Tag: Freelancing Buzz

Freelance Finance – 5 Cash Flow Tips To Help Freelancers Survive Lean Months Even before the world was thrown into chaos by the pandemic, freelancing wasn’t the most reliable way to make a living. Even ordinarily reliable clients experience fluctuations in the work they can offer. Then when COVID-19 hit, many businesses had to tighten up their spending, leaving legions of freelancers in a precarious financial position. Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do to protect yourself against uncertain times. We’ve listed five of the most valuable ones below: Have financing options at the ready Getting clients to pay on time is the holy grail quest of the freelancing universe. Since the goal is about as unattainable as the grail itself, your first line of defence should be to have an invoice finance option at the ready in case your cash flow is interrupted. This service allows you to obtain financing against your outstanding invoices. Typical terms are far more reasonable than you might imagine. The trick is, you need to research companies and have one lined up before cash flow becomes an issue. That way, you can be certain you’ve read all the fine print and are setting yourself up with a good deal. Streamline your invoicing process While invoice finance is a vital first line of defence, it’s alo worth taking the time to set up processes that make it as easy as possible for clients to pay you promptly. This means using an invoicing system that makes your payment terms clear and offers people convenient ways to send you funds. It’s also important to be clear about your payment terms in your on-boarding process. You may wish to experiment with asking for half the payment up-front and the remainder on completion of each project . You may also want to try offering a discount for payments made within a certain timeframe. Stop flying blind If you’re the kind of person who lets the accounting software worry about the figures, you need to take a more proactive role in your cash flow. This means using the tools available to you to create cash flow statements each month that measure your earnings against your expenses, giving you an instant snapshot of your financial position. From here, you’ll also want to start making cash flow projections. Once you’ve been creating these reports for more than a year, you’ll be able to start seeing trends you may have missed before. Instead of wondering why your work seems to come in random peaks and dry spells, you’ll start to see patterns. This will allow you to plan effectively for your leaner months. Use quiet periods for growth Once the quiet times aren’t taking you by surprise anymore, you can start using them to your advantage. This could come in many forms. You may wish to take a break from work to relax and refresh yourself for the busier months ahead. Alternatively, you can harness that time to pitch to […]

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The reasons to embrace a freelance career are compelling. From supplementing your income to setting your own hours, freelance work is increasingly moving from the fringes of the job marketplace and into the mainstream. If you’ve considered freelancing, you’re not alone. A recent study found that over one-third of workers (36%) are currently freelancing, an increase of 22% since 2019. If you’re looking to become a freelancer, we’ve put together this detailed guide to help you get started! A freelancer is not an employee. The IRS defines an employee as someone who: Is not in charge of deciding when, where and how they work. Does not choose how much they are paid or what their raises or bonuses are. Is reimbursed for job-related expenses and receives benefits (like health insurance). A freelancer, on the other hand, is almost the exact opposite of an employee. Freelancers: Can choose who they want to work for, when they work and where they work with few exceptions. Set their payment rates. Do not receive any benefits from whomever they work for. To learn more about what freelancing is all about, read: Although the idea of being your own boss may sound exciting to you, freelancing is not for everyone. It takes more than an entrepreneurial spirit to become a freelancer. Before learning how to start a freelance business, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of freelancing . The pros include: Choosing who you do and don’t work for (along with when and for how long) Working on only the projects you really want to do Flexibility Exposure — you learn a lot about different industries The cons are: You’re responsible for paying all of your taxes No benefits The work isn’t always steady, which can lead to cash-flow issues Isolation — you’re almost always working alone This is why it might be best to begin freelancing when you’re still employed at a full-time job. This will allow you to test the waters and get a better understanding of how being a freelancer works. Prospective freelancers spend much of their time (at least at first) looking for work. For instance, writers may query various publications with ideas for articles they’d like to write. A freelance web designer might contact area businesses to see if any need help with their sites. Building relationships and providing quality work makes securing future “gigs” easier through repeat business, word-of-mouth and stellar recommendations. There are also job websites that fully vet and verify all of their freelance opportunities (like FlexJobs ) so that you can have a safe and productive job search. For more ideas on finding freelance work, read “ How to Find Freelance Work: Tips, Red Flags, and More ” Following are some tips for becoming a freelancer. Do your homework Before you set up your website, order business cards, and hang out your shingle, start with some market research to make sure there’s a demand for whatever field you’re in and to understand the […]

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—By Ramya Sriram, digital content manager at Kolabtree , the freelance platform for scientists— Working with freelancers or remote workers is becoming an increasingly popular trend among companies of all sizes. It offers a wealth of benefits: save costs, access a global network pool, get work done quickly. However, one of the major concerns that organisations have while working with freelancers/remote teams is around trust and safety. How can I be confident of sharing sensitive data with someone I’ve never met, who is not integrated into my company as a full-time employee? How can I make sure my information stays confidential, safe and secure? Trust plays a key role in all working relationships. While hiring a freelancer, it’s important that you’re aware of steps you can take to make sure the experience is built on mutual trust for a successful experience. Here are some tips to help you protect your IP and collaborate with freelancers with full confidence. Get Legal Protection for Protectable Assets Protecting your ideas, products or other aspects of your business by means of copyrights, trademarks and patents is one of the first things to keep in mind when you’re ready with a new business. You can apply for a patent, register a design, register a trademark. Get to know the laws in the countries you’re in and/or are selling in. In some countries, you may need to actively apply for copyright protection (such as India), while in others, you might have copyright protection by default (such as the UK). If you’re working as an academic or researcher, it is important to familiarise yourself with IP policies and whether you have any safeguards in place in case you choose to disclose details in published work before you apply for a patent. Sign Custom Agreements or NDAs For added protection, you can share custom agreements to include any custom terms your organisations might require freelancers to adhere to. You can also easily share Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) that legally bind the freelancer to maintain confidentiality about anything work, ideas, material or knowledge that you share. You can share NDAs before disclosing your project details on platforms like Kolabtree, after which you can go ahead and discuss the scope of work. More from Guides Top 10 Penetration Testing Companies in the UK and US Sell iPhone 8 in 2020 Before Christmas Offers Start Mistakes to Avoid in Online Business Revealed – TechRound’s Top 8 Fashion Styling Apps of 2020 How to Create a Downloadable App Hiring for Tech Startups: What Should You Consider? Common Macbook Problems and How to Solve Them Heart of the Baltic Tech – 10 Latvian Startups to Watch Categorise Your Projects by Risk Level The level of risk varies based on the project, the industry and the kind of work you’re looking to get done. For example, sharing information about a food product recipe might have a lower risk level as compared to sharing data with personally identifiable information. Understanding the risks upfront can help […]

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Origins, or what it all has to do with jazz The gig economy is a relatively new term for a rather well-trodden freelancing practice in the labor market. One may wonder why we call it a gig economy, not just a freelance economy? The answer is in the etymology of the term. In particular, the “gig” part (a slang word for “performance”) informs us that the first “official” freelancers were not all those tech-savvies working their flexible hours in coffee shops. Freelancing was created by underground jazz musicians of the 1920th, who engaged the public in jazz culture through irregular (and illegal) live concerts, called “gigs.” A jazz performer would get paid right after the successful show, having “a few other gigs in a downtown club the next week.” This “payment-after-completion system” went far beyond the jazz scene, getting a strong position in the modern labor environment and creating the whole economy based on the contribution of freelancers, contractors, temporary workers, and independent consultants. Despite this quite romanticized background, the gig economy concept is a rather down-to-earth one, with its benefits and controversial sides. And since it is one of our epoch’s key terms, its understanding is necessary for both company owners and freelancers to navigate the labor realities and thrive on them. The five facts below will help look at the gig economy from several perspectives and get valuable insights. Fact 1. The gig economy is not just about making the full-time employment model obsolete It simply has its unique functions, presenting benefits for both sides. Freelancers and contractors can fill in the hard-to-find skill gaps and provide services that are needed on an irregular basis or as per specific demand to achieve certain business goals. Gig workers, on the other side, have ample opportunities to gain experience in a variety of projects and choose those that will contribute to their professional development (and, if they prefer, still have a traditional job, using freelancing as an extra source of income). Cooperation with gig workers presupposes a completely different corporate culture, which involves flexibility, trust, workspace convenience, healthy competition, and no micromanagement. It is no wonder why freelancing is a crucial part of the US labor market. About 57 million people in the USA have freelanced in 2019 , which is now 35% of its entire labor workforce. An opportunity to switch between the two options — gig work and full-time work — is important in today’s unstable environment, and either option can serve as a safety net for freelancers and businesses. Fact 2. Gig economy reconsiders the issue of trust One of the biases that used to be associated with freelancers is that working with them presupposes a limited trust space in comparison with in-house full-time workers. However, the gig economy’s growth gradually changed this narrative, developing a suitable framework for cooperation between the two parties. Trust is warranted through competition, rates, feedback, as well as the availability of various freelancing platforms. The latest research on freelance developers […]

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Navigating the gig economy: finding success as a freelancerMetro Creative Gig work is a leading form of self-employment and an option more people are turning to. That doesn’t mean it’s saturated though! In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Virginia’s 2015 self-employment rate was less than half that of the national average. If you’re considering gig work, follow these tips for success. Find your niche The gig economy is large and varied. The first step is to decide what kind of gig work you’ll do. Assess your skill set and determine what kind of gig work you’re best suited for. Develop a business strategy Consider how customers will find you. There are platforms specifically for gig work , but they usually take a cut. If you want potential clients listed in one place, it may be worth it. There may be other restrictions like price and client interaction. Alternatively, social media, a website, networking, and referrals are all good options. Determine your financial goals It’s important to know how much money you need to make every month so you can make sure you meet those goals. Be sure to factor in taxes, expenses, the platform’s cut if you use one, and a little cushion.

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There are more opportunities for individuals to start a modelling career now than ever before, but this also means that there is greater potential for novice models to be exploited or underpaid. Securing appropriate representation, usually in the form of an agent or agency, can keep models safe, ensure models are paid properly, and provide development opportunities. Safety Working with an agent means that the model has certain safety guarantees and protective measures in place to keep them safe and healthy. Agencies are careful to screen new clients to ensure their models will be working with decent individuals and groups; many agencies also have existing client relationships to draw from, meaning that they have clients who have proven themselves to be trustworthy and honest. An agency also verifies aspects of each gig such as the location, the number and identities of the people who will be there , and the length of time the job will take. Models who choose to operate on a freelance basis may be afraid to ask the right questions because they worry that they will offend the client and lose the job. Agents, however, know just what to ask to keep their models safe. Payment Without an agent, models are more likely to receive inadequate payment; those who pursue modelling opportunities online, for example, often accept lower payments and fail to negotiate. Most models, especially those without a lot of experience, do not know what the going rates for jobs are, so they are more likely to be underpaid. Agencies, however, have all of this knowledge and can ensure their models receive proper payment. Because agencies also receive a portion of what the model makes , they will be more keen to secure higher-paying jobs to benefit all parties. Development Agencies often acknowledge that developing a model to a point where they are successful and profitable is a time-consuming process, but one that is worthwhile in the end. When an agency signs a new model, they are thinking about the future for the agency and the model; in other words, what the agency does with the model (securing jobs and providing other educational opportunities) is all geared toward the model’s development so that the agency and the model benefit from the arrangement in the future. Freelance models often feel that they have to accept every job or every client, but agencies are able to be more selective as they are looking only for opportunities that help the model grow. — Published on November 19, 2020 Ekaterina Fields is an actress and model based in London, UK. She is also an activist, advocating for the needs of children with disabilities, as well as providing support for people with cancer. Ekaterina is notable for her work in film and television, including her childhood role in “Higher Than Rainbow”, a Russian film. She has also had an extensive modelling career, working in Russia, France, and England. By utilizing her platform to spread awareness for great causes, Ekaterina […]

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LUCKNOW, India, Nov. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The ‘new normal’ is here. In just a few short months, both businesses and consumers have rushed towards the digital landscape, altering shopping habits and operations in almost the blink of an eye.However, fight to online is more than just a reaction to lockdown. It’s a new way of interacting with brands and it’s here to stay. Remote work and digital operations are now the new norm, two things that many businesses will struggle to adapt. But growing in this direction is already proving critical; from positioning one’s brand online to digitalizing the operations, the work is cut out. At this point, one needs the right tools as much as the right people with the right expertise. Here’s why, and how platform like Rozgaar India can help. Rozgaar India is on a merry mission to uncomplicate work lives, providing no-collar professional Indian freelancers whom one can hire to start or grow a business. Rozgaar India provides Gig workforce to work On-Demand. The app connects businesses of all sizes with skilled freelancers offering digital services in more than 120 categories. With Rozgaar India, one can connect with specialised talent anytime, anywhere. No matter which kind of task one needs, what size the budget is, or when that deadline will hit – one can get the project done. The services available vary from the basic tiers of any business to just about everything else: graphics, writing, digital marketing programming, and the list goes on. It’s designed with the user’s timeline, budget, and level of commitment in mind. One can collaborate easily with the freelancers via live chat & get exactly what they need to grow the business with no fixed salary obligations. Geography, time, and budget are no longer barriers. Rozgaar India Mobile Application opens the future of work One can choose from thousands of passionate creative freelancers from 120 different creative service categories Push notifications make sure that the users stay on top of projects Signup is Free Message Box to keep 24/7/365 communication between freelancer and buyer If somebody wants to speak with the freelancer, they simply need to tap on con-call button to get virtually connected within minutes without sharing any personal details Super Friendly easy to use app And if there’s a problem with one’s order (unlikely, but it does happen), it also means that the team can deal with it super-speedily. How it works: One can find the right freelancer with the help of easy navigation Rozgaar India gives access to a large pool of top-quality skilled profiles. One can choose the level of service needed One can designate the work End to end service solution to fit both personal or company requirements One can build their own online team One can choose and shortlist the profiles from all over India to be available for 24*7 for both short term or full time work. Value for Money & timely delivery Best work at the right price & time Ms. […]

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About Toptal Toptal is a global network of top freelance talent in business, design, and technology that enables companies to scale their teams, on-demand. With $100+ million in annual revenue and over 40% year-over-year growth, Toptal is the world’s largest fully remote company . We take the best elements of virtual teams and combine them with a support structure that encourages innovation, social interaction, and fun. We see no borders, move at a fast pace, and are never afraid to break the mold. Position Description At Toptal, we measure everything and always rely on data to guide all of our initiatives, including both our long-term strategy and our day-to-day operations. As a Senior Data Engineer, your main goal is to be one step ahead of data scientists and analysts. You will support them by providing infrastructure and tools they can use to deliver end-to-end solutions to business problems that can be developed rapidly and maintained easily. This is more than building and maintaining ETL pipelines. We need innovation, creativity, and solutions that will have a significant impact on our velocity. We, in turn, will give you autonomy and freedom to turn your ideas into reality. This is a remote position that can be done from anywhere. Due to the remote nature of this role, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship. Resumes and communication must be submitted in English. Responsibilities: Build scalable, highly performant infrastructure for delivering clear business insights from a variety of raw data sources. Develop batch & real-time analytical solutions, prototypes, and proofs of concept for selected solutions. Build frameworks and tools to empower our data scientists and analysts. Implement complex analytical projects with a focus on collecting, managing, analyzing, and visualizing data. Be in constant communication with team members and other relevant parties and convey results efficiently and clearly. In the first week, expect to: Meet mentors that will help you during your onboarding month. Start participating in company-wide training sessions. Setup your local environment and become familiar with our tech stack. In the first month, expect to: Build your first Pull Request and have it deployed to production. Learn about the technology that powers Toptal – the services, patterns, and libraries we use and develop. Have a good understanding of Toptal’s business. Develop a deeper understanding of our technology, processes, and product pipeline. In the first three months, expect to: Have strong knowledge of Toptal’s business. Actively supply software planning, development, and maintenance. Be ready to propose and implement improvements to Toptal’s processes and codebase. Deliver value in a regular cadence. Get comfortable in your daily work within your team. In the first six months, expect to: Lead technical initiatives on our team. Drive improvements to the codebase and processes. Contribute to planning and executing multi-sprint initiatives inside your team. Be able to not only solve complex problems, but also consider multiple solutions, weigh them and decide on the best course of action. Proactively identify technical debt and product areas that require attention or […]

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For many freelance writers, finding clients can be the trickiest part of the job. Sure, there are job boards like ProBlogger and AFW , but pretty much every freelance writer in the world who isn’t booked out is also looking for a job there. Not to mention, it can be quite the hunt to find opportunities that actually pay a decent amount for your hard work. But one platform called nDash seeks to offer serious writers a solution to that problem. As a freelancer myself, I was curious about the platform, and last year I signed up to try it out. After my experience, I wanted to share this nDash review to help you determine for yourself if it’s worth joining the platform as a freelance writer. What exactly is nDash? nDash is a content platform where both brands and writers sign up to connect on writing projects. The platform strives to separate itself from other similar freelancing sites by thoroughly vetting its writers and facilitating transparency between the client and the writer. In other words, nDash emphasizes obtaining quality writers and developing strong client-writer relationships. Unlike content mills, you won’t be competing against countless other writers only to earn pennies for your valuable time. The platform is structured to attract brands that are willing to pay for quality content. The Signup and Verification Process nDash wants strong writers, so there is a bit of hoop-jumping involved to get full access to everything the platform offers. The first step is signing up by filling out a simple form on their homepage. Before signing up, it’s worth noting that nDash writers must have an account with Stripe, as this is the only method of payment they offer. After you sign up, you need to fill out your writer profile with as much detail as possible to get verified. Your profile is what the nDash team uses to vet writers before validating them. The primary purpose behind this is to make sure you’re a real person with real credentials. While you don’t need to meet every requirement, you significantly increase your chances of getting verified if you have the following: Writing samples that demonstrate proficiency in your chosen niche A detailed, well-written profile Links to your LinkedIn profile (or other social network profiles) Your real name (they are not big fans of pen names) Education and work experience in your niche Recommendations from previous clients Admittedly, this means that if you are brand-spanking new to the world of freelance writing, you may have trouble becoming a verified writer. However, it’s free to sign up, so you lose nothing by trying. Once you finish filling in your profile, you click the “request verification” button and wait for them to approve you. If you don’t get approved, you can update your profile once you have a little more experience and reapply after 90 days. Finding Work Once you’re verified, you get access to all the brand profiles and job opportunities. nDash claims that […]

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What you’ll learn Description Do you want to start your own freelance blogging business but aren’t sure how to do it? Do you want practical , no-nonsense advice that will prepare you for the ups and downs of being an independent writer? This course is perfect for you! You’ll learn how to become a successful freelance blogger by leveraging the skills that you have, while building up the skills that you don’t. It’s a straight-shooting , no-fluff training program that will both inspire and prepare you for life as a content writer. Content is king. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in. Every industry needs blog content in order to grow and succeed. But that content needs to be made, and marketers are either too busy or don’t have the writing chops necessary to fill out a blog. That’s where you come in. When you enroll in my course, you’ll learn: How to find your first customers How to improve your writing skills How to set your rates How to protect yourself from predatory clients When you should jump from part-time to full-time freelancing After you take this course, you will be able to start your freelance career with confidence and be in a position to grow both yourself and your business. Sign up now! Regards, Patrick Icasas ——————————————- “Not only does Patrick guide you through how to get started but also talks about how to set your rates and avoid some of the freelancing scams! Realistic, approachable, fun & informative. This is a course very much worth enrolling in!” — Kendra Johnson , Business Coach, Leader, Author

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