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Jeff R.

Multi-Awarded Impact Entrepreneur, Boy Scout, & Freelancer | Coach & Mentor | RSA Fellow | Deep Passion for Social Impact & Remote Work

Jeff R. is a multi-award-winning individual known for his exceptional work in the Boy Scouts, as a serial impact founder, and as a seasoned freelancer in the online jobs and freelancing industry for over 12 years. With a strong focus on advocating for remote work and driving social impact, Jeff dedicates his time to mentoring and coaching thousands of online freelancers worldwide through platforms like https://www.onlinejobsplus.com. He also excels in connecting entrepreneurs and businesses with top-tier freelancers to facilitate successful collaborations. As an RSA Fellow and lifelong Boy Scout, Jeff's passion lies in creating tangible social change and elevating individuals' lives. Having positively influenced well over 5,000 individuals, Jeff has set a bold target coined '50 in 15,' aiming to impact 50 million freelancers and their communities within a 15-year span. Currently, he is actively involved in constructing an award-winning cooperative-social enterprise hybrid startup. Jeff pursued his Bachelor's Degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering at the University of Santo Tomas and has been associated with various organizations, including Cohousing/Ecovillage, The RSA, and Onlinejobsplus.com, where he served in leadership, mentoring, and technical roles.

Highlights

May 3 · linkedin

What is needed to become a successful freelancer? #GetHiredAsia #LinkedInNewsAsia

Give More, Take Less

We live in a faster-paced world and people are busier than ever. But I think it's never been more important to help other people.

Give more and take less — this advice applies to life in general. In freelancing, to me, it means providing value to clients and the community as a whole.

In the last 8 years, I've personally helped well over 5,000 freelancers for free, voluntarily managed over a dozen career/freelancing-related online groups (with thousands of members), and answered thousands of questions.

One of the recurring themes I've noticed is that freelancers (new or otherwise) want to get hired fast or instantly even when they're not ready or worthy.

By "not ready or worthy", I mean either: they have absolutely nothing to offer, they don't know what the right job to apply for is, or they haven't done enough leg work (application/outreach) — sometimes all of the above (new freelancers).

How can freelancers give more and take less and be successful in the process?

  1. Provide value to potential clients doing simple things for free This could be doing things such as pointing/fixing a basic issue on the website (wrong spelling, wrong link/URL, wrong/erroneously conspicuous code, poor meta description, etc.). If it turns into a paid, long-term project, then great!

  2. Provide value to the freelancing community There are thousands of online groups worldwide and every freelancer can take part and help the community answer thousands of questions posted daily. New freelancers can answer basic questions and learn more about freelancing (and themselves) this way. Experienced freelancers can answer far more complex questions and improve themselves in the process. Both new and experienced freelancers doing these can (and many do) get hired along the way.

  3. Provide value to yourself This is another way of saying "investing in yourself". "Deposit or give more" to yourself. You can't give something that you don't have, right? New freelancers should start with one niche and learn about that (and apply) as much as possible. This niche could be related to their passion, experience, or educational background. Like a tree, a niche can have several branches (sub-niches), and freelancers can learn about these sub-niches as they gain experience. The more experience one has, the more value one has and can give to clients. Freelancers can focus on one niche and gain expertise, or learn sub-niches or other niches and increase and widen their options.

Real success takes a very long time. Doing one or all of these three things will surely help freelancers become successful and in the process, make a more vibrant freelancing world.

Related Questions

What projects has Jeff R. worked on in the field of cohousing and ecovillages?
How did Jeff R. get involved in the cohousing and ecovillage movement?
What are some notable achievements of Jeff R. in his career?
Does Jeff R. have any publications or books related to cohousing and ecovillages?
What is the mission of the organization Jeff R. founded?
Jeff R.
Jeff R., photo 1
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Location

Calabarzon, Philippines