I’ve been out of the Metro for a third of a year now.
Though life here is well and easy,
One cannot forget the place he grew up in.
Late mornings, hot afternoons and noisy nights;
Busy weekdays and lazy weekends;
Heavy traffic, polluted air and dusty streets;
Bright city lights, 24-hour stores and a lot of booze;
Old friends, buddies and brothers;
A family and an old house to keep alive;
Just a few things I miss about the Metro.
Tonight, the moon is round; it’s full.
Blood started dripping, formed a pool.
There’s too much anger, too much hate.
Crazy-hysterical, I found out, too late.
Since variations of this certain topic are already scattered throughout the internet, let me give you my top 10 reasons for quitting my office job and starting my virtual business at home.
1. You decide what you want to work on
In this business, there are tons of work to choose from. There are jobs for transcription, social media management, blogging, article writing, administrative support, etc. Ask yourself as to what you’re good at and love to do then look for jobs which ask for that specific skill.
2. You pick your clients
In line with the lot of jobs for you to apply to online comes different types of clients. There are employers who are also new to the business, ones who have been in the business for a long time, those who haven’t paid a single cent, very low average hourly payments and those who have spent tens of thousands for multiple jobs online. Choose your client wisely! If you are job hunting in one of the many job sites existing, they have guidelines or feedback system which they use to guide you to the right client for you to work with. Make sure you check these out.
3. You choose your work hours
One of my main reasons to start my virtual business is time freedom. You get to choose how much time you’ll spend doing tasks online. Come to an agreement with your employer; be it on a “per day”, “per week” or “per month” basis; and you’ll enjoy the benefits of being in charge of your work hours. Of course, proper and effective time management will be needed and you will also need to deliver results on time.
4. You name your price
There isn’t a standard rate for jobs online. Everybody names their price. It’s all about your skills and how you present them and yourself to the client. Don’t get me wrong, it also depends on the task needed to be completed. Web design tasks will always cost higher than simple data entry or transcription.
5. You get access to different projects
This is one of my favorites. Getting access to different clients and projects get you into training and development. You get to work on and learn new things while on the job. More gigs and variety, the more you build on your credibility, experience and skills. This will equate to more jobs in the future.
6. You get to the office with just a few steps
This is another favorite. For a morning job, you wake up, put on your slip-ons and have your breakfast, put on your work-shirt, go to your home office and start working! It’s that easy! No more commutes, heavy traffic and additional expenses for transportation. You get to work in the next room!
7. You work in comfort
You’re home or on vacation in the Bahamas; take out your laptop and internet stick and start working while basking under the sun sipping coconuts! Work standing up, laid down on your favorite couch or on the sand. Whatever your preference is and whichever is available, you can do it your way!
8. Â You own your equipment
This one’s also important. You won’t need to worry about the company monitor or scanner not working or your files being deleted in the company’s storage drive. You have your own equipment. Invest on this and you’ll thank yourself for doing so. Your equipment will be your main tool for productivity and you can customize, upgrade or remove from it whatever and whenever you deem necessary.
9. You can work anywhere
Same as number 7, you can work anywhere as long as there’s adequate internet access. And I mean anywhere! It may be at home, a coffee shop near you, internet café in your area or at the resort you’re staying in for the holidays. Your laptop and internet connection will be all that you’ll need.
10. Your family / loved ones are just in the next room
This is the keeper. Imagine hearing your kids playing while you’re doing your work. Distracting but it’s the best type of distraction for me. Imagine joining them to play or your wife for coffee during your breaks. Aren’t those less distracting and more motivating? That is the reason why I got into working virtually, to have more time at home with my loved ones. There isn’t a better place to work in than the place where you can be with the ones who motivate and inspire you to work in the first place.
So these are my top 10 reasons for starting this business. How about you? Why did you start working online? Let me know in the comment/reply field below.
For those new to the business, this article will cover the basics and pattern of how I’ve written my CV/resume to land my online gigs.
Let me breakdown mine for you to  see the pattern.
– Of course, I have my “name” on top. I’ve also added a “photo” (optional) but if you choose to have a photo in there, make sure that it’s professionally presentable. Not a portion (usually a  head shot) from a group picture from one of your night outs.
– Probably the most important part is your “contacts” area. Put all your contact information in there. Mobile number, social accounts, websites, etc. I have a lot of online profiles but I’ve cut them down to what’s important (at least for my clients and i).
– I’ve also added location information and languages but that’s just me.
– Another important part of your resume will be your “skills” area. Next to your contact information, this will be the next area employers will be looking at. This is where they’ll check if your skills match with those they’re looking for.
– The “overview” is a part of your resume describing who you are as a person and professional. Reading it, employers should be able to get a picture of who you are, your qualities as an employee and how your general outlook is.
– The “work experience” area is next. This is where you’ll put past employers you’ve worked with, your position/title when you were working there, the duration of your stay with them and what skills were you able to use to accomplish their requested tasks.
– “Education” is another optional part of your resume. Though, your degree / educational background isn’t an outmost necessity for online work, there are employers who are particular with this area. So depending on what your client requires, stating your years and degrees acquired in school would be a plus.
–Â Lastly, a disclaimer wouldn’t hurt if added. No one has all the information in their resume for all types of client and works. So adding a disclaimer clause stating that additional information will be provided upon request wouldn’t trim your chances of getting that gig down.
Note: Every client is different; and they’re looking for the same. Customizing your resume for specific clients and their individual needs is a must!
So this is how I’ve done mine. How about yours? Share your ideas in the comment/reply fields below!
