I am totally enamored by Craigslist. If you work from home or freelance, or you dream about becoming a freelancer, you need to be on that site. As a writer, good ole Craig has helped me find several assignments that I never would have found on anything as huge as Monster or Hot Jobs. (In fact, I have to offer my official, professional opinion on those sites: they suck.) Now that I’ve been getting on Craigslist every morning, I’m making it happen. Being a full-time freelance writer seems much more feasible.
In the process, I’ve figured out a few truths that can (I hope) help anyone that wants to start working for themselves from home.
1. Get Off Your Ass – If you have a dream, quit complaining and stressing and talking yourself out of it. You can talk about it till you’re blue in the face, but only action makes it a reality. Nuff said.
2. Build a Resume – Whatever you plan on doing, you need experience to show potential clients before you can even consider quitting your full-time gig. Consider taking on side jobs at night, or even volunteering for a non-profit to get that experience.
3. Check Craigslist — New opportunities come up daily, so check back a few times a week and respond immediately if you see anything that’s a fit.
4. Biz Cards — Get yourself some decent business cards with your personal contact info on it. That way, if you meet a potential client at Starbucks, you don’t have to give them a card from your current employer, which puts you at risk of being both unprofessional and getting busted by your current boss. Try Vistaprint, which has cards for less than $10.
5. Be Purposeful — Your dreams of working from home or being your own boss won’t happen if you just sit around and think about them. Write down your goals, write down your timeline, and map out some steps you need to take to get there. Keep that list handy and review it daily to help keep yourself on target. Try to do at least one thing every single day to bring you closer to your goals.
Good luck!