How to Cope with Career Transitions

It goes without saying that for most people a change in career can be a daunting experience. Whether you’re leaving a successful career to start your own business, or just simply moving to a new company, the decision to take the leap is often full of uncertainties and fear.

Some people cope better than others, although it would be fair to say the majority don’t, which is why it’s important to appreciate that it’s perfectly normal to go through phases of fear, then uncertainty before embracing what the future may bring.

Tackling the uncertainty of making a career change is not something that should be taken lightly. It takes a certain amount of courage and self belief, but it also means knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses. The three stages that follow such an important decision can prove debilitating which is why it’s so important to appreciate just what it all entails so you can then deal with everything in a positive manner.

The First Stage

The first stage is a completely natural fear of the uncertainty that lays ahead. Acceptance of this being a perfectly normal emotion to experience  is a positive step forward. Coming to terms with fear is knowing how to root out the causes. The next step is to jot them down in question form before answering each one of them in turn. An example would be “How will I cope financially?” and then answering the question by noting down all available options.

The Second Stage

The second stage is to overcome all and any uncertainties. Many “in the know” believe that writing down uncertainties in question form and then answering each of them helps restore confidence. More often than not it is a fear of not being able to earn enough money that instils uncertainty, but there’s always a solution which includes taking on a role as a consultant, as a freelancer, cutting down on a few unnecessary expenses and so on.

Then of course, there’s the all-important networking and the best way to build up a business network is to meet people face-to-face by attending organised events in industries of interest. The people you meet at these events could well become future clients or employers.

The Third Stage

The third stage is to embrace fear and uncertainty and turn them into strong assets. This is achieved by simply having an appreciation of just what you might be afraid of, by overcoming any uncertainties which then means all that’s left to do is take action. Treating life as an experiment is the route to go down because not every decision has to be the perfect one. Life is about “trial and error” and taking a few risks, making mistakes is par for the course.

Taking life a little less seriously helps ensure the ups and downs can be embraced and even enjoyed which in the end means a much happier existence. However, it’s also important to define success in your own personal way and not base this on how others may perceive it. This can only be done by defining the trade-offs you may have to make when changing careers.

Author: Honey Wood

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Building a freelance writing career from nothing

 

Guest author: Steven M

 

I started freelancing seriously just before last Christmas. I’d dabbled before, but not with any clear intent. At that time, I naively thought being a literary gun for hire would lead to an avalanche of jobs. I was, of course, like most optimists, disappointed.

 

I’ve been out of mainstream work for some time looking after my father who suffered from dementia. Prior to that, I wrote copy for a marketing team at a North West University. After dad passed away last year, I didn’t want to go rushing back into a conventional work environment. Freelancing seemed attractive once more.

 

I kicked off my freelance career mark II with peopleperhour.com. It seemed as good a place as any to start and simple enough for me to understand. There are two ways to secure work on PPH, one is to post an ‘hourly’ advertising a product you offer, in my case writing a 500 word article for £8, or you can put in a bid on work that others have posted. In the latter, you are bidding against other, equally competent, candidates (the average seems to be about 20-30) and that makes it more difficult to win.

 

So far I’ve written 20 articles. Although I’m charging what I consider bottom end rates at the moment, I’ve been more successful than when I had my first foray into freelancing a few years ago. Back then, with elance.com, the lowest, and usually less talented bidder normally won out. Buyers now seem to understand that you get what you pay for. Extra low price = rubbish product.

 

I’ve had good reviews for my writing so far and my customers have all been friendly and, more importantly, paid promptly.

 

So, is it worth it?

 

There’s a cost, however, to getting this business on PPH, as there is on other freelancing sites. To stand a real chance of being noticed you need to ‘feature’ (advertise) your hourly and that costs £9.99 (for a 5 day exposure). The company also charges 15% when earnings are transferred to your bank account.

 

On its own PPH does provide a source of income but hardly enough to live on, at least not at the moment. Of course, I know freelancers require several avenues of income and I’ve only touched the surface so far.

 

I will need to get what my father used to call ‘a proper job’ at some point, but, for the moment, I don’t have to worry about my monthly income. So, the next step is to look at other revenue streams and try them out. Some will work, others won’t.

For those who want to a career as a freelance writer I can offer a little advice.

 

First, decide on whether you are a good enough writer – it’s a skill that takes time to develop and one where you never stop learning. I’m a competent writer, I wouldn’t go beyond that despite my stack of good reviews, but even now I still work at my craft.

 

Second, in the beginning you are going to be looking for work more than you are actually doing it. Keep yourself fit and positive and don’t be afraid to try new things.

 

Third, get to grips with social media, from LinkedIn, blogs, Twitter, Facebook and beyond – they will help spread the word and bring in business.

 

And finally: There will be no pot of gold at the end of a rainbow; that would be too much to ask. But a steady flow of decently paid work?

 

I’d settle for that.

Guest author:

Image sources: Steven M

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How to Research Topics Online

There is no doubt whatsoever that the Internet offers a superb platform to research a topic, which for writers is a must. However, knowing which sites provide worthwhile information is another matter all together. There exists such a thing as “too much information out there” and it would be fair to say that much of it is factually suspect!

Dealing with the Mundane

In times past I would receive a brief consisting of very few words, an example being ‘please write about kitchen knives’. Twenty original articles on the topic of  ‘kitchen knives’ all with a word count of 500 or more might sound like a doddle. In truth it isn’t. After the first six you know it’s going to be a hard slog keeping the copy fresh, unique. In short, when it comes to writing multiple articles on a single given topic, well, the mind goes numb at the thought!

Using the Internet for inspiration is great. It allows writers to draw on someone else’s point of view, to see things from a new angle. to be “inspired”. It gives a writer the chance to take a different approach which helps keep copy fresh and this in turn means employers and search engines remain “happy” dare I say content!

What is Plagiarism Free?

I once wrote articles for a client who got back to me saying he’d run them through Copyscape. One had come back as being 3% close to an article already published online. The question here is what margin is acceptable for an article to be “plagiarism free”? It’s a valid question because with all the content written on a daily basis by thousands of writers around the globe, it makes you wonder if there will come a time when no article will be 100% unique. It’s something I think everyone needs to bear in mind.

Check Who Has Written the Copy

So, what’s the best way to use the Internet as a research platform? The answer is check who has penned the article and where it’s been published if the copy is not attributed to a specific author making sure the site is a serious and professional information platform. Next, read the copy thoroughly, meticulously, carefully. Cross checking information with at least two other articles on the same topic written by different authors is a “must”. Check how many articles an author has published and it has to be on credible websites, it’s important to establish their specialist subjects – if they boast any!

Writers are Versatile Creatures but…..

We can all write articles on different topics, but more often than not, we are more competent in some areas than others, which can be for a number of reasons. It could be that we’ve spent time in a particular country and therefore feel confident in writing a travel article about the place, or it could be that we know our “stuff” when it comes to computer technology so writing tech articles flows easily.

The fact we know and are capable of writing about certain topics more easily than others doesn’t mean we don’t need to check out the facts. It does however, mean we need to make sure our facts are right. The best research in the world can occasionally not be enough when it comes to writing copy that’s interesting, informative and factually correct if you don’t use reliable and credible research sites.

More importantly, it’s something that should never be hurried. Research takes time and not all information on the internet is reliably written or sourced. In short, using the internet as a research platform means checking out a website and the author before using any information you’d feel comfortable putting your name to, remembering that many people could well be judging the quality of your work from one single piece!

Author: Honey Wood

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How to Share Your Success as a Writer

As a writer it is important to show potential employers that you are actively working, already producing quality content and getting paid for it. You also need to show you are available for work and to win projects you’ll need to build up a good solid reputation as a reliable person and one who communicates well.

 

Finding Work – Options Available

 

All thanks to the Internet there are so many options for finding work with numerous writing and freelancer websites out there. Some are free to join others charge a fee. However, it’s important to show customers just how successful you are as a writer.  This is easily done by building up a profile on various websites and by promoting your work on a site like “I just won a job”.

 

What is I Just Won A Job?

 

I just won a job is an easy to use platform for writers where they can promote their online presence as well as their work. It offers them an opportunity to tell the world when they’ve been awarded a project. It’s a simple way of advertising and promoting yourself as a writer and it’s a great way to promote your skills without having to waste precious time going into masses of detail. It takes a couple of clicks on the home page before entering the details of the job you have just won and who you’ll be working for – and that’s it, done!

 

Make sure you add your name and email address so employers can contact you through the website and it helps if you include a brief summary of the job you were awarded. Don’t go into any great detail here but add a link to your work so interested parties and potential employers can view your published copy.

 

If your work is being used for something else you can add a link to your employer’s website because it’s important to show potential employers that people you’ve been working for actually exist and that they are trustworthy. However, out of courtesy it is a good idea to check with your employer first before adding the link .

 

Your Success Is Shared On Linkedin, Twitter & Facebook!

 

There are plenty of visitors to the I Just Won a Job website because the blogs on this page are shared on social networking websites such as Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter; the audience is huge!

 

Don’t forget: Every time you’re successful in getting yourself a writing job, upload the details to the site and get yourself noticed. It only takes a minute and you may be surprised at how “shouting out” about your successes may help secure future jobs!

 

Author Lucy Carter

 

To find out more about I Just Won A Job click on the link below!

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How Much Is Your Copy Worth?

If like me you employ the services of writers as well as write copy yourself, then you might agree with what I am about to say. Everyone likes to get a ‘bargain’ but there is a limit to what this should actually be. Writers in countries like India, Africa and Asia are too quick to accept a miserable deal on the rates employers want to pay them. My question is “How much do YOU as an employer and writer value the copy people write for you?”

First Question – How Much Importance Do You Place On Your Content?
To read full article follow this link: www. ijustwonajob.com