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Are 900 lines a viable option for reputable readers? Can you make an adequate or better income and retain your integrity? I have always felt that there is room in this world for many venues - whether it be fast food, music or Tarot. Each venue targets a different spectrum of the population. The 900-Tarot venue consists of basically a hand full of companies - with varied pay scales, requirements and ways of doing business. What do you want to look for in a company, what kind of clients can you expect to talk to and what are you going to be able to offer them?
First, let's look at the different companies. How do you even find them? I do not suggest going through the internet. There are many offers out there - primarily from middle managers or lower, that want to pay 15-20 cents per minute, or less. You would be working for the middle person, even though you represent the main company. Your check, in most cases, would come from the middle manager. (This differs from line to line.) This is not what you want. You want to work directly for the company. So - what do you do?
My first 900 line job came from a newspaper advertisement - so that's a place to look. You can also try calling the customer service numbers listed with the 900 line ads in the print magazines. They will give you the contact information for the company. (And some companies do not hire their own readers - they outsource this to an existing company of readers.) Once you are contacted by the company, they will ask the type of readings that you do and your work history. You will also be expected to give a sample reading.
What questions do you want to ask the company? Ask them if you can sign on and off at will (in other words - create your own schedule), or if you have to stick to a set schedule. Ask them the types of readings they specialize in (some companies advertise for romance, others are more broad spectrum). Ask them what their pay scale is (some companies attach this to your call average, some to the total number of minutes worked per pay period). Ask them what their pay periods are. Also - ask them if you have to obtain the clients address. For me - this is a biggee. I find it invasive, and will not do it. What happens is that the 900 line company sends them tons of mail to get them to make more calls. And you get calls from angry former clients that want no more of this mail!
What will the 900 lines allow you to offer your clients? The best readings that you can possibly give! For legal and ethical reasons, you are not allowed to address questions concerning death, medical or legal issues. This is not your area of expertise. You are there to counsel your client - to help them form the best question to fit their situation. In many cases, as with in person clients, I will start out with a general reading and work from there. I am a Reiki Master - I offer my services to my clients free of charge. (No line will allow a reader to offer services of their own that the line does not get paid for.) I offer them tools - ways to journal, to interpret their dreams, to do visualization and affirmations - whatever I feel will help the person that I am talking to.
Who are the 900 line callers? They are just like the clients that go for live readings. They come from all backgrounds, all walks of life. They may find their issues hard to talk about face to face. Or they may have just seen the advertisement in a magazine or on the television. Or they may be anxious or frustrated and need an immediate answer, an immediate shoulder to cry on. For whatever reason - they are on the other end of your phone.
I have worked 900 lines for over eight years now. I find the work rewarding - I feel that I am there for a reason - that I do help people. If you take care to ask many questions, you can find a 900 line out there that you are a fit with.
I wish you many pleasant moments on your Tarot journey.
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