Freelance Engineering - What To Avoid
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With the current job climate of downsizing and corporate layoffs, more and more computer experts are joining freelance engineering as a career. But when wading through the many, many web sites and online services offering freelance job opportunities, it's important to be careful before committing.
In a field as competitive and lucrative as freelance engineering, be suspicious of any ad that downplays the importance of experience while promising to pay big salaries. Experienced mechanical engineers, civil engineers, chemical engineers and software engineers have devotes a great deal of time money and effort into building a career – and their experience is precisely what makes them so valuable. While it's still possible to find freelance engineer positions that don't require a lot of experience, you won't be retiring early on the proceeds. Also – pay attention to the wording of the job title. If the ad stresses "work at home," "get paid what you're worth," and so on, it's not a real job ad. Real listings for freelance engineers have the position in the job title so you know what you're applying for.
Additionally, you should avoid listings that are purposefully vague. Sincere employers looking to hire freelance engineers will state what the job entails and what type of experience is necessary. Basically, it appears they will accept anyone with a warm body. Ads with multiple exclamation points (!!!) and the demand for personal information without details about the job are red flags. Also be wary if you see multiple listings for the same job. You'll see this on the big job boards frequently – the same exact job title listed 10 or 20 times, in different parts of the site. These aren't real jobs, but scams or illegal investment opportunities. They're trying to snag as many suckers as they can, and they're sure to charge an "administration fee" from applicants.
Two more things to watch out for seem like common sense, but you'd be surprised how many people don't pay attention to them. Avoid ads for freelance engineers that have excessive spelling and grammatical errors. Most employers – particularly those hiring engineers! – are able to write a job ad that doesn't read like it was produced by a brain-damaged chimp. While an typo or two could be a simple mistake, a decent job ad should read like the writer had at least a little bit of college. And steer clear of any job sites that mention "revenue sharing" or "performance bonuses." While some jobs do offer pay based on performance, freelance engineers rarely work under those conditions.
With a reputable job site offering work for freelance engineers, you'll be able to find leads on jobs, and tips on how to build your career. Keep reading Go Freelance for more information on great freelance careers for engineers!
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