The Proactive Pro

Fiverr: A Fun Way to Make Money Online!

2011-11-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

Fiverr is a site where you can offer services or products for a flat rate of $5. It is open to everybody around the world. Every offer is called a "gig." You can offer services like writing, transcription, logo design, Wordpress installation and a whole lot more. You can even sell tangible items and mail them to buyers who will have to pay additional fees for shipping. You can also offer to do something wacky. You'd be surprised to know that a lot of people are willing to pay someone to shoot a video of himself or herself singing a message in the shower for 30 seconds. If you are a hottie, you can get paid for taking a picture of yourself holding a sign or having a name, a slogan or a message written on your cheek or, if you're a woman, your cleavage. (Of course, that's as far as you can go when it comes to exposing your body. You can't show your nipples or your private parts. Don't push the envelope or you'll get banned!)

I have earned some good money from Fiverr as a freelance writer. I offered to write a 350-word article for $5 and got a 100% positive gig rating from my customers. Unfortunately, my gig had to be taken down because I posted my email address, which I later learned was a no-no. Ah, well. Lesson learned.

Here are some tips on making money on Fiverr:

1) Offer a gig that will take minutes to complete -- 20 minutes at most. If it will take longer than that, then it's not worth it. Your customer will pay $5 for your gig, but you will only get $4 because Fiverr gets a 20% cut from whatever you earn from the site.

2) Look for popular gigs. To do this, filter the gigs on the home page by clicking the link shown below:

You can offer a gig that has never been offered before, but if you want to be sure that you are going to make money off your gigs, you can offer gigs that are similar to those that are already popular. Spy on your competition and find ways to outdo their offers without having to spend a lot of time on a gig. For instance, if your competitors say they can deliver within two or three days, you could tell buyers that you can give them what they want within 24 hours. Never, ever break your promises though or you could get negative ratings and/or comments from your customers.

3) Craft an attention-grabbing headline for each of your gig. Make sure that you include a strong benefit. A good example of a gig headline would be "I will write a well-researched, entertaining and completely original 350-word article for $5."

4) Make sure that your gig description is enticing. Write a brief summary of your gig. Tell prospective buyers what sets you apart from others who are offering similar gigs or list the benefits that they will get when they order your gig.

5) Do your best to be a top seller on Fiverr. Follow the rules and stay out of trouble. Deliver on time and make your customers happy. Why be a top seller? Top sellers on Fiverr enjoy special privileges. They can offer gig extras and value-added deals. Buyers can also order more than one of the same gig through the quantity option, which is not available to non-top sellers. On top of that, top sellers also get VIP support, which means that their support tickets are prioritized.

For more information about being a Fiverr top seller, click this link.

Since Fiverr launched in February 2010, there have been a lot of Fiverr clone sites. Here some sites that are similar to Fiverr:

GigBucks

TenBux

Zeerk

FittyTown

Tenyt

You may post gigs on these sites and charge more than $5 per gig. However, buyers visit Fiverr more than any other website of its kind. In other words, you are more likely to see sales on Fiverr because it gets more traffic than its clones.

Be sure to have your PayPal account ready before you sign up on Fiverr. You should also know that you have to wait approximately two weeks from the date of sale before the money is transferred to your PayPal account. You should also remember that buyers may cancel their orders if you fail to deliver on time.

Posting a gig on Fiverr is a good way to earn some extra money. You just have to be creative. Now, go make some dough and have fun!

Please share your opinion on Fiverr in the comments section and let me know if you have questions. I'll be happy to answer them.

Finally, I Have Updated My Blog!

2011-11-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

It's been more than a year since the last time I posted an entry. I had been too busy to update my blog, but I have decided to make time for this project. I want to help people who want to earn a full-time income in the comfort of their homes.

So what have I been up to? I still work at home. I love being able to work on a flexible schedule, but I miss working with people. Currently, I have two jobs and, occasionally, I get some writing gigs. Last February, I earned the income I could only dream of a few years ago. Life has been good!

I got a comment last month from a reader who wonders if Constant Content is legal. It is and a lot of writers besides me can vouch for that. You can do a little research on Google to find out more about the site. I have been writing for Constant Content for a couple of years and I have just recently made a sale. This morning, they just transferred $19.50 to my PayPal account. Sweet! Here's a screen shot of the email:

If you want to write for ConstantContent, make sure that your articles are completely free from grammatical and spelling errors. The editors at Constant Content have high editorial standards and your articles can be rejected for the smallest of errors like misplacing a comma or failing to end a sentence with a punctuation mark. You may always re-submit your articles when you have corrected the errors. It's also good to have someone edit your work. Don't be afraid of rejection. Use the editors' criticisms to your advantage. Learn from them and always aim to produce top-quality articles. Don't forget to proofread your articles before you submit them:

Here's a free online tool that I use for proofreading:

http://www.paperrater.com/

Paper Rater is even better than the built-in grammar and spelling checker in MS Word or any other word processor. Aside from calling your attention to grammatical and spelling errors, Paper Rater gives you suggestions on word usage and helps you detect duplicate content if you choose to enable the originality detection function. However, all grammar and spelling tools are imperfect. They don't detect errors like the misuse of "their," "there" and "they're." It's always best to read the final draft of your article carefully before submitting it to Constant Content.

You can look forward to more articles about freelancing, affiliate marketing and other moneymaking opportunities as well as money saving tips and product reviews. Stay tuned!

Writing for Money? Try Constant Content!

2010-09-16T02:41:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited because I've been writing for money these past few months and this is the first time I've actually earned from writing efforts. Somebody bought my article from Constant Content! Yipee! I've been thinking of offering my services as a ghostwriter to some Internet marketers, but I have not done so. Well, at least, not yet. I never thought that I'd be good enough. Besides, I need money to be able to sell my services on forums like Digital Point and Warrior Forum.

I didn't expect to sell any of my articles, but I put them up anyway because I just wanted to try the site. This morning, however, I had a pleasant surprise. I received an email from PayPal letting me know that one of the articles I put up on Constant Content was sold and the buyer bought the exclusive rights to my article which means he or she paid the highest price I set for it. As of this writing, I have three left, so I sold one out of the four articles I submitted at Constant Content, which is not bad at all.

Constant Content is a content market place. You may submit your articles in .txt or .doc form to be sold to website or blog owners. You may also submit pictures, illustrations and videos to the site. Each time an item is sold, you split the sales proceeds with the site -- 65% goes to you and 35% goes to Constant Content. You can name your price for different usage levels (usage, unique or full rights). Some customers of the site make public requests for articles. You can respond to these customers so you can get paid to write articles for them.

As proof that Constant Content pays, here is a screen shot of the email I received from PayPal telling me that I received some cash from the site:

Note: I "whited out" the transaction number and Constant Content's contact information.

To sign up for a Constant Content account, click here.

Internet Marketing: How Do You Make Money from Scratch?

2010-07-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

When you have zero capital and you want to take a shot at Internet marketing, what is the best way to start? Any experienced Internet marketer would tell you that article marketing is the best business model for a beginner to follow. It requires very little or zero capital to start. All you need is your computer, an Internet connection and your head.

Of course, you will need to hone your writing skills because, as the name of this marketing method suggests, article marketing entails writing a lot of articles and submitting them to article directories and Web 2.0 sites. You will also need to set up a free blog either at Blogger.com or WordPress.com. or a website at Weebly.com You need to write articles as part of your efforts to promote other people's products from sites like Clickbank, Commission Junction and Paydot.com. You will get a commission for each sale and the best part is your only job is promoting the products. Those who own the product will take care of closing the sale, customer service, inventory and the like.

If you hate writing or think that you are talent-free when it comes to putting your thoughts into words, do not despair. Writing articles is not rocket science. All you need is the willingness to make the effort to study, research and write.

Writing an article is simple. You do not need to produce a literary masterpiece. Just write as you talk. Your mission as an article writer is to provide information that your readers need. Also, you do not need to write lengthy articles. When you write for the Internet, you need to be as concise as you can possibly be. Your readers have short attention spans. You need to get right to the point or else they will stop reading your article before they reach your resource box.

What is a resource box? This is the part of the article where article directories allow you put the link to your website or blog. Here, you offer more information to your readers which they will get if they click the link. This is how your website or blog gets exposure. These links count as a back link which will help you in your search engine rankings. A back link is a link to your website found in another website. To Google and other search engines, a back link counts as an authority vote. The more back links you have, the higher your authority and the higher your ranking in the search engine page. The higher your ranking in the search engine page, the more likely your target client will find your website. More exposure equals more chances of making sales.

To sum up, if you do not have a red cent to invest on Internet marketing, article marketing is perhaps the best way to start your business. You can set up free blogs and write articles to submit to article directories to promote products. Article writing does not require much skill, but it does require the willingness to put in the needed effort to make this marketing method work. Article marketing provides exposure for your website or blog through the research box. People will see the link to your website or blog and will click through it if you offer more of the information that they are interested in. The link will also count as back link to your website or blog and help you rank higher in search engines. Article is a powerful marketing strategy and it does not have to cost you anything. It certainly is the marketing method of choice if you are just starting out.

Why I Don't Like PTCs

2010-07-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

Paid-to-click sites (PTCs) are sites that offer to pay its users for clicking and viewing advertisements. These sites are very attractive because all the users have to do is click the advertisements and they get paid. They are also paid for any referrals who sign up for membership in their sites. I have been a member of several PTC sites before. However, I have made up my mind to steer clear of these sites. Here are the reasons why:

1) PTCs ARE A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME - Sure, clicking ads is so easy. It is a no-brainer task and it requires very little effort. However, the time you spend clicking on ads is simply not worth it. You earn mere cents for the hours that you spend doing this. Remember, time is gold and you cannot retrieve it once it is lost. You could have earned a lot more by getting a online job or by building your own Internet business.

2) YOU ENDANGER YOUR COMPUTER AND YOUR FILES BECAUSE YOU GET EXPOSED TO SITES WITH VIRUSES AND MALWARE - When you click ads, you are sometimes redirected to websites that are virus and malware infested. It is like being thrown in an ocean full of sharks. There is no way of knowing whether the sites that you visit are safe. Sometimes, you get redirected to porn sites which are haven to viruses and malware.

3) MOST PAID-TO-CLICK PROGRAMS TURN OUT TO BE SCAMS - PTC sites sell PPC ads. Companies or individuals who buy their services pay PTC sites every time somebody clicks on their ads. PTCs lure you into signing up and clicking their ads, promising you a substantial income especially if you have referrals. When you click the PTC site's ads, they earn. However, some sites magically disappear when it is time for you to cash in. Some sites change their policies frequently. At first, they will tell you it is free to join their program. And then, all of a sudden, they will tell you that they changed their policy about payments. For instance, there is a site that suddenly required their members to upgrade their membership by paying a certain amount so that they could get paid. Oftentimes, the amount that you have pay for the upgrade is more than your earnings. Not only that -- oftentimes, the fee for the upgrade is not deducted from your earnings. You would need to pay them upfront either by giving them your credit card details (which is dangerous) or via PayPal.

Clicking ads for money is a way to waste your precious time. You can earn so much more with the time you spend clicking ads. Also, you expose yourself to cyber threats when you get into PTCs. You are also likely to get scammed by PTC sites. Knowing the truth about PTCs, you should now have the good sense to stay away from them.

Bogus Work-at-Home Jobs: How to Avoid Getting Scammed

2010-07-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

The advent of the Internet has made it possible for quite a number of work-at-home jobs to exist. With the convenience and other advantages that work-at-home jobs have to offer, many seek to work in the comfort of their homes. However, there some unscrupulous people who see this as an opportunity to make a fast buck by luring people with their bogus offers and empty promises. If you do not want to be a victim of these scammers, here are some tips that you can follow:

1) DO YOUR RESEARCH - Quite a number of work-at-home jobs promise you the moon and the stars, but when payday comes, you find yourself falling head first from the sky. Some companies promise ridiculously high rates for the most menial online jobs like data entry. Before applying for a job, try to find out the benchmark of the pay that professionals in your field receive. Other companies will promise you that the jobs are easy, but once you work for them, you will find yourself losing a lot of sleep. Always remember this often-mentioned adage: "If an offer is too good to be true, it probably is." You would not want to feel like kicking your behind, so do your homework first.

2) CHECK THE COMPANY'S REPUTATION - The Better Business Bureau website is the best site to go to find out whether you are dealing with a reputable company or not. Oftentimes, companies with shady reputations do not keep their promises to their employees and subcontractors. At the BBB website, you can check the company's records or if there are any disputes or complaints about the company.

3) DO NOT PAY TO GET HIRED - Legitimate companies do not require their employees to pay so they could give them work. Some companies that need employees even spend money to find people who can get jobs done. They need you as much as you need them. If you are asked to pay for a job, do not do so. There are many job opportunities on the Web that do not require you to pay a single cent.

To sum up, before applying for any job, be familiar with the known scams so that you will not fall prey to them, check the company's reputation at the Better Business Bureau Web site and steer clear of job offers that require you to pay. Follow these tips and you will never be counted among the gullible job seekers that scammers take advantage of.

--------------------------

VIDEOS

Work at Home, Scammed at Home
Victims of work-at-home scams speak out.

Part 1

Part 2

THE HAZARDS OF WORKING AT HOME

2010-07-03T04:29:00.000-07:00

Most people think that work-at-home professionals are less-exposed to health hazards because they work in the safest possible place they can be — their home. But what’s the real score? Could working at home expose you to some health risks? Listed below are some health conditions that a work-at-home professional may be prone to.

OBESITY - This could be one of the most common health problems that a work-at-home professional could have. Obesity may be due to inactivity. The work-at-home professional usually tends to sit for long periods. Also, the snacking is easy to do at home because there are no imposed restrictions with regard to bringing food at the workstation (unlike in offices). You can have a bag of greasy, salty potato chips or sugary cookies right beside your laptop or desktop computer. As most of us know, obesity can lead to a lot of serious health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, heart problems, etc.
BACK PROBLEM - Sitting for many hours can strain your back. Spinal disc herniation, sometimes called "slipped disk," can result from prolonged sitting.
DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS - This is also caused by prolonged inactivity or being on your butt for long periods. DVTs are usually the culprits behind strokes and heart attacks.
STRESS - When you work at home, the line between your home life and your professional life becomes blurred. Mixing your concerns at work and at home could double the stress levels that you usually experience in an office outside your home.
INSOMNIA/SLEEP DEPRIVATION - A lot of work-at-home professionals are workaholic (like me). We think it’s okay to spend more than 10 hours on the job just because we work at home. Sometimes, we try to get by with just four hours of sleep. But what can lack of sleep do to the body? Headaches, increased blood pressure, increased risk of diabetes, increased risk of fibromyalgia, memory lapses or loss, and obesity are just a few of the effects of sleep deprivation.
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME - Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by the compression of the median nerve traveling through the carpal tunnel. The symptoms include numbness, tingling, or burning sensations in the thumb and fingers. Work-at-home professionals who work online do a lot of typing. Poorly positioned wrists while typing could lead to carpal tunnel syndrome.

As the time-honored adage goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Listed below are ways to prevent the above-mentioned health conditions.

1) SET A SCHEDULE FOR EXERCISE - You don’t have to spend a full hour at the gym although that would be great. A 30-minute walk would suffice.

2) MOVE AROUND A LITTLE BIT FROM TIME TO TIME - As you may have noticed while reading the preceding paragraphs, prolonged inactivity increases your risks of having three health conditions mentioned above. You need to get off your butt once in a while. Take a 5 to 10-minute break in between tasks and try to do some stretching exercises or simple calisthenics. Or you can walk around your office.

3) CONTROL YOUR EATING HABITS - Try not to eat while working. Have a definite schedule for your snack time. However, if you must munch on something from time to time, have some fruits and nuts instead of chips or cookies. Avoid junk food at all costs.

4) DEFINE BOUNDARIES - Talk to your family members about your job. Tell them that you can only be disturbed during your working hours if there’s a life-and-death situation. As much as possible, don’t let the concerns at home seep into the concerns at work and vice versa. You should draw the line between work and home life.

5) GET ENOUGH SLEEP - Make time for power naps. Getting enough sleep will help you perform better at work.

6) LEARN OFFICE ERGONOMIC BEST PRACTICES AND APPLY THEM AT WORK - Here is a short video from YouTube that will teach you some of the basics of office ergonomics.

Remember, health is wealth. You don't want to spend your hard-earned money on medicines, doctor's fees and hospitalization. Knowing the health hazards of working at home and how to overcome them, you can now adopt health and safety practices while on the job.

Transitioning from a Work-at-Home Professional to an Online Entrepreneur

2010-05-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

It's been four years since I first became a work-at-home professional. I have peddled my services online and have earned quite a substantial income for my efforts. First, I worked as a home-based call center agent, then a transcriptionist which I still am. I've enjoyed the comfort and convenience of working at home.

There have been some issues that I've had to deal with, though. As I've mentioned in my previous blog post, loneliness is one of the challenges work-at-home professionals face, particularly if they're single. I have realized that I've been too busy for other things. I seldom leave my work station. I have a family to support so I have to earn every penny I can, but I also am a person and I have needs to fulfill. I need to find a way to maximize my earnings while minimizing the time I spend in front of my laptop.

I've always wanted to be an online entrepreneur. That is why I have been reading about the different aspects of Internet marketing. I'm particularly interested bum marketing because I have very little money to invest. Probably, the most that I can afford right now is a domain for my online business. I have been writing articles that I will sell and post on money-making sites such as Squidoo, Constant Content, etc. I will use my earnings from this site to start my online business. I know I won't get substantial results overnight, but I am willing to plod through the long road that I have to take. Patience is the key to success in Internet marketing. I will need tons of it.

I just hope that when I finally achieve results in my Internet marketing efforts, I'll have the time to workout (I've gained a lot of weight from sitting at my workstation the whole day), date and find myself a husband (teehee!). I want to be able the things that I've always wanted to do.

In the coming days, I will be sharing what I have learned about article writing and article marketing. I will still share some tips on finding a work-at-home job, but I will now focus my efforts more on Internet marketing. I still am a transcriptionist and I will be maybe for another year. However, I must not limit myself. Neither should you. We should always strive to improve our lot. I hope you will walk with me through my journey. I want to learn from you, my readers, and also, I would like to share what I will discover along the way. Wish me luck and I wish the same to you.

Organizing Your Time and Your Tasks with Free Productivity Tools

2010-04-21T03:51:00.000-07:00

You might be a busy bee like me and need to organize your time. You may also need to be reminded of the tasks you need to do at a specific time. Well, fortunately, there are free productivity tools on the Internet. Here are two things you can do to organize your tasks and your time using these productivity tools.

The first option is to download Mozilla Sunbird. This is a stand-alone calendar application from Mozilla, the makers of the Firefox browser. If you already have Thunderbird, Mozilla's free email client, you can download Lightning, the extension that allows you to manage your schedule within the email client.

To add the Lightning extension to your Thunderbird mail client, follow these directions:

1) Go to the Lightning download page. Download the extension and save it to your desktop.

2) In your Thunderbird mail client, go to the Tools tab. Choose "Add-ons." A little window will appear. Click on the "Extensions" tab. At the lower left corner of the little window, you will find a link that says "Install." Click on it. From there, go to your desktop folder and look for the extension that you downloaded earlier.

You may need to play with the application to be familiar with it and to learn how to use it.

The other option is to go to the Remember the Milk website and create a free account. Remember the Milk is a web-based application that can help you organize your time and remind you of your tasks via SMS, email or instant messaging (Supported IMs: AIM, Gadu-Gadu, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, Skype and Yahoo!). It has an intuitive user interface that makes the application easy to use. It even has a task cloud that lets you see what you have to do easily. You can also share, send and publish your tasks with your contacts. You can also use the map to see where your tasks need to be done (useful when you are in the U.S.) and therefore be able to come up with the best plan. You can sync Remember the Milk with your mobile device. It's currently available for iPhone, Blackberry and Windows Mobile. You can be reminded via your cell phone and access Remember the Milk from there, but you'll need to upgrade to a Pro account. The fee is just a measly $25 a year though. If you have an iPhone, Remember the Milk is available at the iPhone App store. I just signed up for a free account and I have yet to see how useful RTM is going to be to me.

I just shared two free productivity tools that you can use to organize your time and make sure that your tasks are accomplished. You don't have to spend a single cent for them (unless you want to upgrade your RTM account) and quite easy to use. Remember, time is money. We might as well manage it well.

Blogging Course from Simpleology

2010-04-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.
It covers:

The best blogging techniques.
How to get traffic to your blog.
How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

I'm Back!

2010-04-15T10:55:00.000-07:00

After months and months of silence, I'm back. I have been busy with my job and with various projects. I'm still a transcriptionist. Well, I've been trying my hand at Internet marketing and so far, I have yet to make a dime out of my projects. I have also been studying SEO and I'm also into article writing and re-writing now. I miss this blog. Proactive Pro had already been ranked by Google, but because of my inactivity, it lost its page rank.

It's okay, though. I have learned a lot during my hiatus from this blog. I have learned how ignorant I was when I started Proactive Pro. One thing I've learned is that I've made a lot of mistakes with this blog. My blog visits have gone past the 1,000 visitors mark. No big deal, because I had been away since last August. I've just changed my blog's look. Thanks to the Template Designer of the new and improved Blogger. I removed the Entrecard badge. I'm trying to figure out whether I should put it back or if I'm better off without it.

I will make it a point to post something helpful or entertaining at least once a week in the days to come. I hope I won't be forced to go into a long hiatus again.

Confidence Defined (Gosh, He's So Cute!)

2009-08-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

Meet Nicholi. He doesn't own a web cam, so he goes to an Apple store, does his thing, records and uploads this video, enjoying himself without minding the people around him. Days later, he finds himself on "Good Morning America." He's one of YouTube's emerging stars.

What can you learn from this kid?

SHOULD YOU REALLY WORK AT HOME?

2009-08-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

The idea of working at home seems to be attractive to most people especially during these times with the rising cost of transportation. Some think it must be pretty comfortable to work in one’s pajamas without a boss breathing down one’s neck or difficult coworkers to contend with.

However, is working at home really for everyone? Here is a list of pros and cons to help you see if working at home is really for you:

PROS:

1. You get to spend more time with your family. You’re closer to your kids, an aging parent or anybody you need to take care of.

2. You don’t have to spend for transportation. You save a lot of money.

3. You don’t have to go through the hassles of commuting during the rush hour. No traffic jams. Your office is just a few steps from your bed.

4. You don’t have to dress up, primp yourself up and wear makeup (if you’re a lady). This saves you more time and money. Heck, you can even wear pajamas to work.

5. You usually enjoy flexibility when it comes to schedule. This means that you can work at the time when you are most creative. (However, this is not true in some cases. In my case, my work has to begin at a certain time and I have to beat some tight deadlines.)

CONS:

1. Distraction is one of the worst enemies of a work-at-home professional. There are always chores that beg to be done at home. There are always “emergencies” that need to be attended to (Sometimes, it’s just a neighbor who needs to borrow your measuring cup). Also, there is the temptation to engage in non-work related activities like surfing for fun, reading personal e-mails, playing games, etc.

2. There is a lack of human interaction. Boredom and loneliness could be a problem to most work-at-home professionals. As I’ve said in my previous post, working at home can be very isolating. Also, there is very little opportunity to engage in healthy professional competition which could contribute significantly to professional growth.

3. No work, no pay. You don’t enjoy a regular paycheck. If you get sick and can’t work, you don’t earn. Most work-at-home professionals work on a per-project basis. Sometimes, the job ends when the project ends, so looking for a new client could be a problem.

4. You own the equipment that you use. Sometimes, you have to rely on yourself for the troubleshooting. You don’t have technical support unless you pay for it (unless you know somebody who would be willing to render technical services for free). You are solely responsible for the repair and maintenance of your equipment.

5. Your image is less professional. This can be a problem for work-at-home call center representatives and virtual assistants who need to interact with the clients’ customers. Oftentimes, when the dogs bark or the kids cry, the person at the other end of the line gets turned off, which could mean lost business for your client and, potentially, lost business for you.

Some of the CONS May be Overcome. Here’s how:

1. Develop self-discipline. Self discipline is the number one trait that work-at-home professionals should develop. When you have self-discipline, you are better able to overcome distractions. There are also some techniques to maintain focus while on the job. For more on this, read my previous post “Focus on Focus.”

2. Have a workplace that is free from distractions and noise. As much as possible, don’t make your bedroom your office. Talk to your kids and tell them that your home office is off limits. Tell your family that you should not be disturbed unless there’s a life-and-death situation. Perhaps, the dog can stay outside while you work. If you can sound-proof your office, that would be great.

3. Look for long-term clients and keep them satisfied. That way, you won’t have to worry about being out of work. If you have an account with oDesk, Scriptlance and other similar sites, you should gather positive feedback from clients. That way, other potential clients would not hesitate to hire you or they may even look for you.

4. The key to overcoming loneliness on the job is balance. Working at home can blur the line between your professional life and your personal life. We should not make our lives all about work. For more on this, read my previous post, “Loneliness: A Challenge to Overcome.”

5. Invest in durable equipments so you won’t always have to go to the computer shop to have your computer repaired. Perform regular PC maintenance. It would be also be good to invest in good anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. However, there are free alternatives that work well. For a list of good Internet security and anti-virus, software click here. I also have a blog post on PC maintenance tasks, which is right below this post.

Still not sure if working at home is for you? Here’s an article from ABC News that lists some questions that you need to ask yourself.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AmericanFamily/story?id=1059972

SPEED UP YOUR COMPUTER: PC MAINTENANCE TASKS

2009-08-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

I had a difficult day at work today. It all started this morning. My laptop booted very slowly and I had to wait for approximately 15 minutes before my computer was ready to use. Throughout the day, I had to restrain myself from smashing my laptop on the floor because the applications would freeze every now and then. A slow computer robs us of a very precious resource – time. So when your computer slows down, it’s really infuriating and frustrating. (No, the laptop in the picture isn't mine.)

I tried to call on a couple of my friends who are tech guys, but one of them is in Manila (which requires an hour-long plane ride to get to where I am), and the other had to attend his class (He’s still a college student).

Then, I decided to do something about it. (This is what a Proactive Pro would do, right? :0) ) I enlisted the help of my ever-reliable friend, Mr. Google, who pointed me to different websites where I was able to get some information on how to speed up my laptop. I found out that there are certain computer tasks that need to be done regularly, and this is what I’m about to share with you.

1) RUN AN ANTIVIRUS AND AN ANTI-SPYWARE PROGRAM DAILY– Viruses and spyware are bound to make your computer run like a turtle on Valium. They use your computer’s memory resources. The best thing that you can do is invest in a good Internet security suite like Kaspersky, which has outstanding features and a high detection rate against viruses, spyware and malicious codes and programs. However, there are a lot of free antivirus and antispyware programs all over the Internet that can give you basic protection, but only a few of them are trustworthy. Many antivirus and antispyware programs are actually malicious programs in disguise. For a list of safe antivirus and anti-spyware programs, refer to my previous post which is just below this one.

2) GET RID OF UNNECESSARY PROGRAMS AND FILES AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH – One of the reasons why your computer runs slowly is that you have installed too many programs and keep too many files. They eat up your hard disk space leaving the operating system very little room to work with. So take stock of the stuff in your computer. Keep what you need and get rid of those that you don’t. It’s that simple. But if you don’t want to get rid of anything, at least burn them on a DVD or a CD.

3) DEFRAGMENT YOUR HARD DISK – This is what I had neglected to do which is why my laptop was so slow this morning. Defragmentation is like putting books of the same category in the same shelf in a library. It is done with a disk defragmenter, a software that sorts the files in the hard disk so they can be easily read by the computer. Windows has a built-in defragmenter. To find the disk defragmenter, follow this path:

START BUTTON-> All programs-> Accessories-> System Tools-> Disk Defragmenter

Ideally, you should “defrag” your hard disk every other week, but there is no rule of thumb as to how often one should defragment.

4) FREE UP DISK SPACE BY GETTING RID OF USELESS, TEMPORARY FILES ONCE A WEEK – Some programs store temporary files usually during installation. These files and other useless files occupy a lot of space and can cause the computer to slow down. You can use CCleaner to clean up the junk in your computer. (Just in case you’re curious “CCleaner” used to be “Crap Cleaner.”)

5) CHECK FOR REGISTRY ISSUES AND FIX THEM – When a program is installed, an entry is created in the registry. Invalid entries in the registry occur when programs are not installed or uninstalled properly. These registry errors cause the computer to slow down so we need to get rid of them. This task should be done every three to six months depending on how often you install and reinstall programs.

There are a lot of registry cleaners being sold online. I use CCleaner for fixing registry problems. Yes, CCleaner also has a registry cleaner. However, I suggest you should back up registry entries just in case you need to undo the changes that have been made. The nice thing about CCleaner is that before it fixes the registry issues, it gives you the option to back up the registry entries.

CCleaner may be downloaded here.

CCleaner is free, but please donate so that it stays free and available.

When you do the aforementioned tasks regularly, your computer is bound to run smoothly, thus sparing you from the frustration and the anger that I had to suck up this morning. And the best thing of all, it’s worth doing because it saves you time.

INTERNET SECURITY SOFTWARE

2009-08-02T01:13:00.000-07:00

Viruses and malware are a menace to a work-at-home professional. Viruses can destroy your precious files. Malware can be used to steal your personal information and invade your privacy. Both can slow down your computer. Thus, it goes without saying that we need protection from these malicious programs. However, Internet security programs are not created equal. We all want to get the maximum protection against viruses and spyware. Below are some of the products I recommend:

KASPERSKY INTERNET SECURITY 2010

Kaspersky is my brand of choice. I once asked a couple of my techie friends, “What’s the best anti-virus for you?” Without batting an eyelash, they both answered, “Kaspersky.”

Kaspersky’s latest product is Kaspersky Internet Security 2010. This security suite has everything you need to be safe and secure while you surf the Internet. Some of its outstanding new features are the following:

SAFE RUN MODE – Have you ever been unsure about running an application on your computer? Or does a particular website have the information that you need but you’re unsure if it’s safe to visit? With Kaspersky, you don’t need to worry because it lets applications and websites to be run in the safe run mode. You can check out the program or the website while staying protected from malicious programs or codes.

VIRTUAL KEYBOARD – I love this feature. Kaspersky has a secure onscreen keyboard that lets you type usernames and passwords. It protects you from key-loggers, those programs that steal your passwords by recording the things you do on your physical keyboard. No need to worry about your passwords and your bank account information being stolen. This makes online banking and online shopping so much safer!

GAME MODE – It’s really annoying when you’re playing your favorite computer game and then a dialogue box asks you to update your anti-virus. It breaks the momentum, and it’s especially irksome when you’re about to finish a certain level. Sometimes, it’s also irritating when your computer suddenly slows while you play because the anti-virus is running is a scan. With Kaspersky, you don’t have to deal with these things because you can turn on the game mode which suspends alerts, updates and scans. You can play uninterrupted while staying protected.

Of course, Kaspersky has a superior detection rate. It detects spywares and viruses that are undetectable to other anit-virus and anti-spyware programs. It protects your PC against a wide range of threats that include:

Viruses, worms, Trojans and other malware, adware and spyware.
Key loggers, phishing scams and screen capture malware that can be used for identity theft.
Rootkits, bootkits and other complex threats.
Drive-by download infections, network attacks and intrusions.
Botnets and various illegal methods of controlling your PC.
Zero-day attacks, new fast emerging and unknown threats.
Unwanted and offensive web content and spam

If you want to protect your computer, prevent identity and password theft and make online surfing safer for you and your family, you need to invest a good Internet security suite. For me and for most of my friends, nothing beats Kaspersky. It's worth every penny.

For more information, click on the banner below:

CASH STRAPPED???

There are free alternatives to Kaspersky. However, they are less effective. Nevertheless, they offer basic protection. These are the free alternatives that I recommend:

(Note: Why do you need this list? Some malwares are disguised as free anti-virus and anti-spyware programs! The programs have listed below are the ones that I have tried and found to be safe.)

ANTI-VIRUS:

ANTI-SPYWARE:

MALWARE PROTECTION:

Malwarebytes

FIREWALL:

CAVEAT: Some users of these free programs have complained saying that their computers became slower after installing some of these free software. I recommend that you read the reviews of the software that you intend to download at CNET.com. Also, it is not advisable to install two programs of the same kind in one computer. If you intend to download an anti-virus, make sure that the other program (such as a firewall) that you download has no anti-virus bundled with it. If it has, disable the anti-virus component of the firewall before you install your chosen anti-virus.

TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS FROM A DYING MAN

2009-07-09T05:14:00.000-07:00

The person that can best teach us about time management is someone who is dying, because he or she has very little time left and thus really knows how precious time is. Randy Pausch was a computer science professor at the University of Virginia who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006. He was told in 2007 that he had only six months to live, but he managed to outlive the doctor's prognosis. Before his death in 2008, he spent his remaining days delivering inspiring lectures. To this day, he remains an inspiration to me and to millions of others all over the world.

Below is a summarized version of his hour-long lecture:

I find his style of delivery so engaging that I did not mind listening to the whole lecture. In this lecture, he not only taught some life lessons but shared some practical time management tips as well. If you're interested, you can listen to the lecture in its entirety by clicking HERE.

If you'd like to get a copy of the slides he used in the lecture, you can go to the site where you can download them by clicking HERE.

Dr. Pausch also delivered his famous lecture, "The Last Lecture" on Oprah. You can watch the video by clicking HERE.

Now, it's one thing to listen to the lecture and another to put the lessons into practice. I hope that you will enjoy the lectures and find them inspiring as much as I do.

TIME MANAGEMENT

2009-07-07T04:40:00.000-07:00

Time is an irreplaceable resource, and like all other resources, it has to be managed. We often hear about time management but what is time management really? Essentially, time management is self management. There is a lot of self-discipline involved in the tips that I am about to share, but no worries, the tips are not super-hard to follow.

Time Management Tips:

1. BEGIN WITH AN END IN MIND - This is one of the seven habits of highly effective people according to Stephen Covey. To be able to manage time effectively, we need to identify our goals. Why? Because we need to know the things we have to prioritize. We need to know what needs to be done first so that we could move closer to the goals that we would like to accomplish.

2. PLAN AHEAD - Imagine going through the day without knowing what to do. Without planning, a lot of time will be wasted on thinking of what to do next. Prepare a to do list before going to bed so when you wake up in the morning, you can immediately do the tasks that you need to accomplish.

3. EAT YOUR FROG FIRST - This concept was popularized by Brian Tracy through his book, "Eat That Frog!" It is based on a saying that, "If the very first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog (actually, a toad is much worse), you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that it's probably the worst thing you'll do all day." In other words, when you've done the most difficult thing that you need to do for the day, you'd be more willing to do the less difficult tasks. You'll also have the momentum to do other tasks because you've taken the burden of anticipation of difficulty off your back. Do the most difficult task first and you'll be less inclined to procrastinate on doing the other tasks.

4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FREE TIME - If a task cannot be done at the appointed time as planned, quickly move on to the next task or find something to accomplish within that time frame. Don't use it as an excuse to loaf around or to waste time. Remember, eat your frog first. The sooner you finish your tasks, the more time you will have for the things that you really love to do.

5. BE ORGANIZED WITH YOUR TIME - There must a time for everything. We only have 24 precious hours in one day, so every minute must be apportioned wisely. Have a time table or a daily schedule displayed prominently in your room, even if you cannot always stick to it. Why? It will remind you what you need to do and help you assess if you are indeed moving toward to your goals, and make you want to go back on the right track.

6. BE ORGANIZED WITH YOUR THINGS - Trying to find something can waste a lot of time and could really be infuriating especially when you're running late. There must be a place for everything -- your pen, car keys, wallet, etc. It will make your day go by more smoothly.

7. FOCUS - The mind can only do one thing at a time. To improve focus, you can race against the clock. Get a timer and give yourself a mini-deadline (in minutes) for each task. But don't pressure yourself; treat it like a game. You can get an download a timer for free by clicking HERE.

Because the mind can only do one thing at a time, multitasking isn't always a good idea. But what if your job calls for multitasking? One thing you can do is incorporate all your activities into a system. That way, your mind can treat all those activities as one unit. And this brings us to our next tip which is,

8. BE SYSTEMATIC - Develop procedures for doing things. Study how you can do things efficiently. Make those procedures as simple as it can possibly be. In no time, those procedures will become automatic to you and you'll be able to finish your tasks in no time.

9. DELEGATE - You cannot do everything, so look for someone or something (we can delegate tasks to things, too, like an answering machine, for instance) that can do the less important things for you. When it's perfectly sensible, hire someone. The less you have to worry about the little things, the sooner you can finish the more important things.

10. TAKE TIME TO REST AND RELAX - Stress and too much work can slow you down and can actually make you less efficient and less productive. Give yourself mini-breaks in between tasks. It will also take your mind off the previous task making it ready to focus on the next one. And let your rest day refresh you and prepare you for the week ahead.

I often hear a lot of people say, "So many things to do and so little time," and "I want to do this and that, but I just don't have enough time!" But if you really think about it, there is almost always time for everything that we want to do, we just have to find it.

If you'd like to learn how to accomplish your goals in the least possible time, I recommend that you sign up for the Simpleology course by Mark Joyner. The first module is free. You will have to pay for the other modules, but trust me, the free module alone is priceless! It certainly is worth your time. To go to the Simpleology website, click HERE.

I'M BACK!

2009-07-05T12:31:00.000-07:00

After a two-month hiatus, I'm finally back. So where have I been? I haven't gone anywhere. A lot of things happened that made me busy. Well, for one, my Mom was hospitalized due to hypertension. She almost had a stroke. I had to work double time to keep up with the bills. Really, a lot of things came up. But in between my activities, I did a lot of thinking. I had a notebook at hand. I was scribbling ideas for this blog as they came. As a result, I've come up with a lot of material. (I was being proactive, you see.)

I am excited about this blog. See, I've given it a new look to make it easier on the eyes. The font used to be too small to read. The predominant color is cool blue. I like it. Do you? What do you think?

Please watch out for my future posts. I have a lot more useful tips and information for work-at-home professionals like me and for work-at-home pro wannabes.

In the meantime, you might want to learn French. I've been studying French for quite some time now, and I have discovered a lot of things about learning this language. For some tips on how to learn French quickly and easily, please visit my Squidoo page by clicking HERE.

Till next time,

LONELINESS: A Challenge to Overcome

2009-05-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

I have been a full-time work-at-home professional for more than three years now and I am speaking from experience when I say that working alone can be very isolating. I had my first work-at-home job as a home-based call center agent. I rented a small room in Pasig, Manila. Since I needed a conducive workplace, I had to stay in a relatively quiet neighborhood. I was prone to depression at that time as I was still recovering from a major heartbreak. I spent most of my waking hours cooped up in that room. I didn't have a normal life because I was asleep during the day and awake at night -- a predicament that most call center agents find themselves in -- so there was very little opportunity to interact with people outside my room. The isolation made my depression worse, and so I had a major depressive episode. I was so depressed that the idea of committing suicide was dancing around my brain. Fortunately, I had the good sense to call my precious friends who then came to my rescue. I had to see a psychiatrist and take anti-depressants and it took quite a while before I recovered completely.

Here are the lessons I have learned from my experience:

Lesson #1: Don't telecommute if you live alone or don't live alone if you telecommute.

I have since moved out from that dismal, four-walled inferno that I once called my room and have returned to Kalibo, my hometown, where I live with my family. I thought living alone would be good idea because I wouldn't be distracted at work. I was wrong. For me, it's easier to deal with distractions than with loneliness and depression. We need people to help us pick ourselves up when we feel down. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Friendster, MySpace and instant messengers are good tools that help you get in touch with people, but trust me, there's no substitute for having face-to-face conversations with people in the flesh.

Lesson #2: Make sure that you're living a well-balanced life.

Telecommuting gives us the freedom to work long hours. We don't have to worry about rush-hour traffic or going home too late (duh!). But we must remember that there is more to life than making oodles of money. We must never forget that we are social beings and we need to be with people every now and then.

Where to find people:

Gym -- We need exercise. I do. I've grown significantly heavier since I started working at home. Sitting for long periods at our workstations will cause our waistlines to expand considerably unless we do something about it. Plus, going to the gym gives us the opportunity to meet attractive people (for single people only), or at least feast our eyes on them. ;)
Clubs and Organizations -- You may want to do some volunteer work or pursue a hobby. Let's be well-rounded individuals! You may also form an organization with fellow telecommuters in your area.
Cafes -- You can even work there if the nature of your job permits you to do so and if it's not too distracting. Take advantage of the WiFi especially if it's free. You don't have to talk to people. Hearing people talking in the background or just seeing them around can help you feel less isolated. In my case, I don't go to my favorite cafe to work. I take a break from work and go there to have a nice chat with my best friend over some cappuccino or latte.
Bars -- Loosen up and grab a drink once in a while. Or better yet, buy someone a drink. ;)

Lesson#3: You are more important than your job.

We must not forget that we have needs. We need warmth, appreciation, love and affection. We need to interact with other human beings in order to grow. If we spend most of our waking hours in front of our computers, we would soon find ourselves emotionally starved. If your home-based job requires you to sacrifice your needs, then you might want to do a lot of serious thinking about it.

Loneliness is a challenge that every telecommuter faces, but it can be overcome. We need to have people nearby to make us feel supported and less isolated. Balance is essential. We need to give ourselves time to loosen up, be with our family and friends and meet people. Most of all, we should never neglect ourselves. Remember, there is more to life than work.

Wanted: Excellent Filipino Transcribers (JOB OPPORTUNITY)

2009-04-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

Good news for job seekers in the Philippines! The transcription company that I work for is in need of excellent Filipino transcribers for their Philippines-based work (Bilib sila sa Pinoy!). This is a home-based job.

Candidates should possess the following qualifications:

Good grasp of English grammar and basic knowledge of the rules of punctuation and style.
Good listening skills; should be familiar with the American accent.
Typing speed should be at least 60 words per minute.
Should be able to meet deadlines (Turn around time varies from 2 hours to 9 hours. Can be discussed with the supervisor).
Experience is certainly an advantage but not a requirement.

Other requirements:

Reliable Internet connection (DSL or broadband).
Headset (even your MP3 player's earphones are okay as long as you can hear the sound files well.)
Transcription foot pedal (If you don't have one, I could probably help you.)
Transcription software. (You may download one for free from this site.)

I've been working for this company for almost two years now. The pay is good. I love my supervisors -- they are considerate, helpful and responsive.

If you're interested, all you have to do is send a cover letter and your updated resume to recruitmsp@gmail.com.

Best wishes!

P.S. Need to learn more about transcription? Read my previous post, "Want My Job?"

Update (08/01/09): They are hiring again! Send your resume ASAP!

UPDATE (08/24/09): JOB VACANCY CLOSED.

WRITING TO EARN

2009-04-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

These days, a lot of people pound the pavement looking for jobs, only to be disappointed by the end of the day. But for those who love writing and have the writing chops, it's not hard to make a decent income online as a writer. There are many opportunities for writers in the world wide web. Here are some ways to earn by writing:

1) LOOK FOR AN ONLINE WRITING JOB - If you go to websites like oDesk, GetAFreelancer and ELance, there are plenty of job listings for writers. You can be a ghostwriter or a web content writer. If you have specialized knowledge (for instance, knowledge in computers, software, etc.), you can be a technical writer. Here are some sub-categories of online writing jobs:

Technical Writing
Website Content
Business Plans
Blog / Article Writing
Copywriting / Editing
Translation

You can find more sub-categories at ELance that your specialty can fit into.

2) BLOG - There several ways to earn by blogging. The most common way is to post advertisements on your blog so that you earn when people click on them (PPC) or when they purchase items via the link on your blog (affiliate marketing). You can also sell advertising spaces on your blog, but you can only do that if your blog has a high traffic.

You can also sign up for accounts at websites like Pay Per Post, Smorty and Social Spark where companies pay you to write blog entries to promote their products or services.

3) WRITE ARTICLES - Ever heard of "bum marketing?" It is a marketing method said to be so easy that even a bum can do it. Actually, there is hard work involved, but your efforts will pay off if you persevere and do things the right way. Bum marketing is also known as article marketing which involves finding a profitable niche (a target market), finding affiliate programs which has products that your market is interested in, writing articles relevant to your niche and embedding affiliate links within those articles. When your readers click the links and buy the products, you earn. I will discuss bum marketing in a separate post which is coming soon. My point here is you can use articles to market affiliate products and earn money from commissions.

But there are also sites like Helium, Associated Content and Triond that pay for every article that you submit or the traffic that your articles generate.

4) WRITE ACADEMIC PAPERS - Do you always get A's or B's in your term papers and theses? Do you have good Internet research skills and some solid background on certain fields of knowledge? If so, you can be paid to write academic papers. There are students who need a lot of help.

Here are some sites that offer academic writing jobs. Honestly, I haven't signed up for an account in any of these sites so I recommend caution to those who would like to sign up:

5) WRITE LETTERS - I'm sure that many of us have written letters before such as letters of application and resignation, recommendation, etc. You can actually earn from those letters. With a few tweaks, somebody else could use it. Or you can write custom letters to suit specific needs. For more information, go to Letter Rep by clicking here.

There are many more ways to earn by using your writing skills. Writing is a skill worth developing and honing. It takes a lot practice to be able to write well, but the pay-off is tremendous.

Just Amazing (Simply Inspiring)

2009-04-17T06:59:00.000-07:00

A chubby middle-aged woman with bushy eyebrows walked across the stage and stood there amid the laughter and sneers from the audience. She played along and did an awkward little dance in response to the wolf whistles. A young girl made a face when that woman said she was trying to be a professional singer. The audience thought she was a joke and expected her to fall flat on her face. And then, she sang...

Susan Boyle reminds us about two things: 1) Never judge a book by its cover or you'll never know the story it tells and 2) It's never too late to go for your dreams. Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda Holden said, "It was a complete privilege listening to that." I totally agree. Play the video and be counted among the privileged ones. And oh, get a hanky because you might need to wipe some tears.

Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent
Uploaded by dwarthy

Get HIT: Make Money by Doing Simple Tasks

2009-03-30T02:07:00.000-07:00

Does the title of this post sound like a scam? Don't worry. I just would like to introduce you to a site that I stumbled upon this morning. It made me wish that I had learned of this site much earlier.

Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is the site to go to when you want to earn by doing simple tasks. Yup, MTurk is a subsidiary of Amazon.com so I'm confident that it's not a scam. No job application is needed. Just view the available jobs, click on the task that you think you can do and start working. You will get paid for performing Human Intelligence Tasks (HITs) -- these are tasks that are impossible for computers to do, but are really simple for humans to perform. Finding contact numbers of companies, commenting and voting on articles, rewriting sentences in your own words are but few of the examples of HITs available at MTurk. Most tasks, if not all, are easy. You decide when to work and how much work you want to do.

However, there's some bad news for those who live outside the U.S. When it comes to the payment options, you only have a choice between U.S. bank transfer and Amazon.com gift certificate. Unless you have a U.S. bank account, you definitely can't choose the first option, which means you cannot receive your earnings in cash. However, when you choose the second option, your earnings will be credited to your Amazon.com account and you can use this to purchase items from Amazon.com. It's not a bad idea especially if there is something that you want to purchase from Amazon. They have cool gadgets there...

For more information and to create an MTurk account, click HERE.

P.S. Signing up for an account is absolutely free!

I Don't Feel Like Working

2009-03-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

I'm out of sorts today. I feel a bit depressed and grouchy. I had to drag myself out of bed this morning. I had to force myself to turn on my laptop and work.

I'm a woman and it happens every month.

Okay. I've got to admit that sometimes, I hate my job especially when I meet difficulties along the way and when things don't turn out the way I want to. Yes, there are times when I feel like tossing my job out the window. PMS magnifies the feeling ten times.

But I also know that there are a lot of people who would love to have my job, people like Jen, my next door neighbor who is a teacher. She has to get dressed every day, wear makeup, buy gasoline and drive her motorcycle to the next town to teach nine sections of grade school pupils. She hates her boss, the principal. And she earns only a little over 1/10 of what I make each month. I ask her, "Why do you do this?" She just shrugs her shoulders and says, "It's the only job I can get." By the way, Jen was here a few days ago, asking me to teach her how to do my job.

I, on the other hand, just have to drag my butt out of bed to my work station which is literally just a few steps away. I can work in my pajamas. I don't even have to wash my face and brush my teeth before I start working (But of course, I brush my teeth and wash my face). It's just me, myself and my laptop. No fire-breathing bosses. No gossipy co-workers.

Sometimes, when I feel like bitching about my job, I have to remind myself what a lucky beeyotch I actually am.

Make Money from Things You May Be Doing

2009-03-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

A lot of us spend a lot of time online, but I don't really know how many of us actually earn from the things we do on the Internet. Some get-paid-to sites actually pay its users to do common tasks -- things that we usually do, but take for granted. Here are examples of such things and how we can earn from them:

1) GET PAID FOR LISTENING TO MUSIC -- Yes, you can turn on your media player, plug in a pair of earphones, sit back, relax, and earn. Well, the earning part comes after reviewing the music that you've heard, but how hard is that when all you need to say is whether you like the music or not and why.

SlicethePie.com - This is a music site aiming to help relatively unknown bands and individual artists get discovered. They also pay you to help them figure out which of these artists are most likely to succeed and therefore worth their time promoting. If you're tired of the mainstream hits and are looking for something different or something fresh, then this site is for you. To check out the site, click HERE.

PopCuts.com - Do you buy music online? Do you have that special sense for the next big thing in music? If your answer to those two questions is yes, then PopCuts.com is for you. The website says, "Every time a song you bought sells, you get a cut of the proceeds." Trendspotters are rewarded here. For more info, click HERE.

2) GET PAID TO SEARCH - Search engines are indispensable to Net addicts (like me). They point us to the information that we look for and help us discover fabulous websites. But ever thought that it is possible to get paid for searching?

Homepages Friends is a program that pays you for using the Yahoo search engine. If you do a lot of searching, you might as well earn from it. To register for an account on Hompages Friends, click HERE.

3) GET PAID TO SOCIALIZE - Do you have a MySpace Account? Friendster? How about a social networking site that you can earn from?

Yuwie is social networking with a twist. You can invite friends, dress up your profile, blog, share your pictures, etc, just like you normally would in other social networking sites. But there is one difference. Yuwie pays you! To learn more, click HERE.

4) GET PAID TO SHARE PHOTOS - You might have a ton of pictures that you took with your digicam that you may want to share with friends. Why not share them through a website that pays you for sharing your photos? You may also want to get codes for your blog, website or MySpace.

ShareAPic.net is the website that allows you to do all these things. It's a great alternative to Flickr and Photobucket. To sign up, click HERE.

5) GET PAID TO BLOG - Do you love blogging? I do. But do you earn from blogging? You can. There are many ways to earn from blogging. One is to submit your blog to websites that pay you to blog.

PayPerPost is a website where you can get paid for providing valuable opinion and useful feedback to advertisers. A similar site that is also good is Smorty. Check out both sites by clicking the names in boldface.

6) GET PAID TO MAKE PREDICTIONS - Do you think you're a bit of a psychic or is your intuition pretty strong? Or can you make educated predictions based on current trends? Why not be paid for it?

Predictify.com is a website that allows you to predict the future and build a reputation based on your accuracy. It's fun! And best of all, you can make money by winning cash! To start predicting future news, click HERE.

7) GET PAID TO WRITE LETTERS - Have you been writing letters? Your letters might be of use to others, so why not sell it as a template? Go to LetterRep.com to get paid for writing letters. For more info, click HERE.

I will certainly discover more get-paid-to sites in the coming days. If you've come across some good ones, it would be great if you can share them by writing a comment.

Note: No PTCs (pay-to-click) please!

Please check out the GPT section of this blog as well for more get-paid-to sites.

HOW TO LAND A JOB AT ODESK

2009-03-07T02:53:00.000-08:00

I've always been singing the praises of oDesk. I honestly think it's the best job site in the world wide web. Let me tell you why.

First of all, it's absolutely free to set up an account at oDesk. This is one of the reasons why I tell people that they don't need to shell out money to get an online job. oDesk does not have paid options, which means you can take advantage of all the services in the site for free; you are not denied any privilege just because you cannot pay or you're unwilling to pay. oDesk also facilitates the billing of the buyers (employers) and the payment of the providers (employees). * You can get your pay via oDesk Master Debit Card or Moneybookers. You are guaranteed payment for hourly work. They also have free tests, which is advantageous for both the buyer and the provider. It helps the buyers choose the best fit for the jobs they require. If providers fare well in the tests, they can post their scores in their online profile thereby increasing their chances of getting hired. Plus, they have a fantastic referral program. Refer a person to oDesk and you'll get $50 when they earn their first $1,000 (cumulative earnings).

However, the number one complaint that I get from people who have signed up for an account at oDesk is it's difficult to get hired. Indeed, being a job candidate at oDesk is like being a needle in the proverbial haystack. But you may just be the person that buyers are desperately looking for. So what on earth can we do to get found?

Here are some tips to increase your chances of getting hired at oDesk:

1) COMPLETE YOUR PROFILE - When you sign up for an account, you will be asked to provide some information which your online profile will consist of. Buyers would like to know the providers as well as they can before they hire them. An incomplete profile is unattractive to buyers because it gives the impression that there are things about the provider that he or she is not willing to reveal or that the provider really has nothing to show for. So provide as much information as you reasonably can, but be honest.

2) COME UP WITH AN INTERESTING TITLE - If you're a needle in a haystack, you need to be shiny in order to get found. Remember, competition is stiff at oDesk. When a buyer posts a job at oDesk, he or she usually ends up looking at a candidate list with the names and titles of hundreds of providers vying for the job. Needless to say, you need to stand out!

A good title is a brief summary of what you are and what you have to offer. Below are good examples of titles (Please don't copy. Be creative.):

Experienced Data Entry Operator, VA, Researcher, Fast and Accurate
Competent and Multi-tasking Administrative Support Professional
Data entry, MS Office, SEO specialist

I've been looking at some candidate lists and I've found some interesting ways by which providers try to catch the attention of buyers. As you can see in the above examples, some use the words "specialist" and "experienced." Some use special characters (like hearts and musical notes) to attract attention and pique curiosity. You can do all these things. Be creative, but more importantly, be truthful. Make sure that the adjectives you use to describe yourself as a professional truly reflects your level of competence and skill.

3) WRITE A GOOD OBJECTIVE - A good objective helps the buyers decide whether they should invite you for an interview. It should include some specifics about your skills and the types of jobs that you've completed and the ones that you're interested in.

When I wrote my own objective, I followed the example and the guidelines given by oDesk. Here is my objective:

"My previous jobs allowed me to develop excellent communication skills, both oral and written. As a call center agent, I had the opportunity to learn and apply the essentials of customer service. Having worked with American customers, I have become familiar with the American accent. Being a transcriptionist has helped me to become very keen on details. I have also developed excellent typing and computer skills since all of my previous jobs required these competencies. I am looking for a part time job which would allow me to use and further develop the skills that I have acquired. I am interested in data entry work, medical transcription or e-mail response handling."

Before you type your objective in the space provided by oDesk, look for the link that says "Example of a good objective." It is found below the box where you are to type your objective. Click on it and study the example.

4)TOOT YOUR HORN - Do not hesitate to mention your achievements. Modesty is not encouraged here. Why? Because buyers want to know what you can accomplish and what you can do for them. It's as simple as that.

5) TAKE TESTS - oDesk has free online tests. As I mentioned above, this is one of the advantages that you can get from the site. Good test results can enhance your profile. Your test scores are an indication of your level of competence and knowledge, so if you make good, make your test scores public. If not, you have the option to keep your test scores private and you can take the same test after two months.

You can take other online tests, too. Brainbench offers free online tests that you can take advantage of. Actually, although it's not really required, to get a 100% profile completeness score at oDesk, you would need to submit at least one online certification other than what oDesk provides.

6) SHOW YOUR WARES - Store owners showcase their merchandise at store windows or showcase cabinets to attract buyers. In the same way, you should build an online portfolio if possible. If you're a writer, set up a blog and/or post articles wherever you can. If you're a logo designer, upload your work to a photo-sharing site like Shareapic. (The nice thing about Shareapic is you earn while people view your graphics or pictures. Click here to set up an account.). If you're web designer or developer, build your own website and direct the prospective buyers by providing them the link. You can use sites that offer free webhosting like Bravenet and http://www.000webhost.com. Look for every opportunity online to show off your talents and direct the buyers to the sites where they can take a good look at your work.

7) WRITE A GOOD COVER LETTER - When you apply for a job at oDesk, you will be asked to write a short cover letter. The first paragraph should be a concise summary of your relevant experience and/or qualifications. Two to three sentences are enough; more than that would be too long. The succeeding paragraphs should indicate your availability -- how many hours per week you are available, the links to your online portfolio (if any) and how and when the buyer can contact you. However, you cannot put your contact information in the cover letter; oDesk will provide that to the buyer.

Before writing your cover letter, click the link that says "Example good vs. bad cover letter" below the box where you are to type your cover letter and study the given example.

8) MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PRICE IS RIGHT - I'm not saying that your services should be dirt cheap. In fact, I think you should never allow yourself to be shortchanged. However, you need to check two things -- the average rate of candidates (under Job Facts) and the buyer's budget (usually under Preferred Qualifications). Set your price according to these two factors. You may want to start with small projects first to gather feedback from buyers before you go after big ones. And one thing to consider: oDesk gets 10% of the total charges paid by the buyer and the rest of the payment is guaranteed to the provider (It's guaranteed for hourly work).

9) APPLY FOR AS MANY JOBS AS YOU CAN - Don't stop at one application. Put the law averages to use; the more jobs you apply for, the greater your chances of getting hired. But don't rely on the law of averages alone. It is never enough. You need to apply the first eight tips I mentioned above before this one. And of course, you should apply for the jobs that are well-suited to your qualifications and skills.

10) WHEN YOU GET HIRED, DO YOUR JOB WELL - If you want the same employer to hire you again for other projects or if you want to a long term job, you need to win your employer's confidence. You can do this by being trustworthy and competent. You also need to gather good feedback so that other buyers become interested in you and confident in your capabilities and character.

The tips that I have just shared will certainly help you increase your likelihood of getting a job. Getting hired by a buyer takes some effort, but it will surely pay off.

If you don't have an oDesk account, click on the banner below:

Good luck and best wishes.

*oDesk touts itself as a "global service marketplace, " which is why employers are known as "buyers" and employees as "providers."

Update: Payment via PayPal is now one of the payment options at oDesk. If you have a PayPal account, you may add your oDesk email address to your PayPal account.

FREE TO DOWNLOAD

2009-02-28T05:19:00.000-08:00

Here are some nifty free stuff you can find online that I like and find very useful:

EXPRESS SCRIBE - I always mention this software in my posts because for me, this is the best transcription software ever, even better than some paid transcription software. The best thing about this transcription software is I can change the speed of the recording without affecting the pitch of the speaker's voice. (Sorry, StartStop. Express Scribe trumps you.)

GOOGLE DESKTOP - Indexes my files and makes it a breeze to locate them.

MOZILLA THUNDERBIRD - Perfect for my Gmail accounts. Organizes my email and my contacts, and keeps out spam. I use it with Lightning, an extension that adds an organizer and a calendar.

PHOTOSCAPE - A great alternative to Adobe Photoshop. It has all the features I need and more. Comes with a screen capture utility. Very easy to use.

FREE STUDIO MANAGER - A whole suite of programs that enables me to download videos, edit video and audio files, convert videos to MP3 sound files, convert video files to DVDs and burn them and more. With this suite, who needs Nero?

K-LITE CODEC PACK - Allows me to watch and/or listen to audio and video files of any format.

CUTE PDF - Allows me to create PDFs from any printable document. This can be used to create ebooks.

7ZIP - Allows me to unpack or open .tar, .rar and .zip files.

ONLINE STOP WATCH - An ADD sufferer like me needs an online stopwatch to keep myself focused on what I am doing (Beating deadlines keep me focused). I also use this to remind myself during breaks when I should go back to work. It has a fairly audible alarm. You can either download or use the online version.

Be careful when you download free software. Some of them come with trojans, viruses and spyware (some people are just really bad). So far, I haven't had any problems with all the programs I have mentioned above so go ahead and download. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I have. :-)

GET RID OF THE MOUSE! (For MS Word Users)

2009-02-20T08:11:00.001-08:00

Nope, I don't mean that kind that squeaks and gnaws at just about anything. I'm talking about that the seemingly indispensable computer accessory that looks a bit like the furry pest, minus the fur and the ears.

OK. The mouse does make our lives easier when we're using our computers and we can't totally do without the mouse. But relying on the mouse most of the time can slow you down. For my part, I don't want to take my hands off the computer keyboard when I'm working. The less I use the mouse, the better. And I hate anything that closely resembles that pesky rodent. I can only love the mice in cartoonlandia -- Mickey Mouse, Jerry of "Tom and Jerry," Speedy Gonzales, etc. (OK, I've got to admit, the mouse on the picture is cute.)

Here are some shortcut keys that will make you less dependent on your computer mouse when using MS Word (Some of these shortcuts work in other applications, too.):

CTRL + A - Selects all text and graphics.

CTRL + B - Emboldens the text (makes them boldface, that is).

CTRL + C - Copies the text.

CTRL + D - Shows the Font Window (use the Tab Key to move around).

CTRL + E - Aligns the text to the center of the page.

CTRL + F - Shows the Find Window.

CTRL + G - Shows the Goto Window.

CTRL + H - Shows the Find and Replace Window (perfect when you need to correct a misspelling that occurs multiple times in the text).

CTRL + I - Italicizes the text.

CTRL + J - Justifies the paragraph.

CTRL + K - Shows the hyperlink window.

CTRL + L - Aligns the paragraph to the left.

CTRL + M - Increases indentation of the whole paragraph.

CTRL + N - Opens a new document.

CTRL + O - Opens a saved document (Use the Tab Key and the Arrow Keys to move around).

CTRL + P - Shows the Print Window.

CTRL + Q - Decreases the indentation of the whole paragraph.

CTRL + R - Aligns the paragraph to the right.

CTRL + S - Saves the document.

CTRL + T - Hanging indent.

CTRL + U - Underscores or underlines the selected text.

CTRL + V - Paste.

CTRL + W - Exit. Brings up the dialog box that asks if you want to save the document.

CTRL + X - Cuts the selected text.

CTRL + Y - Redo.

CTRL + Z - Undo.

YOU CAN DO THE FOLLOWING WITHOUT USING A MOUSE:

To Select Text:

To select one character at a time, simply hold down the Shift Key while pressing one of the Arrow Keys, depending on the direction you want to go.

To select one word at a time, hold down the CTRL Key and the Shift Key at the same time while pressing the Arrow Key.

To select a whole line, place the cursor at the beginning of the line. Hold down the Shift Key and press the End Key. Alternatively, if the cursor is already at the end of the line, just hold down the Shift Key and press the Home Key instead.

To Change the Case of a Text: Select the text first, then
hold down the Shift Key while pressing the F3 key repeatedly until you get the desired case (UPPERCASE, lowercase, Title Case).

To Delete the Word at the Right Side of the Cursor: Hold down the CTRL Key and press the Del Key.

To Delete the Word at the Left Side of the Cursor: Hold down the CTRL Key and press the Backspace Key.

To Move the Cursor from One Word to Another: Hold down the CTRL Key and press the appropriate Arrow Key.

To Navigate from Window to Window: Hold down the Alt Key and press Tab a few times until you get to the desired window.

To Show the Desktop: Press the Window Key (the key with the Windows Logo) and the Letter D.

These are but a few of the shortcut keys that I know, but these are the ones that I usually use. These shortcut keys might also come in handy when your mouse suddenly conks out on you. Using them will save you a lot of time. (Read: Time is money.)

To remember them, you just have to use them constantly.

So long Mickey! Adios Speedy! Bye-bye Jerry!

WANT MY JOB?

2009-02-16T06:16:00.000-08:00

Some people have actually told me that they want my job. That's because I don't have to get dressed and wear makeup to go to work. I don't have to worry about transportation and getting late for work since my work station is but a few steps from my bed.

And best of all, I don't have a degree, but I make more money than most college graduates here do. So how much do I earn? Suffice it to say that I earn more than most office employees in my province. I pay all the bills at home. And I do have some money left over to buy some of the things I want -- like this laptop that I'm using right now.

As I have mentioned before, I've been a transcriptionist for two years now. I started working as a medical transcriptionist in 2007 for a medical transcription firm in Manila, but I came home and decided to work at home. I was able to find a job through Craigslist. I've been a media/business transcriptionist since August of 2007 and so far, I'm happy with my job although I'm planning to shift to web development because I'd like to try something new.

What exactly is transcription? Wikipedia defines it as "the conversion of spoken words into written language." If I were to be asked what I do for a living, I'd say that, essentially, I just type what I hear. But for some, it may not be as easy as it sounds. It requires certain skills and knowledge which are as follows:

1) GOOD LANGUAGE SKILLS -- This includes a good grasp of English grammar, the ability to listen and perceive nuances of pronunciation, and basic knowledge of the rules of punctuation and style.

2) BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS -- One does not have to be a computer genius to be a transcriptionist. A basic proficiency in MS Word, Excel and Internet research will do.

3) GOOD TYPING SKILLS -- Most people say that transcription is not about knowing how to type well. But for me, speed and accuracy in typing is essential if you would like to be a productive transcriptionist. Simply put, the faster you type, the more transcripts you produce in a day and the more you produce, the more you earn.

4) SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE -- Transcription necessitates the ability to understand what is being said through context clues. In other words, a transcriptionist needs to know what is being talked about in order to correctly transcribe what is being said by the speaker. For instance, a medical transcriptionist has to be familiar with medical terms and drugs' generic names and brands and has to study the basic concepts of anatomy and physiology in order to be able to transcribe doctors' reports accurately. Legal transcriptionists have to be familiar with the legal terms, especially the Latin ones. Even media transcriptionists like me have to be familiar with the names (especially the pronunciation and spelling) of TV personalities like George Stephanopoulos (whew!) and Lola Ogunnaike.

Now, for more information on how to develop the three skills that I mentioned above and for free resources online, read my previous post, "Basic Skills that Every Online Professional Should Have." You can read that post by clicking here.

As for specialized knowledge, you need to determine in what area or field of transcription you are well-suited for. Some graduates and students of medicine and nursing get into medical transcription. Law students and graduates may work as legal transcriptionists. Wide readers and erstwhile couch potatoes like me are well-suited for media transcription. You may take up special courses like I did. I studied medical transcription for six months.

Aside from a computer and an Internet connection, what else does a transcriptionist need to have?

1) A GOOD WORD PROCESSING SOFTWARE -- I use MS Word, but alternatively, you can use Writer, a free word processor from Open Office. It's free and it's compatible with MS Word. To download the Open Office suite, click here.

2) A TRANSCRIPTION SOFTWARE -- A transcription software is a program that plays back sound files. The best transcription software I have ever used so far is Express Scribe. Other transcription softwares make the speaker sound like Darth Vader when you slow down the speed. Not Express Scribe -- you can adjust the speed without affecting the pitch of the speaker's voice. And did I mention that it's free? To download Express Scribe, click here.

However, as a media transcriptionist, I transcribe video files. Sometimes, there are captions that I need to type. Express Scribe can only play the sound in video files. I have not tried any free video transcription software. I use StartStop which was provided by the transcription company that I work for.

Beware: Some transcription "firms" promise to train you for free and guarantee you a job, but they will actually charge you an astronomical price for the transcription software (like $600). I almost got duped; fortunately, my uncle didn't lend me money for the software. Why pay when you can get one for free?

3) A HEADSET -- Actually, a pair of good earphones or headphones will do. Sometimes, I use my MP3 player's earphones.

4) A FOOT PEDAL -- You can actually do without this one -- if you're just practicing. Anything that the foot pedal can do, the mouse can also do. Express Scribe allows the use of "Hot Keys" -- F keys that have the same function as a foot pedal. However, if you would like to be a productive transcriptionist and earn more and would like to concentrate better on what you're transcribing, then you should get one.

You can purchase a foot pedal from Executive Communications Systems, Inc. I believe that Executive Communications Systems is a trustworthy company. The transcription firm that I work for ordered a foot pedal for me last year. I found Executive Communications Systems' website address on the sticker affixed on the underside the footpedal that was sent to me by the transcription firm. It was delivered via FedEx from the U.S. to Kalibo, Aklan, my hometown. It is still in excellent condition; my first foot pedal lasted only 10 months. To buy a foot pedal, click on the banner below.

Transcription requires some basic skills that may be acquired through constant practice. The knowledge part is easy; I studied medical transcription for only six months. Well, I don't even use what I studied because I transcribe news reports. The investment is minimal and may be recouped within months. This could be a lucrative job depending on one's level of skill and productivity. It could be rewarding and it is certainly worth-trying.

To find transcription jobs, go to my resource page titled "JOBS" by clicking here. You will find a list of websites where you can find job postings from people who need transcription services.

Good luck!

Update: Want a transcription job? The company I work for is hiring! Be sure to click on the banner above my blog posts.

GOT SOME TIME TO KILL?

2009-02-15T03:58:00.001-08:00

Last week was such hectic week so I'm glad that it's weekend again. I have plenty of time in my hands. However, I just thought that since I have lots of free time, why not make money while killing it?

One of the sites that I like going to is MyLot, where I get to share my thoughts with the MyLot community and make friends with its thousands of users. It's fun to be there. You can be zany, wacky, humorous and all the synonyms for "funny" (Just be decent, of course, or you'll get kicked out). There are hundreds of topics to choose from, so surely there are discussions that match your interests.

The nicest thing about this is you get paid for doing something fun. Honestly, I'm in MyLot, not so much for the money, but for the chance to share my thoughts and learn some things from other people and to make friends with them. But heck, it is nice to get paid for this!

To start earning while having fun, click on the banner below:

More time to kill? I just found this video on YouTube. I just thought I'd share this with you. Can you do this with your eyebrows? Enjoy!

LEARNING PHP AND MYSQL

2009-01-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

I have worked as a transcriptionist for nearly two years now. However, these past few months, I’ve been thinking about a career change. I would like something more challenging, something that requires more creativity and lateral thinking.

A few months ago, Arpee, a 23-year-old web developer, moved into our apartment complex. He’s a great guy, who's very kind and generous — he let my entire family stay in his unit when a big flood came with the typhoon that hit our province last year (Our unit is on the ground floor; his is on the second floor). While we were staying in his unit, he encouraged my sister and me to study PHP and MySQL and showed us where to find resources to help us learn.

I admire this fellow. He was part of the Mambo CMS development team (Mambo is quite well-known among web developers) and now, he works with the Mia CMS development team (CMS is content management system, something that is used to build and maintain websites). He’s a college grad, but he didn’t learn PHP from school — he has a degree in Agricultural Engineering (I don’t think he learned how to develop web applications while taking soil samples). He is largely self-taught and says Google helped him a lot and so did joining discussion forums.

He is married and has a four-year-old daughter (who studies in a private school). His beautiful wife is a housewife who takes such good care of their pretty little girl and keeps their home tidy and clean. He owns a van and they live comfortably on the salary he earns. He earns twice as much as I do, so naturally, I got very interested in web development and since I started studying it, I’ve been hooked ever since.

Want to study PHP and MySQL? Well, first you need to have a working knowledge of HTML (hypertext markup language). HTML is actually very easy and really fun to learn. After learning HTML, you may proceed to PHP and MySQL.

So what do you need to do to learn PHP and MySQL?

1) DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL XAMPP - So what the heck is this? This a open source cross-platform web server package. You're going to need this because if you're going to study PHP and MySQL, you would need an Apache server, a MySQL database and a PHP interpreter. XAMPP has all of these. Don't worry because XAMPP is free. You can download XAMPP from here.

2) SURF THE INTERNET FOR WEBSITES THAT OFFER HELPFUL INFORMATION - There are a lot of web sites that offer tutorials in web development and design. Among the websites I've found very helpful are:

W3 Schools
Tizag
Killer PHP (Would you rather watch videos? Then this site is for you.)
PHP Official Site
HTML Dog (for those who have yet to learn HTML)

3) JOIN ONLINE FORUMS - You may need someone to help you understand some concepts or you may have questions that need to be answered. You'll be surprised that there are many people who are more than willing to help. Here are some online forums that you can join:

PHP Builder Forums
CodingForums.com
PHP Developer's Network
The Official PHP User-Group in the Philippines (Recommended by Arpee. This would be a great site to join if you're a newbie and a Filipino. PHP mavens can answer your questions in Taglish!)

4) DOWNLOAD E-BOOKS OR BUY BOOKS ON PHP AND MYSQL - Books and e-books present information in a more organized and comprehensive manner. They would be good to have for reference and in-depth learning.

These are the books I recommend:
(Click on the images for more info.)

For Newbies in HTML and Web Design:

There are available free e-books all over the Internet. Just Google the terms "free e-books" and "PHP" together. However, from experience, I've found that some of those books are either outdated or not very good, and some files contain viruses and trojans (Be particularly wary of those in .exe and .chm format). They're free, but download at your own risk.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy learning PHP.

New Video (Free!)

2008-12-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

I haven't written here for quite a while. I've been under a great deal of stress. Something terrible happened the day after I wrote my last post. I won't bother to write about it. All I can say is that when something bad happens, cry if you have to, then learn from the experience, look for the blessings behind it and move on.

We just celebrated Christmas. In my country, people start to feel Christmas-y in September; this is when you begin to hear Christmas carols and see Christmas decors in department stores. The Christmas spirit pervades through the -ber months (September, October, November, December). The feast of the Epiphany, which is on the first Sunday after New Year's Day, marks end of the Christmas season. I think we have the longest Christmas season.

The real spirit of Christmas is the spirit of sharing. So with two more weeks before the Christmas season ends in my country, I would like to share the gift which was given to me. This is a free video that could prove valuable to everyone who would like to make some serious money online. It was made by Adeel Chowdhry (You can find his blog at http://www.adeelchowdhry.com). It won't ask you to spend money. It's just a guide on how to make money online. Hint: Adeel will show you how to get jobs and how to use leverage to earn more money with less effort. I suggest that you try oDesk, too (He didn't include oDesk, but I strongly recommend this site.) To see the movie, fill out the form found at the right side of Adeel's blog. He will send you a link to the video. To go to Adeel's blog, simply click here.

I wish every one a Happy New Year and I pray that 2009 will be a much better year for all of us.

HOW ARE YOUR TYPING SKILLS?

2008-11-30T08:56:00.000-08:00

Whether you’re a work-at-home employee or a self-employed pro-blogger, your typing skills are some of the best assets that you can have as an online professional. I reiterate: Your typing speed and accuracy are commensurate to your productivity. The faster you type, the more work you can do in a day and the more money you earn.

An online professional needs to have a typing speed of at least 40 wpm (words per minute). If you would like to be a transcriptionist like me, you would need to have a typing speed of 60 wpm. Of course, your accuracy should be no less than 100%.

Are your typing skills below par? Don’t despair. There are hundreds of free typing tutors on the Internet available for download or for use online.

Here’s the link to a website that provides a list of typing tutors that are either freeware or shareware:

http://typingsoft.com/all_typing_tutors.htm

Just in case you’re wondering: When I started working, my peak typing speed was just 35 wpm, just enough to get me hired by the call center that I used to work for. By the way, I used the Biblical typing technique (“Seek and you shall find”). When I started out, the customers I talked with often grew impatient because I could not pull up the information that they were asking for right away, and that was because I wasn’t typing fast enough. As a result, my AHT scores (average handling time) went through the roof, which wasn’t a good thing, because they were supposed to be low (A high AHT score means the call center agent always keeps the customers waiting).

I then decided to do something about it. I went to the Sense-lang.org website and used the online free touch-typing tutor. This program, by the way, requires you to paste some text in a text box and then you would have to type the text. What I did was I copied and pasted the text from the emails that I needed to read, and I did this in between calls. I read my emails while I typed them. Talk about multi-tasking!

In a couple of months, my typing speed improved considerably and so did my stats (By “stats,” I mean my evaluation scores). And there were less and less impatient costumers. After a year, I decided to switch to another job. From a call center agent, I became a home-based transcriptionist. I wouldn’t be qualified for this job if my typing speed were less than 60 wpm. Needless to say, I acquired that speed — thanks to that typing tutor at Sense-lang.org.

I just visited the Sense-lang.org website after a long, long time. They now have a typing tutor for the Dvorak keyboard layout. They even have a tutor for the numeric keypad. They also have typing games to which makes learning how to type even more fun.

You can go to Sense-lang.org to check out the typing tutor.

BASIC SKILLS THAT EVERY ONLINE PROFESSIONAL SHOULD HAVE

2008-11-24T12:35:00.000-08:00

If you really want to work at home, you need to take stock of the skills that you have. There are a few indispensable skills that an online professional needs to possess. I will be listing these skills and provide links to some sources that can help you develop each skill that I will be mentioning.

COMPUTER SKILLS – I know — this is a no-brainer. An online professional should at least know how to use Microsoft Office, particularly these two applications — MS Word and MS Excel.

There are free tutorials available all over the Internet. You can even go to YouTube and type “Microsoft Word tutorial” or “Microsoft Excel tutorial” in the search box.

If you want to learn more and improve your MS Office skills, there are a lot of free tutorials on the Internet. Here are some websites that you can visit:

Education Online for Computers (with PDF documents available for download)

Training by Email (for MS Word, MS Excel, and MS Outlook Tutorials)

Basic Excel Tutorial

Microsoft Excel 2007 Tutorial Videos

Excel Tip (for advanced users)

Microsoft Word 2007 Tutorial Videos

TYPING - An online professional needs to have a typing speed of at least 40 words per minute in order to work efficiently. You need to build not only speed, but also accuracy. In fact, accuracy should be prioritized over speed.

Here’s the link to a website that provides a list of typing tutors that are either freeware or shareware: All The Touch Typing Tutors

COMMUNICATION SKILLS — Good communication skills are essential if you want to land an online job. English is one language that you need to master, unless you’re working with an employer or clients that speak a different language.

There are three communication skills that are worth developing: oral, written and listening. Those who have good oral communication skills can apply as virtual assistants and work-at-home telemarketers, and contact specialists (call center agents or answering service agents). Writing is a good skill to have as there is a huge market for writers online. Good listening skills are vital for transcriptionists and contact specialists.

Here are some websites you can visit that can help you improve on your English grammar:

Guide To Grammar and Writing

Daily Grammar

Grammar Bytes

If you would like to improve your listening skills, I recommend that you listen to podcasts and try to transcribe what you hear. Listening to podcasts will also help you acquire an “ear” for grammar. You will begin to develop that intuitive sense as to whether the sentence you read or hear is grammatically correct or not. One of the nicest things about transcribing podcasts is that you learn about a variety of subjects while you develop two basic skills — typing and listening.

Here are some websites where you can download podcasts for free.

Podcast.com

Inspirational Podcasts from Robin Sharma

StevePavlina.com

You can download Express Scribe, a free transcription software (the best I have ever used so far) by clicking on this link: Express Scribe

To best way to develop writing skills is to write, write, write. Keep a journal. Show off your writing chops by keeping a blog. Submit content to get-paid-to-write sites.

The best way to be a better speaker is — you guessed it — talk, talk, talk. Join the Toastmasters’ Club nearest you. If English is a second language to you, you can ask someone who is fluent in that language to converse with you in English.

Keep in mind that people are not born with these skills. They are acquired and developed through constant practice. You build confidence through competence — confidence both on your part and your employers' part. So get moving! :)

By the way, here's another website that could help : Skillswise

FOCUS ON FOCUS

2008-11-21T15:31:00.000-08:00

Most people think it would be nice to earn a living in the comfort of their homes. For one, it’s nice to be able to work in pajamas and not worry about what to wear to the office. One doesn’t need to be too concerned about the rising prices of gasoline because there’s no need to drive or commute to work. Working at home also means not having a boss breathing down your neck or a yakking supervisor when you make mistakes. And there’s virtually no need for office politics. Working affords flexibility and a lot of freedom.

But as we all know, freedom must be used responsibly. While working at home gives one a lot of freedom, it also requires a lot of discipline. Some jobs require one to meet deadlines. Others require one’s full attention and keenness to detail. Most jobs require one to be organized and methodical.

While working from home is a privilege, it can also be a challenge for some. A home-worker has to face his or her number one enemy on a daily basis — DISTRACTION. Mothers who work at home may have to deal with babies or toddlers demanding attention. Sometimes, the temptation to browse non-work related sites is so strong that one is bound to get distracted occasionally.

Here are some tips to be able to maintain your focus on the job:

BEGIN WITH AN END IN MIND — To be able to focus, you need a target. You need to know where to direct your attention and your efforts. Establish a routine and a set of procedures if your job is repetitious; otherwise, make a to-do list. Just know what you are supposed to accomplish and what you are supposed to do at the moment.
ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS IN YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT — This is self-explanatory. Make it a rule with your spouse, children and other family members that you are not to be disturbed at certain times of the day unless there’s a life-and-death situation. Also, do not work near a television. Make sure that your work environment is comfortable, noise-free and clutter-free.
BEAT THE CLOCK. Impose a time limit on yourself and use a countdown timer. Keep the time limit short, but realistic. Make sure that the quality of your work doesn’t suffer because of this. When you are working against a time limit, you will be forced to focus. In my case, it keeps the temptation to browse non-work-related websites at bay. I don’t take it too seriously though. Beating the clock is a game to me where my opponent is the timer. You can get yourself a good stopwatch and countdown timer for free here.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, STOP — You could be overstressed. Stress could impair our ability to focus. You could do some relaxation exercises. When I find myself overwhelmed and unable to think clearly, I do an exercise that I learned from Silva Mind Control Method. I stop whatever it is that I’m doing, close my eyes, take deep breaths, and count backwards from 10 to 1. After a few moments, I count from 1 to 5, telling myself that I am wide awake and feeling better than ever. This exercise works for me, but I’m not sure if it would work for everyone. For more relaxation techniques, read this article from MayoClinic.com.

Sometimes, we really don’t need more time to do the things that we want to do. We just have to maximize the time that is available to us. We can only do that if we can focus on the things that we need to do.

If you have tips on how to be able to improve concentration and to maintain focus on the job, you are welcome to post them in the comments section. I would appreciate it very much if you could share them. ;)

HOW I FOUND MY JOB

2008-11-19T15:54:00.000-08:00

As I’ve already mentioned in the ABOUT section of this blog, I’m a full-time work-at-home professional. I’m a college dropout but I earn more than most college graduates in our province do. I pay all the bills at home and support my whole family — my mother, my brother and my sister.

It’s hard to believe that less than a couple of years ago, I was struggling with financial difficulties. I had just resigned from the medical transcription firm that I worked for in Manila and I had just moved back to our province. For a couple of months, I was no better than a bum.

Fortunately, I had my PC. I called my uncle in the U.S. and asked if he could send me some money so I could have Internet connection. I didn’t have a single centavo to my name, so I needed his financial help badly. He sent me money right away and off I went to an Internet service provider to have my Internet connection set up. I thought that it would be the end of my troubles, but I was wrong.

I thought finding an online job was easy. Just use Google, right? Wrong. It took me another two months to find a job. I was even almost scammed — people from a “medical transcription firm” promised to re-train me for free and then hire me. After two emails, I found out that I would have to purchase the transcription software which they were selling at $600! (I could easily get a transcription software for free, legally.) They were even pressuring me to buy the software because “training would start in a week.” I was so desperate for a job, but I didn’t have the money they required me to send. It turned out to be a good thing; otherwise, I would have been their victim.

Then, I found some job websites that offered to put my resume into their “resume database” for a steep fee. Plus, there were those bogus “data entry positions that needed to be filled. No experience or special knowledge required.”

I scoured the Internet for employment opportunities. I answered every want ad for transcriptionists, writers and data entry professionals. I have lost count of the companies that I sent my resumes to. All I know is they were more than I could count on my fingers and toes.

Then, I got an email from a U.S.-based transcription firm that asked me to take the employment exam. I was skeptical at first, but then, I gave it a go. I passed and the rest is history.

Here are some important things I learned while looking for an online job:

1) NOBODY HAS TO SHELL OUT A SINGLE CENT TO GET A JOB. In fact, you should be wary of those who ask you for money in return for a job. Scammers abound in the World Wide Web. So beware!

2) WORK ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF AVERAGES. The more applications you send, the greater your chances of getting hired; and

3) FLAUNT EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT. Don't be too shy to mention your educational attainment, the honors that you've received, your accomplishments, your skills and your experience. Remember, you're selling your services and your prospective employers would like to see some proof that you are the man or the woman for the job. Be honest though.

Not sure where to find a job? Go to the JOBS page by clicking here.

It will save you a lot of time. Good luck and best wishes.