How To Make Money on the Side: Freelance Writing

In today's economy, it has become necessary for many people to find ways to supplement their main income. Even if you work a 9-5 job, you may find times when some extra money would come in very handy. Freelance writing is one of the best ways to make money on the side if you enjoy and have a talent for writing. Keep reading to find out if this side work option will work for you. 

What Is Freelance Writing?

In the past freelance writing primarily referred to individuals who wrote for magazines or other periodicals but were not employed by those publications. Today, freelance writing can mean that, but more frequently it means writing online. Most businesses today use a website and social media outlets to promote their businesses. The main way these websites help promote the businesses is through the content that is written on the website. The business owners themselves do not want to take time away from their business to write this content, so they hire freelance writers to do this for them. 

Writing online content can be an exciting and profitable side business. 

What Type of Content Can You Write?

The types of content you can write are as vast as the internet itself. Literally, every website on the internet needs content, so you could write on any topic imaginable. Some content will be purely marketing content as you help people promote their products or their services. Some content is informational as website owners need you to add to their informational sites. Content can be educational, entertaining, or newsworthy. It just depends on who your client is and what they need. 

Where Can I Find Work?

Freelance writers can find work either independently, by creating working relationships with independent clients, or they can work with content platforms. Working with independent clients will usually require research on your part to find people looking for writers. It will then be up to you to make contact with these individuals, share your skills and writing samples and create a working contract with them. Creating your own website to feature your portfolio and writing abilities can help; for example, a freelancer may consider creating a website with an .online domain, so they can quickly and easily share the link with potential clients or add it to their LinkedIn profile and email signature. 

Content platforms are a fast way to get in contact with clients. A content platform will already have working relationships established with clients. The platform will bring on new writers and those writers will have access to the work. Each content platform will have its own process of how they hire writers. In most cases, you will need to take a grammar test, as well as provide samples of your writing. Each platform will have its own pay rate and system of how work is distributed to writers. 

What Qualifications Do I Need?

Individual clients will have different qualifications which you will need to review with them personally. Most content platforms, however, have relatively simple qualifications. In most cases you need to be a native English speaker, you need to reside in a country in which they are hiring, and you need to be able to pass their qualifying exams. In some cases, you will be asked to provide a resume to show previous writing experience. Most people, who can write on a college level (whether they graduated from college or not) will be able to pass the writing/grammar test. 

Freelance writing also requires that you have good time management skills as you will often be on a deadline. You need to be able to manage yourself as you will not have a boss standing over your shoulder. You also need to be able to research topics and turn them into written content relatively quickly because the faster you can produce content the more money you can make. 

You could need to get a few tools for it, though. Content management tools, a mobile SDK if you write with your phone, and more than a few others could help make your freelance writing easier.

How Much Money Can I Make?

The amount of money you will make can vary greatly. There are some content platforms that pay very little and some which pay very well. Most freelance writers will average between $20-$40 an hour after a few years of experience. There is a learning curve, however, and many freelance writers spend a while connecting with good clients and learning how to research and create content quickly. 

If you are looking for ways to make money on the side, and you have at least college-level writing skills, freelance writing could be a great fit for you. 

Are You Willing To Go The Distance For The Sake Of Your Career?

For some people, their career is the most important thing in the world. We all have different priorities in life, and for some people, this is the main one. There is nothing wrong with this. If it is, though, you need to ask yourself whether or not you are willing to go the distance for it, or not. In this article, we’re going to be looking at some of the things that could be asked of you in order to further your career that will require careful consideration. Keep reading if you would like to find out more.

More Education

The first thing that we’re going to look at is the fact that you could be asked to complete some more education. Depending on the level that you are qualified to right now, you might need some higher education if you want to reach the top of your field. It might be the case then that you need to head back to college, or at least attend sessions in order to become qualified to the extent that you need to be.

But, school isn’t for everyone. It’s here that you need to decide whether you are willing to do whatever it takes to get to where you want to be in your career or whether it isn’t worth it. There is no right answer, but if you’re not willing to go back to school, you can never claim to go the distance for your career.

A New Location

Another thing that you should think about is moving to a new location. Sometimes, a company needs someone in a different location, and they think that you would be perfect for the position. You moving would mean that the company benefits and you have been trusted so much that they want you rather than someone else. But, moving to a new location can be scary, and it means that you have to leave your life that you have where you are behind. It’s not an easy thing to do, and this is especially true if you need to move abroad, which is sometimes the case. 

Make sure that you fulfill all of the requirements for entry to the new country first before you go any further. This might mean looking at ilr requirements or something else depending on the new location. If you won’t move for your career, that’s fine, but you could be turning down a huge opportunity and potentially damaging your career prospects in the process.

We hope that you have found this article helpful and now have a better idea as to whether or not you would be willing to go the distance for your career. Now that you have the answer, you can figure out a way to move forward, and we wish you the best of luck in doing so.

How to Have a Successful Healthcare Career

If you want a higher-paying and more demanding yet rewarding career, the healthcare industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors today. According to PolicyAdvice.net, the global industry was valued at approximately $8.45 trillion in 2018. However, the global healthcare sector could reach over $10 trillion by 2022. And what’s more, is that the U.S. accounts for spending twice what other countries do on healthcare. 

If you want to have a long-term successful career, the healthcare industry is a good place to start researching opportunities. It is one of the fastest-growing industries in both the U.S. and world and there are hundreds of different roles in diverse organizations to choose from – but entering the industry isn’t enough to guarantee a prosperous career. You will also need to do lots of little things to set solid educational and experiential foundations for career growth.

Do you want to succeed as a healthcare professional? If so, here are six tips to help you ensure you have a fruitful career.

Set Realistic, Measurable, and Achievable Career Goals

The first thing you need to do is spend some time defining your short-term and long-range career goals. Maybe you would like to help sick children, embark on a career as a medical doctor, or maybe you would prefer to work in a supporting role and administrative position. Think about your aspirations, your skills, your experience, and your interests within the healthcare sector, and then establish a clear path to success. Creating a calendar of milestones is a great way to start the process.

Improve Your Communication Skills to Improve Professional-Working Relationships

 When some people think about the skills needed to get a promotion, they think about being assertive, strategic, and confident – but it is also very important to ensure you have great communication skills, both written and oral. This allows you to communicate ideas successfully during meetings and discussions and in emails, which is essential for advancement. 

Admittedly right now, you may not be able to communicate in person due to COVID-19, but you can still practice your communication skills during Skype or Zoom meetings. Communicating through video calls or in-person requires the same skill set. Clear thinking skills, strong listening ability, non-verbal communication, and professional respect are the keys to effective communication.

Tell Senior Management or Office Administration About Your Short-term and Long-Range Goals

Most hospitals and medical centers actively encourage their employees to start a career with them, so if you tell management about your short-term and long-range goals, they may provide additional training or financial support to pursue continuing education or enroll in a degree program relevant to your job. For instance, if you work in an administrative position but would like to move into an IT role, your employer may pay for you to study IT at the university-level. This will make it much easier for you to move up the healthcare career ladder, and it also means management is more likely to consider you for extra work or a promotion. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Take Initiative and Show Off Your Leadership Skills 

Stand out among other employees by making a conscious effort to be the most passionate and motivated employee on your team. You can do this in lots of different ways; you could apply for leadership positions or senior management opportunities—if you have the experience and education. You could also offer to mentor new employees, train junior team members, or you could volunteer at the hospital you work outside of your regular work schedule. These small steps will show management that you are a dedicated, passionate, hard worker, so they are more likely to provide you with opportunities in the future. Don’t be afraid to showcase your management skills.

Refine Your Skills and Expertise to Become More Qualified for Higher Paying Positions within Your Organization

You may need more qualifications to move up the career ladder within your organization. For instance, if you want to work as an executive director, hospital administrator, CEO/CFO, dentist, or a doctor, you may need to get a healthcare qualification or degree from an organization such as https://onlinemha.bc.edu/. This will mean that you have to step away from your current healthcare role for a few years so that you can study and complete the degree, but once you are qualified to fulfill the role, you will be able to apply for lots of better paid, higher-level positions or simply move the ranks in your existing organization.

Expand Your Network to Maximize Career Opportunities

Finally, it can be beneficial to network with diverse people in the healthcare industry in your local area as well as throughout the country. You don’t have to forge bonds with every single co-worker or colleague you meet; instead, focus your energy on creating genuine business relationships with people you admire and respect. You can do this by attending healthcare events (such as conferences, conventions, or talks), or you could network on LinkedIn, or in virtual industry events using forums and industry websites. With the technology available today, there are countless ways to build your network.