Are there any real telemarketing jobs you can do from home?

The Salary for Telemarketing Jobs From Home

• Answer:

  If you dream of working from home, a telemarketing career might suit you well. Home-based telemarketers work for such companies as Alpine Access, which, according to CNN Money, employs 3,000 home-based workers who handle sales and customer-service calls from a diverse array of clients. Although the future remains uncertain for the telemarketing industry, home-based job seekers can search for positions without regard to the companies' locations. Perhaps as a result, average salaries vary little from one state or job market to another. There's no indication that salaries differ between home-based telemarketers and onsite workers. However, costs and benefits associated with working from home do affect net earnings. Salaries According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for telemarketers, including those who work from home, is $10.73 per hour and $22,310 annually. Median is the middle salary -- half make less and half make more. The lowest 10 percent of telemarketers earn $7.92 per hour or $16,480 annually. The highest 10 percent earn $18.51 per hour or $38,000 per year. Most telemarketers work in the business-support services industry, where the mean salary is $11.03 per hour. The fewest telemarketers work in the banking and finance industry, but they earn a mean wage of $14.83 per hour. Per-Minute vs. Hourly Pay Some home-based telemarketers are paid only for the minutes they spend talking with customers. Between calls, their time is uncompensated. West Corporation, for example, offers this option, but it pays minimum wage for hours worked if the per-talk-minute rate fails to meet minimum wage. Not all companies pay the difference, however. If your employer doesn't offer a minimum base pay, you could work literally for pennies an hour during a slow shift. Financial Benefits of Home-Based Telemarketing If you have a dedicated home office and provide telemarketing services from home because your employer requires it, you may qualify for a home-office tax deduction that allows you to deduct expenses related to the business use of your home. The tax savings can be substantial. Home-based telemarketers with children often save on day care costs, too, as they're usually able to work when their children are home. An additional benefit is that you’ll eliminate such job costs as transportation and maintaining a work wardrobe. Drawbacks of Home-Based Telemarketing Some home-based telemarketers must purchase and maintain their own equipment. This equipment may include a landline phone, computer, high-speed Internet service and such computer peripherals as a headset. The worker may also have to pay for a pre-employment credit check and criminal background check. If you work as an independent contractor rather than as an employee, you also have to pay your own Social Security tax, although half is deductible in the same year you pay it.