Consistency in work delivered is important

What is consistency in work? It is the ability to apply the same level of performance through out your work without any compromise on quality. Consistent excellence in work will benefit the freelancer. The time frames used for completion and the quality of the work benefits the freelancer getting him more and more work from his employers.

But, when it comes to freelancing why is consistency important? Many times the employers do not see you face to face. Hence, consistency in work is the only way, they can identify with you. They form opinions about you, based on the quality of work you deliver. There are no other measurement techniques applied. It is only consistency in work that will speak volumes about you and your professional capabilities.

Consistency also means accountability. So when there is no one to monitor your activities, you need to prepare your day to day work constructively and deliver results. This enables you to develop responsibility towards your work. Appropriate actions taken at appropriate time schedules will ensure success in work.

How can one develop consistency? Rewarding yourself for work well done is a method used to develop your own self –respect, and pride about the work you do. It takes a great deal of patience to develop the level of consistency that a client or an employer expects. The only way to achieve this is to have a super will power. Getting things done against all odds and rewarding yourself for each achievement will see you good towards your travel for perfection.

Another factor that helps develop consistency is the rules that you set for yourself. Every time you adhere to your set rules, you are accomplishing your set standards. Every time you accomplish, you are nearer to the point of consistency in your career graph. So, have rules that are accomplishable yet smart so that you can adhere to it and notch up the consistency mark.

Consistency also generates confidence in your mind about the work you do. This confidence will see you through many projects. Confidence helps you realize that whatever happens, you will scrape through well with the help of this quality called consistence. It will instill in you, the ability to survive adverse conditions at work.

Will power is also a quality that helps you with the consistency factor. When you have a strong will power to get things done when circumstances are adverse, it is consistency playing its role well. It helps you to do your work at a great speed. With consistency, you develop expertise in work. This means you are able to complete your work faster.

Hiccups are bound to occur while you try to be consistent at work. But these are only temporary. The harder you attempt overcoming them the greater is your success. Sustain on your attempts to be consistent. You may feel pressurized at times. But you will succeed with great will power. Once you have tasted success, you will want to continue being better.

Let us look at another aspect of being consistent. While being consistent is good, one has to be realistic about the goals set. Anything and everything is not achievable by just being consistent. There should be strategic plans that will guide you to doing a task. Such plans will enable you to know whether you will be successful in an attempt or not.

There are quite a few more things that could be written here on consistency. But the message is that while you work, focus on the job at hand, and also adhere to consistency in quality. This should be sufficient to help you run your business ethically and to earn good will of the clients. Keep your mark on the consistency graph and ensure that it peeks with experience. Do not allow your mark of consistency on the graph to go down at any cost.

Freelancing – Your feedback about the task matters

Freelancer will always have a whole lot of feedback about the job at hand, which needs the attention of the employer. The effort required in researching the subject of work is the first in the list. Apart from secondary sources, which are easily accessible, the project may require inputs from primary sources. There are quite a few primary sources, available, for reference. The freelancer should quickly access the correct source needed for completion of work and provide feedback on requirements to complete the job.

The time required for research gets a mention in the feedback. Even while you zero in on the correct source material, the appropriate content required from the source material to finish the job should be available. There are times when the content on the work is available, but details thereof to complete a specific area with right inputs are missing. Certain times, there are innumerable inputs available on a certain topic, but when it comes to suitability, they may seem improper, for the work in hand. In short, the answers that need an explanation may not feature, in these sources. Here the freelancer has to go back to the client asking for sources of reference.

Then comes the time frame provided by the client, for research on topics. While employers provide few days or hours ahead of work schedule for research, this may not suffice. The freelancer may require more time, solely due to the nature of the subject of work. These are times when the employer need to get to know that more time is required for research as the subject in hand is complex. Accordingly, the time lines for the project changes.

Once the initial research is over, it is time to prepare the draft or the shell of the project. This will include designs and content or even codes required for the project. This may take less or more time, depending on the complexity and detailing required. Accordingly, the employer needs to get intimation.

Another aspect which needs feedback, critically and in time, is the need for more funds. The funds usually feature in the remuneration, or on a case to case basis, as and when required, whichever is convenient. Half way through the project if the freelancer realizes the need for more funds, due to the complexity of the project, then the same needs immediate attention and communication, lest the freelancer suffers losses.

Projects require resources of varied nature. This may be in form of manpower or things. The freelancer has to keep tab of what is required, at every point of development, to correctly estimate the resources required. More resource as appropriate will save the day for the freelancer.

Often, the freelancer cannot proceed beyond a certain stage due to lack of expertise. These areas identified earliest, needs communication to ensure that the project is wound up at the appropriate stage and handed over to the Subject Matter Expert who can continue to work till completion.

Whenever there are areas where specific, knowledge is required, this knowledge transfer is done either by SME or any other expert. On receiving feedback, employers can arrange sessions for knowledge transfer and sharing to effectively clarify doubts. Some of the specifics may be technical in nature, which will require a demonstration. The advanced technology of today enables a freelancer at a remote corner of the world, to get a demo of the required knowledge base through video conferencing and other means.

Where the means used for knowledge sharing is insufficient, there are alternate methods which are available and used. A freelancer can capitalize on the blessings of modern technology. The freelancer should be able to suggest and give feedback on what exactly he is looking for so as to enable appropriate means of sharing knowledge. For example when the specifics are not clear during a telecom, then the freelancer can suggest a meeting through video conferencing or even net meeting.

Certain technologies used in other countries may not be familiar to the freelancer. Such situations warrant, an overview of the technology and the processes in use, in that country, together with the country map and areas covered.

Similarly, some of the verbiages used in context vary with each English speaking country. The freelancer has to be aware of such verbiages and can write on back for inputs from the employer. This helps in avoiding confusion or miscommunication while preparing the final output.

Bigger corporations outsourcing work have their websites to provide all the information required. A freelancer who is an outsider may not have access to all the pages on the website of the company. Hence, a feedback can be in the form of a request for access to pages which have crucial information pertaining to the project. It is always good to remember that, the better the feedback, the better the output.

Evident positive outcomes of freelancing – story of a freelancer

Success stories about freelancing are available everywhere, on the internet and in magazines. What does it take to become a successful freelancer? A good question. But many cannot answer this well. But some can answer this with confidence.

What success does freelancing offer? What are the positive attributes associated with this work? What do freelancers have to say about their work and benefits?

Well, to begin with, this is a relatively new area of work. People across the globe are taking to freelancing because of the positive attributes it has to offer. The most outstanding among them is the freedom to work from any where on the globe at any time. Money involved in this work is another bonus. Admirable work commands good remuneration. Specialized work gets paid even better.

Freelancers always write realistically, but there are a lot of times when editors require good fiction as well. When you are too good at imaginative writing, try your hand at writing fiction as well. To be truthful is being original, but to write a good story which is as good as true is sheer genius.

Inherent talent needs polishing. Freelancers pick up business skills while at work. They do not have another person to market their skills, they do it themselves. That turns a freelancer, into a marketing professional, finance expert, writer, and manager all at one go.

Negotiating skills strengthen with each work that you accept. As the work increases in volume, the market value of the freelancer tends to increase. This in turn affects the remuneration earned. Yes, there would be good alternatives available in the market at lesser prices. If your work is credible, the client would pay a handsome reward.

Most of the time positive results appear while the writer does a free sample or a guest post. The quality inspires the client to offer a valuable project to the freelancer. There are times when a client sees the quality of work at done by the freelancer and calls in to offer a project.

The worst critic a freelancer or a writer can have is himself. Every time the work done gets a review, keep in mind that there will be handful changes that needs better execution. Each time the freelancer is able to recognize these, he is doing a great help to himself. This reflects in improved quality of work and enhances his confidence to do better and better.

When you work with a team, often people share their fears and desperate moments. But freelancers do not have such comfort. The disadvantage is that bad moods, etc affect some. But smart individuals learn to control their mind. There are exercises that help to overcome bad moods, so that you emerge a winner even during testing times. Keeping a friendly and positive attitude will help a freelancer earn a whole lot of network in their business.

Here’s a story of a freelancer. He started quite late but tried his best to do a good job of every assignment. The first few jobs were a little tough to cope up with. The clients were not too happy. But he kept his communication channels open. He accepted criticism about the work and worked on it. He went about enquiring with his friends about how they became successful.

His learning curve was quite impressive after reaching out to peers in the industry. He started with a positive attitude. Yes, of course, he did his prayers and homework well. Each project that he landed from then on was his baby. He took care to write down carefully what went well on each project to make it stand out. And today, he is writing for very successful magazines. He is continuing to build his career.

You will not know the name of this freelancer. But he can be you. So gear up to do your homework and put your best foot forward. Work that is sustainable has takers anywhere in the world. The idea, skill, knowledge, and time put in for work that sells, is the key to success.

Value your talents and you will find others valuing them too. This is another aspect of freelancing. Many freelancers just write for fun and are not serious about a career. If you are not too good at freelancing, do not attempt it. Attempt writing that works for you, that will pay you well. That will bring you success.

Once you identify what works for you, attempt advancement in your area of work. But if you do not know your strengths then it is better not to even think of writing.

Creativity – a freelancer’s path to success

Creativity is an art. The way you project yourselves on the things you handle in everyday life to the tasks you do requires creativity. Its the key criterion to compete and remain successful in freelancing career.

Creativity comes along with experiences. There are many ways to be creative, to get new clients or to make better use of equipment and office space.

Some tips include using a different device like ipad or a computer to split the work you do just watching tv or can be to upgrade an existing system if you can’t afford a new one. Recreate the area where you work, keep changing the screen or paintings rent a different place to work,working along with tour group of friends once in awhile. Marketing yourself also shows how creativity you are. Make variety of cards to let your friends and relatives know the services you offer so that they could depend on a reliable person instead of a stranger.

The options are many, all you need is to try think a bit out of the box.

These examples help you grow as a freelancer.

Having known the inspirational quote of Pablo Picasso,

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.

We should stick to the creativeness we own. At every moment one must remember to be unique. There are many people who can do the same repetitive task with training. To make a difference as a freelancer and to be the first pick for the people outside, the art must be mastered.Never lose the uniqueness.

Give customers gift

To attract customers and to succeed in business you must use creative approaches. One such would be gifting your regular customers.The market trends keep changing with time and is often difficult to meet the customers expectations. Offer free services every now and then. This will help retain your customers for the second and third time.Send them your brochures along with goodies on special occasions . in big companies they have people to monitor and do these but as a freelancer it’s your responsibility to track your customers. When You feel low and when the number of clients are getting less these techniques help you boost your freelancing career.Use your fantasy and implement these things into your business plan. Make customers want to come back and you will have the best possible chance to survive.

Reward!

Own a website or a blog and keep updating your recent work. This will increase the number of readers visiting your site.Giving something extra to the visitors on your website always is a good thing. As a freelance blogger help people with tips that can help them gain more hits. Gift a new member who joins in your portal. Conduct quizzes more often. This helps you get more contacts with the interaction you do.Post some useful suggestions on how are to present a particular information. This will potentially give more clients for you.

Treating your clients

Clients are more valuable for one to be successful. Giving existing customers good offers as mentioned in the previous tip is important. But remember to be service minded.Maintain your limits to satisfy the customers. The attention you pay to the customer is important it will make him feel he is important and make him more loyal. Use positive language when you talk or write to him. Remember to let him know that his feedback is always appreciated. That way you can keep making your services more and more attractive and get happier clients. Don’t forget that existing clients can be the best advertising you ever get!

Feedback

In Order to become a successful freelancer getting feedback is critical. You can ask your friends or family to improve the services you provide.Not only should you have comments enabled on your website for feedback but should remember that you work towards to achieve it. . Most important of all, every time when you have finished your project – ask the client what he thinks.This attitude makes your client feel the client important. Getting someone else’s opinion is always good and this will help you to become even more successful and have a fresh mind.Having a fresh perspective of doing things is always essential to succeed. when your share your thoughts and ideas it will kindle the thoughts of others as well and hence the combined result based on these ideas help you provide a better product.

Steve jobs has given to us a wonderful quote based on this synthesizing which leads to an amazing creative product which is ,

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.”

Take the time you need!

At the early stage of taking a work, we might be very enthusiastic to execute but as time goes we might lose the interest to perform. Its our responsibility to stay motivated and give a better service to the client as promised. Don’t compromise yourself to postpone any job you take. Its creativity which makes you do things better. When you get a task or commit yourself to take a job make sure you give the timeline to yourself.This not only helps you to complete the work but you will have ample space to think about the task the ways to implement it, the enhancements you can do while working on this.

You need to have a strong impression created that each days work is not dragged to the next.

This is so important, it can’t be mentioned enough. Same as with the tip about learning to say no.

A successful freelancer is one who manages time and handle the project effectively. Reputation matters for a freelancer. Make sure your clients don’t go to anyone else other than you.

Hope these tips helped you to bring back the creativeness!

Do You Have It In You To Make It As A Freelancer

To be our own bosses is a dream come true job everybody in the world. Most people see freelancing as a chance of working on their own time, enjoying breaks when they want, billing hours from café while sipping a cup of fresh coffee and working, taking projects which they want, skipping a day without having to apply for leave or taking permissions. But are these perks enough for you to leave your regular job and take up freelancing jobs?

The answer is a straightforward ‘no’. On the surface you might see a freelancer as a master of his/her will but in reality before giving up your full time job or choosing between freelancing and full time job you need to know think carefully about whether you have the qualities and skills needed to make it as a freelancer. There are some things which you will need to give up and some things which need to adapt to succeed as a freelancer. In this post, we will take a look at some of the things, which will help you decide whether you are up to it, or not?

Can you survive with variable income?

A freelancer’s income depends on the type of project he or she has in hand. Some months you will have many projects in hand and earn more than your average but in some months you might not have so many projects in hand and the income might not be so much. Also you will not be paid when you are on vacation or have to leave a project in midway. Therefore, think whether you can manage your finances even in slump.

Also when you are just starting your jobs you might not be paid as much as you want, therefore can you manage in the starting days?

Can you work alone?

As a freelancer you will have to work alone a lot. There will be no time for office gossips or taking help from your friends. Most of the times you will be sitting alone on the desk of your home or rented office space and working. Therefore it will be entirely up to you to make your workplace as conductive as work at you can.

Can you push yourself out of bed even when you have nowhere to go?

Most of the newbie freelancers fail because of they cannot push themselves to get out of bed because they have nowhere to go. Think about it hard whether you can pull yourself out of the bed and fix a working time for yourself when you have nowhere to go.

Can you take criticism and failure?

As a freelancer you will not get every job that you will apply for. Also sometimes it might also happen that the client will reject your work or criticize it rather harshly. You will have to take the flak alone and might have to meet very tight deadlines. Therefore ask yourself how well you can handle criticism and failure. You can take the help of your family and friends and they will be truly able to help you figure out your this nature.

Can you deal with difficult clients?

Each freelance project that you will be getting will have a different requirement and every client needs to be handled differently. Do you have any experience in handing difficult clients and do you have the ability to self-market yourself to even the pickiest of clients? These are the two questions, which you need to ask yourself before starting out as a freelancer. Remember everything including marketing, gathering the required equipment, doing research and delivering the project to the client will have to be handled by you and you alone.

How To Be A Freelance Teacher

Freelancing jobs are full of potential and opportunities Freelance teaching is not a new concept. It has been around for ages. However, the latest trends in globalisation have given Freelance teaching a new spin. Here is a short guide to help you start of as a freelance teacher.

The first step is to decide that kind of freelancing teaching job you are in­terested in:

A) Travelling freelance jobs: These kinds of jobs require you to travel to other states or countries to take up a teaching assignment there. These kinds of jobs are especially popular with teachers who have multilingual experience.

B) Online freelance teaching jobs: These jobs involve sitting at home and tutoring over the internet. These types of projects include tutoring of subjects such as History, Geography, English etc. assignments are handed over the internet itself.

C) Regular freelance teaching jobs: These are regular freelancing jobs that you can take up in the local areas like tutoring school students, teaching art etc. and do not require travelling or access to online services. You don’t need to travel for these jobs.

Once you have decided what kind of freelance job you want to do then it is time to think on the following points.

What different you can offer?

The biggest challenge that a freelancer faces is offering something different than what others are not. Think hard and fast about your special qualities as a teacher.

Be ready to network extensively

When you are new in the business you don’t have much contacts so be prepared to network eaten surely. Look up your old contacts, old students, and visit local online communities to build up the network. It will be hard work but it will be worth it.

Stay in touch with teaching even when not working

Teaching is a profession in which you need to be at the top of your game at all the times. Therefor it is important that you stay in touch with teaching at all the times. Volunteer at the schools / colleges or at the night classes. This will help you in understanding the minds of your students better and therefore you will be able to teach better.

Network with other freelance teachers

When you are starting as a freelance teacher then in order to get some hands on experience on what actually happens in the freelance teaching world, it would help you a lot to network with other freelance teachers. Remember never ask them to share their client details but ask them about how they started, what they charge and what are the points to look forward to. Teaching methods of every teacher is different and therefore you are bound to pick up some useful points every time you interact.

Make sure all your documents are in order

Nobody wants a teacher who is not organized himself/herself. Keep all your documents in order, which should include your degrees and certificates all in order. If you are interested in traveling freelance jobs then make sure that your passport is updated and you have the necessary permissions.

This way you can present them promptly and the point will go in your favour.

Don’t be afraid to take up new challenges

Just as every teacher is different, every student also had different learning capability. As a freelance teacher, you usually don’t get the time to mould the student as you wish and therefore it is important that you mould yourself the way the student wants. Some students like to have lots of books to read and some understand better with the practical way. Take up new challenges with confidence in your teaching methods and you will defiantly succeed.

Five Quirky Freelancing Jobs

Tell anybody that you work as a freelancer and they will ask you about either of the two things: what do you write about or what kind of programing that you do? Most people’s idea of freelancing is limited to writing or something related to computers but if you will dig a little deeper freelancing is much more than that. There are hundreds of freelancing jobs, which you might not even have heard about. You can enjoy a freelancing career even without having to write a single article or computer program. In this blog we have listed five such quirky freelancing jobs

Pet Trainer/Groomer: Most people love to have a pet at home but often don’t have the time or clue on how to train them and groom them. A freelance pet groomers takes up the responsibility of training the pet for the owner. All you need is lot of love for the animals and basic knowledge how to train them. Of course there are various specialties in pet grooming also such as horse groomer, dog trainer, parakeet trainer etc.

Freelance finder: A freelancer finder finds things for people. If you need a particular gift item for your loved one or just want to create a replica of an old memory then a freelance finder will find the things you want for a very small fee. Freelance finding can be about anything but is quite different from the detective work.

Freelance shopper: I think this is one of the most exiting freelance jobs of all. A freelancer shopper shops for things which other people don’t have the time for. For example an interior designer will hire a freelance shopper for shopping for interior decoration products needed for a home or office or a manager might ask a freelance shopper to find some office gifts under a budget. Sometimes a freelance shopper might be asked to even suggest gifts or products which further helps broaden his/her horizons.

Mystery Shopper: A mystery shopper is different from a freelance shopper. A mystery shopper is hired by big brands or independent product evaluation companies to shop for their products and give their reviews. These reviews include employee behavior, product quality, billing systems, general ambiance of the outlet etc. For example as a mystery shopper for McDonalds, you get to eat a free meal there and also evaluate the quality of their burgers. Mystery shoppers are paid according to the projects.

Freelance home maintenance: People who are away from their homes a lot need somebody to oversee the maintenance of their homes, coordinate with the cleaning services etc. Freelance home maintainers undertake to take care of your home as if it was their own and make sure that everything is the way you want it when you come back from your holiday or business trip.

Things A Freelancer Should Never Say To A Client

The best part about being a freelancer is that you gain a kind of experience that a regular job. You get to meet a number of people, you get to work on a variety of projects and expand your horizons. However, you also will have to learn how to deal with different kinds of people and learn to adapt yourself to the project demand. Of course, not everything is perfect every time and you will make mistakes sometimes but you can always learn from them.

Here is my list of things, which you should never say to a client:

I will submit the work later: Deadlines are deadlines and a freelancer is always expected to follow them. Even if you want an extended deadline then let the client know about it well in advance. Also instead of using the word ‘later’ give a definite time frame for example will submit by xyz date etc.

Sorry for not replying sooner: When a client hires you for a project he/she expects to be communicated with regularly with the progress of the project. The client is not going to be happy with a freelancer who takes up a project and then vanishes to reappear with completed project within the give deadline. As a freelancer make sure that you reply to client emails/phone calls as soon as possible.

I have given you a discount: When you are starting as a freelancer you might be tempted to give ‘discount’ to clients in order to get work. This is a wrong word to use. When you tell a client that you have given them discounts they immediately think that you overcharged them and now giving the actual price. Do not give ‘discounts’ when not asked for. If the client persists then you can may be negotiate a little.

I know a better way to do this: Nobody and with it I mean not even you as a freelancer would like to be told a better way to do your job and that the other way is better. The same goes for the client. Don’t tell the client a better way to do his job. You can talk about the particular section of project that you are working on but unless asked don’t try to turn into a business advisor.

Thnx, OMG, u, hey, and other text language: Keep things professional at all times. Email should be responded to in the correct manner and with correct spellings. I have had some freelancers working for me who did not even bother to spell my name right or took the liberty to shorten my name. Needless to say I did not work with them again. The way you write your email or letters or take the phone calls says a lot about your professionalism. Avoid the text language and use proper words.

I have made some changes to make it look better: Every client loves an enthusiastic freelancer. But to present the client with a completed work very different from what he/she asked for is a completely different thing. Knowing that the freelancer has changed the final work will not make your client happy. Get a green signal from the client before making any changes. There will some core things in a project that the client will not want to change.

I can do it: I admit I am guilty of using this sentient. I have said to a client that I can do the project even though I had no idea how to go about it. I was able to do the project but it involved a lot of extra work on my part. Don’t say yes to things, which you don’t know about.

Getting Started As A Freelancer

“When inspiration does not come to me, I go halfway to meet it.” – Sigmund Freud

Getting started as a freelancer is very much like chasing your own dream. Freelancers have full freedom to make a career out of whatever they wish to be. As they say  that it is the first step that is difficult; this short guide on how to get started as a freelancer will help you take that first step to a successful and fulfilling career.

How much time do you have?

The first step is to decide on how much time you can devote every day to working. You can work full time, part time or vary your timing depending on the project on hand. The amount of time you have in hand will help you decide the amount of work you can undertake and help you build up a schedule.

What is your area of interest?

The next step is to figure out your area of interest in which you want to work in. The biggest advantage of working as a freelancer is that you don’t have to limit yourself to one particular field only. There are many fields for you to choose from such as writing, software design, software testing, acting, designing and producing artifacts, tele calling, counseling, translation, tutoring etc. Even these fields have many subfields, for example, writing includes blog writing, article writing, website content etc.  Similarly tutoring freelancing jobs can be based on language, subjects etc.

Prepare yourself

Once you have decided on which area you are going to look for work for, it is then time to prepare yourself.  By preparing yourself we mean that you should brush up your knowledge about your area of interest.  Checkout various freelance directories to what kind of jobs are being posted on the board there. This will give you an idea of what is ‘in’.
For example if you are interesting in online or distance tutoring the it would be helpful to you if you brush up your tutoring skills and knowledge on the subject you are going to teach. If you are looking for jobs in web design then make sure that you know about the latest languages in use.

Prepare a portfolio

Some might call it a resume but we prefer to call it a portfolio. Your portfolio will be a showcase of the all that you know. It should contain all the information about you. It should concisely indicate all the work that you have done in the past. List your qualifications in such a way that they make it relevant in the area you are planning to work in. If you have any samples of your work then you can include them in the portfolio too.

How much to charge?

Now it is the time to decide how much you are going to charge for the work. You can charge by the hour or by word or by projects. Make your rate competitive. Remember you can always change your rate after projects and as you gain experience.

Start Applying

With all the above preparations, you are now ready to apply for jobs.  You can list yourself in freelance directories and also apply for jobs individually. If you are applying online then give them a two or three days to reply and make sure that you aim to build a long time contact.
Keep your mind open about some basic negotiations. Remember you are working freelance and therefore you can work on your terms.

Work ethics

It is very important for a freelancer to maintain his/her reputation at all the times. When you make a commitment make sure that you keep it at all times. Do not charge for something, which you have not done. Keep the communication lines open at all the times so that the client can reach you anytime.

By following the above steps, you will have a much easier journey in getting started as a freelancer. Happy bidding!