Everything you need to know about online work

Online work in Kenya is hot. Thanks to the alarming rate of unemployment among the youth, the recent involvement of major players such as the Ministry of ICT in the online work industry and the increased accessibility to internet and internet-enabled devices. But what exactly is online work? who is a freelancer? What are the pros and cons of online work and which attributes do you need to have in order to be a successful freelancer? In the following weeks, I will provide you with these answers and more on how to make money online. Today we start with the first article in our Making Money Online series – an introduction to online work: Everything you need to know about working online.

What is online work?

Online work is a form of employment where one is able to work from anywhere, for whomever and at any given time as long as you have an internet connection a computer or a tablet. Online work offers you flexibility and freedom that your regular 8 to 5 job cannot provide.

According to Ajira Digital, there are more than 40,000 freelancers/online workers in Kenya and the number is growing steadily.

So who is a freelancer?

Also known as an online worker, a freelancer can be a person, an agency, or even an organization that offers their services or skills over the internet -preferably through online work platforms- for a client who might be located anywhere around the world. Online work platforms act as an intermediary between the client and the freelancer; this makes online platforms vital to the success of both the freelancer and the client.

Now that we know what online work is and who the involved parties are, let us look at the advantages and disadvantages that you are bound to run into when you start working online.

Benefits of online work

The benefits of working online definitely outweigh the disadvantages. That explains why online work is a popular choice for freelancers all over the world when it comes to online income generating sources.

Here is a quick look at the advantages of online work.

1.   Easy and quick to start 

Getting started with online work is very easy to start especially if you have already identified the skill(s) you are going to offer to your clients. It’s just a matter of finding your first client. The fact that online work is so easy to start means that you could be well on your way to earning your first payment in as soon as a few weeks or even days! Look to your friend networks within your current career and LinkedIn profile. You are bound to find a client looking for the specific skill(s) that you possess.

2.   Flexibility

Online work offers you a flexibility that is unrivaled because you get to work within your own working hours and since all you need for online work is a laptop and an internet connection, you can work right from the comfort of your home. No need to get out of your pajamas. If you are already in employment, you can use the company internet to do online work during your downtime –just don’t let your boss catch you.

3.   Pick and choose clients

Another perk of working online is that you get to pick and choose the client that you want to work with; your choice of clients might be based on the amount of money a client pays or even on the reputation of the client. Being able to choose clients gives you more freedom to dictate the amount of money that you can earn as a freelancer and pick jobs that you are qualified for.

4.   High demand

Even though the online freelancer market is competitive, there is still a very high demand for highly skilled and reliable freelancers by companies and businesses. A lot of companies and businesses prefer freelancers to employees because they get to have access to skilled freelancers from anywhere in the world.

5.   Minimal start-up costs

The cost of starting online work is very small. As long as you have the fundamentals, i.e. skill(s), access to a computer, and an internet connection, then you are good-to-go.

Disadvantages of online work

• Getting a freelance ‘salary’ that is enough to support you and your family might take a while as you build your freelance reputation and acquire long-term consistent clients.

• Managing multiple projects and clients can prove to be challenging since you may find it difficult to deliver quality work on time and keep track of deadlines.

• As you start out, the pay for your services may be low since a lot of people expect to pay less to new freelancers.

So what qualities do you need to have to be a successful freelancer?

Your success as a freelancer will highly depend on the number of jobs you are able to get. There are some very vital qualities that companies and businesses look for in any freelancer that they are looking to hire.
Having these qualities of a successful freelancer will make you stand out from other freelancers and make you a highly sought after freelancer in your field. I don’t have to spell it out for you, the more freelance jobs you get the more money you make.

The following qualities are vital to your success in online work as a freelancer:

1.   Responsible and dependable

Always be there for your clients whenever they require your services. This shows that you are dedicated to your work and you have your client’s best interests at heart. Since you will have clients from all over the world, you will have to make plans in order to adjust to the different time zones in which your client is located.

2.   Time conscious

There is no company or business that is going to hire a freelancer who wastes time. Don’t get greedy and take on too much work that you cannot deliver within the required timeline. In as much being a freelancer makes you your own boss, your clients are equally your boss because without them you cannot get paid. You need to respect and adhere to the turnaround time specified by your client.

3.   Honest and of high integrity

This is very important since it establishes and promotes a relationship of trust with your clients. An honest freelancer will retain clients for future jobs. In online work, there is no one to supervise you, you will have to be your own supervisor and your integrity will definitely determine if you succeed or fail as a freelancer.

4.   Discipline

Being disciplined is what will make or break you as a freelancer in online work. A disciplined freelancer is a successful freelancer, because he/she will always deliver quality work and in due time resulting in more work and more money. Always maintain a high level of discipline and respect when communicating with your clients especially during official Skype calls.

5.   Detail oriented

Always pay attention to the details and specifications that your client avails to you with regards to the job at hand. Companies and businesses that hire freelancers always look for ones that pay attention to the details and requirements that a client provides. Always remember, a happy and satisfied client is a future client.

Now that you have a little background information about online work, I can give you a sneek peek at some of the hot topics in our Making Money Online series that we will be discussing in the following weeks to come.

They are:

• Soft skills freelancers need for online work.
• The various jobs available in online work.
• Online work platforms.

Hope to see you again soon!