The Lady Programmer

Mastercard has a list of ATMs – amazingly they have a list for the Philippines. I tried to locate on in my location (Baguio, Philippines) and I really found a lot of ATM machine locations listed – enough to for me to save on gas in finding an ATM around town.

For the Philippines the list has 208 locations listed when I wrote this post – there are 30 Mastercard ATM machines around the city and most are located in Session Road, the busiest street in my place.

This is useful indeed, to those who have their own oDesk debit Mastercard.

Chances are, freelancers have experienced working in an office setting. The transition from office to freelancing can be quite difficult, as freelancing involves a different set of skills. The successful freelancer has inherent skills that guarantee his or her success in this kind of workplace, which could be a lot different from that is experienced in an office setting.

photo credit: stockers9 (SXC)

How does the freelancer begin? For me, I began to research all the traits of a successful freelancer. Here is my list:

1. He or she must be able to have enough marketing skills. To be able to win a job the freelancer should be able to negotiate deadlines and defend his or her chosen rate or bid for a given freelance job.
2. He or she should be a master of finances. Unlike corporate jobs, the freelancer could expect swings in income: the income could be very high in one month while for the next month, jobs could be quite scarce.
3. He or she should also be very skilled in his or her chosen freelancing service. This is definitely a very strong point in freelancing. The more specialized the skill, the higher the pay. Specialized skills are quite rare, but with great skills clients will be able to pay willingly at the price that you have set. Also, these people are preferred over those jack-of-all trades type freelancer.
4. He or she should be a good communicator. The successful freelancer should be able to effectively communicate with the client: in a global job freelancing marketplace, English speaking skills is a must.
5. He or she should be very disciplined in maintaining a strict timetable of schedule. Freelancers work with several projects at once, because this keeps income flowing in. This could be quite tricky, but negotiating deadlines and keeping on schedule can really be a benefit.

Freelancing is not truly a job that everyone could really get into. If you are deeply interested into this kind of job, then it is a good decision to prepare yourself in having these character.

In the job assignments that I had, most of the communication is done by email or chat. I use Yahoo messenger and Google Talk as my main means of instant messaging.

photo credit: krimeboy (SXC)

Some clients prefer Skype as a medium, but with a slow connection that I still have right now, this is not yet a possibility for me.

So, how did it work out for me?

Good grasp of the English language. Most countries can understand English and this is the only way that I can communicate my thoughts.

Fast typing skill. I have fast typing skills which I find it an advantage, because I can express myself effectively using more words. This has also enabled me to correct typing mistakes.

Reply promptly. Reply to a client’s email, even if you cannot be able to immediately answer to it. Just be sure to mention a time when you can be able to get back and give the answer.

Be flexible. Offer multiple contact times and offer several ways of communication. I always see to it that I am available at the specified time. I also provide several means of chatting that can be suitable with the client.

Offer suggestions. Consider the context of the whole work. What are the alternatives that you have in mind? What do you think will make the work a whole lot better?

Communicate problems. Try finding ways to solve problems. Clients often appreciate when I get to try out things first rather than simply reporting these problems.

Archive everything. Archive or file your emails in a separate folder. Keep history of chat messages. I always go back to my emails and chat messages whenever I get to work on the client’s project.

Report regularly. For me, the best way is through email. I find it a necessity to email the client for the updates. This keeps him always informed.

Confirm everything. When I have to send a huge file, I see to it that I send another email to confirm it. It is even better if I use another medium such as the chat to confirm the receipt. This goes for anything that is sent to the client.

Put the job into writing. Before working on a job, I see to it that I am able to identify and write down everything that we have agreed. This means browsing through the email and chat history. Then I get to send that write up to the client to get his approval.

Be thankful. Thank the client for inviting you to an interview. Thank the client after the interview. Thank the client after you are done with the project. Saying thank you is not enough in instant messaging. Always send an email to formally document this important conversation.

Do you have something to add to this?

As a freelancer, one of the basic skills that I needed to develop is time management.

Except for the last stint that I had with a semiconductor company, I was not all too skilled at managing time.

But having the freelance life as the only means of income forced me to abide with the deadlines. The most tricky part is when you have to work with several freelance jobs.

photo credit: Bjay70 (SXC)

Some tips that I can share:

1. Schedule. Keep a calendar where you can write down appointments and deadlines.
2. Prioritize. Make TO DO lists for the day, the week and if you can, for the month and beyond. From that TO DO list, identify and number the work that needs to be prioritized.
3. Prune time wasters. Eliminate or simplify other tasks that are unnecessary.
4. Set time for chat. Set a specific time for turning on your instant messaging services. That goes for checking the email too.
5. Relax. Take regular breaks to clear up the mind. Keep a well balanced life between work and play.

Can you add more to this?

I have not found any resource on adding oDesk mail to be able send oDesk email using Yahoo mail. The one that is written on site is for Gmail and Apple mail.

In Yahoo mail, this is simply accessed by starting with Options at the upper right portion on the screen, then clicking Mail Addresses under Management. You should be able to see an Add button where you can add a new email address, then you can follow the instructions that is provided.

The third step on adding a Setup Mail Server is not needed anymore because oDesk automatically forwards all incoming emails to the specified email address that you are working on. Just click Skip the Step to get to the verification page.

Do not forget to verify your oDesk email address by clicking Send Verification. Get to your Yahoo account and find the verification email. Click the link on that email that will confirm the verification.

Then you are all set and done. When you try to compose a new email, you will see that you have numerous email options in the From field.

Have I told you that oDesk is a good way to earn part time?