Susan Mukami,Oketch Austine, David Kiriinya, Irene Wanjiru Gichuki and
Billy Muyeka Muchesia work exclusively on the cyberspace, capitalising
on the ever-increasing opportunities online. They tell us just how
‘cosy’ it is to work from the couch, in the comfort of their homes.
PHOTOS| CHRIS OMOLLO, PHOEBE OKALL AND DENNIS ONSONGO
While a significant number of young Kenyans are freelancers for
lack of ‘proper’ jobs, there are those who choose this route due to the
flexibility, the freedom and the wide range of opportunities
that come with this option.
that come with this option.
This discerning
group of young professionals we have interviewed work exclusively on the
cyberspace, capitalising on the ever-increasing opportunities online.
They tell us just how ‘cosy’ it is to work from the couch, in the
comfort of their homes.
Susan Mukami, 25
Content writer
Education:
Environmental Studies and Community Development (Kenyatta University),
Public Relations (Nairobi Institute of Business Studies)
In
primary and high school, Susan would write letters for classmates to
their friends and family, with time, she graduated to drafting and
editing scripts for plays. This is how she started writing.
Why online writing?
I’ve
had a long-running passion for words, and freelancing allowed me to
practice what I like. Before this, I worked as a projects coordinator in
a government ministry. The role was taxing, I hardly had any time for
myself, and I had to wait an entire month for my pay. I needed
flexibility, so I quit and went into freelancing.
Share with us your experience so far…
Freelancing
helps one to grow pretty fast because you are in charge of the growth
of your career and income. I write for Potentash, a blog that publishes
fiction, technology, finance, entertainment, lifestyle features and
product reviews. Since joining the platform in 2016, I have grown in my
writing and editing skills and in the general process of content
creation. The experience has been nothing short of amazing.
What are some of the advantages of online freelance writing?
Today,
the largest audience that consumes written material is found online.
Writing online has therefore given me a wider audience. Secondly, being a
lifestyle blogger has exposed me to a large network of people in
various industries. I have previously been contracted as a copywriter or
a content creator by the government, an NGO and an events-organising
company. Additionally, online freelance writing has an element of
freedom to it. I am fully in charge of my schedule. I only take
assignments that I am able to finish, and have time to engage in my
hobbies. The pay is also decent if you are consistent and have built a
good clientele base. Most online writing jobs pay from Sh2,000 for a
150-words piece of work. With a significant number of Kenyan graduates
unable to get jobs, online writing jobs have become an attractive
alternative. All you need is a laptop, a strong Internet connection and
willingness to learn and grow. With the right freelancing sites, it is
possible to make as much as Sh100,000 in a week. Determination and
patience are key in this job. Many may not consider online freelance
writing a worthwhile job, but it is, it builds your resume, cultivates
your discipline and work ethics and pays your bills just like a
‘regular’ job would.
***
Oketch Austine, 29
Academic writing
Education: Biochemistry, Kenyatta University
After
graduating in 2010, Oketch got a job as a medical representative for a
pharmaceutical company. It is his then roommate that introduced him to
working online. While the remuneration at the company he worked for was
modest, working online seemed more rewarding, and so he resigned to
become an online freelance writer.
In what three ways have you benefitted from your job?
Firstly,
working as a writer is an intellectually rewarding experience since it
involves lots of research on a wide array of subjects. Since I am often
online, I keep abreast of current local and global occurrences.
Financially speaking, I would describe myself as stable - I live in my
own home and drive my own car.
From experience, what are some of the challenges of freelance online writing?
Nearly
all the tasks will require you to scour the web for information. In
other instances, you have to watch several video clips before embarking
on the work. A reliable Internet connection with a consistent bandwidth
is therefore critical. Using Internet bundles from mobile service
providers is costly. I have found that home-based Internet connection is
a more suitable alternative, though to bear in mind is the cost of
installation and the monthly premiums one has to pay to stay connected.
Due
to the different time zones between clients and writers, you are forced
to work odd hours, sometimes late into the night. You also risk having
your account shut down if you perform poorly; this is more or less like
retrenchment. There are also clients who do not pay for work done. Also,
too much exposure to computer light is irritating to the eyes, and
there is work burn-out, especially when you take on many assignments. I
also have to mention that finding clients is becoming harder due to the
growing number of companies that have come up to offer these services;
stiff competition forces sites to lower fees charged for work in an
effort to establish a niche and lure more clients, which consequently
affects the writers’ pay.
Have Kenyan youth satisfactorily utilised the host of opportunities on the digital front, in your view?
No.
Most young people use the Internet mostly for social media connectivity
as opposed to engaging in income-generating ventures. Many graduates
still hold the traditional viewpoint that 9am-5pm office jobs are more
satisfying. Despite their knowledge of the immense digital
opportunities, many would only utilise them as a side-engagement.
The
government recently launched the Ajira Digital Programme targeting
youth interested in making a living online. How do you think the
programme could be packaged to lure more young people?
It
is a worthy and timely initiative, but there is need for modifications
for it to fully achieve its intended purpose. First, the timetable of
online classes should be diversified to include evening classes to cater
for students and interns who are unable to attend daytime classes.
Secondly, the website needs to be more appealing and easier to navigate.
Perhaps the government should advertise the programme more, because,
surprisingly, eight months after it was rolled out, thousands of youths
remain oblivious to its existence, role and benefits.
Do you intend to look for ‘formal’ employment at some point?
I
considered it when I was starting out, but now I am fully contented
working as a freelance writer. I don’t see myself working offline. With
the ever-increasing online opportunities, things can only get better.
***
David Kiriinya, 25
Writer and transcriber
Education: Linguistics, Media and Communication (Moi University)
What areas have you specialised in? Is the pay attractive?
I
am mainly involved in web content writing. I write blog posts for
ebooks, AboutUs and Why US pages as well as articles on technology,
business, agribusiness and health for other sites. Besides writing, I do
German language transcription, since I am proficient in the German
language. The pay varies considerably from site to site, and from task
to task. I am however able to comfortably provide for my needs.
How do you find your clients? What should a newbie expect?
I
have registered as a writer on Upwork and iWriter. I have accounts with
these two sites. This is where I find clients. Clients post their jobs,
and writers bid for them. That said, some websites don’t require one to
bid for a job. Jobs are posted and writers pick them up on the panel as
soon as they are posted. Sometimes, clients specify who they want to
perform the tasks.
A person just
starting out may be frustrated since it may take long to get a job,
which can be demoralising, so persistence is key. Usually after
submitting your job to a client, they will rate you, so the more quality
jobs you have completed, the higher your rating, hence the more the
jobs you are likely to get.
Working from home can be distracting, how do you ensure that you meet deadlines?
The
tasks usually have a time limit. I refrain from anything else until I
have completed the task at hand, lest the client withdraws the offer, or
the job gets automatically cancelled. This means that I dedicate a
number of hours bidding for the jobs and upon getting them, I settle
down to work on them within the specified time. Most sites have a timer
that starts ticking immediately the job is picked. This keeps you on
your toes.
Share some tips with people reading this and who may wish to engage in freelance writing...
Focus
on an area that you are good at. While some perform best in academic
writing, others are good in article writing for, say, magazines. You
must also improve on your typing speed, research skills, and search
engine optimisation (SEO) skills. Good communication skills are
essential for a freelance writer as they are in any other profession. To
transcribe, you must understand the language in question. For instance,
I am proficient in the German language. Networking with other writers
is also important – you learn about new stuff in the industry.
Obediently following a client’s instructions and handling their work
professionally helps to build trust with them; they may contract you for
other tasks in future. You should also prepare for spells when there
are no jobs.
***
Irene Wanjiru Gichuki, 28
Virtual assistant
Education: Graffins College, Front Office Management and Social Media Management
Why did you choose to work online as opposed to getting a regular office job?
I
am a mother of three, and felt that I needed to spend more time with my
children. A 9am -5pm job would not have made this possible, I needed a
freelance job. I began as a transcriber.
What does work as a virtual assistant entail?
Normally
abbreviated as VA, a virtual assistant executes administrative roles
remotely, as opposed to working from an office setting. My job involves
technical activities, from coding to creating websites and creative work
such as branding and graphic design. I also work as a personal
assistant, planning meetings, making travel arrangements, booking
appointments and managing diaries for my clients.
How did you get your current job?
I
stumbled upon a Kenyan Facebook group called Awesome Transcribers
Kenya, which I joined. I had transcription skills, but lacked the
knowhow to bid for jobs. I eventually learnt how to. I currently work
for New Kajabi, an online course creation platform. I am tasked with
front-end work such as creating and updating blog posts, creating
landing pages or sales pages and setting up products. I was introduced
to this skill by my current client, a US-based Nigerian businesswoman.
How much do you make on average in a month?
I
make an average of between Sh50,000 and Sh60,000 in a month. My hourly
rates range between Sh3,000 -Sh10,000. Some project-based jobs could
fetch as much Sh10,000 - Sh30,000.
How is work paid for by overseas clients?
Most
clients pay through PayPal, and in dollars. All you do is create an
account on PayPal, and when your client credits money into your account,
you then transfer it to your local bank account, using a
PayPal-registered debit or credit card. There is also direct deposit, in
which a client simply wires money into your account. In addition, there
are platforms such as Wave, Skrill and Payoneer, all involved in
cross-border transfer of money.
How do your relatives view your job?
They
find it strange that I spend almost 40 hours a week on my laptop and
yet make a living from that - some still insist that I get an office
job…
***
Billy Muyeka Muchesia, 25
Online researcher
Education: Fifth year student, Civil and Structural Engineering, Moi University
Billy
has been involved in online research for two years now. Apart from
earning an income for his upkeep in school, he says the research work
has broadened his scope of knowledge, often applying skills he has
gathered in his engineering course.
What are some of the ethical issues in online research writing?
Plagiarism
is a universal and punishable offence, whether in academia or
professional circles. Content delivered to clients must be original, and
where ideas are borrowed, acknowledgement should be given. A researcher
should deliver work in the language the client understands. Clients
from non-English speaking countries for instance prefer easy-to-read and
simple English. A client is looking for quality work without
grammatical or factual errors. In research, factual errors cause a
misrepresentation of phenomena.
How do you juggle the bulk of your academic work with research endeavours?
As
an engineering student, I have so much research work of my own to
undertake. I have however managed to set and follow a strict timetable
that leaves no time to waste. Sometimes I enlist the assistance of
friends, who I pay a small fee.
How many assignments can you handle at a go?
Clients
give different volumes of work - I can handle 10 assignments with
medium-size workloads. I don’t turn down large workloads, instead, I
distribute the tasks among fellow researchers.
Have you ever been conned in the course of your work?
Yes,
it happened to me once. I did not follow up on the case though, because
in come cases, the outcome may not be favourable. In cases of default
on payment, the writer is advised to file a claim with the respective
platform, such as Upwork or iWriter. The site will often block the
client and report them to Google, who then block the client permanently
from all Google platforms. This is crippling to the client, especially
if they have a blog that has taken many years to build and attract
traffic.
Besides writing research material, what else do you do for your clients?
Online
work is broad, it does not only involve writing academic papers for
foreign students. Creating software for companies, creating web content,
writing books, eBooks, setting exams for students and even tutoring
students online are some of the other areas one could venture into. When
I’m not researching, I perform most of these tasks.
***
Beginner’s guide...
>>
Most online job sites categorise experience at beginner, intermediate
and pro levels, with pro specialists enjoying the highest rating and the
best compensation rates.
>> According to Sean Mize, author of Anyone Can Coach, hiring
workers online is preferred today due to the lower price tag attached –
it is much cheaper than hiring personnel who work from a physical
space.
>> Also, working online does not require a work permit, enabling professionals to work for overseas clients.
>>
A global surge in the number of people who do not fancy to travel to
the office daily, instead preferring to work from home, coupled with
more freelancing sites coming into the picture, the previously stable
freelancer-client balance has been altered, with competition shooting
up.
>> Significantly,
writers from countries that speak English as the Native Language, (ENL)
for instance, have better remuneration rates than those that use English
as a Second Language (ESL), among which Kenya belongs.
>>
Worth noting however is that requirements for applying for online and
traditional jobs are similar. One must provide academic credentials and
certificates, scope of skills and experience, employment history and the
title of the job.
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