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Writer Watch: The Truth About those Article Companies

Work in Hell — 2012-01-30T21:56:30Z

It was about a year ago that I fully understood what Ezinearticles.com and similar places were all about. I signed up and got hits almost right away but they don't allow for my Adsense account. Then the ones that do have a low page ranking. That's been my experience so unless you have a brand that you would like to have known, leave this places alone because the "residuals" aren't even worth talking about.

Now if you want to get paid to talk to people across the world, check these folks out!

Anyway, here is a site that breaks it down without verbiage and technical terms and they even have some leads you probably haven't heard of.

Sorry So Slow and Have a Happy (or Hellish) Week!

Corporate Office Delimma

Work in Hell — 2012-01-29T20:32:50Z

This guest post from Doris Dillon

I logged onto ShopeElectricityRatesTexas.com to see how the energy rates compared around the state. We are planning on opening up a new corporate office and trying to decide if our office should be in Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio. We are currently located in Austin. There are pluses and minuses to all of the locations. Our accountant and business manager feel like all three places will be a good fit and that we can be equally successful in any town. What the final decision is going to boil down to is where we can put our offices and spend the least amount of money in order to maximize profits. I almost feel like I should remove myself from the actual decision and discussion of where the next office should be because I am partial. I am from Dallas and love the city. Eventually, I would like to end up there. I also secretly want us to put the corporate office there because my boyfriend lives there and we would love to live in the same city. I’m going to have to try and keep my heart out of this decision!

Writer Watch:Don't Dump on the Help

Work in Hell — 2012-01-20T19:11:53Z

This week I definitely had a client from hell who....IDK ...maybe it was his youth or just ignorant, period. Anyway, I'm still stumped as to whether I should try (again) to address him with the fact that I submitted the job as described, you said it needed tweaking but you did not say that having a long series of irrelevant Skype chats was part of the job.

Anyway, be careful with submitting landing pages and stay away from Jamien/SUUT as they are shady.

He spent the majority of the time discussing personal stuff instead telling me exactly what was needed to make the page a success. I don't know of any legitimate operation that has that kind of time on their hands. I won't go too deep because it does get personal but you can shoot me an email as I have copies of what transpired.

Now, in short, it's okay to disagree and it's common to withhold partial payment over something that is subjective but when I threw in the towel, I was both insulted about my lack of knowledge (if I didn't know something, then why hire me, DUH?) but asked me to work with them again.

Yeah, there are probably some veteran scribes out there laughing at me and in a way, I'm laughing too because I have too much work to do and WAY TOO MANY BILLS to take time out for this fool.

Happy Weekend!

Getting the Most For Your Money

Work in Hell — 2012-01-17T05:12:31Z

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

You work hard so that you and your family can live comfortably. Meaning when you are hungry, there's food to eat and when someone is sick, they should have access to the right medication at all times. If you get prescriptions filled at Walgreens, you may have had a little problem as Walgreens and Express Scripts are in the midst of a contractual matter.

For many, getting prescriptions filled at Walgreens is a great buy due the low price, convenient hours and locations. In this economy, it is inconvenient to drive for miles or pay higher fees in order to treat an illness as many of us do not have the extra funds to spare. And think about how the elderly and military families are affected by these actions.

But because Walgreens values its customers and wants to continue giving the lowest prices, for the month of January you can join the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens for the low price of $5. Families are $10 and this is more than 50% off the regular rates.

So if you like to tweet, check out Walgreens on Twitter or stay tuned for updates with Walgreens on Facebook. By making your voice heard through the media, you can help make a difference.

Campbell's Soup + Gospel Sermon = Worst Endorsement Ever

Work in Hell — 2012-01-12T23:25:17Z

I've got a client that is pulling it out of me as far as writing somewhat aggressive copy for a landing page he is re-designing. Based on the feedback, this lady's call and response is not well-targeted.

On my break, I ran across this from Crunktastical.net.

Take Creative Charge

Work in Hell — 2012-01-11T18:27:28Z

If you own or manage a business, getting an online image is more important than ever. As the internet has become the most popular form of media in the past decade, you have to go where your market is likely to be. When you use search engine marketing the right way, it can help a great deal as many are finding growth in their traffic almost overnight. The beauty of it is that anyone can upload the most incredible advertising campaign in a matter of minutes.

So if you're looking for a fresh start in your promotional strategy for the New Year, look to the experts to spread a positive message about your brand.

Via: Wpromote

Craigslist Hell

Work in Hell — 2012-01-06T20:43:32Z

I had a really funny craigslist ad but it won't go up as Jpeg or PDF, so ~~here it is~~
Sorry, hit me at hellgirl@workinhell.com instead.
Hope your New Year is off to a better start than mine. One client reneged on some work I did late last year (and it was a long project), L.A. rent and the roommate is having more issues than usual as I type so I'm ready to throw in the towel like right now.

Anyway, I'm in shock that little hole-in-the-wall agencies that you could rely on for pocket change aren't even returning calls. The best thing I have going right now is a client from the UK who has given me close to 500 BMR posts to write total. And I have not had a drink in days, not even a wine cooler.

Sticking by my convictions is really tough and I believe this overpriced hellhole is going to be the first casualty.

Making a Change

Work in Hell — 2012-01-05T00:36:24Z

Many people I have spoken with in the past couple of years in regard to work say the best solution is to migrate. Now, all of my freelance work comes from everywhere except California, so try to figure out why some people still come here in droves.

Anyway, one good friend told me about some Calgary apartments that were really nice as well as affordable. He wanted a place where he could walk his dog in the early morning. Unlike his last place of residence, he got that and a lot more!

He added that there was a gym, jacuzzi and free Wi-Fi for all residents. And the cost is about 2/3 of what he was paying while working as a network engineer. Now he says that getting laid off from that job may one of the best things to happen to him and if there were such a thing as home nirvana, this would be it.

So if you find yourself in a situation where jobs are not biting and the rent keeps going up, then take your tax refund towards a Canadian road trip and see what it has to offer.

Keeping the Faith

Work in Hell — 2012-01-05T00:24:10Z

There comes a time when you can't laugh at working blues, especially when so many are at risk for losing their livelihood for a spell or two.

When it comes to making money, all I can suggest is that you make the most of what you have to offer. For instance, file clerks are becoming rare so anyone who has been outsourced may want to consider a career in Records Management.

If you like to write, you may have to step up your game as landing those jobs that paid the light bill are getting harder to come by.

I had an offer to work in Irwindale, CA at THAT Edison plant (click here if you missed that story). Though I am happy to not be in the middle of a shooting, I hate that I'm stuck in the late fee trap today.

My Husband, the Hunter

Work in Hell — 2011-12-30T21:28:59Z

Contribution by Kennith Griffin

My husband is big into hunting, which means we have a lot of guns in the house. He is pretty comfortable around them since he knows how o use them, but I know nothing about them. Before I met my husband I had never even seen a real gun in person. My mom was a single mother, and we just never even thought about buying a gun for the house. Having all these guns around makes me a little uncomfortable since I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I ever needed to use it. I also worry that someone will break in and get a hold of one and something bad will happen. My husband thinks I’m nuts, but I searched adt anchorage so we could get our home protected. It makes me feel a little bit better that no one can get in our house that isn’t authorized to be there. My next step is to take a class and learn how to use a gun just in case. I need to start getting comfortable with them since I know they aren’t going anywhere. Maybe I’ll even try our hunting with my husband one of these days after I learn how to use a gun. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even enjoy it!

My Freelance Hell For 2011

Work in Hell — 2011-12-30T21:06:09Z

Okay, here's the Top 10 Epic Moments in running your biz/working through a major outsourcing company.

1. One person listed a lookey-loo job (as in 'Be Paid Pennies to Surf the Web') as a virtual assistant position. And then really wanted to know why I cancelled the contract.

2. One person wanted a 10-page whitepaper for less than $25.

3. In building a brand, I decided to teach part-time. If the focus of the class is e-commerce, then why the hell can't I use a computer lab?

4. Please define your contract before signing anybody on and not after the job has started or better, when it is time to pay me.

5. Don't give writers a set of resources/links, a style guide, almost no money for the entire project and a long word count only to find that they will need to dig up their own resources in order to meet the word count.

No really, THIS SH1T IS NOT FUN. And don't act surprised when the final submission is what you paid for!

6. One client had a difficult SEO project but it was completed before the deadline. He inquired about continuing the contract and I gave him an estimate as to what I could do since I had other jobs I was working on.

His response is to rant and rave about how much more output his current staff could do. How fucking tacky. Anyway, he is listed on oDesk as A(sshole)J(ust)T(rying to Get Over) Enterprises. And you can tell him I said it, send the link, whatever. Please stay away from this guy!

7. Why pester (yes, I am over 40) people about joining a research group associated with a major college (allegedly Stanford U), promise a flat fee that would pay more than one utility bill and then renege on payment? Your reason for non-payment is that directives were not followed but you gave me 5 stars anyway? WTF? Pay my winter gas bill, MF!

8. Clients, if a contractor has to download anything like a program or plug-ins or whatever, give them some notice first. Not everyone works on the latest technology. Don't get on the clock and tell people do this or click that without an explanation.

And don't bring my rating down if I gave you a legitimate reason (my other clients' information was being compromised) as to why I cannot have your "magical" download on my laptop.

9. ODesk/eLance/craigslist/whoever clients - Stop asking writers to give away work for free and call it a "test".

10. Writers...Don't write about your bad bosses/job experiences when you are obviously a bad employee. Communicate as to when you will not submit an article or need an extension. I don't need a long story. I don't need two micro-posts (less than 100 words each) but you expect the be paid like you're submitting for the New Yorker. Bitch please.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FOLKS, LOVE HELLGIRL

Writer Watch: My Gift to You

Work in Hell — 2011-12-29T00:09:05Z

Sorry about the delay. Had a fight w/my provider and bill collectors will only wait in line for so long.

I ran across a site called Entrepreneur Cure that had all kinds of listings for content comp's (a.k.a. mills). Anyway, I've saved the attachments as an ~~Excel~~ PDF file and it gives pay details as well.

Some you may know about but I've been at this since '06 and there were a couple of dozen that were new to me. Enjoy!

Get a Cubicle Upgrade Now

Work in Hell — 2011-12-26T00:48:40Z

This post brought to you by Contest Factory. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Does your workspace make your sad? Or does the cheap furniture hurt you? Sometimes there is only so much your kid's picture can do to liven things up and I'm not saying that your kid isn't precious.

What I am saying is that the good folks at Contest Factory want for you to enter the Pimp My Cube Contest . Enter to win a new cubicle that includes a new computer system (because we know you love Windows 98 and it's almost 2012), decorations (remember that 'putty' is not a color) and furniture. You can also win your own Espresso machine and high-end stereo that you can share with only those you care about.

All you have to do is send in your video and register. Really, it's that simple. We want to see you fight the stapler, kick the copier and anything else that may be considered assault on cheap furniture.

To get inspiration, check out the Contest Video.

Think about how much fun it will be to watch the former haters try to suddenly become your friend!

There is also a second sweepstakes where a $200 gift card will be awarded to the registered used chosen in a random drawing at the end of the contest.

So make going to work a little better by livening things up or just make it your home away from home since you practically live there anyway!

Save Money and Breathe Easier

Work in Hell — 2011-12-16T01:15:01Z

When my girlfriend was looking for an office space to lease for her virtual assistant business, it was quite an adventure. She was tired of working from home but she wanted to spend as little as possible. The first few we saw were too small or had too much traffic to conduct meetings. Then she found the perfect space but had hurricane flood damage austin She wanted to keep looking but the agent told her that the damage would be cleared out by the grand opening date.

She was leery but game so she signed on for the next three months.The following weekend all of us pitched in to help her move and she began to get nervous as the big day was around the corner.
One day, she was having a really hard time and I convinced her to go out for drinks. The next morning, she was too hung over to continue the moving process. I felt bad but at the same time felt she needed to take the edge off. So I offered to finish the labor as a way to make peace.

When I arrived, there was a business card attached to the door. I ignored it at first but when I opened the door, the funky scent was gone and the office looked brighter. I looked at the card again and noted the URL, http://www.thesteamteam.com.

Stay Tuned From Hellgirl

Work in Hell — 2011-12-16T01:01:03Z

Hey, I'm really happy that more of you have tuned in to share my pain. Hopefully, some of the job resources have been of help and though I'm pretty headstrong, I don't mind hearing from you. Not about your Loubous or Christian Dior or solar panels and similar BS that gets you banned from the blog but your real opinions.

Anyway, I ran across a real doozy of a resource and will be more than happy to share but it's in the finishing stages and should be done b4 Christmas weekend.

We're also creating a countdown called Hellish Money 2011. And very few will be spared including some people I have had the misfortune to freelance for and I will drop names so that you will feel much better eating that oily, smelly can of sardines instead of having to work while battling the worst headache of your life.

But then again, some people just take an Advil w/a shot of Jack and it's all better!

Get That Money Now

Work in Hell — 2011-12-14T20:06:13Z

Contrary to what your local news or other media may tell you, there are full time jobs available. There is no placing your personal information for any random person to see. And you don't have to get a lot of spam sent to your email just to get a few leads, either.

By using a format that will allow you to market your skills, abilities and education for any kind of job you want. There are opportunities for part-time, freelance and internships for those seeking college credit or a career change.

And by signing up, you can screen businesses without worry about their legitimacy or having your name being sold to a third-party that may contact you for something that is irrelevant to your job search.

So whether you need something short term for the holidays or want to work on freelance projects while you get that business off the ground or parlay new skills into a better career, there is a service marketplace that has you in mind.

Freebie Fridays - 2

Work in Hell — 2011-12-10T23:24:09Z

I was just reading this intro to someone's blog about working from home and it turned out that the intro had more to say than the blog itself. *shakes head*

Anyway, sorry for the delay as I got a client from hell but it's only for the next few days so I shouldn't go too mad.

Walletboosters is one of my favorite websites. The last time I checked them out, it looked like they updated the system for life after Google Panda. It is free to look and there's a lot to check out so enjoy!

Homejobstop is not free but at $16 a year, a lot less trouble than most WorkSource offices and yes, I have gotten my money back in a short time in terms of contract work. Now if you have it to spare, go for it but if that's your grocery money right now, here's another. Keep in mind that it is updated weekly.

Work at Home Jobs is a free resource that has both telecommuting and contractor gigs. Now, unlike Walletboosters, I haven't seen much change but that's not to say there isn't something there in terms of a paycheck.

More Wal*Mart Hell

Work in Hell — 2011-12-07T19:19:15Z

Yes, yes...times are still tough and it's even worse for the elderly folk who didn't save their money or land cushy government jobs back in the day. Well, here's some WalMart employee justice for you.

A 71 y.o. male greeter was choked by a customer and taunted by the customer's daughter. The choker got 15 days and the daughter got community service. All because he did the same thing they do at all mass retailers - check the receipt of outgoing customers. Courtesy of Crunktastical.net.

Keeping More of Your Money

Work in Hell — 2011-12-06T23:28:24Z

A friend of mine runs a fairly successful business and the road was not easy. After working a series of odd jobs, she eventually started her own catering business but it was a struggle because she wanted to balance her own books. I told her that bookkeepers are trained to work with small businesses and do not just enter numbers.

She would just wave me off and continue trying to teach herself accounting applications and import into a spreadsheet. While it sounded good and her way did work for a moment, she found out the hard way that she was losing money.

An expansion loan was needed so during a trip to the bank, she learned that she was spending way too much on overhead when she could have negotiated a bulk price on a lot of her equipment and supplies. Of course, this was viewed by the loan officer as a bad business move so she did not get the loan.

At a network mixer the following week, she ran into an old friend whose son graduated from college and needed part time work while getting his B.A. in Finance. Hello.