Think globally, work locally

In an era of globalization, confining your job search to your town, state or even the United States is at the very least, inadequate—placing competition far ahead of you.  The ubiquity of technology has made it possible to work anywhere in the world without leaving your home.

As an entrepreneur, the road to success is often long and hard.  There have been many months when I was down to my last few dollars without a clue as to when I was going to reach my goals, let alone, find suitable employment if my plan didn't work.  As hard as it was, those were the times when I learned my most valuable lesson:  How to survive without depending on the traditional job.

To be clear, it wasn’t that I was unable to land a job simply for the sake of having a job; I made a determined choice to go into business after a successful 25 year career in the Fourth Estate. Also, I had confidence, in terms of my skills and knew that it would only be a matter of time before my efforts began to bear fruit.   Pride aside, I could’ve taken any low-skill, low-wage survival job as a matter of, well…surviving. There were many “jobs” to be had, even in the tough times of the recession; such as becoming a prep cook, laborer or stock clerk.   To me however, accepting anything less than I was qualified for was not an option.  My mindset was that, life is hard enough and I won’t suffer in a miserable job, too. So, I toughed it out.

Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a survival job.  If you are a highly skilled worker or a professional and you’ve been unsuccessful at landing a job in your field, by all means, take that job at McDonalds or Publix until you can do better.  But, if you’re like me, you will exhaust every option you have before you take a minimum wage job.

Despite all the recent gloom and doom talk about unemployment, downsizing, outsourcing jobs and the like, believe it or not, there are more opportunities to work than there has ever been before.  The internet alone opens doors that were previously inaccessible a generation ago.  The key here is to think globally.  You must broaden your domesticated view of job hunting  to a world view.  That is what World Wide Web is for.  With screen-sharing technology and time-tracking software, the possibilities are virtually limitless. 

Typically, when individuals are seeking employment, they check the want ads or job boards online or even pay recruiting firms to help find work.  A majority of these job openings will eventually be filled but by whom?  The current economic downturn has increased competition for well-paying jobs considerably, therefore, a majority of applicants spend countless hours in job interviews and sending out resumes wasting precious time and money, only to be disappointed.   Newspaper and online want-ads  are valuable resources but the problem is that everyone else is doing the same thing.  You may be competing with dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants for the same job.  This is where you have to think outside of the application box.  Earlier, I mentioned outsourcing.   Rather than apply for a traditional job, have the employer outsource to you.

The first thing you need to do is make a list of your skills.  Number the list from your strongest skill-set to the weakest.  Your level of education is not of importance at this point but, what you can do is.  Be honest with yourself.  Do not list any skills or knowledge that you think you know or can do because this could come back to haunt you at when the rubber meets the road.  For example, if you are a web designer, do not list that you a computer programmer.  Or, if you are a bookkeeper, do not list that you are an accountant.  Remember, you are about to show the world what you can do.  Again, you are about to represent yourself to  a global market.  For now, put your resume` aside but make sure it is current.  If not, you will have time to update it during your search before applying for a position.

After you have listed all of your skills and qualifications, it is now time to start your job search.  The first thing to do is to go online and do a search in Google or Yahoo for “freelance jobs”.  In the search engine results pages, you will find an enormous amount of websites dedicated to freelance employers and workers.  This is where you will have to make some decisions.  Sorting through the results and choosing the proper company that is the right fit for you will require some research.

Do not be put off by the word “freelance.”  There are many employers from around the world that use these sites to hire employees on a fulltime basis to work remotely.  Some even offer bonuses and benefits.  On the other hand, many hire on a project to project basis.  Some sites allow users to start their own company online at no cost.  Although you should make your own decision as to the company you choose, there are several that are reputable and that I have personally worked with and made a significant income.

Odesk.com and elance.com are sites primarily targeted to the web and internet sector of the job markets however; you will find everything from accounting to sales jobs, print and broadcast services, writing and data entry jobs.  Freelancer.com has a wide variety of employers looking for workers.  You’ll find listings for design, manufacturing, logistics, insurance and the list goes on.

Like any job opening, you will have to apply to get the job.  The difference is, instead of applying, you must bid on the projects that appeal to you, e.g., how much you will charge, estimated time of completion, terms, etc.  You will be competing with other bidders with similar skills but the good news is, there are plenty of projects to bid on.

Freelance websites are much like social networks and are free to join. There may be some nominal fees associated with freelance sites, depending on your membership level.  At any rate, fees are negligible.  Some sites make their money off the employer by taking a small portion of the fee when the project is awarded to you.  Others from the employee after the projects are complete.

When you sign up to become a member, you will be prompted to build a profile, submit a resume or portfolio and work history.  Submitting your information is usually optional but who would hire you if you did not provide your credentials?  Also, when first starting out, I recommend underbidding the cost of a project just to win the job.  This way, you can get your feedback rating or quality score established for future projects.  Once you have established yourself as a reliable contractor with a good feedback rating, you may find yourself getting offers from employers from all over the world.  I have worked for employers as far away as Australia.

Payment for a contract is usually done by Paypal or debit card.  Many companies offer wire transfer to your bank account or even an old fashioned paper check mailed to your home.

Finally, I am well aware that working from home is not for everyone.  If you’ve never worked from home before, my advice is to try it.  You may find that it suits you but beware.  Working from home requires discipline.  You must treat it as if you are at the office or out in the field working.  Make sure you have a quiet, designated area in your home for work.  While working, turn off any televisions, games or other media, and keep other family members out of your work area.  If you are working on a computer, be sure to have computer dedicated to work only.  If you have only one computer in the household, it would be well advised to invest in a second PC or laptop once you are up and running.