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Today we are interviewing Robert Kempster about his business / freelancing book titled, “Freelancing: Making Money Online With Freelancing Jobs.”
The book is on a Kindle countdown from August 16th to the 23rd. Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2XkuWBF.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am someone with aspirations and goals - just like everyone out there - I just happen to live in New York. It is easy to get jaded and uninspired, I am lucky to find inspiration from others around me, either in person or over media. I love to travel and I keep working on my flexibility, as you can imagine, flexibility is very close to freedom - so that is my goal. I mostly like to do things that can contribute any little bit to society at large.
Describe your book, “Freelancing: Making Money Online With Freelancing Jobs,” in a few sentences.
The book is about the idea of the new gig economy, or as some call it, self employment. Although, I think self-employment is the end goal, while freelancing is the way to get there. This book will make you aware of the possibilities out there and steer you in the right direction as to what you need to do to set yourself up and to progress with it.
Who do you think would most benefit from reading your book?
I think anyone who is looking for ideas for making money online or offline will benefit from the book. If you are already making enough money, and have flexibility or "freedom" already. Then this book may be below your needs. Even though there may be some value in a different perspective, but it will not be that pertinent to an experienced freelancer.
What inspired you to write this book?
This book was inspired by a Freelancer I hired from Upwork a few years back, I think when it was called something else. He was doing some marketing for my first kindle book and he suggested that many people would pay for some of the pointers I was giving him. This was finished a while back, but I did not publish it and now I had to update it, so it can finally be published.
What are some of the advantages of doing freelance work compared to a 9 to 5 job?
I think the advantages are quite obvious but, the ones that I find to be important is that it provides:
flexibility in scheduling and lifestyle
additional income or could eventually replace current income
ends up producing more family time
saves commuting costs as well as time
offers low entry cost
produces maximum ROI and efficiency
allows you to do something you love and are good at
the list is quite long and varies from person to person
What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when getting started with freelancing?
The biggest mistake that I see most people make is failing to start small. I think it is important to limit how much work you take in the beginning, so you can study your timing and become realistic in gauging each project. They often also fail to charge the lowest profitable fee - it is very important to start small with service charges as well. It is the surest way to get your first few freelancing jobs. Then you can scale everything from there.
How much time should someone interested in freelancing do research and prepare?
Aha! that is the other major mistake that most people make when starting as a freelancer. They spend too much time researching and preparing. You have to start by doing, so get a plan, do something, then do more, test, retest, adjust, then do more. Repeat..
What are some examples of the type of jobs that freelancers do?
Virtual assistants, online research, data capture, word processing, marketing, writing, social media marketing, social media managers, mail management, the list is so long. Anyway there is quite a list in the book as well as a lot of links to websites for jobs, training, and information
How much time does it take to get established in a career as a freelancer?
The time truly depends on the individual as well as the nature of the freelancing jobs that the person is doing. Of course how well they do it and how they use others to help them will make all the difference in time.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing the book?
I think the hardest part was the final edit and publishing steps. You find yourself struggling with wanting to make everything just right.
What do you hope readers will gain from reading your book?
I hope hoping that a good number of the people that buy the book will actually use it and be inspired to do something with their skills. That I think will be my greatest reward.
How have readers responded to your book so far?
I have had very few objective reviews at this point, by that I mean most of the reviews I have to date are friends and family - they are always very kind as you know. LOL. The one independent review I received said it was a very good topic - but that does not tell me much.
What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
I am thinking about writing something about personal credit is the USA as well as investing in one's future.
Is there anything else you'd like potential readers to know about your book?
That the book will only work if you work. Work hard until you figure out how to work smart.
More Information
Buy the book on Amazon.
Check out the author on Facebook.
Today we are interviewing Nicholas Wyman, author of Job U - How to Find Wealth and Success by Developing the Skills Companies Actually Need.
Tell us a bit about yourself.Nicholas Wyman is a speaker and expert on applying real-world solutions to the challenges companies face in finding skilled employees. He is CEO of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation, which develops mentoring programs for corporations and places people in apprenticeship and training programs globally. He has an MBA and has studied at Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government. He started his skilled career as an Apprentice chef.
Describe the purpose of your book in a few sentences.
Millions of people are unemployed or underemployed, and at the same time, industries are struggling to find skilled people to fill well-paying jobs, to the extent that they have to send jobs overseas. This mismatch is called the Middle Skills Gap, and it’s a huge threat to the economy. I show individuals and industries how to find one another.
Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Whether you are recent high school or college graduate, or well along in your career journey, Job U is written to help people of all ages and backgrounds find a more secure and prosperous future.
What inspired you to write a book about employment and education?
Having seen the power of Apprenticeships myself at an early age, my company the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation has launched over 10,000 young people in satisfying and rewarding careers through apprenticeships. I wanted to help people ‘imagine the possibilities’ around the emerging opportunities in employment and education.
When did you first notice there is room for improvement with job-seekers today?
I recognize 2 key changes that are transforming the way people live and learn and the gap that has emerged some call the skills gap – I call people without jobs and jobs without people. Globalization and rapidly changing technology are impacting the way people all over the world live and they way they learn and this will dictate the skills employers need into the 21st century. Job-seekers need to understand these changes and equip themselves with the transferable skills they will need to get – and keep a job.
In the book, you reference the fact that 53% of college graduates are unemployed or underemployed. During the course of your research, what did you discover to be contributing to this number? Is it going up or down?
Unemployed American college gradates are not alone. The International Labor Organization in Genève recently noted there are nearly 75 million unemployed young people worldwide. Many of these people have college and university degrees, yet can’t secure meaningful work. With a rapidly changing global economy, people need to consider the options and job prospects in a particular industry before committing to an often ‘pricy’ college education – expecting a guaranteed job on graduation. This is no longer the case. Americans owe over 1 trillion dollars in student loans. That’s more than Americans owe on credit card debt!
Why do you think vocational/technical education, apprenticeships, etc haven’t received the attention they deserve?
There has been a myopic mindset of ‘college for everyone’ whilst other career pathways, such as vocational ‘earn while you learn’ have been seen as second best. There is often a stigma around apprenticeships and vocational careers - which Job U debunks.
What was the most interesting thing you uncovered while writing this book?
How astute employers are taking steps to make human capital their point of difference - their competitive advantage. These employers are opening up to whom they might employ and breaking from traditional hiring practices. Companies like IBM, Cisco, Verizon, Microsoft, Motorola, Con Edison and National Grid who are partners in the Early College STEM schools are leading the way and graduates of these schools are first in line for jobs.
How do you think reading your book will impact people?
Simply put – I hope people who read Job U see how they to can have a satisfying and rewarding career and follow their passion.
You’re fairly active on Twitter. Have you found it to be an effective medium for sharing information?
Twitter is a great way to have short conversations with people, no matter where they live. It’s an opportunity for people to ask me questions and for me to get to know people and their interests.
You are hosting giveaways on Twitter and Goodreads. Tell us a bit about them.
We set up a @goodreads giveaway promotion up to and including the books release #giveaway http://bit.ly/1FQnLzx
For people who Preorder the book now we’ll send them the first chapter with advice and career resources and a JOB U bumper sticker. People can buy the book online and register for the offer at www.jobubook.com.
Will there be a book tour in support of your book? If so, where can fans see a schedule?
Tour dates, upcoming events and speaking engagements will all be listed under events on www.jobubook.com.
What do you have in mind for your next writing project?
I like to start conversations and see what people are interested in. I wrote a blog ‘Can’t Find the Right Person to Fill the Job? The Single Most Obvious Place You Might Not Have Thought to Look’ recently and was overwhelmed with 25,000 views, 200 detailed comments.
More Information
Book website
Pre-order the book on Amazon
Follow the author on Twitter
Publisher website
