I know you said ear buds but this is the headset I use https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WRDNM7F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It was a little snug for a couple of days but it loosened up and I honestly forget I have it on most of the time. A nice feature of it is if you have any kind of media going on in the background if you're on a live call it will pause your media until the call disconnects.
go on indeed, glassdoor, ziprecruiter, etc.. just peruse the work from home or remote jobs and see if something appeals to you. A couple of things that I'd tell you to do. #1 set up an email account specifically for your job search. Makes incoming emails easier to keep up with and navigate. #2 if anybody says they're going to send you a check to cover the costs of equipment it is a scam. Run away. #3 if anything starts with a webinar it's generally a multi level marketing scam. Not bad if you're into that kind of thing but it's not for me and , personally, I think it's scummy. #4 expect to start with relatively low wages. I'm talking in the $12 to $15 per hour range. Not great but if you factor in the less gas, less clothes, being able to eat at home and not waste money on fast food, etc.. you can calculate that closer to $16 to $18 (keep in mind it costs money to go to work). #5 before you start your search make sure you have a good, quiet, place to do your work. In reality that's your 'office' so treat it as such #6 when you start WFH make sure your friends and family understand when you're at work you are AT work. Consider you not there for any reason unless a bone is sticking out. WFH supervisors take a dim view of absenteeism or long breaks unless you land a job with a really cool company. #7 when you're looking for WFH you need to consider it a 'job' while you look. That means set aside a couple hours daily to just sit, apply, respond to inquiries, interviews, etc. #8 when you get an interview have something 'business casual' to wear on cam. That means a collared shirt, well groomed, and so on. I can get away with a hoodie and a scruffy beard because of my resume. A new person starting out needs to look 'fresh' and 'eager' #9 go ahead and start looking for your home office equipment stuff now. Make sure you have a nice big desk. Check craigslist for furniture. I've found more free furniture on there thatn I can list. That's where I'd look for your desk and I recommend an L shaped one. If you've got some money stashed look at gtracing.com for desks and chairs. I rave about them but they're relatively inexpensive and comfortable. Then consider getting yourself a tower and two monitors for home use and keep your laptop aside for your personal stuff. You can go cheap on the tower. There are several on Amazon that run less than $100 this one runs $112 but would be a solid work pc for you. All you'd need is two monitors that took vga and / or display port inputs and two cables to connect them (its easy. Windows does most of the work for you) and you can get them for around $100 each. Then you're going to want a wired and / or wireless headset. I've got this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WRDNM7F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and it's pretty good. Bonus is I like to have a movie, show, or podcast running on another screen (I have six to be honest) and if I'm on an active call it autopauses then starts back up when I hang up.
That's all I can think of for now at 5 am. Maybe when I wake up I'll come up with some more for you. Hope it helps.
Good luck and happy hunting :D
I have this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WRDNM7F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 works pretty damn well too
Don't take ANYTHING a client says to you personally. If they're pissed let em be pissed. Take notes about what the real issues are and let them blow off their steam. In my experience it takes about 3 minutes for most people to vent then take the opportunity to tell them what steps you're going to take to resolve their issue if you can.
Don't be afraid to escalate a call to you superior (unless he or she is a total dick). A lot of 'angry' or as I like to think of them 'entitled' clients get their dicks hard or, conversely, their vaginas wet, when they feel like they've climbed up the corporate ladder. (an aside here. I'm looking forward to the day that I'm running my companies call center that I'm building. Everybody and I mean EVERYBODY that's in my charge will be made 100% sure that it's okay to escalate a call to me. As long as my rep did their bit I'm going to gauge the client and decide just how far I'm willing to go. If they're a dick they're going to meet a stone wall. If they're a dick to someone who works in my department they're going to hit the side of the grand canyon.
Make sure to take the breaks they give you (and the ones they don't). I make it a point to get up and get away from the phone every hour for 10 minutes. Sitting in place, staring at a computer screen, is unhealthy as hell.
Invest in your surroundings. The first thing I'd buy is a very comfortable chair. I have this https://gtracing.com/collections/gaming-chair/products/gaming-recliner-chair-gt308
I had a buddy build me a 'desktop' that I can lay my keyboard, mousepad, and mice (ya I work on 6 screens and two towers..not out of necessity but I'm kind of a geek and think it's cool) that fits inside the cup holders. If I feel like sitting 'up' and working, cool, if I feel like putting my feet up and working I just extend the foot rest, lean back, and do my thing.
If your company doesn't provide them or gives you cheap headsets go ahead and invest in your own. Mine which I love was a little 'tight' when I bought it but it adjusted quickly to my head and has the added benefit of if I'm on an active call it pauses whatever book, movie, or podcast I have going on one of my screens (I'm currently working my way back through 'Supernatural' because I don't have to actively watch it to know whats going on but it makes the day go faster) this is what I have. Not the greatest but it does a good job. I recommend the one ear connection so you can hear what's going on around you https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WRDNM7F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Chill, don't get stressed, and realize you ARE going to fuck up. Just never make the same mistake twice.
I wish you the best of luck. Working from home for me has been a godsend.