With the growing demand for work from home jobs, the market is now very competitive. If you are considering to try your stint in this area, it will be good to be prepared by knowing what skills will be needed for work-from-home jobs. The following are the skills that can make you ahead of competition.
Must-Have:
1. Oral Communication skills
When you are looking for work, you might be encountering opportunities to do telemarketing, appointment setting or any outbound customer service work. If this is the need, you should be ready to talk to clients and be able to effectively communicate with them. For US clients, it is important that you can communicate with the right accent, intonation and pronunciation. When working as a telemarketer, you should not give any hint that you are not from the same country. You should be able to converse naturally and not deliver the script like an automated machine. Listening skills are very important. Your tone should be friendly and accommodating.
If the work does not require making or answering calls, you still need to be equipped with good oral communication skills as you may be talking to your boss from time to time. You have to be clearly understood to make the communication effective.
2. IT skills
Since the work requires the use of technology, you should know the basic tools used for normal office applications. These include productivity, project management, web management and multimedia tools. You should also have skills on manipulating social networking and messenger sites. It will help if you have your own Skype, AIM, Yahoo or Gmail account for easy communication.
3. Writing Skills
Virtual assistants are also asked to do some writing work. Writers are obviously required to be equipped in this area. Research workers should know how to communicate in writing. Whatever the position is, you will be required to communicate in writing on a regular basis for reporting, inquiries and other reasons. You have to make sure that you know the basics of writing, especially business writing. You also have to be conscious about spelling and punctuation and the language or tone of your written outputs. These are measures of how you will be as an employee. Work-from-home jobs will require a lot of communication in writing. Hence, it is important to be excellent in this area to succeed in your work-from-home job.
Nice to Have:
4. Web design and development
If you have the knowledge and skills in creating websites or the process of creating them, you are at an advantage. This is a skill needed by most online business managers. Knowledge about hosting, domains and web maintenance are skills that will be nice to have to be easily considered for employment.
5. Graphic Design
Creating banners, logos, Powerpoint slides, images and other creative artwork will be important for better consideration by prospective employers. A creative skill set, writing and IT skills are a good set that will be sought by most employers to maximize you as a resource.
Given the above and your interest to work from home, you can start by assessing your skill level. Whichever needs to be honed should be addressed immediately. If you need to improve on your writing skills, try setting up a blog and start writing so you can practice and learn. There is no other way to start learning but to practice. Get feedback from people close to you and improve. This is very important. You should work on your own professional development to make you more competitive and valued by people you will be working for and with.
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Monday, March 29, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Handling Outsourced Workers - Characteristics of Filipinos
The demand for business process outsourcing is high because of the increasing cost of labor in the first world countries. The amount of savings that foreign companies can get from outsourced projects is significant that the demand continuously goes up. The influx of call center projects called the establishment of big call centers not only in the Philippines but also in India. The other Asian countries are also following. China, in fact, is investing a huge amount of money for improving their English communication skills. A few years from now, India and the Philippines will no longer be the only players in the call center and other BPO projects. The competition will become stiff and skills should be improved.
At this time, most of the outsourced projects are awarded to India and the Philippines whether in the area of telemarketing, systems development, virtual assistance, data entry and other administrative and technology jobs. If you are one of those people who are already availing of their services or are interested in availing of the services from these countries, it would be important to understand their work habits and attitudes. Here, I will present some basic information about Filipino online workers for you to better understand them and make the working relationship successful.
1. Filipinos are hardworking.
Generally, by nature, online Filipino workers are committed to deliver what is expected from them. Those who are into full-time virtual employment will ensure that they will perform well. The benefits of working from home is tremendous compared to a daily commute to physical employment. The state of traffic and the cost of transportation are significant factors to influence one's decision to stay at home. If a Filipino finds an opportunity to work from home with good and stable online employment offer, generally, the opportunity will be grabbed. The rewards are higher compared to the tax deductible salary that will be received from physical employment. With the right motivation and it he is fit into the work, you will get the most out of your Filipino worker.
2. Filipinos are courteous and respectful.
The nature of addressing superiors as Sir or Ma'am is inherent. This comes naturally as this is the general way of showing respect rooted from the influence of the educational system. If you are not comfortable with this, you have to tell your worker that you prefer being called by your first name, or whatever your preference is.
3. Filipinos are sensitive.
Common correction languages like WTF or F or BS may be shocking for a newbie. Filipinos are not used to hearing this straight discipline or emotional expression. In time, as the working relationship grows, he or she can get used to it. However, at the initial encounter of such, it will be shocking. The good thing about Filipinos is that we easily adjust to any one's personality. We may easily get shocked but we can also easily adapt and get used to it.
4. Filipinos learn from mistakes.
If there is something that needs to be corrected, it will be best to call his or her attention and explain what needs to be done or not to be done and things will be better. Do not expect that everything will be understood easily. What may be easy to understand at the west side of the world may be strange for the eastern side. A typical example is the understanding of time zone. The Philippines only has one time zone. Hence, this is something that needs to be explained especially for Virtual Assistants who will be in charge of setting up appointments or similar tasks that are time-sensitive.
The above are the basic characteristics that can help you understand Filipinos better in terms of work attitude. When these are considered, you will better be able to strategize to make the employment successful with effective and efficient service.
Visit this site
At this time, most of the outsourced projects are awarded to India and the Philippines whether in the area of telemarketing, systems development, virtual assistance, data entry and other administrative and technology jobs. If you are one of those people who are already availing of their services or are interested in availing of the services from these countries, it would be important to understand their work habits and attitudes. Here, I will present some basic information about Filipino online workers for you to better understand them and make the working relationship successful.
1. Filipinos are hardworking.
Generally, by nature, online Filipino workers are committed to deliver what is expected from them. Those who are into full-time virtual employment will ensure that they will perform well. The benefits of working from home is tremendous compared to a daily commute to physical employment. The state of traffic and the cost of transportation are significant factors to influence one's decision to stay at home. If a Filipino finds an opportunity to work from home with good and stable online employment offer, generally, the opportunity will be grabbed. The rewards are higher compared to the tax deductible salary that will be received from physical employment. With the right motivation and it he is fit into the work, you will get the most out of your Filipino worker.
2. Filipinos are courteous and respectful.
The nature of addressing superiors as Sir or Ma'am is inherent. This comes naturally as this is the general way of showing respect rooted from the influence of the educational system. If you are not comfortable with this, you have to tell your worker that you prefer being called by your first name, or whatever your preference is.
3. Filipinos are sensitive.
Common correction languages like WTF or F or BS may be shocking for a newbie. Filipinos are not used to hearing this straight discipline or emotional expression. In time, as the working relationship grows, he or she can get used to it. However, at the initial encounter of such, it will be shocking. The good thing about Filipinos is that we easily adjust to any one's personality. We may easily get shocked but we can also easily adapt and get used to it.
4. Filipinos learn from mistakes.
If there is something that needs to be corrected, it will be best to call his or her attention and explain what needs to be done or not to be done and things will be better. Do not expect that everything will be understood easily. What may be easy to understand at the west side of the world may be strange for the eastern side. A typical example is the understanding of time zone. The Philippines only has one time zone. Hence, this is something that needs to be explained especially for Virtual Assistants who will be in charge of setting up appointments or similar tasks that are time-sensitive.
The above are the basic characteristics that can help you understand Filipinos better in terms of work attitude. When these are considered, you will better be able to strategize to make the employment successful with effective and efficient service.
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Wednesday, March 24, 2010
A Slow-Paced Day
There is nothing new today. I will post about Filipino culture in a few days. I was just so stressed that I needed a day off and just be away from the computer. My laptop had a problem as the screen is becoming shaky and I need to change the adapter. The PC that I am using need to be reformatted and I still don't have some applications that I need. I have not achieved anything today except that I was able to take a mental rest which I need very badly. Emails came in and projects are near completion date. I will resume tomorrow and be on the right gear again. For now, it will just be slow-paced working day for me.
Just giving you an update in case you are waiting for my next article.
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Just giving you an update in case you are waiting for my next article.
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Monday, March 22, 2010
Understanding American Culture
I am thinking of what to write today and since I have been experiencing some concerns with my American/Canadian employer, I thought of sharing with you some insights about understanding them. On the other end, if you are the American or client, this may be an opportunity to better understand your service providers better.
For those who are planning to work for North American employers, it is important to be guided by the following tips:
1. They are straightforward in what they say.
I admit I am a bit sensitive and sometimes I get offended with WTF statements because this is not a language I am used to, having been in the education field for many years. However, working for people in North America means you have to be used to this language. I still have to adjust but I don't want to see myself saying such things in the future. What I am saying is get used to it. They express themselves that way and you just have to accept that.
2. Call them by their first name.
Although this may not be true for all, generally, Americans are more comfortable being addressed with their first name instead of Sir or Ma'am. That is generally their culture. If the person does not correct that, he may be ego tripping. They normally correct and will ask you not to call them Sir or Ma'am. If he finds pleasure in the formal address, he does not belong to the majority. Note that the person who did not pay my friend and I liked it when he was called Sir. Something that was unusual. North Americans normally want personal but sincere communication. They want you to tell them the real picture so they can address the matter well. Formal address is not very important to them.
3. They think and work quick.
Dilly-dallying does not have a place in American employment. You have to be efficient without sacrificing effectiveness. You have to provide feedback when required to and respond immediately. There are those who are not very strict with this as long as you are doing your work well.
4. Say what you want.
Tell him what you need or what you want to be able to perform well. It has to be said in a way that is aimed to improving your level of productivity and effectiveness. If you have concerns, honestly say them. You cannot assume that he knows what you are thinking or feeling. He will not unless you tell him.
5. Be open for correction.
The work environment is very much different if you work in an Asian country. You have to learn from your mistakes and know how you can adjust to make your relationship with your employer work. Do not be too sensitive. Asians are generally sensitive but teach yourself how to set aside your feelings when you work for North Americans. Work for them is work. Deliver what they expect and you can be successful.
There are still other things that need to be considered when working for North Americans but you can start from these. As you go along, you will learn and discover other things that are different from what you are used to in the Asian work environment. You will learn from them too. :-)
God bless your day!
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For those who are planning to work for North American employers, it is important to be guided by the following tips:
1. They are straightforward in what they say.
I admit I am a bit sensitive and sometimes I get offended with WTF statements because this is not a language I am used to, having been in the education field for many years. However, working for people in North America means you have to be used to this language. I still have to adjust but I don't want to see myself saying such things in the future. What I am saying is get used to it. They express themselves that way and you just have to accept that.
2. Call them by their first name.
Although this may not be true for all, generally, Americans are more comfortable being addressed with their first name instead of Sir or Ma'am. That is generally their culture. If the person does not correct that, he may be ego tripping. They normally correct and will ask you not to call them Sir or Ma'am. If he finds pleasure in the formal address, he does not belong to the majority. Note that the person who did not pay my friend and I liked it when he was called Sir. Something that was unusual. North Americans normally want personal but sincere communication. They want you to tell them the real picture so they can address the matter well. Formal address is not very important to them.
3. They think and work quick.
Dilly-dallying does not have a place in American employment. You have to be efficient without sacrificing effectiveness. You have to provide feedback when required to and respond immediately. There are those who are not very strict with this as long as you are doing your work well.
4. Say what you want.
Tell him what you need or what you want to be able to perform well. It has to be said in a way that is aimed to improving your level of productivity and effectiveness. If you have concerns, honestly say them. You cannot assume that he knows what you are thinking or feeling. He will not unless you tell him.
5. Be open for correction.
The work environment is very much different if you work in an Asian country. You have to learn from your mistakes and know how you can adjust to make your relationship with your employer work. Do not be too sensitive. Asians are generally sensitive but teach yourself how to set aside your feelings when you work for North Americans. Work for them is work. Deliver what they expect and you can be successful.
There are still other things that need to be considered when working for North Americans but you can start from these. As you go along, you will learn and discover other things that are different from what you are used to in the Asian work environment. You will learn from them too. :-)
God bless your day!
Visit this site
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Work Scam - How to Detect Scam and How to Avoid It
Hi there! Before sharing tips in earning from home, I would like to give you some words of caution about the scams out there. You may not believe it but I, together with a friend, have been victims of seemingly innocent work opportunity that pays well.
Let me share the story.
A friend invited me to collaborate or join her in a full-time research work opportunity. We will share the work and the earnings. I tell you, the pay is like how much a manager gets here. She showed me the contract and there was a company name, a seemingly true manager name. First impression is that this is indeed true. Payment arrangement is given and all the rest that you will find in an ordinary contract. She requested for payment in Xoom as this is better than Paypal and he agreed. Then, the work started.
It was not really that difficult but it was time-consuming somehow. But still the motivation was to earn more on top of what we are already earning. This was a great opportunity for us!
After a week, as it was payday schedule, my friend submitted an invoice expecting for the first week of payment but he said pay will be every two weeks. "Oh, ok", so she said. We worked for another full week with some overtime schedule for high-priority research work. When I say overtime, that means she has to be doing research until 4am.. Whew!
Anyways, the end of two weeks came and she sent an invoice. She was said that pay is processed every Wednesday. "Oh, ok", she responded again.
To make the long story short, Wednesday came and follow-up was made. But before that, the emails were already bouncing because of full storage - seemingly innocent capacity problem in email. BTW, I forgot to mention that he is a demanding person requiring output every two hours. Hence, you will never think that he has a bad agenda of fooling people.
Then, his Skype account starts to be inactive. He is always offline. There are no responses to the messages. No responses to email. And that's it.... we were scammed!
My friend posted an ad in craigslist warning people about him and surprisingly, there are a few others who said they, too were scammed by this guy and were never paid. There is one who got a partial payment but the rest were just used and fooled.
That is the story. Now the lessons:
1. Never trust employers even if they have a contract that you need to sign. A contract is not always a guarantee of truth especially in this Internet world.
2. Be in doubt when somebody wants quick output and appears to be strict. It is best to ask for pay after a week of work before proceeding. The person should have a capacity to pay.
3. Connect with the employer in your social networking site. This way, somehow you will know his friends and you can always send messages to people he knows about what he did. Also, you will know his true identity.
4. It would be good to talk to the person via a webcam during negotiation stage. This will be a benefit to both parties. Then, capture the person's image so you have an actual and true photo of the person. You can use this to post in scam announcements in case it happens.
5. Doubt when the offer seems too good to be true. This is okay if you found the job in a job site that offers escrow. This means that there is fund for such. However, for other cases, do not be too trusting.
I hope you learned from this and that you will not go through the same experience that we went through.
God bless!
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Let me share the story.
A friend invited me to collaborate or join her in a full-time research work opportunity. We will share the work and the earnings. I tell you, the pay is like how much a manager gets here. She showed me the contract and there was a company name, a seemingly true manager name. First impression is that this is indeed true. Payment arrangement is given and all the rest that you will find in an ordinary contract. She requested for payment in Xoom as this is better than Paypal and he agreed. Then, the work started.
It was not really that difficult but it was time-consuming somehow. But still the motivation was to earn more on top of what we are already earning. This was a great opportunity for us!
After a week, as it was payday schedule, my friend submitted an invoice expecting for the first week of payment but he said pay will be every two weeks. "Oh, ok", so she said. We worked for another full week with some overtime schedule for high-priority research work. When I say overtime, that means she has to be doing research until 4am.. Whew!
Anyways, the end of two weeks came and she sent an invoice. She was said that pay is processed every Wednesday. "Oh, ok", she responded again.
To make the long story short, Wednesday came and follow-up was made. But before that, the emails were already bouncing because of full storage - seemingly innocent capacity problem in email. BTW, I forgot to mention that he is a demanding person requiring output every two hours. Hence, you will never think that he has a bad agenda of fooling people.
Then, his Skype account starts to be inactive. He is always offline. There are no responses to the messages. No responses to email. And that's it.... we were scammed!
My friend posted an ad in craigslist warning people about him and surprisingly, there are a few others who said they, too were scammed by this guy and were never paid. There is one who got a partial payment but the rest were just used and fooled.
That is the story. Now the lessons:
1. Never trust employers even if they have a contract that you need to sign. A contract is not always a guarantee of truth especially in this Internet world.
2. Be in doubt when somebody wants quick output and appears to be strict. It is best to ask for pay after a week of work before proceeding. The person should have a capacity to pay.
3. Connect with the employer in your social networking site. This way, somehow you will know his friends and you can always send messages to people he knows about what he did. Also, you will know his true identity.
4. It would be good to talk to the person via a webcam during negotiation stage. This will be a benefit to both parties. Then, capture the person's image so you have an actual and true photo of the person. You can use this to post in scam announcements in case it happens.
5. Doubt when the offer seems too good to be true. This is okay if you found the job in a job site that offers escrow. This means that there is fund for such. However, for other cases, do not be too trusting.
I hope you learned from this and that you will not go through the same experience that we went through.
God bless!
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Saturday, March 20, 2010
Earn from Home Tips
Today I started to set up this blog to help those who are interested to work and earn from home find the right job. I will share all my experiences and insights to those who want to be successful in this area.
During the second quarter of last year, I decided to take a vacation from full-time employment just to enjoy life. It's good that I had enough savings to do that and I did enjoy. However, as I have been used to working for many years as educator, consultant and sales manager, I started to miss working. I still did not want to be employed full-time to avoid the terrible traffic that I have to go through. You may not believe that everyday, my travel time is for four hours and when I get home, I am just so exhausted and can no longer enjoy quality time with my kids. Weekends can also be taken by work because of some important appointments from time to time. It was a draining work life. :-( Hence, I decided to explore the opportunities that technology offers and I was successful in this endeavor. I am proud to say that now, I even earn more than what I earn from my previously draining and stressful full-time employment. The better thing is that I am free from the heavy daily traffic. Thank God! The best thing is that I spend more quality time with my family as I work at my own pace. I should have known this earlier.
Well, I have said too much. Now, I would like to share some tips for those who are considering to also work and earn from home and enjoy life. Of course, I still work as I love working but the stress is lower. I am not saying that there is no more stress. These are still part of working but you can set how much you want to earn. If you work hard, you will earn more. If you just want to enjoy, work a little and still earn.
I will give you updates next time and share my experiences and I hope that you will learn from them and be inspired to use technology to increase your earnings and enjoy life better.
God bless!
Visit this site
During the second quarter of last year, I decided to take a vacation from full-time employment just to enjoy life. It's good that I had enough savings to do that and I did enjoy. However, as I have been used to working for many years as educator, consultant and sales manager, I started to miss working. I still did not want to be employed full-time to avoid the terrible traffic that I have to go through. You may not believe that everyday, my travel time is for four hours and when I get home, I am just so exhausted and can no longer enjoy quality time with my kids. Weekends can also be taken by work because of some important appointments from time to time. It was a draining work life. :-( Hence, I decided to explore the opportunities that technology offers and I was successful in this endeavor. I am proud to say that now, I even earn more than what I earn from my previously draining and stressful full-time employment. The better thing is that I am free from the heavy daily traffic. Thank God! The best thing is that I spend more quality time with my family as I work at my own pace. I should have known this earlier.
Well, I have said too much. Now, I would like to share some tips for those who are considering to also work and earn from home and enjoy life. Of course, I still work as I love working but the stress is lower. I am not saying that there is no more stress. These are still part of working but you can set how much you want to earn. If you work hard, you will earn more. If you just want to enjoy, work a little and still earn.
I will give you updates next time and share my experiences and I hope that you will learn from them and be inspired to use technology to increase your earnings and enjoy life better.
God bless!
Visit this site
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