Requesting Advice to Help a Good Friend...

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I have a good friend in the Philippines. If things go right, I am planning to move there this October and hire her to help me with my Internet marketing or related business. I already have something good enough going and am hoping to have something much better by the time I get there.

Anyway, she is currently looking for a job. Jobs in the Philippines are incredibly difficult to find, and even then businesses only hire for five months at a time because the government requires employer-paid health plans for emloyees working for a longer period of time.

Unemployment rate is well above 50% I'm sure if you take into account those who have given up looking for jobs. Four-year computer science graduates most often end up working at a place like Jollibee (a McDonald's facsimile). The "normal" pay is around $7 a day.

I would like to know if anyone has any solid suggestions for freelance Internet jobs that I could train my friend for. I'm willing to spend a few hours (or more if necessary) training her.

This will also benefit me when I move there and she starts working for me, but most of all I just want to help her.

Here are her skills/capabilities:

1. Decent knowledge of English, but not enough to write articles.
2. Able to use computers well. I can teach her pretty much anything about using computers short of the more technical skills like HTML, programming, etc.
3. She is dedicated and can learn to work fairly quickly (but not a rush pace)
4. Access to a computer with Internet
5. Available flexible hours from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and weekends, if needed.

Here are qualities of a job that I am hoping to find:
1. Should be a steady income source, directly dependent on amount of work done and not sales, etc.
2. Pays at $1.50-$1.75 per hour ($2.00 would be awesome!), assuming a constant work rate.
3. Should be easy to find plenty of work at this pay level.
4. I can train her however many hours is necessary. I have a good working knowledge of most aspects of Internet marketing and related areas; anything I don't know I can learn.
5. I can set her up with any initial needs...a website, for example, or a membership or software tool (of reasonable price)
6. It would be great if this could be taught to others so that they could work for her.
7. Most obviously, I have in mind freelance work from such places as elance.com, but am open to any suggestions.

What would come close to this description?

Thank you for your help!
John
  • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
    Originally Posted by qattack View Post

    I have a good friend in the Philippines. If things go right, I am planning to move there this October and hire her to help me with my Internet marketing or related business. I already have something good enough going and am hoping to have something much better by the time I get there.

    Anyway, she is currently looking for a job. Jobs in the Philippines are incredibly difficult to find, and even then businesses only hire for five months at a time because the government requires employer-paid health plans for emloyees working for a longer period of time.

    Unemployment rate is well above 50% I'm sure if you take into account those who have given up looking for jobs. Four-year computer science graduates most often end up working at a place like Jollibee (a McDonald's facsimile). The "normal" pay is around $7 a day.

    I would like to know if anyone has any solid suggestions for freelance Internet jobs that I could train my friend for. I'm willing to spend a few hours (or more if necessary) training her.

    This will also benefit me when I move there and she starts working for me, but most of all I just want to help her.

    Here are her skills/capabilities:

    1. Decent knowledge of English, but not enough to write articles.
    2. Able to use computers well. I can teach her pretty much anything about using computers short of the more technical skills like HTML, programming, etc.
    3. She is dedicated and can learn to work fairly quickly (but not a rush pace)
    4. Access to a computer with Internet
    5. Available flexible hours from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and weekends, if needed.

    Here are qualities of a job that I am hoping to find:
    1. Should be a steady income source, directly dependent on amount of work done and not sales, etc.
    2. Pays at $1.50-$1.75 per hour ($2.00 would be awesome!), assuming a constant work rate.
    3. Should be easy to find plenty of work at this pay level.
    4. I can train her however many hours is necessary. I have a good working knowledge of most aspects of Internet marketing and related areas; anything I don't know I can learn.
    5. I can set her up with any initial needs...a website, for example, or a membership or software tool (of reasonable price)
    6. It would be great if this could be taught to others so that they could work for her.
    7. Most obviously, I have in mind freelance work from such places as elance.com, but am open to any suggestions.

    What would come close to this description?

    Thank you for your help!
    John



    Let me ask you a question(s)...have you ever been to the Philippines?

    What part of PI are you going to?
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    • Profile picture of the author John Mogusar
      Hi Roaddog! Yes, I spent a total of over three years in the Philippines, in the Cebu area. I was able to do this because I played online poker for a living for the last five years until last month when the FBI shut down the American domains of the three largest poker sites.

      I feel like I belong there, as everyone is extremely friendly and easy to get to know. I am 43 years old now and that was my first experience travelling outside the U.S.

      Just a quick tip: If you do visit a third-world country, you should spend plenty of time making friends and learning about the culture. I don't think you can fully appreciate countries like the Philippines without integrating into the culture.

      The weather is a little hot at times, but it sure beats the snow we get in Kansas.

      For this trip, I will be in Binan, Laguna, which is outside Manila. I will have some flexibility if I don't feel I like this area, but I think I will do just fine.

      I came back to the U.S. a little over a year ago and had intended to go back to the Philippines earlier this year, but things didn't work out so well. I am certain my plans will work this time, as I have a more dependable, constant source of income.
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  • Profile picture of the author Roaddog
    All right just a quick check.

    As long as your not some wide eyed kid going for the first time, by some kind of ad or something.

    Never went to Cebu, although I have always heard it was very nice down there.

    I had a house in Barrio Barreto for over 5 years...outside Subic.

    I agree the Filipinos in the PI are for the most part extremely friendly with a culturally built in, sense of humor. I loved it there.

    I recommend Baguio..beautiful mountain place..more of a temperate climate.

    As for mingling with the culture I speak Tagalog more or less fluently.

    Or as I like to say I am illiterate in 3 languages.

    For your question I can't really give an opinion, because I had to travel just to find a phone when I was there.

    From what I understand the Filipinos have become quite computer literate.

    Doesn't surprise me one bit.


    Mabuhay...gutom na


    Jim
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    • Profile picture of the author John Mogusar
      Haha, definitely not a kid. I'm 43 years old.

      The girl that I'm talking about I met on Facebook just over a year ago and we have chatted at least once a week for the last year. She never asks for anything ($$$), either directly or indirectly, and she is very nice.

      I would go somewhere else, further away from the big city, but she is a good friend of mine so I'd like to visit her for a period of time and she will help me navigate any problems I have there. I'm sure you know how important that is!

      I am studying Tagalog with Rosetta Stone and It's working out nicely (when I can find the time).

      Thanks for your replies!
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    Hey John...

    Are you willing to invest in some software for her?

    If so, I suggest she get into link building services, etc. If she does a good job and can get results she should do much better than $2 an hour.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Mogusar
    Hi Kurt, I would need to talk to her to see specifically what she will be able to install on the computer she will use, but I think it shouldn't be a problem.

    She would be using an Internet cafe, but I think it would be a relative's cafe so there shouldn't be a problem.

    Honestly, I'm not too familiar with software-driven link building (though I probably will be in two weeks with my current endeavor. This is something I had considered but didn't know if it was worth pursuing. I would definitely like some additional information.

    Can you point me in the right direction?

    I appreciate the help Kurt!
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  • Profile picture of the author greatspace
    If she is not good at writing articles, maybe she can earn a decent living taking pictures and selling online...what do you think?
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