Web Worker Daily

In case you weren’t aware, the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was held this week, which basically means we gamers have been finding it rather challenging to keep our attention focused firmly on work. Not only was one of the world’s biggest gaming show on, but this past Tuesday also marked the release of The Sims 3. It’s been a recipe for disaster. Or at the very least, a dip in productivity.

Luckily, I had professional cause to engage with The Sims 3. And it was with strictly professional interests in mind that I devoted upwards of 14 hours over the past two days to EA’s wildly popular life-simulation franchise. Well, maybe that’s not strictly true, but there was work involved.

In-game, I was working, too. Specifically, I was pursuing Sim careers in both the music industry and professional sports. In doing so, I realized that I think of my job in exactly the same way a Sim would.  Here are the specific parallels I’ve drawn between my real-life and simulated experiences. Read the rest of this entry »

Online freelancers are forced to wear many hats. From the actual work you do, to administrative and support skills, you’re responsible for everything.

It doesn’t stop there. You need to learn how to write well, so you can communicate better with our clients and have more persuasive copy on our web sites. You need to have some SEO skills, too. Learning these skills is much easier now than it was 10 years ago. There are hundreds of online tutorials, e-books and other resources that we can turn to.

As you use these new skills, you’ll eventually become good at them. In fact, sometimes you become good enough to ask yourself, “Should I try to do this professionally?” Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a web worker, then you know the importance of constantly examining, reassessing and adding to your existing skill set. A successful online entrepreneur is almost always a extremely adaptable and eager to learn. As 2009 dawns, complete with continued economic unrest, this will be equally, if not more, true.

Targeting your professional development, however, in a preemptive rather than reactive way, is not always easy. Usually freelancers and consultants just roll with the punches and learn what they have to depending on client requirements. A little forethought, though, can go a long way to making you the applicant of choice before any contracts are awarded.

Read the rest of this entry »