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05 Oct 10 3 Very Effective but Rarely Used Job-Search Strategy

What most people do when they search for a job? They scan the job portals, and scour through newspaper ads. These are obvious places to look for, and almost everyone uses these job-search strategies. In this article, I am going to show you 3 non-so-obvious places that will help you find a job before anyone else does so.

Business networking sites

If you are looking for a job, and could not find a good one through the usual channels then business networking websites like LinkedIn and Ryze are the ones you should scan first. People often advertise jobs here, but to be successful in here, you will have to first make your presence felt by preparing a strong profile that should have some sound recommendation.

Job boards and forums

Believe it or not, forums also help people in getting hired. There are many job boards and forums where people ask and respond to various questions. You should also participate in such forums because it is the quality of your answers will increase your reputation, which will eventually land you in a decent job, as people are always on the look for a knowledgeable worker.

Blogging

Yes blogging can get you a full-time job as well. A blog does not only help you find a freelance gig, but it also helps you showcase the understanding of your field to the world. And it should not come to you as a surprise that employers love to have employees that are knowledgeable and astute. Your blog demonstrate both to the outside world.

Of the above three sources that we discussed above, blogging is the one which people do not take seriously as a job-search tool. Most of them are quite skeptic about the effectiveness of this tool, which makes it a very rarely used job-search tool. That is why I will suggest using this first.

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19 Oct 09 When to Bid Freelancing Adieu?

When to bid freelancing adieu? This is a question that everyone asks us. A similar question is should I bid it adieu for other things?

The answer to both the questions is the age old “it depends.”

I know this answer sounds boring and it does not actually say anything. That is why I decided to write a brief post to describe when one should leave freelancing or one should leave it alone.

Should I Switch?

The decision to leave freelancing or not depends upon the answers to the following questions:

  1. What will you do if not freelancing?
  2. Can you support your family and yourself during the “switch period”?
  3. Are you sure that you want to make a switch?
  4. Is the switch worth the effort?
  5. Are you confident that your clients will accept you in the new role?
  6. Do you have what it takes to make a switch?

Switching career is not an easy task and you already know it. You first tested the sour water of switching when you switched from a full-time job to freelance work; therefore, you must be aware of the kinds of issues one faces when one decided to switch. After a switch, you will again be a fresher in the field. Hence, you should be prepared to fight the same battle that you fought when you first switched from full-time job to freelancing.

What should I do?

You can go for any career you want after free lancing, but there are some career choices which are more related to the works you have done as freelancer. Hence, before you bid adieu to freelancing let’s consider what career choices you have.

  1. You can become a consultant. If you are a freelance writer, you can become writing consultant.
  2. You can become a coach. A press release writer can become a better press release writing coach.
  3. You can start a freelance agency. After working on many assignments for many years, you must know the nuances of freelancing business. Then why not become a freelancing hub that takes work from companies and redistribute among other freelancer.
  4. You can become a freelancer manager for some company.
  5. You can start writing on freelance career choices.

When to switch?

After knowing what you can do, it is time to know when you should switch. In order to find that out, you need to answer the following question to know when to switch from freelancing to another career.

  1. How many years have you been into this? To become a coach, writer or consultant you need to have many years of experience.
  2. Do you think you have acquired enough skill to manage a freelancing business?
  3. Can you be a good negotiator? You must know to negotiate both from clients and freelancers, as it is important for you to make money as a freelance business owner.
  4. Do you know everything that is there to learn to switch from freelancing to consultation?

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