If you have kids to send to school, a mortgage or loan to pay, a sickly family member, then those are just the tip of the iceberg that you have to deal with and make sure that are carefully addressed. It’s good to be filled with enthusiasm when you are starting on freelancing but the fire of enthusiasm can be doused if you take things for granted.

1. Savings

There is actually no exact figure or amount that you should have in your savings to start a freelance homebased work. But as a rule of thumb, it is advised that you have funds that can sustain your needs for a 6month period. That is considering unexpected end of work, low income flow, or a sudden sickness which means no earnings for you. This is also to buffer the transition period of your 9-5 work to the freelance home based work.

2. Health Insurance

Health is wealth. I think that is something that we can all agree on. And if you do agree, you ought to agree as well that getting a reliable health insurance is a must if you will be hopping on the freelancer’s wagon. If you are enjoying free medical and dental benefits, hospitalization for you and your dependents, then you “must” (emphasis added) also ensure that you and your family enjoy the same benefits after you resign from your 9-5 work. It will make you feel more secure and confident that your funds will not be depleted in cases of sickness in the family.

3. Skills and Education

At this point, your resume and experiences, as well as the skills acquired will be your key in securing a job. Your marketability to employers will depend on how well you have established your skills and your proven track record will mean a lot. But the more well rounded you are, the more opportunities will be available for you. If you know just the basic, try to at least advance your knowledge. Take as much relevant training and certifications that you can and make sure that you brush up on your English communication skills. Make sure that you can effectively communicate not only on your line of expertise but also on a personal level. Remember that you are not only selling your service, you are selling yourself.

4. Materials and Equipment

Many online opportunities are available today and one of them is online tutorials. And if you would consider applying for such a position you must take into consideration the material requirements of the job. Do you have a reliable internet connection? Is your office conjucive for classroom type of environment, no noise, no distractions? Do you have a noise cancelling microphone? etc. etc. This may not be true in your case but it would also be a good thing to consider. Whether it is just plain writing that you do, or coding and other programming jobs, your clients may call you from time to time and may bring a bad impression if your room is noisy, your internet connection disconnects. It would be a wise investment if you can purchase the following:

UPS or uninterrupted power supply
printer, scanner, and copier
mic & headset
back up wireless internet subscription
portable HD drive

5. Network and Resources

Working online as a home based freelancer doesn’t mean that you have to alienate yourself from the outside world. It is even more advisable that you create a bigger network now, whether online or offline, than ever before. Why? Because your network can be a good source of referral projects. Word of mouth can travel at lightning speed and creating a good network that can help you spread the word about your work. It can bring countless potentials at your doorstep. Join likeminded people. There are freelancer forums and discussion boards, as well as websites that cater to online freelance works. And remember, always maintain a good reputation with the people you deal with, both client and colleague because a bad reputation is a devourer of your income.

Create a list of where you will get your clients. Evaluate the Terms of Service and check for user feedbacks.

NOTE: This post was originally posted on my blog: DrEy’s CaLl CeNtEr WeBlOg under the title: Cheklist for Online Homebased Freelancer

Before I divulge my plans for 2012 let me share a few things I’ve learned as a full time freelancer. These are practical things that helped me survive the year, from family life, to work ethics, and social life which I hope will help you too.

1. It’s a family business

I’ve learned that working as a freelancer is not a “you mentality” but it is and should be a family business. You are just working as the main character but in essence, your wife, your son or daughter has a big part to your success as supporting roles. They need to understand what you are doing in order to support you in little ways. My 2 kids know that when I put on my headset, they have to keep quiet because “George” is on the line. My wife knows that when I am slumping on my chair, I badly need a back massage.

2. Full time doesn’t apply to job only but to family as well.

It was a challenge for me to get over being an overtime father and switch to full time family man. But when you get hold of the balance you will surely be more satisfied with your work, be more happy with your family and live a healthier life. My usual line when my wife tells me that I no longer have time for them is to say that all that i’m doing is for them (which is true). But of course it’s not all about the money. Spending a few hours with the kids, teaching them their alphabet, putting them to bed and playing with them have become my goal to keep me sane and family oriented.

3. It pays to socialize

Social media like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, as well as blogs are essential parts of freelancing. The first few jobs that I took were courtesy of my defunct blog “pinoyfusion”. My current work as a research person was because of comment I made to a blog. So you can see how this little things can mean really big in making yourself visible in the radar. Let the world know that you exist and that you have a special service that you can offer. Word of mouth can do wonders for your career. But as a word of caution, make sure that you know what reputation management is as well.

4. Be In the Know

I’ve learned that in order to thrive in this fast paced environment, you need to be able to cope with the influx of information, explore new things and enhance what you already possess. What I like the most about this is discovering new tools so that I can work more efficiently and more productively. It’s almost futile to reason out and say that we don’t know, because with just a simple click on Google search almost everything is at your fingertips.

5. Spend Your Money Wisely

Work can sometimes be so unpredictable and so is the income. As a freelancer, i’ve learned that our focus should not just be on the earning but also on managing those finances. It didn’t become freelancer’s top concern for no reason. If we like to master our craft, budgeting will be the one of the most important lesson we should master next to time management.

6. No is sometimes yes.

This is the best freelance lesson that I’ve learned this year. Freelancing thought me that an opportunity to work with a prospect doesn’t end when you fail an interview or your proposal was rejected. It actually ends when you think that business is only “TODAY” and there is no point in exerting effort to communicate with someone who rejected you. It thought me that business starts the very moment you decided to apply. Whether your prospect accepts or rejects at the first meeting, tomorrow is business as usual because you’ll never know when the need arises that you will become the perfect peg for the hole.

I hope you’ve learned something from what I’ve learned. I’d be glad to hear your thoughts too!

The fact is, the internet is becoming the biggest job site you could ever imagine. Come to think of it, it’s not only limited to local opportunities but its global. So for those who wants to catch up on the booming online jobs industry, I have listed the eight most sought after skills on the web.

As a bonus, I have also added a few resources which would be a good place to start gathering information on how or where to get your dream jobs. Read on…

1. Virtual Assistant

– Newsblaze.com considered Virtual assistance (VA’s) as one of the latest and hottest home based businesses in today’s market. You may ask why, well, there’s a lot of reasons why this skill is such a hit. For entrepreneurs who want to keep the business rolling, getting a well rounded VA who could almost do everything, like managing a blog, social media accounts, office and admin works, customer service, this is such a big hit. Best of all, they are literally getting some quality service at rock bottom prices if they outsource the job from India or the Philippines. Chris Ducker of Virtual Business Lifestyle has actually taken advantage of this niche. Chris started an outsourcing company called Live2Sell that provides VA services here in Cebu and he’s been reaping the rewards for finding Filipino VA’s who simply provide awesome service at very low rates.

On the other hand, if you are solo professional who wants to start a VA business of your own but finds the web as an uncharted territory, here are some sites that I would recommend for you to visit.
a. IVAA - International Virtual Assistants Association
b. VA Classroom – a site co founded by Craig Cannings
c. VA Training Online -
d. VA Networking -

2. WordPress Developer

– Over 25 million people have chosen WordPress as their blogging platform, according to WordPress.org. And that is reason enough why wordpress developers can look to a bright future ahead in terms of job availability. Whether it’s WP theme you are developing or WP plugins, you’ll sure have millions of hungry users who can keep you busy if you do a good job.

3. Social Media Marketer

– This is probably one of the areas where most are already engaged unconsciously. The places where you frequently visit like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube or Flickr could actually help you earn if you take time to study social media marketing. You don’t really need to be a guru, you just have to understand how social media works and how you can implement it to your own system. Alright, to make things a lot clearer. Let me throw you some of the personal resources that I recommend if you are planning on exploring this area:
Socialmediatoday, Socialmediaexaminer, Mashable. Also, you can check out some well known figures like Brian Solis of www.briansolis.com Neal Schaffer, author of Maximizing Linkedin, Seth Godin, and Chris Brogan.

4. Web Designer

- As long as the web is there, web designers will always have plenty of work to do. But it’s not just being able to design. If you can throw in a couple more skills to add to your design skill, it would give you a better edge. Most people would actually prefer a one stop shop so try to learn a bit about the other areas. To get a good glimpse, check www.99designs.com

5. Content Writer

This is probably one of the most in-demand jobs online that helps you hone your craft but at the same time get paid.
Anne Waymaalso n has some great insights that you can use as well some great advice on how to monetize your writing. The fact is, whether you are novice or an expert writer, you can still write and earn by utilizing some sites paid to write sites like: Hubpages, Bukisa or create a blog of your own then monetize it. There is Adsense, Bidvertiser, and a couple other monetization techniques that you can use while enjoying your writing. You can also find opportunities as article rewriter, ebook writer, etc..

7. Apps Developer

– Apps or applications and software integrators are becoming a boom in the current market trend. And this will continue on as the landscape becomes more engraved in being mobile but consistently connected to the web. Google apps which has become one of the most popular and the never ending iPhone and Android apps are becoming increasingly mainstream. The possibility almost endless. And if you are keen on creating useful applications then you’re up to something promising in terms of generating a passive income source. Check out AndroidApps.com as well as iTunes store to get a feel of what the apps industry has in store for you.

8. SEO

- All the above mentioned skills has in one way or another a common goal, to be visible to their target markets. And SEO work will do that for them. I suggest, if you have already engaged yourself in blogging, and social media, SEO would be a next good stop to really maximize the efforts that you are pouring into your online work.
There are a few SEO sites where you could get some great insights and updates and I would suggest that you subscribe to their newsletters. Check out SEOConsultants for its 12 select blogs.

Yourself
Before somebody laughs at you when you tell them what you want to do, better have an introspection on where you’re at, where you wanna be and what you want to achieve. I guess what I’m saying is simply, convince yourself that you are really up to the challenge. Are you ready to live an uncertain career that many would-be freelancers dread? Is your family ready for the ride? OK, before I scare you off from turning to what you’d like to be, think on these things. Don’t just look at the good side. Open your eyes to the consequences as well, because there are also rough edges in this line of profession.

An Authority in Your Field
We all have people we look up to in terms of our standards of success. Most often, these are the people who actually inspired us, challenged us or made us feel that we can do even the impossible things! If you do have one in mind, it won’t hurt if you will get his opinion or simply understand how he’s done things which eventually made him successful. It well help you boost your confidence and at the same time, help you create a similar pattern of success if you will not waver. You may not be able to duplicate exactly the success that they’ve made, but the lessons you will learn from them will give you a positive perspective on how to move one day at a time.

Your Current Employer
Many people try to scape their frustrations at their 9-5 jobs and turn to freelancing. Will you leave because you did not get the promotion you expected, the raise was not high enough, or are you simply uncomfortable with your boss. All these frustrations add up. But if you think that shifting to a freelance job will solve your 9-5 woes, think again.

Sometimes it’s really just a matter of asking, waiting and delivering. It’s all about loving what you do. If you love your job right now but you can’t seem to jibe with your employer’s whims then it’s a good thing to confront the issue. Give a shot on possible resolutions. And once all options have been exhausted, then make the final decision. Your employers may seem terrible but come to think of it, working with other people online doesn’t spare you from virtual bullies, conflicts or misunderstandings.

Another issue that’s a common reason why people jump ship to freelancing is the pay rates. Although you can literally dictate the price for your service, if you are still starting up, you may not be able to demand, compared to those who have already established their portfolio and have proven their worth and experience.

Your Prospect
Before you totally leave your current employer and step into freelancing, make sure that you have a client or company to work with right away. It’s like moving to a new house; make sure you have a house to move in before you actually take out all your things or you will end up on the streets. I know it’s difficult to assess whether a project will be long term or short term, but it would be safe if you can also discuss the duration.

Your Financial Adviser
I don’t think many of you have a financial adviser. But basically its worth discussing about your financial status with the people or person who have a stake if you turn into a millionaire (that’s being positive okay!).

Before I started with my freelancing, I had to apply for a loan to purchase some equipments. I bought a new computer, applied for my high speed internet, got me a hosting account, bought my first domain. And I believe that’s one of the best venture I’ve made in terms of using my credit. I said this because people use their credit for so many unnecessary things, but all tends to waste and things that easily depreciates in value. When I decided to apply for the loan, I kept in mind that this will not just be another cash out of my pocket but an investment that will pay me some returns.

In all these financial issues, I made sure that my wife is aware. We laid out our plans and options. We had a plan B in place. I also made sure that the institution where I loaned are aware of the risk I’m taking. But after those crunch times, I’m proud to say that we are debt free, all paid by my online freelance jobs.

Your Family
Whatever happens to your plan, whether it prospers or fails, the only true people that you can turn to with confidence is your family. Well at least that’s true for my situation.

My wife have been very supportive of this venture and has often given me not only the boost to keep on but has shared brilliant ideas that I could not have thought if I was only doing it on my own and just kept her in the backseat. All along she was beside me. I opened up the idea, we prayed for it, visualized it, wrote our goal on paper. And it’s been an amazing experience that has truly strengthened us in many ways.

Bottom Line
Whatever those other people said to you, the final decision still rest on what you will choose to do. It’s your choice to make. The people you have talked to can only share their two cents of advice. They can offer you a different perspective on the matter, but you will have to look at it yourself and find out which one works and which doesn’t. They will not coerce you into something. Whatever happens, the responsibility still hangs on your shoulder.

Job Satisfaction

Many people walk to their offices and perform their duties with a heavy shoulder because they are no longer satisfied with what they are doing, their salary and other areas of their employment. A Conference Board’s survey which polled 5,000 households in the US, found that only 45% were satisfied in their jobs. So why burden yourself and struggle to believe that that’s the right place or the right job for you?

Work on something you are happy doing. If you are feeling obliged to do something because there’s a supervisor who’s prying on you, a boss that you simply can’t get along with or a policy that you can’t agree on, then that’s reason enough to look for windows of opportunity. If you can’t help yourself but keep an eye on the ticking of the clock to hit 5 PM then it’s high time to reconsider your options about getting yourself into freelancing.

Family Preservation

I have been a strong advocate of online freelancing for one important reason, and that’s family preservation. I understand that many people are aiming at overseas works in the US, Canada, UK and other parts of Europe and the Middle East. But if many Americans are already unsatisfied with their jobs, I don’t think it would be any different to me.

I know the salary is way higher than what you can get (probably) But I believe that freelancing gives more benefit in terms of the bond that you’ll get in your family’s presence. Would you like your kids to grow without your guidance? And I’m sure, a million dollar can buy a lot of heaters but it won’t be warm enough to comfort your wife on a cold night. If you want to cultivate your career without sacrificing your family then working online at the comfort of you home is a perfect alternative.

Computers as Investments

There are a lot of people who are addicted to computers. Some would spend long hours in games and chatting and many other unproductive activities. And that’s just it. A pure waste of time and money. I love my computer too, because I saw a different potential to what it can do. I look at it as an investment that yields me a thousand returns and not just an appliance or a game console. If you think that way, then you are closer to concluding that probably, online freelancing is the right work for you.

No Where to Run

When you hit a wall and you have nowhere to run, that situation will bring out the best in you if you will face it and determine to get over that hindrance. I know it’s sad that many people think of freelancing as last resort, but it’s this last resort that has transformed many lives into satisfied and gave a new face to the word “work”. If you don’t have job right now, don’t keep on running and looking for that elusive career. Grab a chair and get in front of your computer. Try freelancing!

Bottom Line:

What worked for me may not work for you. Hence, whether freelancing is for you or not, remains to be decided. But if you have already made the first step, then don’t look back. Just look forward to your goal and remember why you are into freelancing. Again, freelancing is not for the faint of heart. If you can’t make a firm decision to pursue it full time, part time will always be an option. And hopefully, you’ll come to a point and say that “Freelancing is REALLY the right one for you!”.

At first, I was hesitant to leave my job at Aegis People Support, one of the biggest call center here in Cebu City. With two growing kids in tow, a house rental to think, no savings in the bank, no health insurance. It was probably one of the most stupid thing a father can do. But I didn’t leave the call center to let my family starve to death. I left the call center for many good reasons.

Future:

I am no seer or fortune teller, but one of the reasons I left the call center is because I saw a promising future in online jobs. The fact that outsourcing has been in bloom for several years already made me firmly believe that this will be the same with online jobs. There will be more companies, specially medium to small sized businesses who will be joining the bandwagon of outsourcing. There will be individuals who simply wants to do business and are practical enough to outsource some of their tasks to individuals, not companies. And sure enough, even at this moment, oDesk, which is one of the major places where my clients come from have consistently shown an increase in all aspects:
48,786 new online jobs were posted to oDesk in June, an increase of 1,505 over May
635,198 total workers were registered with oDesk in June, an increase of 45,480 or 7.7 percent over May
$9,255,640 was earned by workers on oDesk in June, an increase of $382,252 or 4.3 percent over May
(Source: oDesk Online Employment Situation Summary)

Earning Potential:

Although the call center has offered above average compensation and benefits, freelance jobs give a bigger earning potential and a more financially rewarding work. With enough skill, and experience it has literally raised my earnings from four to five times what I previously received in my call center work, all in the comfort of my home. Not only that, it has also opened new areas for me to passively earn through my blog advertising revenues and affiliate earnings.

Growth:

Career growth in call centers go through the step by step promotion process that’s not free from insider politics, “padrino” system and other biases. Competition is stiff. And this made me think, whether my 5 years of stay in a call center would bring me to my goal of being financially stable and in terms of position, getting a promotion. With freelancing, you’re almost limited only by your imagination on what you can achieve. Freelancing offers a different path for growth. For just one year, I’ve seen open doors to raise the bar in what I do. From my role in the call center as customer service agent, taking 30-60calls every day, pacifying irate customers, I then started managing projects for clients, getting my own team, and as they say… the rest is history.

Flexibility

Time flexibility at work proved to be one of my biggest challenge while working at the call center. I’ve missed important family occasions, church gatherings, and other events which I would have enjoyed attending. And as a family man with two growing kids, family time became a growing concern as well.
With my job as Virtual Assistant, I was able to choose clients that would suit both their time preference as well as mine. I can work for two hours, or four, or six or a full stretch 8 hour shift depending on my availability. And this is what makes working as home based freelancer very flexible.

Bottom Line

I can list down many other reasons on why I left the call center in place of working at home as a freelancer. But the bottom line is, if you love your job, then stick to it. I love my freelance work, I love computers, I enjoy working alone, that’s why I’m sticking to it. If this post made you think of jumping ship plainly because of the earning potential, this may not be enough to sustain you to last through the challenging and uncertain world of freelancing. But if you think your interest and passion is here, don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need some direction to get started.
(Image source: http://fusionbposervices.freeblog.co.nz/)

But who wouldn’t want to be superman? And who have not done a superman act before?

Juggling 4 or 5 jobs, then taking even more even if it would mean a missed lunched or dinner, a 2hr sleep or just about anything that would mean sacrifice of personal comfort just to please the King Client, well, that’s a superman in its finest class indeed.

But what could be worst, is when you thought you are doing a heroic job by taking in too many responsibilities, you end up tragically overwhelmed and exhausted. Does that sound familiar?

That’s a common mistake may freelancers take especially those who are still new to the job. Making the mark, creating a lasting impression but something may not be consistent. Now let’s get back to the real world and remember that Superman is myth and whatever our actions are, we won’t bring him to life in our freelancing career.

So here are a few suggestions to keep you sane when you think you feel like having the itch of a Superman Syndrome.

1. Rest – come on, even the Creator rested. You  deserve some rest too! If you think you are doing your client a favor by spending longer hours on a project and not getting enough sleep, you are dead wrong. According to a sleepdeprivation.com article, “Lack of sleep costs an estimated $150 billion annually due to lowered worker productivity.” It can spur a myriad of other health related issues, so if you really want to do your client and yourself a favor, hit the sack! You will not only give yourself a fresh start when you wake up but you are giving your body a time to recover from a stressful day.

2. That’s Kryptonite, get it?! - let’s face it, even superman is not invincible. We all have Kryptonites in our lives. We all possess a certain strength and weakness in different terms or areas. If you have not yet done an analysis on your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) you might want to check why determining your SWOT is an essential aspect of successful freelancing. Miles Burke, author of “The Principles of Successful Freelancing” has some examples that’s worth checking if you are lost on where to start. There is also a free SWOT analysis worksheet by Jennifer Mattern that’s free to download.

3. Say “NO” stupid! – if you are overburdened with responsibilities and deadlines and a client asks for another extra mile for you take and you take it, that is what we call sheer stupidity. I don’t know, but saying “NO” just seem so hard for many, but if you are thinking long term, you should start saying no, now! Why? Here’s what a Mayo Clinic study says:

* Saying no can be good for you. Saying no is not a selfish act. In fact, it may be the most beneficial thing that you can do for your family and your other commitments. When you say no, you’ll be able to spend quality time on the things you’ve already said yes to.
* Saying no can allow you to try new things. Just because you’ve always helped plan the company softball tournament doesn’t mean that you have to keep doing it forever. Saying no will free up time to pursue other hobbies or interests.
* Yes isn’t always the best answer. If you’re overcommitted and under a lot of stress, you’ve got a much better chance of becoming sick, tired or just plain crabby, which won’t benefit you or anyone else.
* It’s important to recognize other people. Let those around you come through. Although others may not do things exactly the same way you would, you can learn an important lesson by allowing others to help while gaining yourself valuable free time.

There is also a similar article from GetMoreDone about the benefits of saying NO.

Bottomline: Superman is myth. You are real. You don’t need to do a superman act to please your clients. Saying yes isn’t always the best choice of word just to impress that you can make things happen. The best option is always to “underpromise – overdeliver”

I have worked at home for more than two years now, and I’ve never regretted giving up my work as a call center agent and turning full time to online freelancing. I can be with my family when they need me. I am hands on with my responsibility as a father and husband. And I’m earning an income that’s sufficient enough to answer our basic and many extra needs. All of this in the comfort of our home, in front of the computer.

I understand that my advocacy of emphasizing online jobs instead of overseas work may not be applicable to all. The technological gap to those ahead of us is one thing. While some are just as equally unbelieving that earning online is possible. There are also jobs that’s beyond the possibility of doing remotely like actual work on oil rigs (the dangers of BP), construction sites, and other manually operated tasks.

Promoting online work instead of overseas jobs makes a lot of sense to me. Other than the fact that I can personally testify that working online is rewarding, i’m equally propelled to advocate this kind of work when I see broken families. I’m saddened to see families that’s ruined because jobs abroad are the only choice they know that will lead them to prosperity. But as the adoption of internet, spread of BPO, and the continuous expansion of the outsourcing industry, it won’t be long before we see many dads and moms just working at home and enjoying a good time with their family.

Image credit: www.tedbakerblog.com

I’m quite certain that many have actually hopped on getting a second or third option next to Paypal because of the Paypal-oDesk incidence. And honestly, I just came to an epiphany that there are deeper reasons why you or every online freelancer must have a backup payment option.

Exchange Rate

If you are from a country other than the US and receives the final payout in a different currency other than US dollar, getting an alternative financial institution can give you a favorable advantage to withdraw your funds with the higher exchange rates and lower fees. The current rate that Paypal charges ($1 per withdrawal)is considered minimal, but what I’ve noticed is an unusually big difference in the exchange rate that Paypal imposes compared to prevailing currency exchange. At some point, I was getting $1 to Php43 but it’s actually $1 to Php44.5 Well of course I know that Paypal wants to earn as well, but a peso per dollar would have been more reasonable. I’m not sure if how much I’ve earned since I first used Paypal or oDesk but I’m certain that if I have been more vigilant and got me more option to withdraw my funds, I could have saved a few hundred if not thousands of pesos.

Flexibility

Since I started accepting projects outside of Elance and oDesk, I’ve had a couple of clients who actually gave me the option  to elect my preferred payment option. This is primarily beneficial for me since I can choose an institution like Xoom or Swiftcash so I can quickly receive payments at no extra cost or just a fraction of it if my client would require me to share in the overall transfer fee.

Availability

Maintenance, hacking, internet downtime, these are just some of the many other reasons that may cause an institution to be unavailable when you need their service. I understand that most of the financial institutions are committing to get their system a 100% uptime but it’s just too difficult to neglect the reality that what ever technology they have, however sophisticated they may be, it’s still not foolproof and invincible to even the simplest glitch that could cripple their operation. Thus, getting an alternate payment option can ensure that you get paid on time when your primary option is unavailable.

Speed

Let’s face it, not all of us have the patience to wait 3 days or even 2 days just to verify an account. And not many will be agreeable to getting their payouts late because many are depending on this source of income to pay bills and other obligations. If this fits you, then you should create a plan B to minimize if not eradicate delays and late fees.

In my experience, the quickest way to receive payment have been through Xoom money transfer. With Paypal, it takes 2-4 business days to withdraw to my bank account, and even longer if your client’s pay by echeck. And if you have a team where you subcontract your other projects, I’m sure they will be as frustrated as you are.  Getting alternatives can help you keep up with emergencies and time sensitive financial obligations like mortgage payments, house rents, internet bill payments, etc.

Simplicity & Convenience

Instant money transfers provides a lot of convenience to both parties. The procedures are a lot simpler, easier and requires lesser effort to make. No need to have a credit or debit card, verify it, and unnecessary lost of funds is avoided (just like what happens when you set up for a moneybookers account)

Security

Whenever I encounter accounts that has a pin or password, it almost always tells me that I need to take extra care. Because those same passwords and pins or security words are actually what makes my accounts vulnerable. As compared to instant transfers, the moment it’s released, the funds can be easily withdrawn, and does not compromise your whole nest egg but just a single instance. One of the steps that I’ve taken is to ensure that I don’t leave substantial funds overnight on my Paypal account. I just feel that security is not too strong. I’ve read forums where people’s Paypal accounts where infiltrated and it simply made me a bit paranoid and ultra conscious that I withdraw funds to my bank as soon as it reaches my Paypal account. I guess the more unpredictable your next step is, the safer you are. So the more options you have to withdraw your funds, the bigger your chances of eluding your would be attacker.

If you are having this same problem you are not alone. You’ve probably thought life is so unfair and employers are opportunists, taking advantage of the employment drought. But that is not always the case.

I couldn’t forget my interview with John Jonas when he said “When you get a job, keep the job” I’m sure John has some great experience why it made such an impact to him. But the question is, how do we keep the job and turn from being a part timer to a full time, full pledge freelancer.

1. Speak Your Mind

– It’s been taught many times and preached repeatedly how important communication is. So speak your mind. Getting your idea across is essential to ensure that you and your client are working on the same page. It’s actually a common mistake to us, that we keep things to ourselves when we have doubts or hesitations instead of saying right there and then. And the longer it gets stuck in your mind, the more destructive impact it will make if those hesitations and doubts turn to be an essential element for you to deliver the needed results. Don’t be overcome by pride that will tend to make you feign that you know things. Accept that you need an answer to all those questions at the back of your mind. Don’t guess. You’re job is not to be a clairvoyant or a psychic.

2. Learn to Negotiate

– before you can keep the job, you must learn how leverage your negotiation skills to be able to get the job. Negotiation simply means becoming more flexible in many terms or aspects like schedule, pay rates, scope of service and other issues. It means agreeing on certain terms that is tolerable to both parties and would bring out mutually beneficial working relationship. Negotiating means sacrificing a part of your comfort zone but not necessarily a lost but a reduction only.

3. Underpromise but Over Deliver

– alright, I know sometimes we tend to become so engrossed in writing those cover letters and proposals but be very careful, you might just end up ruining your career by giving too much assurance to your client. One basic rule, be REALISTIC! Don’t promise the whole universe. They might believe you. Stick on what you can deliver, and when i say deliver, I mean delivering with excellency. It means giving a wow factor to your client’s experience.

4. Don’t Get Stuck

– Don’t let yourself stagnate on what you know, strive to learn new things that you can offer to your client’ and his future needs. Exercise those brain cells! Or else, you’ll get eaten up by the younger, more energetic, affordable newbies. Keep up with the trend in your field and you’ll never regret you did.

5. Ask for Feedback

– if you’ve worked with someone for years already, don’t get too relaxed and so secure. Times change, moods sway, and most of all, this world is full of surprises. And the worst surprise you’ll ever get is a final handshake from a client whom you “thought” was satisfied. Asking for feedback or evaluation on your performance is a good way of thwarting this kind of situation. It will make you aware of where you stand and what step you should make to resolve any issues that may be critical in keeping the business.
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