Friday, October 21, 2011

Working Online: 7 Strategic Keys to Online Work That Benefits YOU

Yes, you can be gainfully employed online. And yes, you can certainly make your living that way. More people now "go to work" on the Web than New York City, LA and Dallas combined. This article highlights the scope of the online workplace, then lays out seven vital keys to your joining the online workforce and making a success of it.
More than 1/3 of the US workforce is right now making a living as nontraditional contract-based staff. This is a remarkable statistic. The growth of contract job opportunities is at TWICE the growth rate of jobs in the standard workplace. Most US firms-- over 90%-- now utilize contract workers on a regular basis. These contract workers collectively are being paid over $120 billion per year. This represents a lot of job openings needing a lot of individuals to fill them! You could be one of those individuals.
The next time you are in a store checkout line, look at the person checking out to your left, then the person to your right, and then the person in front of you. There is a good chance that at least one of these individuals works on a contract basis, most likely online.
The stunning growth of market demand for internet-based staffs-- up 121% since 2009-- has been especially amazing given that during this same time period the recession has placed most other areas of work into sharp decline. Irrespective of the overall dreary employment picture, the demand for online staff members actually has been rising dramatically.
Of course, the perks of working online sound pretty ideal too. No more commuting into the city. No more office distractions. No more "dressing for success," day after day. No more punching a time clock. Still there are important considerations for you to take charge of if you plan to make a success of becoming part of the growing online workforce, beginning with these seven keys.
First, educate yourself in advance on the possibilities. If you hope to work fruitfully online, you will definitely need to "speak the language" of the new workplace. What are the various types of online jobs actually called? Who are the different types of employers and what do they need? How can you best communicate with these employers and win their confidence? Base your job hunt on intelligence, not ignorance.
Second, coordinate between yourself and the work that is actually in demand online. Do a "needs analysis" of what skills you have and what, if any, additional skills you will need to gain in order to land the type of online job you would like to have.
If you already have the skills you need, polish up on them. If there are skills on the list that you don't have YET, fill these gaps using online classes, tutorials, research and reading, or by taking a few critical courses at your local community college. Become an enthusiastic learner as well as a job seeker. Successful online workers are those who are learning continuously.
Third, translate between what tasks you are able to perform well and what online employers need and are willing to pay to have done. You are the one best suited to match yourself and your skills with what online employers need and are looking for. Communicate plainly what specifically you will be able to add. Cite actual tasks and functions of the work to be executed, clearly showing where you can and will be able to contribute value.
Fourth, carve out for yourself a place in your home where you will be able to do some serious work. Your at-home office needs to be efficient, comfortable, and conducive to productivity. In every home it is actually possible to claim such a place, although you may need to get creative to do so. It is absolutely essential that you be able to focus fully on the tasks at hand.
Fifth, equip yourself for optimal efficiency and productivity. Time is money. Inefficiency costs money. Owning and making optimal use of current hardware and software is a requirement, not a luxury.
Sixth, take control of your time. When you work online, you are the boss. Act like one. Focus your mind and energies. Get down to work and get the work done. When you are "at work," you need to, in a word, WORK. Do take periodic breaks. But steer clear of any and all of the classic time wasters.
This concept holds true at the end of the day too. Be sure that you DO "go home" at the end of the day, even when "going home" is just a matter of walking down the stairs or clicking your computer monitor off.
Seventh, set and hold yourself to action goals. Establish goals for the week, the month, and the year. Plot your accomplishments in terms of your plans, noting any "drift" in your own steady progress. Use a scheduling tool to assist yourself with benchmarking as well as making projections.
In sum, working online requires the state of mind that you are not just working at a "job." In fact, the real "boss" you are working for is actually yourself.
The way to be truly profitable at this kind of endeavor is to put in the time, as well as the effort, to:
  • discover your place,
  • communicate your talents,
  • make certain that you do add value, and
  • thereby reap the rewards.
Dr. Carolee Duckworth is an online work expert, earning her own living online for 12 years & teaching thousands of others how. She designed and initiated College-Online.com--providing significant work advancement for tens of thousands of working adults since 1996.
To learn what you need to know to position yourself to work from home, go to http://www.WorkOnlineandEarn.com and see how, with a little guidance, you can make the crossover from vague ideas to a clear direction, starting with her FREE e-course and her downloadable eBook, "The Definitive Webworker's Guide: 35 Secrets of How to Work Online and Earn Money."
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Carolee_Duckworth

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