Do you use LinkedIn? I do, having been a member of this professional networking site for several years now. Admittedly, I wasn’t keeping my profile up to date or active on the site until recently. Just before Christmas I decided that a makeover of my profile was necessary and could go a long way in helping me update my image online.

And that is what sets LinkedIn apart from just about every other online networking site: instead of connecting with people socially with perhaps a business component included, LinkedIn reverses that by putting the emphasis on connecting with people professionally. There is a social component thanks to groups, questions and answers, and a Twitter connection, but LinkedIn is all about enhancing your professional position online, perhaps finding a job as you connect with influential people in your field.

No posting pictures of your cat nor should you tell everyone what you ate for breakfast.

LinkedIn Backgrounder

First, some background details about LinkedIn for the novice: Officially launched in May 2003, LinkedIn is based in Mountain View, California, home to Google and other internet start ups. Much like Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn has been experiencing an explosive growth in the past year, topping 53 million members from 200 countries as of early December. Most people, myself included, use the free account to connect, but a paid business account gives you even deeper access to other members.

My reason for using LinkedIn parallels what the site is all about: connecting with people professionally. Your main connection with other members is your personal profile, a detailed page which can and should become your online resume (more about that later). Until recently, my profile had been wanting until I began to clean it up. There are some more changes that I will still make, but I’m satisfied that what appears there right now accurately reflects who I am and what I can do for my customers today.

Tips For Linking In

When you sign in to your LinkedIn account, you will be brought to a page crowded with information including your inbox, network updates (status, recommendations, profile changes, events, and more), group updates, and more. But the section you will want to work on can be found on the navigation bar (see below).

Click on Profile > View Profile and you will see the same page that everyone else finds when they look for you on LinkedIn. If you are not satisfied with your details > Edit Profile and make your changes. This is where you will be bringing your information up to date, adding details just as you would with your resume.

But it is better than an ordinary online resume. Your LinkedIn profile can be supercharged to include your personal photograph, links to your website or blogs, your career summary, specialties, and work history. I write my information in the third person, but I have noticed that others use their profiles differently, often as a way to market themselves directly to their customers.

Sample LinkedIn Profile Page

Maintaining Your Connections

Your connections are what puts you front and center with other people. Though some folks are happy with a small group of manageable connections, I have chosen a path favored by many others: connecting with the most people possible.

You can do this by joining groups that make it easy to connect. One of the first things you learn about LinkedIn, is that you really need the help of others to link to others still. Sure, go ahead and import your email contacts as LinkedIn will find out which of those are already LinkedIn, allowing them to connect to you.

Be careful though: you don’t want to include people who do not know you as they may reject your connection request, instructing LinkedIn that they do not know you. LinkedIn will then restrict your ability to connect with others until you agreed to abide by their terms (which you thought you were doing), a small nuisance but one to keep in mind.

I have also been able to connect with thousands of people by joining a the LION group – Linked In Open Network – which I have added to my name. LION identifies me as someone who accepts all invitations without restriction. That also means that I can add hundreds of new people when their weekly opt-in email list arrives with new members willing to connect to you. Simply follow the instructions given and your email inbox will soon be flooded with acceptances.

Yes, there is a drawback here as you will receive more messages in your inbox then you may get in a week, perhaps a month. Use it on occasion as you’ll be busy checking profiles, answering personal requests, and deleting messages.

Recommendations Are Critical

The most important feature of LinkedIn for me is the recommendations others give for your work. For each position you feature and school attended, you can ask other people to recommend your work. This is important as their recommendation is the equivalent of a reference. Ask your customers who are already LinkedIn to first connect with you and then once connected to recommend you.

You can seek recommendations for jobs held & schooling too.

I should have been more diligent about this feature as I only had one recommendation until recently. Now I have four and I am working on several more. Soon, I will be updating my contact information on this blog and on my main The Article Writer website to offer a link to my profile on LinkedIn.

This offers a huge advantage to me: instead of writing pages of “about me” stuff and posting on various sites I own, I can offer one link to my LinkedIn profile, with everything people need to know about me. This can be a real time saver as it ensures that I maintain a consistent public face across the internet. By the way, when you google your name, your LinkedIn profile should appear on the first page of the results, provided your name is unique.

Questions & Answers

My favorite way of connecting with people on LinkedIn is by participating in their question and answer feature. Go to More… > Answers and you will be able to ask people a question or answer questions already posted by other members. As long as the question remains open, you can add your answer which will be one of many answers received.

Ask a question or answer a question on LinkedIn.

Importantly, if your answer is spot on and you have written an article related to that answer, you can include that link in the web resources section following your reply. You can also notify other experts to forward the question to for them to answer and send an optional personal note to the person who asked the question in the first place.

Don’t be surprised if you hear back from the person who asked the question in the first place. Several times I’ve had people contact me directly to express their gratitude for my help.

Should You Upgrade?

While the basic package offers many features, LinkedIn also allows users to upgrade their accounts as a way to find and email influential people directly. I am not very familiar with what is offered and the price is not cheap, but there are some people who insist that the extra $25, $50, even $500 per month is worth it to them.

I suppose if you are looking for a new job, then the cost of an upgrade beats what you would pay a headhunter or recruiter for their services. I recommend starting out with a basic account first, upgrading once you understand what benefits are available to you.

Get Linked In

I have only touched on the benefits of LinkedIn from my own perspective, therefore I have also reviewed several additional resources which can help complete that picture for you.

2010 is here, so let us hope that it is a good year for one and all. If you are looking for work, then one of your resolutions should include starting or updating a LinkedIn account, perhaps the best way for professionals to connect online.

Resources

Forbes.com: How I Found My Dream Job Using LinkedIn

LinkedIn.com: Ten Tips on Building a Strong Profile

Mashable.com: 7 Ways to Get More Out of LinkedIn

SmartMoney.com: Can A $1,000 Resume Boost Your Career?

The Wall Street Journal: LinkedIn Wants Users to Connect More

Mostly everyone I have talked to over the past few days has made a similar remark: 2009 seems to have gone by fast. Starting with the seating of a new president in January through the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler months later to the halting of much of the financial bloodletting by the fall months, a lot took place this year.

But it seemed to move at lightning speed, at least that is what some people have told me.

2010 is upon us and I have just one question to ask: how will you pronounce the new year? I’ve been mulling this for a few years now and am inclined to say “twenty-ten” instead of “two thousand and ten.” Twenty ten is short, to the point, and returns us to the pronunciation style we favored in the 20th century.

Still, I am hearing most newscasters and everyday folks pronounce the latter, therefore I am presuming that the lengthier, more cumbersome five syllable utterance will beat out the three syllable vocalization, at least initially.

I trust that your holiday season has been a good one, though it certainly has been trying one for several people. Just yesterday I talked with a friend who lost his job in May, who commented how much different the job search was for him this time around. As an engineer, he was used to losing his job from time to time only to regain a new one almost immediately, but nothing quite matched his experience in 2009.

Instead of receiving replies from companies about his job inquiries, he heard absolutely nothing. This went on for months until, finally, in November one query returned a contract opportunity which may last him until June.

I say “may last him” as we both know that contract gigs can be canceled at any time. He believes the job will be around for most of that time, but he is not relying on that happening. Instead, he will be launching his new business in the weeks ahead and joining the growing numbers of people who were downsized at the height of their careers and have decided to make a go of it on their own.

Anyway, what choice do most people have? It is not as if there are many jobs out there. At least good paying ones at that.

I am not about to harp on 2009 as the past is just that: gone. Like my friend who is launching his new business, I’ve decided to keep my eyes focused on what lies ahead. We have both entrusted our businesses into the capable hands of Almighty God, knowing that His guidance is more than sufficient for 2010 and beyond.

This will be my last post on Matt’s Musings for 2009, with a forward looking tips article to be posted here on New Year’s Day. Many thanks to each of my readers as your loyalty has helped sustain me through much of the past year.

Photo Credit:  Billy Alexander

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Prophecy of the Coming Savior

Isaiah 9:6, 7 –

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Fulfillment of Isaiah’s Prophecy

Luke 2:1-20 –

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

3 And everyone went to his own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Photo Credit: Mommyof9

The world’s most popular blogging platform has released an important update. Release 2.9 for WordPress is out and includes some significant changes. Just so you know I have seven blogs to update, but thanks to the automatic update tool, that job is over and done with quickly.

WP 3.0 Looms

Being that this is release 2.9, this particular update brings us one step closer to a major overhaul of the platform which will introduce WordPress 3.0 to the world. No doubt, we’ll see several interim updates before then such as WP 2.9.1, 2.9.2, …, but when it does show up I’m sure that it’ll reflect the best of what WordPress has to offer.

Before you upgrade WordPress, you’ll want to back up your database first. Select Tools > Backup to accomplish that task, but if you’re not in the habit of regularly backing up WordPress, I suggest that you install the nifty WordPress Database Backup to automate the process. Why chance having your site crash and then discover your database (which contains all of your articles) is old and your most recent articles are no more? That’s a lot of work to lose because you failed to backup your database!

Four Significant Changes

Automattic, the company which developed and oversees WordPress, says that the following major changes have been included with WP 2.9:

1. Batch Plugin Update – I like this feature because every time that there is a significant update of WP, many of the plugins fail or don’t work quite as well as they could. That means WP plugin developers will respond by making quick changes to bring their plugins up to snuff, which also means that you may have scads of updates to handle. FYI, some of my sites have as many as 26 plugins installed, but thanks to the new batch update process, I can handle those changes at once and so can you.

2. Undo Feature – Have you ever accidentally deleted one of your posts? I can’t say that I have, but I know if I did I’d be bummed. WordPress has created a feature which will allow you to find and bring back your killed off posts, saving you a lot of grief and anxiety.

3. Image Editor – A built-in image editor makes it easier for you to crop, edit, rotate, flip, and scale your images without having to leave WP and use Photoshop, Gimp, or other image editing program to get this work done. I haven’t used it yet, but if it works according to plan, then this feature will save bloggers plenty of time and remove the excuse that you don’t have time to include a photo with your work.

4. Video Embeds – I don’t do all that many video embeds across my network of blogs, but that may change now that WP 2.9 has made this task easier to accomplish. All you have to do is paste the URL of the video in your post and WP automatically converts it to an embed code. Amazing! My personal recommendation for WP pros is to use videos sparingly as they tend to slow down the loading of your site. Too many videos on one page and your visitors may move on. Still, the updated feature sounds like a good one to me.

Upgrade Now

How do you perform an update to WordPress 2.9? That’s easy. A drop down notice is sitting on the top of your screen in the administrative control panel. Click on it and choose either to “upgrade automatically” or “download 2.9” and do the latter yourself. I always select automatic updates once I know everything is backed up and I haven’t had a problem yet.

I relocated with my family to North Carolina from New Jersey in 2004, in a bid to escape the crowds and high costs associated with living in the New York City suburbs. Under the best travel conditions we could get into Manhattan in about thirty-five minutes, a possibility on a clear Sunday morning or very late at night.

These days we reside in Cary, a large suburb wedged between Raleigh and Durham. In its own right, this city of nearly 150,000 people has a lot going on for it, hosting national sporting events including college soccer and baseball. Cary reminds me of my New Jersey home town, Ridgewood, but much more spread out.

But when it comes to snow or the threat of wintry precipitation, the similarities between these two communities comes to a slippery halt.

Today, I’m witnessing a Triangle spectacle: people panicking over the mere threat of snow. The Triangle was once defined as Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, but the sprawling metropolis now encompasses at least four counties and more than one million residents.

Residents include natives as well as many transplants from the northeast, midwest, and California, a mixed bag of people who uprooted their lives in pursuit of a job, schools, retirement, and other reasons.

Clearly, some people are accustomed to driving in the snow, but a lot of people here aren’t. Worse, we’re just far enough south to where most cities and counties don’t invest all that much in snow removal equipment and road salt which means that whatever falls usually melts and refreezes within moments.

We found out how ridiculous it can get when in January 2005 a surprise one inch midday snowfall closed down schools and businesses at once, sending everyone scrambling to pick up children and head home. That storm made national news because everything iced over and traffic came to a halt.

Reports quickly came in that children were stranded at school, interstate traffic was backed up for more than twenty miles, and the entire area was paralyzed under a thin, icy grip.

It took almost a day for traffic to clear which meant that young children had to stay at school overnight with their teachers and some people slept in their cars. No joke – the entire Wake County Public School System, which relies on busing to transport kids all across the county – had to warehouse thousands of students for a night.

Our little adventure on January 19, 2005, became the butt of jokes on national news, with local leaders pointing fingers, forming commissions and studies, before finally establishing a working plan in a bid to avert repeating the debacle. That plan was outlined one sultry night in the middle of the summer when people were on vacation or too hot to care.

Well today the snow began to fall on this last day of school for 2009. Temperatures were in the upper-30s and began to drop in the early afternoon when the snow began descending. Soon, we received calls from our boys’ teachers announcing a one hour early release, with my wife and I hoping that the botch job of 2005 wouldn’t repeat itself.

Thankfully, the snow shower was brief and wet, which meant that our boys made it home early with no worry that this Christmas they’d spend it snowbound at school.

Yes, I know that I am exaggerating which is something I tend to do after a week’s worth of work, several lengthy edits, and with Christmas just days away. But I’m also giddy because since I do work at home I don’t have to contend with what promises to be a very messy evening commute.

See Also — North Carolina State University: January 19, 2005 Winter Storm

What are your plans for 2010? Hopefully, the new year will find you actively pursuing your goals including taking a more nuanced approach to your freelance writing. I’m certainly looking forward to Christmas, but I know that once the holiday season has come to an end, 2010 will be in full swing.

I sense that 2010 will be far different from the past two years which had all of us battling through a tough recession. I’m grateful that I’m still getting plenty of work although, sadly, a couple of my favorite clients have cut back or canceled some of their assignments due to economic pressures.

Yet, I can’t look back as what is done is done. A new year offers a chance to start over and, more importantly, to move forward. What better time to outline a plan to press on than with the new year? Unless, of course, you’re content with maintaining the status quo for the coming year.

Nah, I didn’t think so.

On the occasion that someone asks for my advice regarding their plans for the coming year I try to help them as I can. One friend, who is a gifted artist/teacher, has been mulling starting her own website for many months now. Once she commits to making that move, I’ll be advising her on the approach she should take.

This will be a huge, but important move for her as she isn’t particularly computer literate, but knows that expanding her options will bring in much more work. And, when you’re pushing 60 you can’t rely exclusively on tried and true ways to sustain you. Linda’s fresh outlook will help her and has inspired me to make some important changes myself including doing the following:

Visibility – I often feel as if I’m in a non-stop campaign mode, showcasing what I do to current and prospective clients. More than half of my work is with the auto industry, a market that has been battered for several years. Yet, hope springs eternal and I believe 2010 will offer additional opportunities for me. I’m currently the automotive columnist for a pair of regional publications and have contributed to two other publications in the past month. For me, 2010 is all about cashing in on my visibility by querying people I’ve crossed paths with in 2010. My Twitter presence has yielded several excellent leads, people whom I will contact in the first two months of the year.

Reassess – I absolutely enjoy blogging and can’t see myself ever stopping this activity. Still, I understand that some of that time spent blogging for myself should shift to writing copy for clients. The former brings little remuneration except through ad income while the latter can help sustain my lifestyle. I expect that I’ll be selling or perhaps merging one of my blogs in 2010. Auto Trends is the most likely to go before 2011 rolls in.

Target – Relating to my first two points is my desire to target specific clients while opening up the possibility that I may ditch my freelance work to become a staff writer. Yes, I’ve certainly have said in the past that I prefer to freelance, but if the right opportunity presents itself, I’ll gladly reconsider. There is a dream employer whom I would like to work for and, no, they don’t have anything to do with the auto industry. Naturally, if an opportunity to work for them turned out to be a freelance assignment, I’d still be interested.

How about you? Do you have goals you would like to see realized in 2010? If so, please share them here – inquiring minds want to know!

See Also — Will You Be Reaching Higher In 2010?

Photo Credit: Poormanz Graphixz

I just realized that I’m working on a special message this month – Christmas Eve is just two weeks away, but in some respects I’m looking beyond the holiday season. This theme is something I’ve been talking about a lot lately — how to operate your freelance writing business.

I realize that the term “freelance writer” can used very broadly, but that is my intention. Some of my readers are editors, others are bloggers, yet many people are writers who are earning a living or supplementing their income by completing paid assignments from clients.

Beration Free Zone

What this article certainly isn’t about is berating anyone for whatever types of assignment they choose to do or how much they decide to charge for their work. Certainly, you shouldn’t work for a paltry amount which means commanding $25 or more per article is a good place to start.

I will share with you some tips on “blogging for dollars” which is more accurately described as writing for a blog. There are three ways I will mention, beginning with the lowest paying gig up to the most lucrative:

Your Blog – Yes, your blog can become a money machine. But, in most cases you won’t make that much money at least from the beginning. Among the ways you can make money is to write paid reviews, sell text links, feature banner advertising, and run AdSense or similar pay per click advertising.

Every one of the six blogs I own or manage makes money from a few dollars per week up to several hundred dollars per month. To get to that point I needed to bring in the traffic which means that the topics I discuss including college/career, consumer information, cars, Christian/inspirational, and writing, has to be something that people will want to read. No, I don’t make my living off of the four blogs that I own, but they offer a nice supplement to my income.

Blogging Networks – Though the pay is usually higher that what most people earn from their own blogs, I’m not a fan of blogging networks. Still, if this is the path that you choose to take, then more power to you.

I was offered a position with a blogging network (b5Media) a few years back, but I turned the job down when I learned that my income was based on page views. In other words, for every 1,000 visitors to the blog, I would receive a dollar or two. That’s it.

Don’t get me wrong – there are people who like this sort of arrangement and are doing quite well, operating a blog that pulls in thousands of people each day. What is more, they earn a small base plus commission which means that they can get several hundred dollars per month. Yet, with 20 articles posted each month that means the top bloggers get $10-$15 per article for all of their hard work. Ouch.

Business Blogging – This is my favorite blogging opportunity for several reasons: the pay is good, the work is steady, and the recognition is also something that makes this kind of blogging special.

But it is also the hardest job to find – most good paying business blogging gigs are secured directly from companies, not from Craigslist, Elance, or message board communities. My gigs came from a writing customer who realized that he should have a blog. Those two blogs have elevated his business, bringing in more traffic, pulling in customers, and attracted advertisers.

In addition to writing most of the articles (once daily, five times per week), I backup the blogs, update WordPress as needed, keep the plugins fresh, and use social networking to broadcast changes. It is a lot of work, but I make good money because a long time writing client trusted my skills and believes that there is value in what I do.

Contributing Articles

If you can get a gig where you can get paid per contribution, that might be something for you to take. I didn’t add with the three other options, because this is one area I’m not all that familiar with. Prices vary depending on article length and subject matter as well as popularity of the blog. Expect to receive $10 -$30 per article.

Sample planning calendar to help you succeed in 2010

Forgive me if I appear to be blowing past Christmas with this article. That’s certainly not my intention.

Instead, I thought I’d stimulate your thinking by having you consider your course of action for 2010. I’ve been writing a series of business articles for SayEducate lately, focusing on the coming year purely from a business owner’s angle, therefore I’m taking stock in how I manage my own affairs too.

But now I want to look at things from a more personalized vantage point – your own work. What plans do you have for the coming year?

Freelancing, 2010 Style

I fully understand that it can be hard to say in detail where you’ll be this time next year – only God knows – but I do think that each one of us wants to see some changes in 2010, not least being an improvement in the way that we live.

Living in a market based society, the kind of work we do and the rate of pay we desire will go far in determining whether we reach higher or not. That sage maxim – if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail – is so true. How well we do depends a lot on our personal attitude and desire for self improvement.

The Self-Employed Depression

Last week, I read several articles where certain freelancers thought that it was within their right to judge other freelancers for working for a so-called content mill. I won’t link to those articles nor will I give those conversations much credence. Everyone has a right to work for whom they want and under what conditions suit them. Perhaps reading about the plight of other freelancers can bring clarity to this sort of thinking (The New York Times: The Self-Employed Depression).

But, if you’re seeking to better yourself in 2010, there are some steps you can take to increase the odds that the year turns out to be more profitable for you then this year. These are fairly simple, disciplined steps that can be taken gradually as the months unfold.

A Sample Calendar

Not everyone can hold to an ambitious schedule, so with that in mind I’ve come up with a calendar that you can follow, so adjust it to fit your goals and schedule:

January – You’ll be paying quarterly taxes on January 15th and again on April 15th, so make sure that you have enough funds in place to tackle that project. Use this month to review 2009 including asking clients for 1099-MISC forms. Get your receipts and other paperwork together for the tax man.

February – If all of your tax data is in place, then complete your return or make an appointment with your accountant. Hopefully, you’ll get a refund. If not, file after you have enough money to pay what you owe your state and the IRS.

Spring – With tax season behind you, use the month of March and early April to query editors. Send out letters to magazines, newspapers, and journals; cold call companies; touch base with your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn associates. Over the ensuing weeks follow up with everyone; negotiate deals, sign contracts, begin new assignments from mid-April through May.

Summer – From June through August you’ll be busy working with new customers while keeping current clients happy. You’ll also take a much needed break with your family. Make sure that everyone is on the same page as to when you’ll be unavailable and how they can reach you in an absolute emergency.

September – With Labor Day past, you’ll have the strange feeling that the year is fast drawing to a close. I like to use this month to review current client contracts and reassess my relationships with them. That includes whether I’ll be continuing with a particular client or not, if I’ll be asking for more money, or whether we’ll be changing the terms of our agreement.

Early Fall – October and November can be good months to query for new work. At this stage of the year, plenty of companies are fast at work cutting costs for the year to clean up their balance sheets. Staff will be let go which means that some of their work will be outsourced. Be sensitive to corporate turmoil, but also consider that there may be an opportunity for you.

Holiday Season – The holiday season stretching from Thanksgiving to Christmas and through New Year’s Day seems like a positively awful time to take on a new client, right? Only if you’re super busy balancing family, church, social, and other functions. Use this season to enjoy time with loved ones; you’ll be busy enough come January.

Make More Money

So, what will following this calendar yield? Better opportunities, more money, and a balanced lifestyle, if you hold to a disciplined plan. No, I won’t put a figure or percentage on your gains, but if you develop a sensible schedule then you should see good results over time.

Photo Credit: Bartek Ambrozik

Are you an independent contractor or an employee?

Raise your hand if you’re an independent contractor. Good. That’s a significant number of my readers.

Now raise your hand if you think that your clients are working within the law. Hmmm…I thought so. Some of you who raised your hands with the first question didn’t raise them again.

Oh, only if I could really see what everyone’s response is when they read this article….

What Are You?

Seriously, the problem of independent contractor versus employee classification is a significant one, an issue that looms large with at least one government agency – the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS, like so many taxing authorities in the western world, has been looking at this issue for many years, especially since the mid-1990s when online internet access began its surge and more people started to make money online.

Today, millions of Americans make at least some of their money online, usually small amounts by selling something on eBay, or by featuring a service on Craigslist, or in picking up a gig or two on a freelancing site, and the like.

Then, there are people like myself whose entire livelihood is cyber-connected, meaning that we interact with clients online, sell advertising, and use other forms of work to get by.

No Benefits, Just Work

In a down economy, which is exactly where we find ourselves today, many employers have cut back on staff only to replace some of their workers with independent contractors. The advantage to employers is obvious: loosen up the relationship you have with certain key people and you don’t have to pay benefits.

Social security, disability, unemployment insurance as well as your personal health, dental, life, and retirement benefits no longer apply. The employer is now a client, while the employee is now a business partner. But that relationship isn’t always so clear.

The IRS has one good reason to warn everyone that some independent contractor relationships are in violation of the law: government coffers are running low. In a tough economy this problem is magnified as higher unemployment means fewer tax dollars. And with the federal government running at debt levels never before seen, the IRS will be looking at extracting funds wherever possible.

Test Your Relationships

As a freelancer, you should employ the same tests that the IRS uses to determine your relationship with your clients. The operative word here is relationship which means that there are three characteristics the IRS looks at: behavioral control, financial control, and the type of relationship. Each of the quoted descriptions following have been taken directly from the IRS website; my comments follow:

Behavioral Control – “Does the company control or have the right to control what the worker does and how the worker does his or her job?” Many of us are in gray area territory here. If you blog for someone do they come up with specific subjects, titles, links, and a schedule that you must follow? If so, the client may have crossed a line somewhere. Familiarize yourself with IRS guidelines regarding independent contractors.

Financial Control – “Are the business aspects of the worker’s job controlled by the payer? (these include things like how worker is paid, whether expenses are reimbursed, who provides tools/supplies, etc.) ” Regular and steady payments from one party to the other could signal to the IRS that some more than a freelancing arrangement exists here. Ask your accountant if it appears that one or more clients exerts financial control.

Type of Relationship – “Are there written contracts or employee type benefits (i.e. pension plan, insurance, vacation pay, etc.)? Will the relationship continue and is the work performed a key aspect of the business?” Top clients care about their contractors and sometimes extend special privileges (benefits) to them. Those benefits, however, might be taxable and could recast your entire relationship with them. Tell your accountant about any sort of “side benefits” offered with your gigs.

Substantial Tax Bills

If the IRS discovers that you are, indeed, an employee then your client is actually your employer which means that they can “end up with substantial tax bills.” Moreover, they could be saddled with penalties for not paying employment taxes as well as for failing to file the required forms. Workers can recoup lost benefits and trim their tax bills accordingly.

I’m not sharing this information with you in order to strike fear into your heart. You work hard and you pay your taxes, but certain relationships may be in violation of the law.

Either you or your client may ask the IRS to make a determination regarding your relationship by filing Form SS-8 – Determination of Worker Status for Purposes of Federal Employment Taxes and Income Tax Withholding – with the IRS. The IRS says that this determination can take as long as six months, therefore be prepared for the worst, but hope for the best.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking: taking this step could open up a fresh can of worms for you. Then again, if you strongly believe that your business relationship violates IRS guidelines, don’t think for a moment that you’ll never be found out.

1099-Misc Forms

If you believe that your relationships with your clients passes IRS tests, then make sure that you have all of your 1099-MISC forms in your possession when you file your taxes next year. You may have been performing work without these forms under certain circumstances, but if your income exceeds $600 with any one client, then insist on getting this form from them before January draws to a close.

Visit www.irs.gov to review related publications as well as to download a copy of the form.

Resources

Internal Revenue Service: Employee vs. Independent Contractor — Ten Tips For Business Owners

Los Angeles Times: Get jump start on next year

The Wall Street Journal: The Ins and Outs of Hiring an Independent Contractor

Photo Credit: IRS

I have a confession to make: I am a blog connoisseur. I write ‘em, I read ‘em, and I often reference ‘em.

Because I visit so my blogs during the course of my day, I believe that I have a fairly good handle on what trends bloggers are following and how people perceive their own blogs.

Vastly Overhauled

Several blogs I read have recently been overhauled, some with new templates or names (Political Realities) while others have migrated to a new URL and made other changes (AUP2). Regular housekeeping helps ensure that readers remain interested and engaged, something we need to to undertake from time to time.

We all know what it is like to go through a period of decreased traffic and a drop in the number of comments left. Most bloggers seem to have a fairly good grasp of their site’s analytics and can spot traffic trends quickly. When a dip occurs, responding smartly can bring in a fresh wave of visitors, perhaps new subscribers who will follow your every word.

Reader Reconnection

So, what can you do to help reconnect with your readers? After four years of full time blogging and many more years writing articles across a variety of blogs, web sites, and other new media platforms, I can tell you that all isn’t lost – you can bring back your readers and advance your site if you’re willing to mix ‘n match your reconnection campaign:

Link Bait – I’ve already baited at least two people in this article to stop in and leave a comment: Dominique Small of AUP2 and Larry Jackson of Political Realities. They’re regular readers of this blog anyway, but are certainly worth a timely shout out. Like many savvy bloggers, they know when their site has been pinged and will investigate where that ping comes from. Bait a big time blogger who likes what you wrote and she just may send a boatload of traffic your way.

Steal Content – Ha! I got your attention. This is a sore point for me, because my two automotive blogs are frequently ripped off and by people who live in faraway lands. It goes without saying that stealing is wrong, but borrowing an idea is certainly fine especially if you offer attribution to the source. Freelance writers frequently visit favorite sites for writing ideas including Copyblogger, Freelance Folder, Writing Thoughts, Lillie Ammann’s blog, and elsewhere. You should too.

Advertise Directly – Leaving thoughtful and relevant comments on related blogs, submitting a guest article, exchanging links, and even paying to advertise your blog are ways you can draw in readers. Of course, your site must be professionally designed, well written, and offer a lot of helpful information (please, no drop down ads!) in order to get the attention you want. Never insult your readers, verify facts unless, of course, you are expressing your own opinion about some matter.

Offer Value – By using the word “value” I don’t mean something financial, rather something of importance or worth. Likely, you’re already well entrenched in your niche, but do people recognize you as an authoritative voice on that subject? You can aid your cause by writing for magazines, newspapers and popular online sites, demonstrating your knowledge and skill about a particular area of expertise. Link to those articles on your sidebar to show your readers your “credentials” and to establish value. Alternatively, update your “About” page and offer those links there.

Pillar Articles – I don’t see this term used as much as I did a few years back, but pillar articles are those authoritative writings you offer to your readers that are instructive, informative, and leave the reader with good, solid information that they’ll want to bookmark and share with others. In other words, helpful information that can go viral and go far in defining what your blog is all about.

Pillar articles are generally much longer than the typical 400-500 word post, the information presented is unique, well researched, sourced, evergreen, and just plain interesting.

Your Best

Not every article you write has to be your top writing, but then again if you aim for the best, then you’ll build a reputation for always offering meaty stuff that will increase your following and perceived value as a writer. Particularly for your subject matter.

Consider interviewing sources directly for some of your articles, use personal quotes (in-text citations), reference authoritative sites (including USA Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal) without lifting excerpts from them. Publish guest articles from well established sources, but give a newbie or unrecognized blogger a chance if you believe that their writings should be discovered.

Lastly, your blog is constantly in motion. New content is written, links exchanged, sidebars changed, and traffic patterns will fluctuate.

Social media engagement can help advance your blog, but only to the point where your readers find something of value to bring them back time and again. So take a fresh, objective look at your blog to see what you can do to make it new and improved.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Hofschlaeger