The key is to set boundaries from the very beginning of your work from home journey.  This not only helps friends and family understand but also helps you to get a rhythm and schedule. Determine your schedule for each day of the week and stick to it. Once you have your set hours be sure to state this to friends and family over and over. Do not say I am working tomorrow. Instead state that tomorrow I am working from 9 AM to 2 PM and I will give you a call when I am finished with work for the day. The more you can state exact hours and exact days the more it will help others understand that you are truly and honestly “working” from home. The more general you are the less likely others are to understand that you have commitments and responsibilities just as if you were driving to an office setting each day.

In order to get others to understand that you are not available you have to commit to not being available. During your work hours keep your cell phone on vibrate and only answer important calls and texts. If you answer every single phone call and always have time to chat with friends and family, they will assume that you always have time for them. Try to refrain from sending or answering personal emails during this time also. The key is for people to not see that you are available during your working hours and just as if you were working in an office setting they will become use to the fact that you are working and are unavailable.

Debbie Echevarria, whose Ventura company Your Business Support specializes in Client Relationship Management, explains, “You need to have a schedule and stick to it.  You treat it like any job; you have to start and end the day as if you would a job away from your home.”  There are additional great tips from Debbie Echevarria and other consulants at examiner.com.

Creating the work from home habits and changes can be hard on you and those around you, creating the routine and habits and living by them will make your life much easier and with less stress in the long run.

photo credit: Will Merydith

If you’ve been freelancing for a while, you then likely understand all the wonderful plusses that come with being your own boss. You get to set your own schedule, you can make more time for the important things in life like being with your family, and you don’t have to sit all day in a cold, soulless office. At the same time, there is something less secure about being on your own, and if you are just getting started freelancing, it is important to know all the ins and outs of some basic financial questions that others deal with through work. Here are some tips.

You’ll have to make it a point to put away a certain percentage of your income every week
When you have a full-time job, it is typical to have a 401k and/or stock options that enable you to save for retirement without even having to think very much about it. As a freelancer, however, planning for the future and saving for retirement is entirely up to you. As such, you’ll have to look into different savings options that are available to you. One that can be difficult is setting aside money from each completed project and putting it in a savings account. Setting a percentage goal, like 10 to 20 percent every month, is the best way to go about this one. An easier option is setting up an individual 401k account, which you can easily do at your local bank. For other basic investment options, check out this Hub Pages article.

Doing taxes when you are self-employed is more complicated
When you are employed full-time, especially if you are just beginning your career, doing your taxes is a relatively painless task that can be completed individually without using a tax service. However, when you are a freelancer, you are eligible for far more deductions which you may not know about. Ideally, it’s best to hire an accountant who specializes in freelancing taxes, but if this is not a possibility, check out this freelance tax FAQ on the Anti 9-to-5 guide.

Do your research before buying health insurance
Getting your own insurance plan can be complicated if you are a freelancer, and there are several health care options available to you. If you recently left a full-time job with benefits, then you are eligible to continue receiving the same coverage through COBRA, a law passed in 1985. Still, most freelancers are unable to afford their employer’s premiums. The other options available to you are buying coverage through a private insurance company, going through your state if you have pre-existing conditions, or checking out group insurance. For more information, check out this All Freelance Writing blog article.

Join freelancing clubs and leagues to get the most up-to-date information
Freelancing can be a lonely world, and it’s easy to make mistakes, both with more practical matters described above as well as with your career. There are many freelancing clubs and unions that you can join so you can get insider information from seasoned freelancers. Some examples include Freelancers Union , Editorial Freelancers Association, and the International Association of Self-Employed Communication Professionals.

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

photo credit: kenteegardin

In February, Google’s Panda update began to rearrange the landscape on the internet.  Boilerplate copy got slapped.  Large percentages of duplicate content, or low quality irrelevant content got punished.  Major websites lost rankings across the board.  Some of them were content farms, some of them were legitimate companies, some of them were even industry leaders.

This is the way that the Panda update was explained on Google’s official blog:

This update is designed to reduce rankings for low-quality sites—sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high-quality sites—sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on.

In other words, when ‘Panda’ is mentioned, it describes Google’s new mandate: provide great quality, well-written, relevant content, or your site will fall in the rankings.

The response was rapid, and sweeping.  SEO’s—whether consultants or internal employees—shifted into a high-gear and began producing original, well-written content on a mass-scale.

A major winner during this shift has been the site Textbroker.  They are not a public company, so I don’t have access to their financials but I would imagine that they have been doing very well during the past six months.  Textbroker has been around for several years now, and when Panda hit they were poised to supply content at volumes and speeds that no one else could match.  Textbroker connects a distributed workforce with clients that are willing to pay by the word.

Suddenly, talented writers were in high demand and various operations sprouted up around the Web to take advantage.  Ideally most folks would prefer to be in a ‘publishing’ position: that is, we would prefer to have a steady income as a contractor ordering, editing and placing content, rather than working as a producer.  But as someone who did time in ‘the saltmines’ working for Textbroker, I can testify that it’s not that bad, and can be a great bridge to other freelance opportunities.   Once you’ve cut your teeth writing textborker articles all day for a little while, you will be more confident when pitching yourself as a writer or ‘content manager’ to web-firms and other freelance job prospects.

Textbroker uses a rating system for its price structure so that clients can choose the quality of the writer they’d like and pay accordingly. Similarly, writers can write specifically to the client’s needs and not have to spend extra time and energy on a piece that does not necessarily warrant it. The highest quality articles go for .067 USD per word, making an average 500-word article worth about $33.

The writer who can secure four or five of these assignments a day could be making a decent amount of money, but more often than not, opportunities will hover around the $.016 – $.022 range. Few people will get rich writing through Textbroker, but the astute scribe can fetch a handsome sum through hard work and a bit of luck!

It took me a few weeks to start getting a steady flow of 5-star articles in my queue when I was writing for Textbroker, but as soon as I got into a rhythm and developed a few key relationships, I got up to a speed where I was able to make $500 or $600 dollars a week working for Textbroker.  Not a princely sum, but it was enough for me to clear my bills at the end of the month and have some cash left over for recreation.

Getting into the flow involved doing a lot of research—obviously I was researching the articles that I was writing.  During this research I began to scent other opportunities, and within a few months I was starting freelance for some web firms in town who paid me real money, for less labor, on a regular schedule.  I am happy that Textbroker is now just a sideline that nets me some extra-cash, but there are some things that I miss about my time in the trenches.

Some of the advantages of working with Textbroker are a completely independent schedule, some mental exercise, a chance to use your writing skills, and of course the opportunity to make some extra money. Clients are often a pleasure to work with, though there are a few oddball requests that come over the transom. Writers who perform well enough and consistently enough may get approached by clients for a more lucrative “direct order”.

There are, of course, some pitfalls as well. Compared to other services, Textbroker generally pays lower and the work might not satisfy a writer’s muse. In this type of writing, words are a liquid commodity, but only as long as they serve a client’s needs. Most people I know who got tired of Textbroker were those who felt like their words were somehow reduced from “Art” to “product.” You can certainly be creative, but you’ll have to find another venue to write your “Great American Play.”

All said, Textbroker is a great way to make money during a shortfall, but it will not serve as a career. The best way to look at the service is as a paid internship where you’re paid for as much usable work as you turn out. When you feel you’re getting burned out on Textbroker, you may want to contact a resume service to prepare a curriculum vitae that highlights your strong writing skills, and then start shopping that CV around as you search for higher-paying writing opportunities.

Finding regular employment these days can be a difficult endeavor, but at least you’ll have some cash flow in the meantime.

Thomas Stone is a content-manager and a contributing author at Technected.

photo credit: kteneyck

Increasingly, finding a job has more to do with personal marketing and networking than filling an area of need in a company. If an applicant can show that they will bring something measurable and relevant to a company, they stand a good chance of finding work. Using a resume service can help an applicant properly format their resume, make it visually appealing, and focus its contents on a specific field or company, thereby increasing its effectiveness.

Lately, however, many of the availabloe positions end up being contracting or freelancing jobs, ones that offer less long-term stability but more flexibility than traditional positions. Here are five key reasons that freelancing is becoming more popular in the workforce.

1. An Increase in Available Freelancing Work

With the current state of the economy, many businesses find it more cost-effective to hire freelancers to perform specific jobs than bring someone on staff and try to find permanent tasks for them to perform. This freelance option allows them to spend less money providing benefits packages, paying taxes and training employees. Technology has also allowed many businesses to hire freelancers by increasing the visibility of the positions they offer and ensuring they don’t have to hire someone locally. Freelancers can easily take advantage of the wealth of available work by doing a simple web search for freelancing or contractor work in their field.

2. Less On-the-Job Stress

Because freelancers set their own routines, choose their own clients and often don’t have to work in a traditional office setting, the amount of stress they experience from “normal” job worries is reduced. They aren’t required to sit through daily meetings or worry about getting to work late. Also, it’s difficult to be interrupted by a boss when there isn’t one around. Though certain types of stress are reduced, others can easily take their place. Freelancers don’t typically have steady paychecks and must take full control of their finances if they want to be successful.

3. Workplace Flexibility

Most freelancing jobs allow for immense freedom when it comes to choosing a workplace. Freelancers often work from home, where they will have no commute and don’t need to worry about being dressed a certain way or forgetting to bring an important document. Coffee shops and libraries are also popular choices for freelancers, because they provide free Wi-Fi, a fairly quiet atmosphere and enough activity to provide stimulation, if desired. Many entrepreneurs and freelancers are turning to co-working workspaces, where they can rent desk space that includes internet and other traditional office amenities. Co-working also allows them to network with people in other fields who are also renting workspace.

4. Scheduling Freedom

One of the biggest draws toward freelancing work today is the flexibility it provides for working hours. Clients will provide information on the work they desire, including deadlines, and it’s up to the contractor to complete it in the time allotted. This is a major benefit for people who don’t like getting up in the morning or are more productive at night. It also allows freelancers to take trips, business or personal, and continue working, meaning they won’t have to worry about not making any money during vacations or conferences. Writers, especially, can take advantage of this by writing during flights or while waiting at the airport. Those who require use of the internet should be able to find flights that offer Wi-Fi and take advantage of free Wi-Fi at hotels or restaurants at their destination.

5. Job Choice

The freedom and flexibility of freelancing extends to choosing which jobs to take and which to refuse. Unless a freelancer is desperate for work, they can afford to be choosy and only take on jobs that they find interesting. They can also choose to develop a wider skillset by branching out into different aspects of their field. For instance, someone who normally writes blog articles could start picking up a job writing copy for a corporate website or performing technical writing for a software company.

With an increasingly large amount of freelance positions available, many people are turning to the freelance working culture to reduce their job-related stress and allow them more freedom when it comes to where, when and for whom to work. Marketing themselves properly, whether by actively engaging in social media or perfecting their resume, is one of the best ways they can increase their visibility and find the types of jobs that will make them happy.

Thomas Stone is a content author for SmallBox Web Design, an Indianapolis Internet Marketing Company.

photo credit: me and the sysop

Some friends of mine over at Policy Expert in the UK sent me this infographic and I just had to share it. It lays out in one page a huge amount of information you would want to know about becoming a freelancer. I recommend that anyone interested in this profession giving it a good read, and passing it on to anyone else who might be interested, or asks you questions about being a freelancer:

The Guide to Becoming a Freelancer Infographic

photo credit: bm.iphone

In this age of advanced technology, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of telecommuting jobs available. These jobs offer obvious appeal to potential workers as many allow you to work entirely from home, set your own hours, and in some cases, even determine your own rate. One of the most popular telecommuting jobs is that of a freelance writer. Freelance writers are individuals who do writing jobs for multiple employers and are considered to be self-employed. To make a living as a freelance writer, it is essential to work from one or more profitable venues. Below, four of the best venues for freelance writers are described in detail.Freelancer is a company that operates three different websites to serve the United Kingdom (freelancer.co.uk), United States (freelancer.com), and Europe (EU.freelancer.com) that provide access to freelance work for writers, proofreaders, and copy editors. Though the individual websites are based in specific regions, writers from all over the world can sign up to write for each one. Of the three, freelancer.com offers the most work opportunities for writers. Aside from writing jobs, Freelancer also provides work opportunities for telemarketers, virtual assistants, graphic designers, data entry specialists, and more.

oDesk Another good venue for freelance writers looking for work is oDesk. ODesk has sometimes been described as not paying well, but this isn’t a fair assessment. Many writers working through oDesk aren’t native English speakers and don’t have a very high cost of living. As a result, they are willing to accept writing jobs that don’t pay very much. However, writers that are native English speakers can use this attribute to their advantage to get paid more for jobs they find on oDesk. If you fall into this category, simply search through the jobs on oDesk to find ones that will pay more for native English speakers. It may take some work, but you can make good money on oDesk once you have built up a good reputation.

Constant Content is a different type of freelancing venue. Rather than only posting jobs for writers to bid on, Constant Content offers you the option to write your own articles and post a price on them. You can write what you please and charge whatever you want. For example, you could write an article detailing LED TV reviews and ask $20 from anyone wishing to publish it. Constant Content also allows you to take jobs from clients similar to the other writing sites mentioned here. Articles posted by clients usually pay anywhere from $20 to $100 a piece. However, it is much more difficult to become accepted to write at Constant Content. Your spelling, grammar, and sentence structure must be flawless. In addition, the editor manually reviews all articles submitted through this venue.

Elance Perhaps the most well-known venue for freelance writers is Elance. This website offers a variety of different types of freelance work including writing jobs. If you decide to write here, you will have to begin with lower paying jobs and build a solid reputation before you will be able to make a substantial amount of money through the venue. However, if you already have a decent portfolio, you may be able to skip some of this grunt work. On Elance, you need to make sure that the jobs you choose are being paid through Escrow in order to protect your earnings.

This article was written by Alina Cambridge from Washington DC who enjoys writing freelance, and works for the website http://www.youreviewelectronics.com/.

photo credit: vestman

I can think of a friend of mine who is a freelancer. After enjoying some success in his own business, he says he is approached frequently by people who see his lifestyle and assume they can do it, too. Sure they have the talent required to create deliverables but when it comes to selling, they’re turned off and go back to their day-jobs.

No matter what the business is, selling is what makes or breaks a business. And if you’re a small business owner and don’t yet have a staff of sales people, you’re the one who needs to sell.

As you get into the selling part of your business, you may find that you encounter a common challenge that many sales people – in ever industry – encounter. It’s called “call reluctance”. Simply put, it’s doing whatever you can to avoid making the sales call! You’re certainly not alone: Call reluctance plagues small business owners and even professional sales people.

It stems from negative talk that can occur prior to the call in which you talk yourself out of initiating a sales call. You might think to yourself “they’re not going to want to buy from me” or “this economy is too rough for this person to make a purchase right now”. Whether or not your thinking is based in fact, it’s a persistent, negative thought that can keep you from doing the work you need to do to ensure long-term business survival.

Call reluctance is simply a form of procrastination. If you’ve ever struggled with other types of procrastination, you’ll know how easy it is for call reluctance to rear its ugly head.

So, how do you push through so that you pick up the phone or walk through the door or write that email (or whatever it is that you need to do to present your offer?)

In Jim Blasingame’s article, “Somebody’s Buying; Is It From You?” he addresses exactly this situation. You can read the article at Small Business Advocate. Blasingame does a good job of addressing the negative “self-talk” that sellers like you can talk yourself into. And I love what he says at the end: Remember, somebody is buying something from someone somewhere — right now! It might as well be you.

Read the article to help you overcome your call reluctance and then make 3 sales calls! Get the momentum you need and you’ll look back at the end of the day with great satisfaction knowing that you not only overcame reluctance but you made some sales, too!

photo credit: Tom Raftery

While many of the visitors to this site are freelancers looking for tips, tricks, and job postings, many are also people who are not freelancers but are still curious about how freelancing works, and sometimes even investigating if freelancing is right for them. So I thought I would go over some of the “tools of the trade” you need to have in order to become a freelancer.

Time. Just in case this is not obvious, freelancing does require a commitment of time. Freelancing is a job, a career in fact. Therefore even though you are at home, even though you do not have to get dressed and leave the house, you do have to work and be available to work. If you already have a full time job freelancing probably is not for you. If however you are looking for a change, and can devote real time to your new business, then I suggest you keep reading.

Workspace. If you are going to work from home, you need a comfortable, quiet place to work. You do not necessarily need a “home office” or “study.” However you do need to choose a space that has similar qualities as a business. It should be comfortable, with plenty of light, have the other tools of your trade such as your computer, and it should be relatively free from distraction and outside noise. This last point is the most important. Some clients will assume you are in a commercial office, not your home. If “household” type noises can be heard in the background, your professionalism may be called into question, and could jeopardize the business relationship.

Equipment. While there may be some variation in this category depending on the job, there are definitely some minimal requirements to be aware of.

1. Computer. Desktop, laptop, PC or Mac. These things really do not matter. what matters is that you have it, know a reasonable amount about how to use it, and that it is new enough to run current software.

2. Broadband Internet. If you are still using dial-up internet and are perfectly happy with it, freelancing is not for you. You do not need the absolute fastest connection money can buy, but some form of cable or DSL service is generally necessary. Otherwise you will spend too much time waiting and not enough time working.

3. Basic Office Software. Aside from the basic software your computer comes with, such as a browser, and email program, you will need an “Office Suite,” comprising a word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation graphics program. Microsoft Office is the most popular package, although there are others such as iWork for Macs. You can also do much of the same work as these programs online using Google Docs or ZOHO, however investing in one of these suites should prove to be a very important investment.

Willingness to Learn. While people in traditional office jobs often have the same set of responsibilities day in and day out, freelancers often do not know what to expect from each day. You never know what a client might ask you to do, or what kind of opportunity may come up. When it does, the last thing you want to say is: “I cannot do that.” Saying that tells your client you do not want their business, and will take money right out of your pocket.

So what do you do when a task comes along that is foreign to you? First, do not panic. Tell the customer you need to research the best way to accomplish the task for them, and then go find a resource you can use to get it done. You may need a website, a book, or a colleague with experience in a subject. Find whatever it is you need to get the job done and then move forward with confidence.

Patience. You also will probably need to have some patience when looking for work. As a new freelancer, you should not expect to have a bunch of business just fall into your lap. It takes time to do marketing, build a reputation, and find clients. However having perseverance will produce results.

photo credit: Evil Erin

Freelance Work is all around us

One of the advertisements was for Word Press work.   I think there is enough information about word press on the Internet that I could easily learn it and land the word press work!  What other types of freelance work could I land?

• Blog writing
• Twitter account maintenance
• Rewriting tasks
• Event planning
• Graphic design projects

I guess there are numerous freelance work options out there, the hard part is deciding what to apply for or what is applicable to my talents! 

First things first, I should probably figure out what I am good at and what interests me.  To get started in freelance work it would only make sense to begin with something comfortable and then move on to more challenging work.

Working in my comfort zone is nice and safe, but I doubt I will learn anything new that way…freelance work could possibly open all sorts of new doors for me!  Maybe I could learn how to make a website, or maybe I could put a newsletter together…who knows, maybe I can be creative?

I guess there are all sorts of advantages to working as a freelancer:

• Flexible Hours
• Choosing my Boss
• Challenging Work
• Expanding my Mind
• Picking and Choosing my Work Projects

But, there are also disadvantages to working as a freelancer:

• Flexible Hours
• No Structure
• No Boss
• No Stability

As long as I have a game plan and a timeline, I should be okay working as a freelancer!  If I have to depend on someone or gamble on anyone, it should be me.

photo credit: Marta Crowe

Freelance positions are marketed all over the Internet looking for writers to graphic design from just about any location you can imagine! I just typed in freelance job openings in a Google search and a whole page of openings popped up!

Just imagine sitting in your pajamas, hair all a mess, wearing your favorite fuzzy slippers and working…seriously, no commute, no BOSS wondering what you are accomplishing or what he is really paying you for!  I can visualize it now, sitting in my comfy chair, computer in my lap and working and not just working, but freelance work – basically, working for me…what a concept!

Would someone actually hire me as a freelancer?  It looks simple, answer an ad, send a portfolio of my work and guarantee the work…again, what a concept!

Seriously, working from home sounds easy, but it truly is distracting…there is always something else to do:

• Laundry
• Watch my soap operas
• Surf the Internet without worry of getting caught
• House cleaning
• Talking on the phone without your boss looking at you like you are costing him a boat load of money

I decided long ago that if I worked from home, I would have to keep to my “real job” routine and structure of getting up early, getting ready for work, allowing a certain amount of time for breaks and lunch, and the number one rule for me was finishing all of my work before I touched any personal business – phone calls, housework, Internet surfing and TV watching.

Freelancing could be for me and I think for anyone else wanting to take control of their own life.  Freelance work allows for more flexibility of your time; you get to do the scheduling and most importantly, you decide what kind of jobs you are willing or not to do!

Good Luck!

photo credit: Lordcolus