To answer Polly's question, from the other forum, a pre-screener is basically a bunch of questions the recruiter will ask you over the phone to see if you qualify for the study. Sometimes, it can take about 5 - 10 minutes for them to ask all of the questions. Then, based on your honest answers, they will place you in a group the fits you best IF you qualify for one of them. For example, a Beer drinking study may recruit one group of people who drink very often and ANOTHER group who hardly ever drinks. They COULD be looking for both types, so be honest or you can end up in a group and be totally confused and out of place. Yeah, greenbook.org does list just about all of the focus group locations in the country, but most of them are located in larger cities so if you live way out in the boonies, it may NOT be worth it to sign up for any of the companies. All focus group companies that are currently looking for new people DO you have websites enabling you to sign up with them. If you can't find their website on greenbook, then just google the name of the company and I'm sure you'll find it. There's also a section of greenbook that lists all hte market research companies for surveys in your area, and some of them are located in smaller towns so check all of them out, make phone calls, etc... The worse they can tell you is that they don't recruit people.

Rebel

Thanks Rebel

I checked out the website you said, for the focus groups. but.. most are in major metropolitican cities which are at least 3 hours drive from us.

Tell me something njrebel.. do they ALWAYS do the, what is it, a survey, in the major metropolitan cities, OR do they sometimes do them in the outlying suburbs?

Well, if they paid over $100 MAYBE it would be worth it drivng the 3 hours one way, but if not.. I would be spending all my money on gas...

OR, will the companies themselves tell you what areas they cover?

I;m having trouble with my internet connection... I hate going driving all the way to the public library 20 miles away, if there;s no jobs available in my area.

We are on very tight budget since the jobs are so scarce nowadays.

When you did your jobs for the focus groups were they ALWAYS in a major metropolitan city NJrebel?

I almost forgot, I believe volition.com also has a section that lists several focus groups that recruit nationwide in various metro-areas. I haven't checked that thread in a while, so I'm not certain. Yeah, I'm surprised no one else mentioned them before on here since it's very similar to mystery shopping, it's just conducted differently in which you don't actually have to pay money to get money and focus groups pay 10 times more than mystery shopping jobs pay.

To answer Polly's question, yeah every focus group I did personally was in a major City, Midtown Manhattan in NYC to be exact. They do have a couple locations in NJ, but I haven't been invited for any of them yet and been doing these for over 6 years now. The good news is that yes, all of the ones I've seen pay at least $100. All the ones I did paid at least that amount and a couple paid $150. Most of them last 1-2 hours, but with no breaks. There is one company though that only pays $75 for their studies and only in the form of amazon gift cards, so I don't bother with those. However, I may around Christmas time. Every focus group's website is different, but it does tell you on greenbook where each company is located. I believe there's a certain symbol shown next to the companies that actually have focus room facilities. Also, almost forgot, just about all of the ones I've been to offer free sandwiches and beverages before the study if you get there early enough, so you get a free dinner out of it too. They seem to slow down in the summer for some reason though. I notice most of their studies take place around this time of year and in the Fall (at least in NYC area). Yup.....jobs are very tight right now. I applied to about 15 places just for part-time summer work for minimum wage and only ONE called me for an interview (Blockbuster video to be exact). But, I'm still waiting for a call for the second interview. The good news is that I have noticed a few more jobs listed in my local paper these past two weeks, so things may start picking up again slowly. Keep your spirits up because no recession lasts forever!

I would love to be on a focus group. The closest I got was a medical project with NIH and CDC in which people all over the country of all ages are measured and looked at so they will know the basics they are to work with when giving information to doctors. This is the same study that tells doctors what the normal growth rate is for a baby. By questioning them, I think they got my name from a medical mystery shopping company or from some of the companies I've registered with that do clinical trials investigating new meds.

Right now, I am doing merchandising, mystery shopping, enumerating for the Bureau of the Census, and have a taped meeting to transcribe. I just took on a part-time demo job. It pays better than my main merchandising company. I have to stop sometimes and just think. Now what do I put in my calendar or on my grocery list? Why did I pass the street where I was supposed to turn? It's great. I am also getting calls from a temporary agency, a school where I sometimes substitute (no more this school year), mystery shops to outlying towns I can't go to right now, and an agency that has contracts with the government that involve computer work. I've worked temporary jobs for them three times before. They pay well and the working environment is great, but they put a lot of performance demands on temporaries. So far, the transcribing is paying best. (If you haven't done it before, I warn you that it isn't easy and certainly not like other typing.) Census work pays second best. This part of the Census project will end in May. I hope to pick up other things during the summer.

This is why you haven't heard from me lately. I'm playing hooky from the transcribing to rest my thoughts.

I have friends who lost their transcribing jobs to technology. They enjoyed freedom to work when convenient, minimal travel, and could work in their jammies.

Sandra, it definitely sounds that you're determined to make money any way you can right now. I like your attitude. Are there any nationwide temp agencies that outsource from local offices you (or someone else on here) can recommend? I'm looking for a part-time summer job right now and can't seem to find anything that hires just for the summer. In my area, all of the summer camp jobs filled up back in March. If anyone can recommend something that hires seasonal on here, that would be great! Thanks for any help because like I said, the focus groups do slow down a lot in the summer.

Nurseries, landscaping companies and amusement parks are advertising seasonal jobs here.

A focus group finally called me last week, the first time . I'm in a suburb of NYC. But I had to work that day, and didn't ask about the pay because it would have upset me. Is it really usually $75-100? Mwaaaahh.

Yes, it's usually between $100 - 125. I only know one company in the NYC area that pays under $100 in the form of an amazon gift card. Those aren't really worth it unless you need to get a lot of shopping done on Amazon.

Mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!

Don't cry for me Argentinaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Isabel
Enjoy Life

You're a hoot, Izzy! How are you?

I am fine, my hubby and I we are here in Oceanside Ca. enjoy the good weather, he is fishing and I am shopping, I just did two Carl's Jr.
Our second biologic grandson is on the way, so I am helping DIL to set up the nursery, she planned a cars and racing stuff for the nursery decoration, and because she can't find too much stuff, here Iam sewing and making what she like, curtains, bumper, crib cover, diapers stacker, etc., everything on red, white and black fabric also I made the dust ruffle on white with littles cars, next week is going to be the baby shower and they are expecting the baby by July 2nd so we plan to go to Arizona for the birthday.
They keep me busy and out of trouble, now it's your turn to tell me how are you.
Isabel
Enjoy Life

Izzy-Are you signed up with AskSoCal for focus groups? I've done 4-5 for them. Interesting and usually $50-$100 for a couple of hours of your time

Joan, no I am not, but I will, could you please tell me more about it?.

Isabel
Enjoy Life

They are located in Garden Grove, but I've seen study locations throughout So. Cal. Once you are registered, they send out emails with screening surveys. If you fit the criteria, they contact you by phone. I've done grocery groups, new car features and others. Every time I've done one it's been done on an individual laptop in a hotel meeting room and it's been very similar to visual online surveys.

Here's their homepage link (not much info for participants) and the link for signing up. They really are 2 different links
[www.asksocal.com]
[www.asksocal.com]

Several months ago, I applied with all I could find in my area through GreenBook. I got my first call today!! Am scheduled for later this month, one hour, $65 to be paid in cash as I leave. Refreshments provided. Sounds to good to be true.

Yeah, it sounds legit Mert. They normally do provide refreshments. However, the pay is kind of low for a focus group. I never had one offered to me for less than $100. I guess it depends on the company and location. What part of the US are you located in?

I'm on the NC/SC line. My phone call from them pre-screened for 3 different groups, and I would have jumped on any of them. There was one that was $100, it was 3 hours regarding tv news; I answered honestly which channel I watched, and it must not have been the answer they wanted. It and another one were screening for a "floater"; kind of like an alternate, right? Paid regardless is what I was told. With experience of being pre-screened, one would probably become more adept at answering 'correctly'.

$65 is kind of low, you think? I'll believe it when I get it. I want this guy who called to become my new best friend

Actually, many times they don't accept you into their group because you answered the SAME way as too many other screened before you. Many times they look for people from many different perspectives. I just registered for a $100 deodorant test focus group in NY, but I don't know if they'll call me.

My offer came at the end of the pre-screening call.

I registered with several companies, but not a specific focus group. You register? They called me.

blah.. I just moved OUT of NYC. If I had known back then that I would be MSing and that focus groups were a possibility...


...well, I still would have run as fast as possible to get my kids out of the NYC public school system!!