During a recent senate hearing of the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, Senator Bam Aquino expressed support for the online freelancing industry in the Philippines.
Specifically, Aquino wants to work with the appropriate government departments to improve internet speed and access, relax registration procedures with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and provide incentives for more Filipinos to consider online freelancing.
Ron Cirujano, the country manager of Elance-oDesk, attended the hearing to speak on the opportunity that online freelancing represents for individual Filipinos as well as the country as a whole. According to Cirujano, Filipino freelancers have earned over 9 billion PhP (US$ 206 million) over the last four years.
Elance-oDesk competitor, Freelancer.com, is doing well also, as we can glean from its top earner in the Philippines, who earned 20 million PhP (US$458,000) writing from her home in Metro Manila. That figure may not sound much, but in the Philippine context, it’s huge. The daily minimum wage here in the National Capital Region is 466 PhP (US$10.68).
How to achieve a rewarding career as a freelancer
As Aquino spearheads the campaign to make online freelancing an even more robust industry in the Philippines, freelancers do not have to sit idly by. Filipinos keen on taking up online freelancing – or improving their current careers – can heed the following advice provided by Freelancer.com regional director for Southeast Asia Evan Tan (pictured below).
While his advice is specific to the Freelancer.com platform, much of it is also applicable to online freelancing in general.
See: Freelancer teams up with Malaysian government to get low-income groups into work
1. Become searchable on Google
While Freelancer.com, like competitors Elance and oDesk, are complete freelancing ecosystems – employers can find, hire, and pay freelancers entirely through these sites – hiring companies are still bound to look you up on Google.
Tan recommends that freelancers actively create a positive Google footprint. To do so, he suggests picking up pro bono work with reputable companies to get their name out there. “A lot of freelancers would frown upon doing free work, but working on projects like writing guest posts or doing graphic design work for popular websites help a lot,” Tan says, adding that freelancers should ask these employers to then provide testimonials on their personal LinkedIn account.
2. Realize that the portfolio section is for everyone
Freelancer.com provides its users with an opportunity to upload a portfolio. According to Tan, many Filipinos misconstrue this section as a place only for graphic and web designers. “But a visual representation of past projects may be a good way for anyone to give a quick rundown of what you’ve accomplished to date,” Tan says. “It gives confidence to potential employers of your capabilities to do the tasks they need done.”
To do so, freelancers may need to get creative. If you’re a freelancer marketer, for example, you may want to provide a graph illustrating how one of your particular campaigns increased sales of a product.
3. Be a reacher, not a settler
Tan has noticed that some Freelancer.com freelancers may try to settle for projects that they may be over-qualified for, thinking that these are easier to get. In reality, these are often harder to get because many more people apply for them.
Tan thinks a better strategy is to aim as high as you can. “Look for projects that not a lot of people are competing for,” Tan says. “Don’t just always go for the low-hanging fruit. For example, if you’re a writer, don’t go for data entry jobs – look for proofreading work or press release writing.”
4. Mirror how they communicate
Communicating with prospective (or current!) employers online can be tricky territory. How does a freelancer, for example, strike the right balance between formality and friendliness? On one hand, you don’t want to come across as a lifeless drone, and on the other, you don’t want to treat your correspondence like a Facebook chat with your best friend.
In the same way that mirroring body language is good practice in face-to-face conversations, Tan suggests that freelancers also mirror how their employers communicate. “Are they perfunctory or talkative? Are they ambiguous or precise? Mimic how they talk if you must (and if you feel it’s necessary for them to understand what you’re trying to say), but assert yourself if and when you have to,” he says.
5. Collaborate and co-create
According to Tan, freelancers should involve clients in their work process as much as they can. Doing so, he argues, will help manage the employer’s expectations of the final output as well as make them realize that they need to collaborate more than delegate.
“I would suggest to practice active listening,” Tan says. “Be wary of what your client exactly wants, and be polite when making recommendations. Engage your employer and make them feel like they are part of the creative process, not just the recipient of the final output.”
6. Practice due diligence
Just like any other industry, online freelancing has its share of scammers. “A quick review of freelancing groups on Facebook will show how a lot of freelancers have already been scammed by employers, just like how a lot of employers themselves have been duped by freelancers,” Tan says.
While Freelancer.com has security measures in place to protect both the employer and the employee, such as their milestone payments system and dispute resolution service, Tan thinks that freelancers still need to exercise due diligence. “Do some research on the employer’s business,” he says. “Doing so will help ensure that you eventually get the compensation you deserve for the work you deliver.”
7. Treat freelancing as a career and it will start to become one
When Tech in Asia asked Tan how freelancers can leverage the work they do online into a full-fledged career, he emphasized the need for consistent professional dedication. “Complete your profile. Constantly update your portfolio. Get reviews from your employers. Keep your reputation high. And provide high-quality work that you’ll also be proud of,” Tan says.
Naturally, Tan also recommended that freelancers invest in some of the premium options that Freelancer.com offers, such as paid memberships, and exams. “These significantly increase the chances of getting hired and the earnings you get from your projects,” he reveals.
8. Find inspiration in the value your work provides
Freelancing online is not always easy, and Tan is not eager to paint it as such. There will be lulls in work. Some clients may be more a little difficult to work with. You may experience scope creep on a few projects.
To remain upbeat during times like these, Tan encourages freelancers to focus on the value that their work brings to the country. In particular, he thinks freelancers should explore helping small businesses in the Philippines. “Think mom-and-pop shops and neighborhood stores who would otherwise close because they can’t compete with large companies who can outsource their whole operations.”
Tan believes that helping these local businesses is the most rewarding part of being a freelancer. “More than the financial benefits and rewarding career, Filipino professionals are giving these small businesses a fighting chance,” he says.
Top image via Bam Aquino’s official Facebook page. Editing by Terence Lee.
The post Philippine senator Aquino wants to help freelancers – here’s how you can help yourself appeared first on Tech in Asia.
Philippine senator Aquino wants to help freelancers – here’s how you can help yourself
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