited. Riiiight.
At this point, these flip-flopping and conflicting instructions/guidelines/expectations are getting on my nerves. What next? Are they also going to change up the pay again? It’s like, “Go fix your darn “MUST follow” guidelines to be up to par! Don’t have blurb writers wasting time learning and reading irrelevant/invalid/outdated information when that time can be spent on doing what you really want. Is that too much to ask? I mean seriously. The guidelines can be fixed as quick as you removed those extra columns from my doc (highlight or select and delete, boom, done).”
Also, they want blurb writers to only type out answers within Google Drive (formerly Docs). That’s fine. However, every now and then, I noticed that what I entered would either be gone or reverted back to my initial blurb as if I hit undo or something (I didn’t, btw). At first, I thought a FM staff member was making modifications to it because they preferred the initial blurb *shrugs*. However, there was no one else looking at my doc at the time it occurred, which you can clearly see by looking at the top right hand corner. Really, I don’t know if it was a Google Drive glitch or maybe it was merely my WiFi connection. Hm. Nevertheless, I fixed it or redid the blurb when that happened.
Oh, I also read on the welcome email that they had a facebook page for blurb writers, that was also mentioned in the comments above mine. This excited me, because now I can ask other successful blurb writers for their tips on how to be efficient and accurate on keywords they know nothing about. To my disappointment, the facebook link to this group or page of Fortress Mocksa is dead/invalid/nonexistent. They are quite consistent in being inconsistent, I’ll give them that much.
With all the said, I still think it’s a cool and great type of work at home opportunity. Just sharing my experience with Fortress Mocksa as a blurb writer.
I could’ve made this into post on one of my writing accounts lol! Thanks, Anna, for sharing legit work at home jobs =)!
I’m so sorry you had a bad experience
I think some things must have changed a little since I did this earlier in the year because I honestly did not have a bad experience. I did sometimes end up getting batches in categories I knew nothing about despite what I asked for, but that was the worst of it for me. From what I understand they don’t always have the categories you want available to write on so sometimes you just have to take what they give you. This only happened to me a few times but lots of people are reporting that that is actually the norm this go around.
I completed a batch of blurbs last Wednesday, 9/26. I found the task interesting and nerve-wracking all at once. Interesting in that I got to revisit a topic I hadn’t worked with for years, nerve-wracking because of deadline anxiety. Or perhaps just the state of my nerves.
I understood the $88 to be the amount paid to oDesk, so I bid 90% of that–$79.20. The offer gave me an 80-cent raise to $80. When the welcome letters came, I took great pains to review the style guide and videos. I should have given equal attention to reviewing the task revisions in the letters; that would have spared me my early efforts to do the Ask.com searches which were proving to be an exercise in futility. A more critical obstacle appeared to be Google Docs itself as it kept re-establishing its connection and losing my work.
The letters provided an email address and a Facebook page for help. I could not access the Facebook page as my Facebook account is not based on gmail, so I used the given email address to communicate the Facebook and Google Docs issues. I have yet to hear a response, even though I stated in bold print that the Google Docs issue might impact my ability to make deadline.
Nevertheless, I pressed on and made deadline. I learned that Google Docs works MUCH BETTER in Firefox or Chrome than in IE 9. That made things immensely easier. But I question if I could ever get 250 blurbs done in the 11 hours or less it would require to make this project approach the hourly revenue of a minimum-wage job. That is why I did not accept additional work. I just got notice of impending payment, so no worries there. (BTW, there is no charge for ACH transfers to bank accounts!)
In conclusion, I would tell those undertaking this project to read everything sent to them as soon as possible, avoid using IE 9 with Google Docs, and monitor the hours as well as the days spent to assess economic viability.
Thanks, Anna, for the lead and for your continued support.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Phil!
Anna, I just want to thank you for all of your hard work in this blog! I’m really, really grateful that I found this blurb writing opportunity through you. I got accepted, and I have completed 2 batches so far, though right now it seems there is no more work available. I hope they will soon have more.
I know I would have never found this by myself. Also, I had never sent an application at Odesk, although I opened my account about 6 months ago. So, this was huge for me: my first application getting accepted, and also this is my first decent paying work at home opportunity.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
You are welcome Sandra! I’m glad you like it
I hope they have more work soon!
Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any more blurb projects yet? I hope they get some soon!
They said they were having trouble with Facebook when I asked so I cannot sign up to the Facebook account yet to talk to other writers…
Thank you again Anna for this blog post it’s been an essential source of information for me both post and comments etc!
You’re welcome! Hopefully they will send you another batch soon!
Does anyone know when this job will start up again or whether it has already started? I did this job last year but haven’t heard anything from them since it stopped.