Jack Of All Trades - Master Of All

Jack Of All Trades - Master Of All

Ever since I became a full-time online freelance worker, I have concentrated on one particular skill where I basically get most of my income. I offer article-writing services to my potential clients who may be too busy to work on the content of their websites themselves.

Concentrating on one skill is good but it is better for you to have at least two or three other skills that you can use for your web-based career. I learned this the hard way as one of my bigger contracts ended, which took a big bite on my cash flow.

Although I intended to learn another skill while working online, I have not gotten myself to do it due to the volume of work that came my way. After that big contract ended, I tried to look for other similar jobs over the net but found the budget offered by the clients too low compared to my previous contract. A number of these jobs were also not quite cost-effective.

I would have wanted to apply for other jobs that required a different skill set that I currently have, however I do not want to disappoint any client that might hire me for these jobs. Due to this, I would have to wait for other jobs that require the skills I currently have.

If you plan to become a full-time online freelance worker, it is very much advisable for you to have at least four skills that you can offer to online clients. It would even be better if these skills complement each other. For example, if you are an article writer, it would be good if you know Search Engine Optimization or SEO, a little bit of webpage design, and probably image editing. 

If given the choice, I would have wanted to learn programming and webpage design way back in college. However, it's no use crying over spilled milk so I guess I will have to make do with the skills I currently have. 

Although I have more free time that I can handle, I cannot afford to attend a class or workshop on any of the skills that I want to acquire. So for the moment, I would have to look for other online jobs suitable to the skills I currently have.

It is also advisable for you to be able to master the skills you aim to offer to your online clients. When you master these skills, you will have the confidence in applying for any job requiring these skills. While it may take some time for you to master these skills, all of your hard work will pay off in the end. You will have a constant flow of jobs up to a point where clients will be looking for you instead of the other way around.

Working online full-time is a huge leap of faith, and I hope you will have the courage to do this if you intend to enter the world of an online freelance  worker.

Hole-In-The Wall

Working online does have its perks. I can get to work anywhere just as long as the internet connection is reliable. There are actually a number of places within the city with a reliable internet connection, and not all of them are coffee shops. 

In fact, one of places I found that has a good enough internet connection is a watering hole along one of the major arteries in the Queen City of the South. I normally come here late in the afternoon when people start to pour into my favorite coffee shop. I normally work on one of my blogs here since it allows me to become a bit more "creative" than usual. When the sun sets, they usually have a band or two to entertain the patrons of the place.

However, recently the place started to become a bit crowded, especially during the weekends. People start to pour in up to a point wherein they actually have no tables available for their growing list of regulars. Ever since I "discovered" this place late last year, I have been frequenting it at least once a week. Sometimes I would come here twice or three times a week. While the place can be considered a hole-in-the-wall place, a good number of backpackers come here since it houses a one- or two-star hotel. 

The prices of the food and drinks are rather reasonable. The people who work in the place are quite friendly. Whenever I come here, I typically pass by the counter and hold up one finger (not that finger) and they already know what I want to order. And of course, the internet connection is reliable. In fact, as I am writing this entry at this not-quite-hole-in-the-wall place in the middle of the Queen City of the South.

The place has started to become more popular among the twenty-something age group (I am also a part of this twenty-something group although don't ask me what that something is). It has started to become a bit crowded. Due to this, its either I finish my work earlier or I try to find another place where i can work in peace.

There may be a number of other places in the city that are waiting to be discovered. Places where the internet is reliable and the prices are reasonable. Places that have yet to be discovered by the BPO employees who basically have more money than time to spend. Places where an online freelance worker like me can be productive while having a great time.

Skimming Devices, Et Al

Skimming Devices

For an online freelance worker, our lifeline to the real world is our Automated Teller Machine cards. Although some freelancers prefer to do transactions online, I know a good number of online freelance workers who would go out and withdraw their earnings through an automated teller machine. 

Withdrawing one's earnings through an ATM gives us the chance to go out and see what is happening in the world. It also gives us the chance to see the new shops that have opened in the malls. It also gives us the change to be able to mingle with REAL people.

While surfing the net recently, I came upon a thread on a forum about skimming devices that have started to affect a number of people in the city where I reside in. Although this phenomenon was quite prevalent in our nation's capital, it was only recently that I knew that these devices have reached the Queen City of the South (Yes, I live in the Queen City of the South). 

This is a big problem for online freelancers like me who have the preference of making transactions using an ATM. We are particularly vulnerable to this (aside from other people who use their ATM for bank transactions) since it gives these unscrupulous people access to our bank accounts. They can actually clean out all of our life savings at a single click of a button.

The posts on the thread reported some ATMs where skimming devices were supposedly installed. And it appears that these locations are some of the places where I normally withdraw my earnings from. Although the situation can be considered alarming especially since the Queen City of the South is relatively safer compared to the nation's capital, online freelance workers can take some measures to avoid becoming a victim of these unscrupulous individuals. 

The first thing that we should do is to make sure that the ATMs where we withdraw our earnings is not located in an isolated area where foot traffic is minimal. These scammers normally choose ATMs  that have less foot traffic since they can easily install the skimming devices that they use to get our hard-earned cash. It would be better to withdraw your earnings in a ATM that is located in a mall where foot traffic is heavy. However, take into consideration that some of these ATMs in the malls are located in areas that have low foot traffic. Due to this, look for one where foot traffic is heavy.

The second thing that we can do is to check the ATM itself. If the ATM appears to have been modified, it would be better to find another place to withdraw your earnings. You can try to move the card reading slot. If it moves, then there is a possibility that a skimming device may have been placed over the actual card reader slot. 

Pinhole Camera

Another thing that you can do is to use your second hand as a cover when you type in your pin. Although there are some ATMs that already have a cover over the keypad itself, it would be good to make it a habit of using the other hand as cover when you type in your pin.

The fourth thing that you can do, which I think is probably is the safest, albeit the most time-consuming, is to transact over the counter. Yes, you have to get a priority number and fill up a withdrawal slip, but at least this is the safest way to get your hands on your hard-earned cash without worrying about those skimming devices that have reportedly started to come out like mushrooms all over the city. After I read the through the thread last night, I immediately went to the bank today and took out most of my earnings from the bank over the counter. I also informed the teller about the reports on the skimming that have supposedly affected their ATMs.I do hope that something good will come out of what I told the teller.

Anyway, I hope that all of the online freelance workers out there would stay safe and be able to enjoy the fruits of their online labor.

Work At Home . . . Or Not?

This is the question that I constantly ask myself . . . every single day . . .ever since I started to work as a full-time online freelance worker. 

Working Outside

Working at home brings a lot of advantages, particularly when it comes to expenses. Yes, the big E for those who are not quite well-off in life . . . well for those who cannot control the urge to take out the wallet and fish for their hard-earned cash, or worse, their plastic.

Expenses will definitely go down when you work at home. This is particularly important for people who have a family to feed. Be it one or two or even more mouths to feed. 

I know of a number of online freelance workers who would rather work at home since they feel that they can be more productive at home. They also have to save up on expenses. When you work at home, the only thing that may increase to a significant degree is the electricity bill. Your food expenses, clothing expenses, transportation expenses and other similar expenses associated with being employed in a regular company will go down. 

Eating at home is cheaper compared to eating at the company canteen or even the friendly neighborhood carenderia of Nang Rosa. You may even forego full meals since you would take small snacks while working, which would take a big part of your appetite. Nothing beats spending P25 for a whole meal at home especially if you frequently visit that clown or fat bee at the mall for your meals.

Another thing that would go down to a significant degree are your expenses for clothing. You do not have to update your wardrobe every month or every quarter or even every year for that matter. You can start working straight out of bed, even before your morning rituals (you can do this in between your online tasks) I'm sure there are some online freelance workers who do this, some may even be tempted to work in their birthday suit (that is if they keep their doors locked and window shades down).

Since you are working at home, you can save at least P16 from your transportation expenses every single day, that is if your workplace is only one ride away and you do can bear the heat and crowd every morning and afternoon trying to catch that ever-familiar King of the Philippine roads. Although it may not sound that much, if you add up what you spend for your fare for the whole year, you can probably be able to change your wardrobe for work. These expenses will up if you take multiple rides or you take the taxi every day. It will be worse if you own a vehicle, with the continuing increase in gas prices, it may soon become cheaper to sell your car and use the money for your fare every day.

You may also have some other expenses associated with working in a regular 8-to-5 job that I may have failed to mention, but these are probably the most basic expenses that you can do away with if you work at home as an online freelance worker.

The only expense that may increase if you work at home is your electric bill. I don't think I have to explain this unless you have just woken up from a two-century coma and never heard of what Benjamin Franklin did with his kite and key in the middle of a lightning storm.

Working At Home

All the other expenses actually do not increase or decrease if you start to work at home. Your internet bill will remain the same since the bill is fixed for the entire month. You pay for it even if you do not use it. You also pay the same amount even if you use it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 4 weeks each month, and 12 months each year.

Now back to the original question, work at home or not? If you ask me, I would rather work outside the house. Since I do not have any other mouth to feed besides my own, I can afford to do this. However, it is more than just the expenses that made me decide to work outside the house even if I can work at home as an online freelance worker. I work outside the house since I want to be able to mingle with other people. It may sound absurd to some online freelance workers but I would rather work in a place that is teeming with people, anyway I can block off all the noise by listening to the Rhythm of the City. 

Working outside the house also gives me the opportunity to see some old friends who may be in the neighborhood. This week alone, I was able to see at least two people whom I haven't seen ever since college, which is a very loooooooooong time ago.

However when I work outside the house, I make sure that the internet connection in the place where I work is suitable enough for my work or at least there is an internet connection. I also make sure that the people in the place where I work are used to people like me who spend the whole day in front of a netbook or a laptop. This way I do not get rather uncouth stares from them. I normally work in a coffee shop with a number of branches around the city. The baristas at this coffee shop are rather welcoming and they make you feel at home, unlike another coffee shop that I used to frequent in the past. I also work in a resto-bar where the internet connection is rather fast and the beer is cold (I would need it sometimes to bring out the creative juices, just as long as I do not overdo it).

I also decided to work outside the house since I normally become sleepy when I work at home. The fact that the bed just two steps away from my workstation does not make it any easier.

It really depends on you whether you want to work at home or not if you become a full-time online freelance worker. IF you decide to work at home, good for you. But, if you decide to work outside the house, just make sure you can afford to do it and you find a place nice enough to work in. The internet connection should be stable and the ambiance is nice. And of course, the people are friendly and warm to an online freelance worker.

Life Of An Online Freelance Worker

Being an online freelance worker has its own advantages and disadvantages. One of the The biggest advantage of being an online freelance worker is that everyday can be a holiday. You can basically work anywhere with an internet connection - a coffee shop, beach or even on top of a mountain.

Working Online

Ever since I became a full-time online freelance worker, I have been working in different coffee shops all around the city. In fact, I even go on short trips outside of the island and work while having a short vacation. You can basically work anywhere at anytime you want. There were some instances where I would find myself working early in the afternoon with a bottle of malted hops on the side. 

Yup, you read that right, working while getting intoxicated at the same time. A suitable amount of alcohol brings out one's creativity and with my line of work, creativity is essential. However, the amount of alcohol should be just right since too much of it can make you write in languages that you never thought you could understand.

Another advantage of being a full-time online freelance worker is that you can take a holiday anytime . . . did I just write about that? Well, it is true that every single day can be a holiday for an online freelance worker. Like what I said, you can work anywhere that had an internet connection.

If you aim to become an online freelance worker, you should also be aware of the disadvantages of being one. An online freelance worker does not have the luxury of having a break if deadlines come. There were some instances in my life as an online freelance worker where I had to try to remain awake while trying to beat a deadline. I only had a few hours sleep during this time and at times I would take short 15-minute naps just to be able to finish the project. I have a regular supply of energy drinks at the fridge at home, although I think I am beginning to have a certain resistance to some brands of these energy drinks. However, I try not to rely on them too much since I read somewhere that it may have some debilitating effects on the organs of a person.

Anyhow, another disadvantage of being a full-time online freelance worker is the fact that online freelance workers do not have any job security, to a certain degree. The project may end at anytime or the employer may not be able to afford your services. However, if you build a good enough reputation as an online freelance worker, employers will be looking for you instead of the other way around. In fact I had to reject a good number of offers simply because I did not have time to work on them. 

A third disadvantage of being a full-time online freelance worker is that you have no one to talk to when it comes to your job. Working online means you communicate with your employer through email. You may not even have any contact with your colleagues since you have no idea who they are. They may live on the other side of the world. I had a job where my colleagues were Europeans while another job had my colleagues living somewhere in the Middle East. There may be some jobs where you have some Filipino colleagues but they may live on another island, which does not make it easy to grab a bottle after work.

Despite all of these, I still consider working as a full-time online freelance worker a dream come true. I can work anytime and anywhere I want to. My employers do not mind what I wear to work since I do not have to go to the office at all. I know of some online freelance workers who would work immediately after they wake up in the morning . . . even before their morning ritual.

If you aim to become a full-time online freelance worker, you should prepare yourself for a change in your lifestyle. Although you may be able to go out with your friends more often than before, you should also consider the fact that there are times when you would end up working alone. 

I normally work at a coffee shop with music blasting through my ears to drown out everything around me. In fact, some of the employees of the coffee shop where I usually work in are probably wondering what I do. Although I already told some of them the type of work that I have, they may not be able to understand the whole system that an online freelance worker works in.