Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with telework

Legitimate "work from home" opportunities while living abroad?

fsmontenegro — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:41:39 -0800

What are some legitimate "work at home" opportunities for someone looking for something to do while in "early/semi" retirement and living abroad? I know the topic has been discussed here previously, but usually in the context of work at home while living in the US. My question is more along the lines of what opportunities are there for "remote work" or "work at home" while living abroad?

One of my acquaintances has recently moved/retired to South America. The recent dollar crunch means she may have to supplement her pension income. She has some health issues, so working from home is the only realistic choice.

She has a law degree and used to work in the financial sector but has been out of that for a few years now. She has OK (but not great) computer skills and has high-speed Internet at home (typicaly latency back to US is in the 100ms range). Unfortunately, she has some hearing problems, so transcription work may not be an option. On the plus side, she is fluent in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese and French).

Any suggestions for legitimate work that she can get involved into?

Thanks in advance!

[AustinFilter] What are your favorite places to work from in Austin?

nightwood — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 19:51:20 -0800

I'll soon be telecommuting, but I'd rather not work from home all the time. Being in Austin, of course, we've got hundreds of places with WI-FI access. What are some of the best places to sit and work in Austin? I would need network access (free or paid) and access to an outlet for my laptop. I don't spend much time on the phone, so I don't need privacy for conference calls, etc.

I have some savings and would like to become a programmer. Is it still possible to do this if you're entirely self-taught?

Tnuocca — Sun, 20 May 2007 08:41:07 -0800

1 year to become a self-taught programmer Hello,

I'd like some information on how to become a programmer. (I have some savings that I can live off for about a year.) I was wondering if it's still possible to become a programmer without doing a computing degree?

If so, is there a list of topics / books you think I should cover?

Could you please support your answer with links to job adverts, etc.?

Thanks in advance.

How to work through the internet with mobile phone?

Tnuocca — Tue, 01 May 2007 05:06:48 -0800

I'd like to work through the internet. At the moment I access the internet through a mobile phone (Sony Ericsson W850i). I have a laptop but the phone can't be used as a modem so I have to access the internet using the phone's internal software. Are there any jobs I could do with this type of internet access? I can wordprocess files with the laptop and then transfer them to the mobile phone so they can be uploaded to the internet. But I can't use real time programs like Messenger or Habbo Hotel.

Are there any jobs I could do with this type of internet access?

I saw a thread on a similar topic before but I can't seem to find it now (something to do with a person who had applied for disability benefit and was currently working with a charity that deals with Palestine). Could you please also tell me where that thread is?

Thanks in anticipation.

Please help me not have to dust off my resume!

bristolcat — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 06:21:38 -0800

How do I convince my boss to let me telecommute? I am moving halfway across the country (USA) in a little over a month. I would be leaving behind a job that I dearly love. I already approached my boss about possibly telecommuting in every day and he was very open about it--but he wants me to prove to him that it will work.

We are a small company with a similarly small budget. I work on a small art team and we do both production work for screen printing as well as creative work for marketing.

My questions are:

-What technical solutions can I bring to the table? I need to be able to access their network as if I was sitting there, and PC Anywhere is too slow. My fiance suggested a dedicated VPN line, but did not elaborate. I'm also looking into a Skype phone and a fax-to-email program. Any suggestions?

-What workflow solutions can I bring up? We have paper orders that float through the plant as part of the workflow. How can I make it easy to integrate myself into that process?

-What is reasonable to expect from an employer? I want to minimize the cost as much as possible for them, as I feel that otherwise, I won't be considered. Should I be able to take the computer I use now with me or be forced to buy my own? Can I expect my salary to stay the same? Benefits?

-What benefits of telecommuting (from a remote office, not home) can I put in my proposal? These would be benefits for the company, not me.

-What potential problems will there be?

I know that a lot of these questions are going to vary from company to company but if you have any insights, I would be most glad to hear them. I tried to Google, but it seems like most of the resources out there are from 2004 or earlier and I'd like something a little more up-to-date.

Thanks much!!!

Live in Canada, Work in the USA?

blue_beetle — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 15:21:57 -0800

How to live in Canada, work remotely in the USA in one easy step? You may remember me from such questions as "How do I as a Canadian live and work in the USA?", "I was turned down for TN status!", and "Building a credit history in the USA". Well, for the past year I've been living south of the border. Now my one year TN status is expiring, and won't be renewed. I'd like to move back to Canada but continue to work remotely for my Utah-based employer. With no longer having TN status (NAFTA-related work approval) can I maintain US employment, even though I can't live legally live there anymore?

My employer has offered to keep me as an employee and while I won't be within commuting distance, and all work would be done via remote (terminal server) connections. The technical-side is fine, but what about the legal side? Please help me to understand what needs to be done.

Gee, Ma, I Wanna Go Home

buddha9090 — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 05:56:46 -0800

Any U.S. Federal Government employees teleworking? Can you please share your experiences: job duties, length of time at job prior to teleworking, distance from main office, frequency of going in to the main office, how you requested the accomodation, any advice on making the request?
I am currently a judicial law clerk set for a two year appointment. I would very much like to move to a different city for my second year, almost entirely so I can be closer to my s.o. Trying to get some materials together to make a persuasive pitch to my judge. Any help is much appreciated