All Work and No Pay
13
I’ve been busy. Really busy. Normally that’s a good thing, and it means money is coming in and jobs are in plentiful supply. As is usually the case with me, nothing is ever normal. I’ve been working, but the things I am doing won’t see any ROI right away. If you’re a freelancer or independent marketer I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
Although I am a freelance writer, I also do a fair bit of web development and dabble occasionally in online commerce. To that end I am restructuring a commerce site which really, is unrelated in any way to my freelance work, but if I don’t get it done I could very well end up single in short order. So of course that one’s a priority job. Love you too honey… Ahem.
Next on the list is something that to tell the truth, I am somewhat excited and optimistic about. This really worries me because any time one of my ideas gets me excited and optimistic, I start having those visions of Lucy and the football. Despite this, I am rushing headlong into a new venture. Although I’m not ready to present it or even let Google find it yet, (those damn bots are persistent little buggers), I can say that it’s very much related to freelancing and online employment.
I’ve heard a consistent complaint lately that work and clients are hard to come by, no one wants to pay decent rates, and all the job sites like E-lance are overrun with fly by night operations that are driving down the rates. I know from my own experience that these complaints are all too true. In fact, they are worse than they appear because on top of all this, finding the work often costs money on top of it all.
I’ve also been asked frequently about how I find work, how I get paid, and what can people do to improve their own efforts.
So, with these complaints and questions for inspiration, I am working on a new endeavor that I hope will address these complaints and more. Much more.
To that end, I’d like to use this post to ask some questions. You don’t have to go into detail although I’m very much interested if you are willing to. I just want some candid feedback which will help me to narrow my focus and put together something truly useful and of benefit to the freelance and professional online entrepreneur. Thanks in advance for helping me out here. I’ll toss out a little bit of intrigue before listing my questions and say that I have some of you in mind specifically, and how you reply may have some unexpected results.
Without further ado, here we go.
1. What has been the biggest challenge when it comes to working online?
2. On a scale from 1 to 10, how difficult would you say finding work as a freelancer or independent business person is?
3. Do you hold a paid membership, free membership, or subscription to any job services like E-Lance, Demand Studios, I-Freelance, Guru and other similar job outlets?
4. If yes to number 3, what is your biggest disappointment with them, and what do you like most about them?
5. What do look for in a business resource? Advice? Leads? Free programs? Network capabilities?
6. What is your biggest disappointment with working online?
7. Do you believe that online job services should be free like free classifieds, or do you believe that job services are justified in charging fees and taking commissions from the work their patrons perform?
8. Have you made substantive connections and found work through any social platforms like Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter in the last 3 months?
9. This one is probably a bit difficult and I’ll understand if folks decide to skip it. What do you think needs the most improvement in the world of freelance employment and online business?
10. Do you think the independent online worker is going to become increasingly in demand in the near future, or do you see them finding the market for their services becoming smaller as commercial business continues to increase its online presence?
That’s it folks. I appreciate your taking the time to answer these for me, and I hope to have something to show for your effort within the next three weeks. I’ll be attempting to post regularly now that I have an actual agenda and schedule figured out. Of course, I could end up operating out of a Frigidaire box come next year instead so I can’t make any promises. I’m keeping all my landscape equipment in operating condition just in case.
1. What has been the biggest challenge when it comes to working online?
Staying focused on only those online sites that I get something out of. The number of social networking sites is overwhelming with new ones popping up daily. When you are asked to join a network as a personal favor for someone else you met online – you tend to feel obligated to join. However, if these sites don’t show reciprocity – they are not worth our time. The biggest challenge is to weed out the sites that aren’t giving you any value.
2. On a scale from 1 to 10, how difficult would you say finding work as a freelancer or independent business person is?
Assuming your scale is running from least difficult to most difficult – i would have to say at this time – 3 :(
3. Do you hold a paid membership, free membership, or subscription to any job services like E-Lance, Demand Studios, I-Freelance, Guru and other similar job outlets?
No – but I should. Which ones do you recommend?
4. If yes to number 3, what is your biggest disappointment with them, and what do you like most about them?
5. What do look for in a business resource? Advice? Leads? Free programs? Network capabilities?
All of the above.
6. What is your biggest disappointment with working online?
Lack of response(s)
7. Do you believe that online job services should be free like free classifieds, or do you believe that job services are justified in charging fees and taking commissions from the work their patrons perform?
I think that the job services that boast they are free to employers but charge the job-seeker are barking up the wrong tree. The employer has $$ – The job seeker doesn’t. I think it is ok to charge the employer – but as I am not an employer in the market, my opinion is somewhat biased.
8. Have you made substantive connections and found work through any social platforms like Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter in the last 3 months?
Yes to connections and “eh” to finding work.
9. This one is probably a bit difficult and I’ll understand if folks decide to skip it. What do you think needs the most improvement in the world of freelance employment and online business?
Not sure but would like to hear your opinion :)
10. Do you think the independent online worker is going to become increasingly in demand in the near future, or do you see them finding the market for their services becoming smaller as commercial business continues to increase its online presence?
I think the freelancer who builds relationships and their reputation will be in a better position than commercial business. As you know, I strongly feel that it is all about the relationships we have and our reputations. It is easier to have a relationship with a person (freelancer) than a commercial business.
That’s it folks. I appreciate your taking the time to answer these for me, and I hope to have something to show for your effort within the next three weeks. I’ll be attempting to post regularly now that I have an actual agenda and schedule figured out. Of course, I could end up operating out of a Frigidaire box come next year instead so I can’t make any promises. I’m keeping all my landscape equipment in operating condition just in case.
:)
Hi Paul,
I don’t work as a freelancer so I can’t really answer your questions. I can give a few observations based on what I know and my time as a recruiter.
It seems these sites have become a commodity with the freelancers missing out. There could be an opportunity for someone to take the price out of the equation and match up the jobs required with the freelacer with the rights skills and experience. On the other side I have heard freelancers just taking jobs without considering the type of work they want which is matched to their skills, experience and environment.
Now this is probably already done. Regarding fees it should be worn by the company wanting the job done, same with the ads. This may be difficult initially however like anything else there is an opportunity cost to the company is they have a job, pay low dollars and find out the quality is not high, timing is not met etc.
Hope this helps a little.
Wow Paul – I know I like you and your writing but this is work!!! If you and your honey weren’t underthreat of living in that box… I’d be tempted to go and get some ZZZZZ’s.
1. Biggest challenge to working online – organizing deliverables from other people. I had hired someone through a freelance site and found no matter how much I contacted them I couldn’t get them to do the work. They would do a little, maybe half an hour and then be gone with one excuse or another for a week or two. then wanted to spend my time (time I was paying for) to explain why). Finally got the site live but he didn’t complete everything so I was forced to teach myself what I needed to retrofit. I was paying him hourly but he didn’t even use the potential hours.
Then he contacted me asking for me to close out the job and wanted me to write a good report. I told them my issues and said that open items would lead to a lower mark than they wanted. He said they would fix 2 months ago – still waiting.
All online (or offline workers) need to set out a schedule for completion and complete (Scope and Expectation on deliverables and whether these will be within the budget or additional. I do it!
2. Difficultly in finding freelance work – 6.
3. Not looking for work but yes for hiring?
4. biggest disappointment – as a hirer, many freelancers can’t be bothered to reply, leaving hirers with scant choice of available or interested qualified workers?
5. What do look for in a business resource? Advice? Leads? Free programs? Network capabilities? Yes – all.
6. What is your biggest disappointment with working online? Project management.
7. Online job services should be free to the contractor
8. Huge and substantive connections on LI & Twitter – new to FB – probably took longer than 3 months though?
9. Improvements for Freelance employment and online business. Needs Structure reporting for freelance work, and verification of legitimacy for online business – way too many snake oil salesmen.
10. Online workers will become increasingly in demand especially with the growth of smaller mom & pop business, with the option of accessing systems remotely and uploading/downloading – hourly rates can become more appropriate. I think just as we are seeing a return to small businesses which care we will have growth in service businesses who want a 1:1 and ongoing relationship. Make a little less and earn a regular client, swap 1 off income for a monthly retainer.
Hope that helps.
Laine D
http://www.ThoughtsFromABroad.net
1. The biggest challenge has been getting people to see the value in what I do as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. They see the pretty factor, but they value is just hard for them to grasp.
2. Right now I believe it’s at a solid 9.
3. No those websites are full of opportunists and they’re the reason people don’t see the value in my work. They think a logo can be bought for $50 because of these damn sites.
4. Eff them.
5. Definitely networking capabilities.
6. I’m not disappointed as much as wanting to find the right way to navigate my services through the web.
7. They’re providing a service, so they deserve to get paid for what they do.
8. I have not yet had one lead establish itself through those sites. It’s all hearsay right now. But I feel like a pay off is coming.
9. That is a tough one. I can’t really say for sure except that I wish my work reached those that would benefit from it more easily.
10. I think more freelancers will be needed in times to come. It’s cheaper for the employer to hire a freelancer and not pay them benefits. The economy isn’t getting any better any time soon. We’ll be needed more and more.
The hardest thing I found about being a freelancer was that I had three aspects to look after: drumming up the business, doing the work, and chasing clients for the money. I think it’s hard for one person to be very good at all three. They are all learned skills, and the curve is steep. Good luck!
Rosanne Dingli: author of puzzle thrillers
http://rosannedingli.blogspot.com
I don’t do freelance work, but I do work online (web site development). So, hopefully my answers are relevant:
1. Satisfying the client and making sure the web sites are pleasing to most, easy to use, and renders well in most browsers.
2. N / A
3. I don’t hold any of these subscriptions at this time
4. N / A
5. In my line of work, a business resource is the client who initiates projects and approves design. From them, I look for clarity of purpose, ROI, quick turn around time, creative direction, and design sign-off.
6. Not being face-to-face with the target audience – the customers. I sometimes get to hear their feedback through informal surveys, but it is just not the same as being able to speak with them. It is also very frustrating when they encounter problems that I cannot reproduce. Gathering the necessary testing data can be difficult, at best.
7. I believe they are justified in charging a fee. After all, they have people working for them and have created a useful web site on their own dime. However, if they have to charge fees to the job seeker, they should be less than what they would charge employers.
8. I’ve made quite a few business connections via LinkedIn. I make it a point to periodically update my profile. I receive emails/calls quite often regarding open positions. As for other platforms like Facebook and Twitter, I tend to use those only for personal use. I keep my work and personal life separate.
9. I think one of the biggest improvements that can be made in online business at this point in time is consistency. There are so many different ways to shop, navigate, browse, search, etc that I think it can be very overwhelming for users. As a developer, I tend to go by best practices in the industry. However, there are plenty of sites out there that don’t adhere to standards. This causes confusion for customers and a hesitation to shop if they can’t find what they are looking for or are not comfortable with the shopping experience.
10. I think there is always going to be a market for the online independent worker. We leverage consultants all the time to supplement our staff, provide expertise, and help us with strategy. Not all big companies have bug IT shops. Beyond that, independent workers bring a unique perspective and a different way of thinking to the online space that a larger entity might not be able to for various reasons (conformity, too much risk, etc).
I hope these responses are helpful to you!
Here I go.
1. Staying focused on pursuing just one line of work. Like you, I’ve also dabbled in more than just freelance writing. I’ve done some affiliate marketing and AdSense sites. Sad to say, I’ve made more with AdSense than writing. In the past, I’ve had a hard time focusing on my writing. Something else catches my eye, and I want to try that, too. It’s a blessing and a curse. There’s only so much time in the day, but it’s good to vary your work.
2. This is tricky. It’s not at all hard to find freelance work if you don’t want to get anything. If you want to be paid more than peanuts, then I give finding freelance work the most difficult score. (I’m not sure how you’re measuring your score. Which is hardest, 1 or 10?)
3. I have done I-freelance in the beginning of my freelance writing career. I stopped that very quickly because I didn’t feel like my career could take off using I-freelance.
4. Biggest disappointment – I had a lot of people say that they were impressed with my writing, but they wanted me to write for less. I would not do it. I did not want to set a precedent. I liked that I got a couple jobs through them.
5. I look for it all – advice, leads, free programs, etc. But my absolute favorite is advice that has been tested and yields results. That’s what I’m trying out on my blog.
6. I’m disappointed that I’m not where I want to be yet. In my head, I know that I haven’t been doing this very long, and I haven’t YET followed through on all of the suggestions I’ve read about. However, I wanted to be more established by now.
7. They take commission because they need to make money, and that’s fine. But I will not use them. I don’t believe in paying anyone to make money. The clients I write for now and regularly did not come about that way.
8. Nope. I have made some great connections on LinkedIn, and I would like to use it more. But nothing has led to work.
9. People don’t understand how terribly they write. Websites NEED good freelance writers just so you can understand their content. People also need to understand that they can only get this high quality content by paying a little more for a better product.
10. The online worker is definitely in higher demand. It only makes sense for businesses to hire freelancers. They save money in insurance, 401Ks, etc. by hiring freelancers.
Hope this helps!
Am not working as an online freelancer so I cannot answer most of your questions.
However, I do believe consulting, freelancing is the way of the future. Many of the jobs lost in the recession will not be filled again. Instead consultants/freelancers will be used.
Sites matching employers and freelancers should take fees from the companies. They are the ones gaining from not employing people but using freelancers + have the money.
About 1,000 people have invited me to connect on Linkedin during the last year alone, because of my blog. Have had an abundance of offers to do x,y,z but none of them would benefit me, only them. Hence declined.
Have freelanced in the past (not online) and I agree with Rosanne.
The hardest thing I found about being a freelancer is to at the same time find work, carry it out and keep on finding more work + of course the admin. Thankfully never had any problems getting paid. But I’m sure that’s a big issue if you get your clients online. That’s one reason I have not been interested in any of the offers I have had through Linkedin. Difficult to get paid by someone on the other side of the world.
1. What has been the biggest challenge when it comes to working online?
All the work it takes to keep up with the latest developments and information in addition to doing the actual work.
2. On a scale from 1 to 10, how difficult would you say finding work as a freelancer or independent business person is?
After a year in business, the business is starting to come in naturally through referrals. I’m pleased to say it’s pretty easy nowadays.
3. Do you hold a paid membership, free membership, or subscription to any job services like E-Lance, Demand Studios, I-Freelance, Guru and other similar job outlets?
E-Lance yes but I delete the emails. I have never taken a job through the site. Pay is horrible and other clients are willing to pay me much more.
5. What do look for in a business resource? Advice? Leads? Free programs? Network capabilities?
All of the above!
6. What is your biggest disappointment with working online?
I’ve been surprised at how high my expenses are even though I work from home. Amazing how it can add up. So I’m making money, but spending almost all of it on the business.
7. Do you believe that online job services should be free like free classifieds, or do you believe that job services are justified in charging fees and taking commissions from the work their patrons perform?
I would never pay to get freelance jobs from a service. I can get clients for free through referrals and educating people through my blog. I prefer to pay a referral fee to good referral sources.
8. Have you made substantive connections and found work through any social platforms like Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter in the last 3 months?
YES!! Mostly LinkedIn. Huge source of clients.
9. This one is probably a bit difficult and I’ll understand if folks decide to skip it. What do you think needs the most improvement in the world of freelance employment and online business?
Well, I get paid decently because of the nature of the work I do (resume, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, college admissions essays), but I imagine fees are held down by the proliferation of online businesses.
10. Do you think the independent online worker is going to become increasingly in demand in the near future, or do you see them finding the market for their services becoming smaller as commercial business continues to increase its online presence?
I’m counting on people always needing my services for good writing within that on line presence!
Paul:
Looking forward to hearing in three weeks what you came up with.
1. What has been the biggest challenge when it comes to working online? You are best finding clients through people you know. You can tell people you know that you are looking for clients via online tools.
2. On a scale from 1 to 10, how difficult would you say finding work as a freelancer or independent business person is? with 10 being high, probably a 7 at this point. If I would work for next to nothing then a much lower number.
3. Do you hold a paid membership, free membership, or subscription to any job services like E-Lance, Demand Studios, I-Freelance, Guru and other similar job outlets? Free membership
4. If yes to number 3, what is your biggest disappointment with them, and what do you like most about them? Lots of garbage jobs. Not really worth the time. I cannot remember the last time I looked at some of the jobs.
5. What do look for in a business resource? Advice? Leads? Free programs? Network capabilities? All of the above.
6. What is your biggest disappointment with working online? Way to generalized, way too much noise out there.
7. Do you believe that online job services should be free like free classifieds, or do you believe that job services are justified in charging fees and taking commissions from the work their patrons perform? We work for money so should they. Question is who pays, the person providing the work or the person receiving the work.
8. Have you made substantive connections and found work through any social platforms like Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter in the last 3 months? I have met a lot of great people online. No work from it.
9. This one is probably a bit difficult and I’ll understand if folks decide to skip it. What do you think needs the most improvement in the world of freelance employment and online business? A BS meter. Separate the wheat from the chaff.
10. Do you think the independent online worker is going to become increasingly in demand in the near future, or do you see them finding the market for their services becoming smaller as commercial business continues to increase its online presence?
Always room for quality. More work will be by independents so companies do not take on salary liabilities.
Rob
Exceptional replies here folks. Really REALLY appreciate them. As you can probably guess, I’m working towards something that addresses the freelancer more than the businesses that employ them, and in order for it to be useful I need to tightly focus on what really matters most. I cant reply to each and every post, but rest assured that each and every reply is getting added to the data to form an overall goal set. Really looking forward to putting it all together and doing and assessment and seeing how it pans out.
Currently doing research on applications I can mod and these replies are a BIG help in determining what I need. Thanks again and keep em coming. Feel free to add anything you think might be relevant as well.
1. It’s loneliness. I miss collaboration and brainstorming the most. I still network and brainstorm online but it’s not nearly as much fun.
2. This is hard to answer because up until very recently, I haven’t really been trying to find work online. I was selling a bundle including a product/service. That – I would rate a 10 with 10 being extremely difficult. It’s only been recently that I’ve decided to market consulting and coaching online and that’s due in part to my efforts to build an authority blog and participate online.
3. Yes – free memberships to 2 of these.
4. I checked them out to see if my work would have value there. Obviously, there are many people on those sites from other countries who are willing to work for low wages. I felt my time was better spent working for myself.
5. Information. Answers to immediate issues. I appreciate active forums.
6. Spam. It’s a huge time waster. I have email accounts I will probably have to delete completely because they receive so much spam on a daily basis that they’ve become useless to me.
7. I believe it should be free to the person providing the service. The problem with charging the person who is advertising the position is that they may have less money to spend on the job. The solution may be advertising and sponsorships.
8. Yes. I have found work through LinkedIn without even having services listed on my blog at the time. Based on my contributions in groups (and possibly posts from my blog), people have approached me to do work for them.
9. Communicating the value of quality work. All services are not equal. Just as I avoid E-Lance and won’t associate with them, if I were to work with a group or organization, I would expect them to hold to the same high standards I expect from myself.
10. I think the demand for independent online workers will increase. As with any business, those that differentiate and are successful building awareness will succeed. The question to me is can we differentiate the value of our work and compete with people from countries where the cost of living is so much lower than it is here.
1. What has been the biggest challenge when it comes to working online
getting paying customers.
2. On a scale from 1 to 10, how difficult would you say finding work as a freelancer or independent business person is?
3-I think this will improve as my online presence increases. I am working hard on this.
3. Do you hold a paid membership, free membership, or subscription to any job services like E-Lance, Demand Studios, I-Freelance, Guru and other similar job outlets?
No
4. If yes to number 3, what is your biggest disappointment with them, and what do you like most about them?
5. What do look for in a business resource? Advice? Leads? Free programs? Network capabilities?
I love to read informative blogs. I they have good information I will often pay for a e-book, weekly tips, teleseminar etc
6. What is your biggest disappointment with working online?
I miss face to face connections.
7. Do you believe that online job services should be free like free classifieds, or do you believe that job services are justified in charging fees and taking commissions from the work their patrons perform?
I think there should be a mixture-free so I can see the value before purchasing more service.
I believe there can be some valuable connecting of services. Ex- I am working with people that can offer blog set up and videos for my authors. We plan on working out a commission structure for referrals.
8. Have you made substantive connections and found work through any social platforms like Facebook, Linkedin, or Twitter in the last 3 months?
I found great connections on LinkedIn and facebook. very few from twitter
9. This one is probably a bit difficult and I’ll understand if folks decide to skip it. What do you think needs the most improvement in the world of freelance employment and online business?
I am not sure. I have hired an editors, designers and web help online. (not from paid services) I usually rely on testimonials, blogging effectiveness and my perceived quality of thier work. I have been happy with most of the services I have paid for.
10. Do you think the independent online worker is going to become increasingly in demand in the near future, or do you see them finding the market for their services becoming smaller as commercial business continues to increase its online presence?
I think this is a growing rapidly. the successful people will have great branding and testimonials.