It has been only a year since I started freelancing. Like every starter I faced a lot of obstacles in getting work initially and creating my own place in the huge world of freelancing. However somehow I hit the jackpot and got my first contract for $50. Fortunately like most of other freelancers I did not start working for free. Now it has been a year and I have built quite a good profile. So I thought of sharing some tips on how to be a successful freelancer. So here they are....
1. Be Patient This is the most important trait of a freelancer. Being a beginner you have to have a lot of patience in you. Since getting a contract for the first time is not at all easy. So you need to wait with a lot of patience.
2. Be determined and composed One should always be determined. I got my first contract after two and a half months of continuous struggle. I remained determined because I wanted to do it and that too in a right way. So one needs to be composed and know exactly what, how and where to target?
3. Time Management Time management is the basic requirement of a successful freelancer. One needs to adjust time in accordance with the clients time so that both can easily communicate without any delays and mismanagement.
4. Be Professional with Clients When talking to a client whether through chat, email or phone, always sound professional. Clients will only trust you when they find that you know your work. It is difficult to convince clients about your expertise for the first time, so it can only be proved through your conversation. It will also make a good impression.
5. Be Honest Never fool the client. Once the client is fooled, your credibility will go down the drain. Always try to build trust in your client. The client will always come back to you because of your honesty. Like every other business, trust factor is the most important in freelancing as well.
6. Don't be Greedy Always It is important to sometimes give some room to client also. Sometimes only money does not matter. On the other hand if you are too materialistic, think about it as a strategy to keep long term relationship with clients. It converts your prospective client into permanent customer.
7. Understand the Details Don't be in a hurry to get a project. Always check for minor details and confirm every doubt or query from the client. Otherwise it will only increase your workload at the end since client will come back to you for minor changes and it will be over time for you.
8. Changes before Final Payment Always confirm for any changes in the project from the client before invoicing the client. Sometimes you get paid and client comes afterwards for changes and then you might not be available which will leave a bad impact on client. Client might also give negative feedback for you.
9. Always give priority to client. It is an important strategy to make clientele. Make the clients feel that you understand them well and assure them your full support. Make them feel comfortable in explaining their point of view. Be a good listener and also put your own suggestions for improvements.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Unprofessional Journalism in Pakistan
Journalism evolved in Pakistan when the electronic media saw a boost during Musharaff era. Earlier print media was the main source of information and news reporting. During that era, print media also gained momentum and thus many more dailies, weeklies newspapers, magazines both in English and Urdu languages emerged. Since then the journalism of Pakistan has seen tremendous growth in terms of its influence and contribution to the socio-economic structure of the country. Currently journalism has been replaced by the common term media which specifically is represented by the electronic media in particular.
The media of Pakistan has seen its revolution for over a decade but still it is immature.There are still certain areas which need to be worked on and require proper monitoring and regulation. Electronic media is currently the hottest medium of communication. However the due to lack of proper policies and their implementation, electronic media holds a lot of deficiencies. Every now and then we see misreporting, misleading news items and inappropriate contents on our news channels. These channels are so much pressurized by the competition among them that they forget their responsibility of reporting. To support my point have a glance at the recent examples of Maya khan show controversy, several misreporting incidents by the news channels, videos of bomb blast casualties, glamorizing the stories of rape victims and pointless and long lasting useless talk shows. These are some of the very few shortcomings of our news channels.
It is important for the regulatory authorities to consider these meager issues and take notice of such incidents as these channels represent us on international front. If they keep on ignoring such inefficiencies then it will damage the image of our country and particularly Pakistanis. The regulatory bodies need to ensure the strict adoption and implementation of its rules and regulations by all mediums of communication and it should put penalties on those who violate these laws. Media is the fourth pillar of a state so it needs to be made strong by removing its deficiencies as it plays an important role in the image building of a nation.
The media of Pakistan has seen its revolution for over a decade but still it is immature.There are still certain areas which need to be worked on and require proper monitoring and regulation. Electronic media is currently the hottest medium of communication. However the due to lack of proper policies and their implementation, electronic media holds a lot of deficiencies. Every now and then we see misreporting, misleading news items and inappropriate contents on our news channels. These channels are so much pressurized by the competition among them that they forget their responsibility of reporting. To support my point have a glance at the recent examples of Maya khan show controversy, several misreporting incidents by the news channels, videos of bomb blast casualties, glamorizing the stories of rape victims and pointless and long lasting useless talk shows. These are some of the very few shortcomings of our news channels.
It is important for the regulatory authorities to consider these meager issues and take notice of such incidents as these channels represent us on international front. If they keep on ignoring such inefficiencies then it will damage the image of our country and particularly Pakistanis. The regulatory bodies need to ensure the strict adoption and implementation of its rules and regulations by all mediums of communication and it should put penalties on those who violate these laws. Media is the fourth pillar of a state so it needs to be made strong by removing its deficiencies as it plays an important role in the image building of a nation.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
The Power of Social Media
The moment you think about internet, a number of social networking sites come to your mind. This is the extent that social media has imprinted itself in our lives. Few people were aware of the term Social Media until it stimulated certain political, social and economic issues and developed itself as a strong tool of modern day communication. Since past two three years the world has realized the importance of this powerful and effective tool. It has helped in propagating the political, economic and social revolution in different parts of the world.
The recent middle east crisis were known to be provoked by the use of several social networking sites which enlightened the thinking of people and provided them a platform to opine their views and raise their voices against all the injustices happening around them. It was the social media when all the communication channels were terminated in Egypt and people used face book and twitter to update the world about their situation and the circumstances prevailing. The youngsters used all the possible networks to spread their voice across the globe and thus their voices were being heard.
The impact of social media is also strong in Pakistan. People specially youngsters in Pakistan also are well aware of social media. It was evident when Pakistan Tehreek -e- Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan started his social media campaign to attract and influence youngsters. It was the first time in the history of Pakistan that some political party used such creative marketing strategy by employing social media as a platform to propagate its political point of view. This was a great strategy as it was targeted at the right audience and at the right place. Hence it was a great success. The party gained tremendous popularity on face book and twitter. It used every possible technique to attract large number of people to its party through these social networks. Thus the party currently holds a strong support from youngsters specifically as it targeted them effectively. The social networks proved great help in the success of its political gatherings.
Apart from that social media has also played a vital role in highlighting the good and the bad aspects of journalism. Where good news and events were reported immediately on social networks, bad events also took the whole youth by storm. Remember the recent case of Maya Khan controversy. The lady along with her gang was alleged to portray the worst picture of unprofessional journalism and was severely criticized by youngsters as well as journalists on social networks, online news websites and blogs. The criticism was so harsh and effective that the news channel fired her along with her whole team and the CEO personally issued an apology on behalf of the channel.
This is the strength of social media which is currently taking over all the communication barriers. The important thing is how well this tool is utilized to influence and stimulate the society. Social media has altered the course of political situation of several countries. Now time will tell if it will be successful in bringing a revolution to the country like Pakistan where political, social and economic instability is at its peak.
The recent middle east crisis were known to be provoked by the use of several social networking sites which enlightened the thinking of people and provided them a platform to opine their views and raise their voices against all the injustices happening around them. It was the social media when all the communication channels were terminated in Egypt and people used face book and twitter to update the world about their situation and the circumstances prevailing. The youngsters used all the possible networks to spread their voice across the globe and thus their voices were being heard.
The impact of social media is also strong in Pakistan. People specially youngsters in Pakistan also are well aware of social media. It was evident when Pakistan Tehreek -e- Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan started his social media campaign to attract and influence youngsters. It was the first time in the history of Pakistan that some political party used such creative marketing strategy by employing social media as a platform to propagate its political point of view. This was a great strategy as it was targeted at the right audience and at the right place. Hence it was a great success. The party gained tremendous popularity on face book and twitter. It used every possible technique to attract large number of people to its party through these social networks. Thus the party currently holds a strong support from youngsters specifically as it targeted them effectively. The social networks proved great help in the success of its political gatherings.
Apart from that social media has also played a vital role in highlighting the good and the bad aspects of journalism. Where good news and events were reported immediately on social networks, bad events also took the whole youth by storm. Remember the recent case of Maya Khan controversy. The lady along with her gang was alleged to portray the worst picture of unprofessional journalism and was severely criticized by youngsters as well as journalists on social networks, online news websites and blogs. The criticism was so harsh and effective that the news channel fired her along with her whole team and the CEO personally issued an apology on behalf of the channel.
This is the strength of social media which is currently taking over all the communication barriers. The important thing is how well this tool is utilized to influence and stimulate the society. Social media has altered the course of political situation of several countries. Now time will tell if it will be successful in bringing a revolution to the country like Pakistan where political, social and economic instability is at its peak.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Current Media Situation of Pakistan. Can Media Provide the Solution?
Whoever controls the media -- the images -- controls the culture- Allen Ginsberg, American poet and author
Media is a kind of platform for the nation to learn and experience the cultural, political and social changes around them. Therefore, it is the duty of the media to make effective use of this platform and influence the nation to move towards a progressive destination. The media of a country depicts its culture, its norms, beliefs, lifestyles of its people. So it is always a good opportunity to employ this medium to promote one’s identity to the world and get recognition among the world.
We have seen Pakistani Media evolve with time over the past few years. Ideally it is a great change in the history of Pakistan’s media that we have access to a lot of resources for information or entertainment. In view of the current situation of Pakistan’s Media, it has some shortcomings which need to be addressed. We know that nowadays electronic media is one of the most influential medium for our nation. There are a lot of news and entertainment channels providing us information as well as amusement at our doorstep. These channels tend to influence the thinking of a common man. People seek news from them and develop their opinions on their bases. Unfortunately, these channels present such pictures in the name of “truth” and “the real side” that instead of providing some solution; they create psychological problems and increase the worries of common man. There is no such news or information which positively affects the thinking of a person. There’s always bad news or discussions which are endless leading nowhere.
It is the agenda of these channels to provide some spicy news so that people prefer to watch their channel. There’s a race going on among them that whoever puts the breaking news first is the most efficient channel regardless of the sensitivity of the issue being discussed. When it comes to talk shows, there’s always an element of harassment of the guests/ politicians. The show looks like a fish market depicting the ugly picture of our country’s so called literate people. There are no such programs which provide some informative stuff or to guide our young generation for their future. There are only talks on hatred, political instability, murders, injustice, blasts etc. The print media is also doing nothing but just spreading anxiety among the common man. The newspapers are half filled with advertisements and the rest are just the hollow promises and political statements of our great leaders. Yet still they are comparatively performing well than the electronic media.
The entertainment channels of Pakistan are also flourishing well. However the strong inspiration of our neighboring country’s culture is invading our cultural values. The adoption of western fashion trends, propagation of elite living styles and trends, and unnecessary show off of expensive wears creates psychological pressure on the deprived segment of the society. Our cultural values seem to be lost somewhere. The occurrence of private channels has introduced freedom in such a way that has increased vulgarity in our shows. There is strong effect of west as well as Indian media on our people which is ruining our inherited beliefs. The media is the strongest source of inspiration for this generation therefore; it should be their duty to retain our beliefs and values. The media should stop the occupation of other cultures upon us. They should promote our cultural and social aspects so that our generations inherit them.
Media is considered to be the fourth pillar of the stare. Our media is at present only promoting an awful image of Pakistan. The point to be considered is that we should promote the positive image of Pakistan. The current situation of country has badly affected Pakistan’s image in the eyes of the world. People abroad consider us a terrorist nation and a nation losing its identity. We need to change the world’s opinion about our country and that can only be done through media since it is the voice of a nation. Apart from that Pakistan is a country which holds strategic importance for many countries, therefore, we should take advantage of this importance and should promote ourselves as a disciplined and rich cultured country. We should show the world that how blissful we are that we are enriched with such a beautiful country, having so many resources and cultural mix. We can benchmark our neighboring countries such as India and China. They are also rich in cultures and how they always promote their cultures and spread the message of peace and friendship. We have very powerful tool of media which can be used effectively to project a positive image of Pakistan and make ourselves proud as a nation.
Media is a kind of platform for the nation to learn and experience the cultural, political and social changes around them. Therefore, it is the duty of the media to make effective use of this platform and influence the nation to move towards a progressive destination. The media of a country depicts its culture, its norms, beliefs, lifestyles of its people. So it is always a good opportunity to employ this medium to promote one’s identity to the world and get recognition among the world.
We have seen Pakistani Media evolve with time over the past few years. Ideally it is a great change in the history of Pakistan’s media that we have access to a lot of resources for information or entertainment. In view of the current situation of Pakistan’s Media, it has some shortcomings which need to be addressed. We know that nowadays electronic media is one of the most influential medium for our nation. There are a lot of news and entertainment channels providing us information as well as amusement at our doorstep. These channels tend to influence the thinking of a common man. People seek news from them and develop their opinions on their bases. Unfortunately, these channels present such pictures in the name of “truth” and “the real side” that instead of providing some solution; they create psychological problems and increase the worries of common man. There is no such news or information which positively affects the thinking of a person. There’s always bad news or discussions which are endless leading nowhere.
It is the agenda of these channels to provide some spicy news so that people prefer to watch their channel. There’s a race going on among them that whoever puts the breaking news first is the most efficient channel regardless of the sensitivity of the issue being discussed. When it comes to talk shows, there’s always an element of harassment of the guests/ politicians. The show looks like a fish market depicting the ugly picture of our country’s so called literate people. There are no such programs which provide some informative stuff or to guide our young generation for their future. There are only talks on hatred, political instability, murders, injustice, blasts etc. The print media is also doing nothing but just spreading anxiety among the common man. The newspapers are half filled with advertisements and the rest are just the hollow promises and political statements of our great leaders. Yet still they are comparatively performing well than the electronic media.
The entertainment channels of Pakistan are also flourishing well. However the strong inspiration of our neighboring country’s culture is invading our cultural values. The adoption of western fashion trends, propagation of elite living styles and trends, and unnecessary show off of expensive wears creates psychological pressure on the deprived segment of the society. Our cultural values seem to be lost somewhere. The occurrence of private channels has introduced freedom in such a way that has increased vulgarity in our shows. There is strong effect of west as well as Indian media on our people which is ruining our inherited beliefs. The media is the strongest source of inspiration for this generation therefore; it should be their duty to retain our beliefs and values. The media should stop the occupation of other cultures upon us. They should promote our cultural and social aspects so that our generations inherit them.
Media is considered to be the fourth pillar of the stare. Our media is at present only promoting an awful image of Pakistan. The point to be considered is that we should promote the positive image of Pakistan. The current situation of country has badly affected Pakistan’s image in the eyes of the world. People abroad consider us a terrorist nation and a nation losing its identity. We need to change the world’s opinion about our country and that can only be done through media since it is the voice of a nation. Apart from that Pakistan is a country which holds strategic importance for many countries, therefore, we should take advantage of this importance and should promote ourselves as a disciplined and rich cultured country. We should show the world that how blissful we are that we are enriched with such a beautiful country, having so many resources and cultural mix. We can benchmark our neighboring countries such as India and China. They are also rich in cultures and how they always promote their cultures and spread the message of peace and friendship. We have very powerful tool of media which can be used effectively to project a positive image of Pakistan and make ourselves proud as a nation.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Positive Pakistan!!!
The moment the name Pakistan comes in mind, one can hardly think of anything other than terrorism, corrupt political system, and poor economy possessing crucial nuclear plant. Unfortunately this deteriorating and pessimistic situation of this third world country is more highlighted both by the international as well as local media. However the fact is that the country has come a long way and despite facing such threatening conditions due to its critical geo-political environment, Pakistan has done remarkable developments in the field of arts, science and technology.
The country possesses talented and hard working human resource that has made significant contributions in their relevant fields with in the limited available resources. The status of being the first Islamic state as a nuclear power is one credit that the nation gives to its great scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan. Other than that the country is also progressing well in science and technology under the guidance and support of some great scientists such as Dr. Samar Mubarakmand who is a pioneer of introducing fiber optic technology in Pakistan.
Other than science the country has gone through a media revolution. Although it happened during a military regime, yet the emergence of electronic media was a great change in Pakistan’s history. Media being the fourth pillar of state emerged as a powerful tool in changing the society’s views and opinions. It educated people about their society and also served as an entertainment medium for the public. It is the power of media that has brought people out of their homes and question the odds in their political, social and economic system. People are now aware of each and every aspect through media and they are no more reluctant about their country’s circumstances and their societal issues.
Although the country’s literacy rate is said to be one of the lowest in the world yet the country is progressing in terms of producing educated youth. The country is producing more than 100,000 graduates and informatics graduates a year. In addition the trend of speaking English is also taking momentum in Pakistan. In fact it is ranked as the 9th English speaking nation in the world and third largest in Asia.
The higher education has evolved and there are now more than 130 Universities and degree awarding institutions in both public and private sector. It will not be wrong to say that there is an educational revolution in the country. We have got some very bright and shining students who have not only made their mark in the country but have set records in the world.
Consider the name of Arifa Kareem (late), who set the world record of being the youngest Microsoft certified professional at the age of 9, Ali Moin Nawazish, who secured 22 As in his A-levels exam and set a world record. Recently another bright Pakistani girl named Sitara Brooj Akbar also set a world record of being the youngest Pakistani candidate of IELTS who successfully scored 7.5 and also passed six O’ level subjects at the age of just 11 years.
There are many more examples of Pakistanis in different fields who have proved that their country is competitive in every field. Let it be education, business, IT, Science, fashion, arts or entertainment, the country is rolling on the road of progress and development in every way. It is this skilled, determined and dedicated human resource of Pakistan, that despite so much hardship and lack of resources, the country has been successful in proving itself as a developing country.
Therefore if provided with strong leadership and resources are put to proper utilization, this nation has the potential to put the country on the the path of progress and development.
The country possesses talented and hard working human resource that has made significant contributions in their relevant fields with in the limited available resources. The status of being the first Islamic state as a nuclear power is one credit that the nation gives to its great scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan. Other than that the country is also progressing well in science and technology under the guidance and support of some great scientists such as Dr. Samar Mubarakmand who is a pioneer of introducing fiber optic technology in Pakistan.
Other than science the country has gone through a media revolution. Although it happened during a military regime, yet the emergence of electronic media was a great change in Pakistan’s history. Media being the fourth pillar of state emerged as a powerful tool in changing the society’s views and opinions. It educated people about their society and also served as an entertainment medium for the public. It is the power of media that has brought people out of their homes and question the odds in their political, social and economic system. People are now aware of each and every aspect through media and they are no more reluctant about their country’s circumstances and their societal issues.
Although the country’s literacy rate is said to be one of the lowest in the world yet the country is progressing in terms of producing educated youth. The country is producing more than 100,000 graduates and informatics graduates a year. In addition the trend of speaking English is also taking momentum in Pakistan. In fact it is ranked as the 9th English speaking nation in the world and third largest in Asia.
The higher education has evolved and there are now more than 130 Universities and degree awarding institutions in both public and private sector. It will not be wrong to say that there is an educational revolution in the country. We have got some very bright and shining students who have not only made their mark in the country but have set records in the world.
Consider the name of Arifa Kareem (late), who set the world record of being the youngest Microsoft certified professional at the age of 9, Ali Moin Nawazish, who secured 22 As in his A-levels exam and set a world record. Recently another bright Pakistani girl named Sitara Brooj Akbar also set a world record of being the youngest Pakistani candidate of IELTS who successfully scored 7.5 and also passed six O’ level subjects at the age of just 11 years.
There are many more examples of Pakistanis in different fields who have proved that their country is competitive in every field. Let it be education, business, IT, Science, fashion, arts or entertainment, the country is rolling on the road of progress and development in every way. It is this skilled, determined and dedicated human resource of Pakistan, that despite so much hardship and lack of resources, the country has been successful in proving itself as a developing country.
Therefore if provided with strong leadership and resources are put to proper utilization, this nation has the potential to put the country on the the path of progress and development.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Where is Humanity???
In the past few days I have been hearing, watching, reading several disturbing news and events portraying the dirty picture of the society we live in. Every time i get to know about some rape case, kidnapping, slaughtering, murdering, I just wonder if it is even being done by a human? I don't understand where do we stand? My head just gets jumbled up with zillions of questions. Finally I just ask one question that are we really humans??? Being civilized, educated, social, and most importantly being a Muslim is a far cry when such incidents and events happen in our society. What are we doing? What is the point of us being a civilized, educated, independent and modernized society? We keep blaming the Government institutions for not doing their work properly and accuse them for the deteriorating law and order situation in the country. But what are we doing as individuals? Are we sincere to ourselves? Are we doing our duties with responsibility at personal level?
Societies are made by individuals and the acts of individuals ultimately paint the picture of the society. We as individuals have left humanity far behind. We do not care much as we have become materialistic in every way. We have left our religion and kept it for the sake of dua only. This is the only reason that we as Muslims are breaking and all the evils are rising and taking over us. We try every other option to deal with the situations but we seldom think about our own deeds and seek the guidance from Quran and Sunnah.
We have stopped thinking as Muslims as we are so much lost in worldly matters that religion has just become a minor element of our life. Islam is the only religion in the world with complete code of life. But like other believers we have restricted it's role as one's private matter. We have limited its horizons to ibadaat only. We have not only lost our imaan but also our humanity with it. Finally I want to quote this ayat from Quran which we have forgot and thus are having terrible times in our lives. "And hold firmly to the rope of ALLAH all together and do not become DIVIDED." (aali'Imran, #103).
Societies are made by individuals and the acts of individuals ultimately paint the picture of the society. We as individuals have left humanity far behind. We do not care much as we have become materialistic in every way. We have left our religion and kept it for the sake of dua only. This is the only reason that we as Muslims are breaking and all the evils are rising and taking over us. We try every other option to deal with the situations but we seldom think about our own deeds and seek the guidance from Quran and Sunnah.
We have stopped thinking as Muslims as we are so much lost in worldly matters that religion has just become a minor element of our life. Islam is the only religion in the world with complete code of life. But like other believers we have restricted it's role as one's private matter. We have limited its horizons to ibadaat only. We have not only lost our imaan but also our humanity with it. Finally I want to quote this ayat from Quran which we have forgot and thus are having terrible times in our lives. "And hold firmly to the rope of ALLAH all together and do not become DIVIDED." (aali'Imran, #103).
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