What Can You Do to Get Credentials? (Part 2)

(4.) Be alert for possible internships.

Don't bypass the opportunity even if you land a non-paid internship. What's more important is acquiring the right mindset and cultivating work ethics that are extremely necessary for anyone to succeed.

(5.) Offer to teach or mentor others.

You can teach in a one-on-one setting, or team up with your fellow professional freelancers and facilitate your own seminars or workshops.

Teaching or mentoring brings you a host of advantages aside from making you  more credible as a professional. Because you'll most likely come across students who still have a lot to learn about your topic, you have to continually adjust yourself to their level of comprehension so they can easily grasp the lessons. This will hone your ability to exhibit patience, and develop your communication skills further.

Also, working with other professional freelancers will teach you the value of cooperation and thinking in terms of what's best for your group.

And should you decide to charge a fee for your services, you'll also learn to give your students the best deal for their money's worth.

All five suggestions create a win-win situation for freelance professionals. Stay tuned, because in my next topic, I'll talk about the importance of having funds to continually improve as a freelancer.

What Can You Do to Get Credentials?

When a job seeker applies for work, his competency is often highlighted in his resume. If he gave careful thought to this important document, he may have written down, in addition to the skills he has mastered, tenure from previous jobs and other specialized training he may have undertaken.

In short, he's trying to present his credentials effectively.

Likewise, if you're a professional freelancer, your chances of landing lucrative projects or assignments depend upon having credentials that will serve as proof of your ability to handle tasks.

And one of the advantages of being a professional freelancer is having the option of charging competitively once you've proven your capability.

But how do you bag those impressive credentials? Take a look at the following and see what might work for you:

(1.) Learn at your own time and at your own pace.

There are a number of websites out there like u.about.com that allows online users the convenience of studying courses in greater detail. All you need to do is provide your email address, and lessons will be sent to you either daily or weekly.

(2.) Take advantage of classes and seminars being offered in your community.

It only takes several thousand pesos to sign up for a class or seminar and be awarded a certificate afterwards. Some communities even offer seminars for free or for a very minimal fee, since their goal is to teach livelihood skills to as many people as possible.

(3.) Consider volunteering.

If there are non-profit organizations or groups that promote their causes and you have a passion for the same cause, you can pitch in an idea for a campaign for public awareness, or help write solicitation letters in order to hone your skills in negotiation.

Stay tuned for my next article, as I will offer additional advice for collecting credentials.