Freelance Jobs...Content is King

I don't know if you've heard the expression "content is king," but it seems to be true. In my search for freelance jobs, it seems that 90% are opportunities to write. Of course, this may not be accurate but from my view, it sure seems like it. If you are a good (or even marginal) writer, the opportunities are endless. Writing is a skill which few people possess. People can have ideas, but to express them with words takes a special skill. Blog posts range from 100-1,000 words and many companies will pay you to write posts for their websites.

If I listed all of the freelance writing jobs below, the list would just be too long. I will give you a list, but before I do that, I want you to know that I find most of my writing/editing jobs through Guru.com and ProBlogger.com. They are both free for the freelancer. Once I find a job that suits me, I apply through these sites. If a client is interested, they will contact me to work out pay, hours, etc. Guru and ProBlogger make their money by charging advertisement fees to the clients. I've already received one job through Guru and am hoping for more.

Here are a few companies that hire writers:
Bloggmut: You submit articles and if a customer is interested, they will purchase your article.

CopyPress: This firm brings you on board and will alert you when a project is available. They pay $.04-$.06 a word.

Hire Writers: This firm will hire you on a beginner basis with the opportunity to climb up to advanced through the validity of your writing skills.

How Stuff Works: They are not always hiring so keep checking back. They also are highly exclusive and prefer writers with a background in journalism and/or science. Your job, as a writer, is to explain "how stuff works."

BKA Content: This firm brings you on board and will alert you when a project is available. The pay is commensurate with experience and can start at $8-$14 an hour. The writer must focus on strong SEO practices in order to gain the client's internet exposure.

Love To Know: Writers are approved to write and edit content only on areas for which they have specialized expertise. The pay is $25 - $60 per article.

Smartbrief: Writer compiles daily email newsletters on corporate and leadership best practices.

Scripted: This firm has writing opportunities or you can submit your own articles. They also hire editors.

Here are links for other writing freelance opportunities: Writer's Domain, Writer Access, Words of Worth, The Content Authority, Textbroker, Skyword, Online Writing Jobs, Crowd Content

Content truly is king and if you are a great writer, there are great freelance jobs out there.

Part-Time Remote Jobs 9-10-17

Online Academic Tutor

Tier 1 Game Support

Freelance Writers

Freelance Editor

English Instructor

Digital Deployment Project Manager

Sales Representative

Outpatient IR Coder

Medical Coding Auditor

Gaming Support

Transcriber

Tech Support Assistant

Dog Health/Pet Topic Freelance Writer

F5 Experts

Partnership Development Specialist

Professional Communications Evaluator

Media Sales Proposal Writer

Secondary English Adjunct Teacher

Construction Management Instructor

Social Media Evaluator

Essay Specialist

Event Promotions Representative

Account Executive

Content Analyst, Foreign Languages

Clinical Data Abstractor

Trauma Registrar

Content QA Contractor

English/Portuguese Customer Support

Role Player

Content Analyst, Native French Speaker

Editorial Intern

School Introducer

Principal Consultant

Canada Casting & Outreach Specialist

High School Science Teacher

Wyoming Substitute Teacher

Appeals Professional II

Sales Representative

Full-Time Remote Jobs (so many to list so I’ll just give you the link)

Click Here for full-time remote jobs

Freelance Jobs...Virtual Assistants

One of the first things to do when deciding on a freelance career is to decide what you want to do. Are you leaving a career and want to stay in that field as a consultant? Do you want to try something new but need training or certificates or even a college education? Did you enjoy something when you were younger, still have the skills, and want to try it again?

When I started thinking about wanting a freelance career, I remembered that I enjoyed admin work (secretarial) when I was a teenager and into my early 20s. I then started doing searches on virtual assistants. These positions vary from being task-oriented to being responsible to a person or company. You can find positions on Indeed, Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, Flexjobs and other sites. Below is a list of some of the companies who hire virtual assistants:

Contemporary Virtual Assistance: The pay starts at $10/hour and you must be available to work at least four hours Monday through Friday (9am-5pm EST). You will receive training and may be available for advancement after the 90-day trial period.

Fancy Hands: I work for this company. It is task-oriented and it's easy to navigate their site. Once approved, you can choose tasks that interest you. The 20-minute tasks pay $3.00-$4.00. If the task takes longer than that, then you can request for more time to complete which then brings more compensation. The requests vary from research, phone calls, reservations, transcription, typing, spreadsheets, and more. I enjoy working for Fancy Hands.

Zirtual: They are not always hiring, so you'll have to check back periodically.

Belay Solutions: They are not always hiring, so you'll have to check back periodically. They also hire content writers, webmasters, and bookkeepers.

Worldwide101: The pay is between $18.00-$20.00 depending on experience and you are assigned a client (or clients) and must be willing to work at least 25 hours a week during regular business hours.

Time,etc: Along with virtual assistants, they hire writing assistants, social media assistants, and telesales assistants. The application process is extensive and they don't always instantly approve.

99 Dollar Social: This company hires assistants to update social media. They are currently hiring and pay about $12/hour.

Equivity: This company requires you to hold a four-year degree from college.

Firegang: This is a dental virtual assistant company that pays $15.00-$17.00 per hour depending on experience. You must be available 15-25 hours per week and provide a wide variety of admin and bookkeeping skills particular to dentist-office needs.

Paragon Planners: This agency hires you to schedule appointments. If interested, please send a resume and cover letter to Michelle Allen at opportunities @paragonplanners.com. For inquiries, please call (877) 635-6049.

Here are links to other sites: Red Butler, Team Delegate, VA Sumo, Vicky Virtual

Part-Time Remote Jobs 9-4-17

Head of Human Resources

Executive Virtual Assistant

Research Analyst

Recruiter

IT Trainer

Insurance License Instructor

Curriculum Writer

Content/PR Outreach Specialist

Lifestyle News Writers

Cancer Registrar

Case Study Writers

Auditor

Administrative Coordinator

OpenText ECM Consulting

Weekend Crime News Writer

Online English Tutor

TV Writers

Mandarin Speaking Moderator

International Trip Leader

Tumor Registrar

Accounting Instructor

Information Security Analyst

Marketing Instructor

Japanese Teacher

Japanese Translator

Taft-Hartley Sales Consultant

Business Reporter

Bilingual Sales Executive

Computing Professional

Radiology Oncology Coder

Media Buyer

Content Writer

Veteran Support Rep

Conference Call Support

Talent Acquisition Recruiter

PT Graphic Designer

Full-Time Remote Jobs (so many to list so I’ll just give you the link)

Click Here for full-time remote jobs

Freelance Accounting Software

There are many accounting software programs from which to choose and QuickBooks seems to be the most popular. QuickBooks software is expensive and their monthly online program can quickly add up. There's another popular online program called Xero but they also charge just to use their software. NetSuite's price is outrageous and would probably work better with larger firms. But, if you are just starting out as a freelancer or are already years into this career, your accounting needs are usually just accounts receivable/payable, business expenses, and financial statements.

One such program that gives you everything that QuickBooks can give you and is truly free is an online program called Wave. I've been using it for four months and am completely satisfied. You're probably asking, "Well, how do they make their money?" That's a really good question. They have two services for which you can choose to pay. The first one is their credit card system. They will take an average of 3% for each payment you receive which is a standard industry. And, the second paid service is a payroll system. If you need to pay employees, then you can sign up for this service.

The software is intuitive. Once you open the program, you are immediately directed to your dashboard which gives you a snapshot of your net income. It comes loaded with journal transactions and makes it easy to add any that are not included. At the end of the year, there are about twelve reports you can run to help with your taxes.

If you are tired of copying your receipts or scanning them to your computer, there is a cell phone app that captures your receipt and sends this picture to your account. This receipt is always stored in the cloud and makes it easy to record to the correct expense account. There is also another app that can easily invoice your customers.

I know that other software programs can probably perform just as well as Wave, but most of them are not free. This program is great for freelancers and owners of small businesses.

For other free online accounting software programs, click here.

Freelance Job Blast

Part-Time Remote Jobs 8-28-17

Executive Recruiter/Business Developer

Computer Aided Design & Drafting Technician

Investment Banking Research Analyst

Health Services Management Instructor

Medical Sales Representative

Grant Writer

Law Enforcement Transcriber

Freelance Graphic Designer

Soccer Coach

Freelance Web Designer

Health Report Writer

Bar Head Representative

Social Media Intern

Certified Tumor Registrar

Securities Instructor

Curriculum Content Editor

Daring Tech Brain Wanted

Freelance Writers

Sales Representative

Testing Evaluator

Sage Consultant/Technician

Social Media Manager

Graphic Artist

Science Evaluator

Full-Time Remote Jobs (so many to list so I’ll just give you the link)

Click Here for full-time remote jobs

Freelancing and Consulting Careers

There are so many things about which to think when deciding on a freelancing/consulting career. This post will dive into consulting. Some questions you need to ask are: can I afford it, how much do I charge, is there a market for my skillset, what about taxes, can I afford healthcare, and what are my financial responsibilities (family, home, loans, etc.). It's a big step but I recommend that you spend at least a year figuring out all the obstacles and benefits.

Here are a few of my tips:

How much do I charge?
I had no idea on how much I was to charge for my services. I am in the engineering field of construction so after I told my boss that I was quitting, I then asked him how much I should charge as a consultant. He laughed about that because he knew that I was hoping to be a consultant for him. He said that most consultants will charge 1.75% of their hourly wage because of taxes, healthcare and other benefits. That seemed reasonable to me but also seemed kind of pricey for just starting out. I lowered my rate and, so far, companies are content.

Along with a wage, you can charge for car mileage, copies, and all other reimbursable expenses.

Is there a market for my skillset?
This is very important because your income will be totally dependent on your selected market. In my construction career, I built a very positive reputation among a large construction "family." Plus, there are not very many people who do what I do so I knew that my skills were in demand. I knew that I would be able to make a comfortable income almost immediately while, at the same, building up more clientele.

What about taxes?
This is a big question. I am a sole proprietor with an EIN number. I have a dedicated room at my house as my office and I have no employees. I had to search for information on Google and found some great articles on home-based businesses. You can do a Google search too but this article was very helpful. It is crucial that you find out as much information as possible on this subject.

Conclusion:
These are just a few things about which to think before setting off on a consulting adventure. Next week, I'll dive into a great accounting program that is free, online, and cloud-based.

This week's part-time freelance jobs:

Online English Teacher

Grad Admissions Consultant

Accounting Clerk

Appointment Setter

Medical Summary Underwriter

Insurance Underwriter

Project Manager

BAR Head Representative

Content Writer

Business Journalist

Boxing/Fighting Sports Scorer

Technical Editor

Medical Editor

Quality Coordinator

Online Tutor

Reality TV Writer

Technical Writer

Law Enforcement Transcription

Radio DJ

Solutions Specialist

Student Support Coordinator

Social Media Customer Care Rep

Professional Learning Facilitator

Salesforce Professional

ESL Teacher

Customer Service & B2B Sales

Full-Time Remote Jobs (so many to list so I’ll just give you the link)

Click Here for full-time remote jobs

Starting a Freelance Career

I spent over 25 years in the construction industry as an engineer and estimator. It was a challenging career but also very satisfying. In the last five years, though, I started to be discontent and maybe even a little bored. Once people do something for a long time and become proficient, the same duties can become tedious.

Once I felt the discontent bug, I started thinking, "What do I want to do?" Financially, I had the luxury to ask this question as my husband had a good-paying job. I was about 5-8 years away from retirement and just couldn't seem to stick it out.

So, what did I want to do? First, I wanted leisure. I've been working long hours, commuting long distances and enduring much pressure in a male-dominated, pressured industry. I wanted to wake up, drink some coffee, read the newspaper and browse the computer. I wanted control over my schedule.

Second, I didn't necessarily want to leave the construction industry but maybe be a consultant. Being in this industry is like being in a very large family. Most everybody knows each other and I had a positive reputation among my construction family. I was hoping to have the opportunity to consult but knew that I couldn't depend on it.

Third, I was intrigued by freelance opportunities. I have always had excellent admin skills and am proficient with all manner of computer software. Along with these skills, I have a degree in English and edited all of the construction proposals, letters and emails. I also edited my husband's novels and friends' novels.

Once those ideas came to me, I started investigating the freelance gigs and found so much more than I expected. I quit my construction career in May of 2017 and am continuing to learn even more about the amazing freelance opportunities out there in our big world.

 I started this blog because I am going to write about these opportunities and resources that have helped me jumpstart my freelance/consultant career. I do have to mention that because of my positive reputation, most of my income comes from consulting. So, I will also write about the tools that have helped me keep organized.

Cari on...so you can carry on.