(Yanuar Prisantoso on instantshift.com) – Freelancers are always in search of some work, so that they can earn something by rendering their services to people from the comforts of their home. Most of us read a lot about productivity, marketing, pricing, customer service, and these aspects of business are all important. But it’s also important to enjoy the work that you do.

Being a freelancer is a great opportunity that allows you to shape and customize your ideal work style. Here is a look at some things you can do to help make your work more enjoyable.

Read full article here!

(Matthew Latkiewicz on mashable.com) – Just as early television shows were essentially radio plays shot on film, the earliest attempts by online marketers mimicked the worlds of television and print. While banner ads and pre-roll commercials are still with us, of course, a new generation of marketing professionals and companies are exploring techniques more native to the web: multi-platform marketing campaigns that encourage interactivity.

Marketers who take advantage of the Internet’s unique capabilities have the potential to build increasingly engaged customer communities. Here’s a look at three major trends.

Read the full article here!

(Alison Doyle on About.com) – What are you going to say when a hiring manager asks Tell me about yourself? or Why were you fired? – do you have an answer ready? If not, you should. In fact, you should be ready to answer most of the typical interview questions you’ll be asked.

Taking the time to prepare answers will save you from fumbling around trying to figure out what to say, and will prevent that awkward moment or two of silence while you try and gather your thoughts.

Read the full article here!

(Phil Patton on www.aiga.org) – Dragons have begun to appear on our dashboards and sea serpents on our mobile devices. The screens of our navigation units have very quietly, almost without our noticing, begun to acquire decorations like those of ancient maps: fictional elements, like the monsters than once warned sailors against traveling too far, the full-cheeked mythological figures of winds, the elaborate florid geometry of the compass rose.

Read the full article here!

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — Multiple reports have Google buying Groupon for $2.5 billion and change. But why would Google want an email-based startup in the first place? To get at the nearly $14 billion U.S. local online ad purse, that’s why. Especially because small and medium businesses are expected to spend 10% less on Google’s core paid search in the next five years, according to Borrell Associates.

Read full article here!

(www.huffingtonpost.com)  – Unemployed workers have been using all kinds of unusual strategies to gain an edge in their job searches, whether donning sandwich boards advertising their skills, passing out resumes on street corners, or posting their accomplishments on photoshopped magazine covers.

A copywriter has come up with a creative way to stand out, while showing off his worldliness and tech skills: he mapped his resume to Google Maps.

Read full article here!

(Simon Mackie on gigaom.com) – For many freelancers, coworking — a growing movement of independent café-like collaboration spaces for independent professionals — has been a significant development of the past few years. The coworking concept is attractive for freelancers; it gives people who would normally be stuck at home a fun place to work and the chance to network, socialize, develop ideas and work on projects with others.

Read full article here!

 (Danielle LaPorte on talentzoo.com) – Criticism can bite. Hard. There’s two scenarios. You’re being justly critiqued (no one’s perfect.) In which case, your ego needs to shake it off like a wet dog and keep wagging its tail. Even so, if you’re being rightly ‘dissed, you’ve still got to find your dignified zone. The other scenario is that someone is out of line and you’re at the receiving end of his or her misperception and poor taste. This type of criticism actually is more complicated and messy. But either way, criticism is a call to be your classiest self.

 Here are 11 approaches for dealing with criticism:

 Read full article here!

(Alison Doyle on About.com Guide) – If your plan is to wait until the holidays are over to really jump start your job search, think again. The holidays are actually a great time to hunt for a new job. Here are some helpful tips for boosting your job search. Read full article here!

(Jeff Hilimire on adage.com) – Food marketers intent on shepherding and tracking shoppers — from car, to cart, to checkout, to chowing down — are understandably salivating over the potential of location-based mobile apps.

Badges and virtual goods may seem cool in the first few encounters, but how long can the thrill of a mayorship or a virtual Tazo Tea bottle last? It’s gimmicky. Moreover, what if I want to make a purchase but don’t want to check in? Lasting and sustainable innovation in this space will require apps that offer far greater benefits for both consumers and marketers. Don’t get me wrong. Consumer food marketers and, indeed, all marketers, should be actively experimenting with new apps and technologies to determine their potential value and how best to use them.

Read full article here: http://adage.com/digitalnext/post?article_id=147211!

(Ester Liquori on instantshift.com) –  Unfortunately, upcoming deadlines, continuous reviewing of the work required by clients, time lack, etc. sometimes affect designers and creatives all over the world.

Inspiration and creativity never sleep someone could say but there are several side effects for too many nights spent working at the PC. Read the full article here!

(Chris Kyle on yahoo.com) – Are you an extrovert? A people person? A crowd pleaser?

Consider channeling your winning personality into a pretty paycheck.Just remember that even with a great personality, you’ll need some training.

“Education is always a good thing…” says Mitchell York, a New York-based career coach.”…[A]nd, in some cases, it’s mandatory.”

Take a look at some of these great-paying careers that extroverts can excel in – then see how you can get in on the action!

Read the full article here!

(Anders Ross on www.instantshift.com) – Becoming a freelancer is a way to work at home and be independent without having to start a business. Freelance work varies greatly. Some projects require clients to sign written agreements, while others provide work based on verbal agreements that are enforceable through the nature of the project. Some freelancers provide written estimates of work and request deposits from clients. Read the full article here!