It is amazing in our times to realize how many people never heard and never tried to Work online. It is indeed surprising because, if we see the state of economy in most countries, people barely make enough to make ends meet. And most of us are looking for additional sources of income to keep a decent living standard. So what is so good about working online and why should you consider this?
Well, the obvious reason will be money but in my humble opinion it is much more than that. Working online provides an opportunity to expand to other areas and exploit other skills you may have, related or totally unrelated to the job you do in your daily life, gather experience in a relative safe environment and to do it all at your own time, at the comfort of your own home and with almost total freedom of creativity and no bosses breathing on your neck.
Despite the aforementioned, you must remember that one of your aims is to create a good professional reputation for yourself, so it is critical to maintain a strict discipline regarding deadlines and complying with the client's requirements.
These are the signs of real professional and they will guarantee that your clients will like to work with you again, time after time. If you cannot commit to these attitudes then, obviously, this type of work is not for you and it will probably end in frustration.
Bear in mind that like any other business, creating a reputation that will attract clients is not a thing that will happen from one day to the next, it is a slow and steady process that will require time and dedication. Sometimes you will encounter unpleasant surprises and you will have to deal with it, with the same patience and dedication you do in real life. But if you have what it takes, you are about to make your first step into a fine lucrative endeavour that will add a new aspect to your life and, of course, to your economy.
You don't need much to do your first step. However, there are a few things that are a must to work online, whatever the job may be. A decent computer will be the first, not necessarily the best model or the most updated with all the latest gizmos. A computer that is good enough to an average office will suffice. The MS-Office package will be necessary because most files are delivered in formats recognized by them and so the Acrobat Reader to deal with .pdf files. The last necessary component is a good reliable Internet line for both surfing and communicating with clients (Skype is very common for this purpose).
In the next article I will talk about how to present yourself and your skills as a marketable product to maximize your appeal to potential clients.