Eventually I would assume they would outsource it to a country that thinks $3 an hour is a good pay rate.

Don’t lie here please. You do not make a $100 a week in a couple hours invested a day being a guide unless you have a network, which is a crapshoot. It isn’t possible and you know it. Even if you worked 7 days a week it would still take you at least 3 hours a day and that is if you get paid the full $5/per search hour. The guides I talk to regularly can’t even make $20 in a day unless they are on for a full shift.

I like the ChaCha RahRahs though. Very commited to a company that treats them like they have just kicked their baby.

Amy there is related to some ChaCha help so she has gotten some nice benefits. She has a right to be cheery.

I meant, rabid member of a niche subculture.

There seems to be a real misunderstanding of how a Guide should operate and, as a recent MLS recipient with a focus in reference services, I find the role quite similar that of a professional reference librarian.

Mike’s comment shows some confusion in that regard:
“You can’t expect the guides to know everything, since they’re paid $5 - 10/hour, but you won’t find Google asking you what Digg is when looking for a UK equivalent.”

A well trained reference librarian (let’s focus on the real professionals for a moment) would not be expected to “know everything” even with a PhD (which I have). No credible information professional would be expected to know everything about a body of knowledge.

A credible professional would be expected to ask questions and clarify the nature of the request and any details about which the librarian is uncertain. Sometimes this may mean asking what may appear to be an obvious question to a rapid member of a niche subculture.

Reference librarians (Guides seem similar in this regard) are expected to know how to find information, identify and evaluate sources and so forth. By the nature of the pay scale and requirements, Guides will not be as effective as a well trained librarian but that’s fine as long as they don’t claim to be something they’re not.

Does legitimacy make it a good business?

No and I doubt they’ll succeed. The problem is, public libraries across the nation offer these same services for free. The opening for companies such as ChaCha has much more to do with the lack of visibility of library services and the general lack of understanding of what can be expected from such services.

All you have to do to move to being paid right now is get 3 greats on any one of your first 3 keywords. How hard is that?!?! When there is maintenance going on you won’t get many trainings but that is only one of the issues. The other issue is that you are to practice 25 times in the Practice area before even being trained. Sure some trainings slip through but it is best to practice, then train.

The favs were messed up and everyone THOUGHT they lost theirs. They are back and that problem has been addressed. They are still making a few changes so the app. is in proxy error right now but you can still work or train and get credit for it.

All I can say is that you were probably told that you would have to put in hours to make money and that the base pay is $5 per search hour for Pro and Master and $10 per search hour for Elite. You can get paid at Elite Status on a keyword even if you are at Master Level. I know because I’ve done this SEVERAL times. You can also make a lot more than $5 per search hour at Master if you build your network. I know because I make well over this most hours when I am working.

You are an Independant Contractor for ChaCha. If you can’t work independant and be your own boss……don’t even bother accepting or BEGGING for an invite!

Hope you love all your SPAM mail from filling out surverys! lol Talk about a crappy job! ::gagging::

Their guide application that you have to use is retarded. It’s hard to navigate people to the proper sites because it’s slower than hell and isn’t hands-on or very easy to use. I tried using their favorites option to add sites based on my keywords I chose, but it never saved them! New Chacha guides usually give up after dealing with the guide application because it isn’t made well. It’s a java application, and it sucks!

Overall it’s not worth the effort to join Chacha.com as a guide. You’ll have better luck with google searching on your own! Chacha.com

P.S. - I’ve made more money with survery websites then I did with Chacha.com , and I spent less time filling in surveys!

http://www.campusblender.com/m.....pic=255944

After reading most of these comments bashing ChaCha, I put most into the category of “mind puke” not worthy of comment. But one really opened my eyes!

One very short, one line message.

4chan + sponsors = profits

Now it all makes sense! That’s why they don’t try to stop the pranksters! That’s why when a guide tries to fight back against them, they will be fired. That’s why when we beg ChaCha to stop them they won’t!

It’s their main customer base! When you are trying to convince advertisers that your service is popular, why would you want to block 90% of the searches?

But again…I’m just a guide. I get paid to sit and babysit pranksters. After 4 months and many hundreds of searches under my belt….I’ve earned enough to place a down payment on a car.

I just wish that 4chan would put a bit of effort into some more cleaver pranks. Mudkips is getting awful boring.

As a cybrarian, I enjoy helping people find info online. My problem with ChaCha is that, in order to be a guide, you need to use their set of resources. I am faster if I do my own searching.

If anyone needs help, please feel free to ask me.

Librarians Rule!