12 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
12 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

IM as part time steady job?

by Vlad Romanov
10 replies
Hi, I have been trying to make it for quite some time now. I have tried some methods and some worked better than others. Without getting into those, I wanted to know if it is possible to simply find a steady hourly income right off the start in this field. I am an electrical engineering student and a native English and French speaker; I'm not interested in fiver gigs which pay 5$ per hour, I am talking 8-10 hours per week with over 15$/hour for my time and believe that my credentials are sufficient for such a job.

Anyhow if you know a place where I could find such offers, please point me in the right direction. And if you are wondering why I don't just get a normal job, the reason is that I want very flexible hours. I don't mind giving an account of how many hours I've done on the project, but I need to be able to follow my own schedule.

-thanks for any info, Vlad
#job #part #steady #time
  • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
    For most people IM is NOT a job. It's a business.

    However, if you are really employee-minded and want a steady job: offer services for business people. VA (virtual assistant, web master etc.) Your credentials don't really mean anything, sorry, because they are irrelevant.

    You may be bilingual but that doesn't mean you are able to write original articles (or any text). Maybe you can but one needs proof.

    Being an electrical engineer student doesn't mean you know XHTML/CSS/PHP... in case one needs a webmaster.

    Nothing personal, I don't know you. Maybe you have all the knowledge I've mentioned above... and even more.

    Post in the Warriors for Hire section and ad outlining your skills and mention that you are after a JOB.
    Signature

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4715639].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Vlad Romanov
      Originally Posted by Istvan Horvath View Post

      For most people IM is NOT a job. It's a business.

      However, if you are really employee-minded and want a steady job: offer services for business people. VA (virtual assistant, web master etc.) Your credentials don't really mean anything, sorry, because they are irrelevant.

      You may be bilingual but that doesn't mean you are able to write original articles (or any text). Maybe you can but one needs proof.

      Being an electrical engineer student doesn't mean you know XHTML/CSS/PHP... in case one needs a webmaster.

      Nothing personal, I don't know you. Maybe you have all the knowledge I've mentioned above... and even more.

      Post in the Warriors for Hire section and ad outlining your skills and mention that you are after a JOB.
      Thanks for the input. I understand where you are coming from, but I must disagree on your view about my credentials. School does not guarantee the knowledge of a certain skill, but it demonstrates an important skill: the ability to learn and follow guidelines and orders. I'm not claming to be a skilled webmaster, but what I can do is write articles, emails, instructions in good English. I can be told to create backlinks in a certain way and I will make sure they will be done exactly as expected.

      My question in this thread is: is there a market for high quality workers out there? There is obviously fiver, but it is highly unstable and is usually unprofitable unless you come up with some gig you complete in minutes or live in a country where the exchange rate is high for that amount ( no offense to anyone)

      Once again, thank you for all the input
      Signature

      Website: http://vladromanov.com

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4715715].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
        Originally Posted by Vlad Romanov View Post

        Thanks for the input. I understand where you are coming from, but I must disagree on your view about my credentials.
        That's absolutely fine (disagreeing) because I also happen to disagree with almost everything you wrote...

        Originally Posted by Vlad Romanov View Post

        School does not guarantee the knowledge of a certain skill, but it demonstrates an important skill: the ability to learn and follow guidelines and orders.
        Hmm... if I was a corporate HR boss, I'd love to hire you. They see schools exactly as the best places to produce obedient citizens and disciplined employees, who follow orders. Nothing wrong with that: somebody has to be employee - you decided to emphasize that side of your education.

        But then again: IM (as you put it) doesn't provide any "steady hourly wages"... IMers might hire you if/when they need employees able to execute orders. IM is for business-minded people!

        Originally Posted by Vlad Romanov View Post

        I'm not claming to be a skilled webmaster, but what I can do is write articles, emails, instructions in good English.
        Leaving the webmaster issue aside, I will comment only on the writing skills. Writing a good content, for me, is more than putting sentences together. If I need articles or email messages I need something that convinces the reader to do something. In a clear, clever and unique way.

        Now, since you picked this argument... In your OP you were not able to clearly outline your skills when asking for job advice. Instead, you "pimped" your credentials but in IM nobody really gives a sh*t about our credentials. (I also happen to have degrees and speak 4 languages but the members around don't really care; they trust my advice about blogs because I demonstrated I really know my stuff about WP, for example...)

        You feel entitled to get a better paid job than flipping burgers... just because you are bilingual and a university student. In your OP there was nothing about skills - only your belief of being predestined for something better paid than others. That much about writing skills...

        Originally Posted by Vlad Romanov View Post

        is there a market for high quality workers out there?
        Probably. But this is not the best place to try to sell yourself... Although you still can try to offer specific skills in the Warriors for Hire section. Specific skills that are sought after in this industry!

        P.S. I don't know you. I don't remember you from this forum. There is nothing personal. I just thought "dissecting" a mindset could be useful for other readers, too...
        Signature

        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4717378].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author dsouravs
    I hate to give service in Fiverr and also hate those who give service there. Try freelancer.com

    thnx
    Signature

    I can convert your Non-Responsive website to Responsive website ... How sweet is that? :)

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4717090].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Suze Thomas
    So, you're looking for $15 an hour for 10 hours a week, which would be $150 a week.
    For that amount offshore outsourcers offer VA services for a whole 35-40 hour week, too.

    You would be competing with them, as they may do what you're offering to do. Seems it would be easier to offer to do specific high-value projects, than compete in that market.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4717171].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author yayasvc
      Hi Vlad,

      So let me make sure I understand your question. You are looking to work for someone else for $15 an hour for 8 to 10 hours a week part time, right? So you're looking to make an extra $120 to $150 per week.

      You can always try freelancer.com but in my opinion, you'd be better off choosing a home business for yourself and doing your own internet marketing. You could easily make more than that in a few hours in just one day with the right business.

      Good luck to you!

      Yvonne
      --
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4717236].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author ebusinesstutor
    The first task is to create a portfolio that will show your expertise. It helps if you can offer something unique from what others are offering.

    Then you can offer your services through freelance web sites such as oDesk and Guru.
    Signature

    Garland Coulson, "The E-Business Tutor"
    Internet Mentorship
    Internet Marketing Speaker
    Internet Marketing Help Blog

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4717942].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author brocktoon93
    If you are trying to make $15 an hour, its totally possible. Post your services online. Do it on this forum and try a few other big webmaster forums. Also, dont be too fast to dismiss fiverr til you try it. If you want $15 an hour, thats 4 gigs for 15 mins each. Find some task you can do in 10 and offer it there. You probably will do better on webmaster forums like here, but start by trying many avenues until you get customers, and especially repeat business.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4718857].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Rob Howard
    Vlad, you need to seriously listen to Istvan, as he is dead on the money.

    This isn't the corporate world. You are working with primarily small to medium sized businesses who, for a lack of a better term, are very keen on what can be achieved with a budget.

    I'm going to be outright honest with you - I would never pay anyone 15 bucks+ an hour to do tasks like:

    1. Backlinking
    2. Emailing
    3. Writing instructions

    These tasks I can get done, from a good VA in the Philippines, for 1/2 to 1/4 the cost you are asking for.

    About writing - I MAY be interested in paying 15 an hour IF you prove your writing is up to snuff.

    But you are competing with a lot of people who can churn out quality on a dime. I know of a few fiverr gigs that do 500 to 600 word articles that are of pretty high quality and I currently have an in house writer who can write a super high quality article for 8 dollars an hour. (Takes about 2 hours for her to do - 1000 words, reads like a novel, entertaining)

    So, your schooling doesn't matter to me. I really don't care whether or not you are a grad student with a phd. (And btw, I've had phd's apply to positions I've hired before in the past...and those were 8 dollar an hour jobs)

    All I care about is that you can do the work - and you have to prove to me you are capable.

    So, if you want the price you are asking for, then guess what - you need to sell yourself and make a business out of yourself...make sense?

    Rob
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4718905].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author stevenjacobs
    Banned
    the best way to make a steady income in Internet marketing is to start up a service in the warrior forum. you can make backlinks, design websites, or any other skill you have learned. I have had great success with this and many other people have.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[4718924].message }}

Trending Topics