Yeah, I’m still trying to get into a nice groove with my writing work since I’ve decided to go full time. My biggest struggle is my schedule. Working on my own time and in a very comfortable and relaxed environment can be a little hard because there are so many distractions. I just have to drill into my head that this is my work now and I have to push myself harder so that I can finish more and earn more. HAH.
Anyway, a few people have asked me about the writing thing, like how I got into it and where I get my jobs. I’ve blogged about it a few times before, but I’ll talk about it again here just for kicks. HAH.
I was in human resources consulting for almost eight years, then I decided to quit my corporate job late last year. I wasn’t prepared to do a 360 and shift careers, so I still applied to HR-related jobs, but nothing panned out. Two months into unemployment I was getting bored and restless so I decided to resurrect my oDesk account. oDesk connects freelancers to businesses (or the other way around). It’s where freelancers can look for odd projects. oDesk has jobs for writers, graphic designers, sales and marketing specialists, customer service people, administrative specialists, even HR professionals. I get most of my jobs from oDesk. I’ve also gotten a few jobs from the hiring center of FemaleNetwork.com. And just last month I signed with a local company as a freelance writer. I found their job posting in Jobstreet. You can actually find job postings for freelance or part-time writers in popular jobsites like Jobstreet, JobsDB, Jobopenings, and Jobspot.
So there. After doing freelance writing for a couple of months, I decided that I don’t want to go back to the corporate world. I find that it’s easy to find writing jobs if you look hard enough. You just have to watch out for scammers though. One of the employers I found through Femalenetwork disappeared on me. I had already written a few articles for her and asked for a break during the holidays. When I emailed her again her email address didn’t exist anymore. Bummer. Now I always check an employer’s history and feedback before I apply for a job in oDesk. So far I haven’t had any problems with oDesk employers.
That’s it. Anybody looking for income on the side can check out oDesk. They have jobs for everybodeh! Hah. Well, their job categories include Web Development, Software Development, Networking and Information Systems, Writing and Translation, Administrative Support, Design and Multimedia, Customer Service, Sales and Marketing, and Business Services (Accounting, HR, Legal, etc.). I think the business that are on oDesk are really looking to outsource their jobs to cheap labor, but I think if you have the qualifications and portfolio you can command rates that you will be happy about.
PHOTOS: My offices. HAH.
Location #1. I often work at Carpet Head’s place because he has a wicked WiFi connection. Internet access is vital because I always need to do research for my articles.
Most of the time I work on the dining table with my back to the TV. Sometimes I move to the couch.
Location #2. I also work at my apartment. When I do I use a broadband internet stick and the internet connection can get really slow sometimes, but other times the internet speed is bearable.
I work on the dining table most of the time, but when it’s late and everybody’s asleep I move to my bed. Umm yeah, those are stuffed baby animals on my bed. I know, I’m twelve. Hah. I got those babies from Carpet Head. He won them from those arcade games in Timezone. :P
Once I tried working in a coffee shop, but I was too distracted by the people coming in and out. Next time I’ll sit away from the windows.
This post is brought to you by the expression, “HAH,” a supposedly breathy version of common expression “ha.”
ha, also hah (hä)
interj.Used to express surprise, wonder, triumph, puzzlement, or pique.
ha, hah [hɑː]
interj1. an exclamation expressing derision, triumph, surprise, etc., according to the intonation of the speaker
2. (reiterated) a representation of the sound of (evil) laughter
Definition from here.
great post! I’m in a very similar situation :). I use oDesk as well, and love it! I recently started a part time (soon to be full time position) out of home, and am doing my best to keep my oDesk commitments.
Thanks for the inspiring content; my workspaces are quite comparable :)
i’ve thought about quitting work and finding something that I can do at home, so envy you!
Wonderful entry :) very useful for those who want to leave the corporate world and work at home :)
I’ve always wanted to do something away from the corporate setting and I’ve always wondered if I could do what you’re doing. Hope I can have the guts to give it a shot this year. Your posts have been inspiring me to try!