Sat, 31 May 2008 04:54:04 ZenHabits: 8 Frugal Tips for Legal Matters Taken from Zen Habits by Andrew Flusche. “The good lawyer is not the man who has an eye to every side and angle of contingency, and qualifies all his qualifications, but who throws himself on your part so heartily, that he can get you out of a scrape.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson I recently was asked some questions from readers about legal matters, especially when it comes to trying to deal with legal matters while living on a budget. As these things are a bit beyond my level of expertise, I turned to a friend, Andrew Flusche, a lawyer in Virginia who has done some excellent work for me in some of my online ventures. In addition to being a good lawyer, he’s a great guy, and someone I trust, and intelligent to boot. I asked him for some frugal tips for people dealing with legal matters, and what follows are some of his suggestions and thoughts, in his words. Do you need a lawyer? Before you do anything, ask yourself this question: Is a lawyer necessary? The best way to save money on legal expenses might be to keep lawyers out of the equation. This definitely isn’t right for every legal matter, but it could be right for yours. If there is very little money at stake, hiring a lawyer may not be cost effective. You might be better off trying to resolve the matter yourself. Sometimes a polite phone call or letter can go a long way. Even if the issue is significant, helping yourself might be an option. A variety of good do-it-yourself legal handbooks exist, such as those by Nolo Press. Your local library will probably have similar books ready to check out. Go to small claims court. Small claims court exists for a reason. It helps people have their day in court to resolve small disputes. The precise rules and requirements vary by jurisdiction, but it can be a cheap option to litigate a monetary claim. You can generally pursue amounts up to a few thousand dollars in small claims court. The filing fees are usually a small amount. You typically do not hire a lawyer in these cases; you pursue the case on your own. Buy unbundled services. Perhaps you need a lawyer for part of a matter, but you can handle some things on your own. Unbundled legal services could be the frugal solution. This innovation breaks down legal services into discrete parts, letting clients purchase only what they need. Under this model, you could hire an attorney to just give advice on a certain situation. Or you could hire someone to review contracts for you. Unbundled services can be a win-win deal for clients and lawyers. The client gets exactly the needed services and only has to pay a minimum amount. And the lawyer can work on discrete matters for a variety of interesting clients. Educate yourself. Regardless of the legal option you choose, you need to educate yourself. Even if you hire an attorney for all your legal needs, you should make sure you understand what’s going on. One simple thing you can learn is legal terminology. Your attorney should be able to speak to you in plain English, but there are still legal terms involved. If you take the time to find definitions for things, you save your attorney’s time in explaining them to you. In most arrangements, saving time for your attorney saves you money. Provide all the details. After you have decided to hire a lawyer, you have to communicate with him. To help your lawyer work as efficiently (and cheaply) as possibly, get all your details together. If you’re prepared to answer the lawyer’s questions, you can make the most of any meetings you have. In today’s computer age, it’s easy to keep records and documents handy. You could just create a Google Doc of information about your case. When something happens or a memory resurfaces, make a note of it. You could share this Doc with your attorney through Google or just email it to him. Group your questions. If your attorney is billing by the hour, you want to minimize the time he has to spend on your matter. Most attorneys bill in six-minute increments, so even a quick phone call to your attorney will cost 1/10th of an hour (possibly $25). This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t contact your attorney. But you should be efficient in that contact. Don’t call your attorney five times during the day. Make a list of things you’d like to talk about and call once. The same applies to email. Ask for alternative billing. Lawyers don’t have to bill by the hour all the time. In fact, many lawyers are using different billing methods precisely to lower the cost of legal services. If you want to lower your attorney’s fees, ask about alternate billing arrangements. Contingency fees are a popular method of billing in cases like personal injuries. You pay your attorney a percentage of the amount you recover. Attorneys use flat rate billing when the amount and nature of work is predictable. If you have a routine traffic court matter, a flat rate might make your cost easy to foresee. Flat rates can also help you get a simple will drafted and signed. Stay focused on the goal. A wise business attorney told me that the client is truly in trouble when they’re fighting “for the principle of the matter.” If you’re fighting for prinicples, your costs will likely skyrocket. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stand up for your beliefs, but sometimes fighting in the legal arena can be a bad business decision. The same rationale applies to people who want to harass people through the courts. An unscrupulous attorney might help you, but it will likely be expensive. Do you think an attorney who will simply harass your adversary will turn around and bill you fairly? Always keep your focus on the end goal, and make sure your attorney knows that goal as well. Ask yourself how certain decisions might affect reaching that goal. If you get off course, talk it over with your attorney and get back on track. You’ll save money in the end. Sat, 31 May 2008 04:46:32 Flying Solo: Confessions from the third bedroom Article from Flying Solo. The next time some well-meaning relative asks me how my 'little' business is going, when I’m getting an office, or, if I’m still 'just' freelancing, I’m going to chop down the family tree. It really gets my goat. The first thing I want to fire back is: How’s your little job going? Do you ever leave your office nowadays? Are you still just selling your soul? The most annoying bit is that I let it get to me. Why should I care? I’m Big Noel. I shouldn't give a rats if people with ‘real jobs’ think I spend my days sleeping in, watching Oprah and putting out the washing. So why do I feel pressure to get an office with a Herman Miller chair and a brushed steel logo sitting above a polished granite benchtop with fresh cut flowers and the latest edition of Fortune magazine? Do I really need thick-rimmed glasses, a tailored suit, an iPhone and a Gucci compendium to feel good about myself? Just between us, my angst must relate to deep down insecurity within me about my choices. But all a bloke wants at the end of the day is a little R.E.S.P.E.C.T. That could be why every now and then I find myself scanning the jobs boards wondering if I’m missing out on a respectable, cushy corporate job somewhere with the latest BlackBerry and a corporate gym. Maybe that’s why I’m secretly jealous when my high-flying sales consultant friends get back from their week-long junket in Phuket. Well enough’s enough. I have decided to drop the towel and expose the truth about my small – okay micro – business. Today, I have some confessions to make: “We” are not a boutique consultancy catering for the needs of leading Australian businesses big and small. I just sit in my cramped third bedroom and charge by the hour. “We” do not tailor individual solutions based on your needs via our network of expert consultants with in-depth experience in your industry. I do sometimes work with Phil though, and he’s a pretty good bloke. Our “accounts department” is not requesting an update on the scheduled progress payment for job #6037. But my wife wants to know when you’re going to cough up because we need a new fuse box. I currently have a chirping chicken in my shower cubicle, courtesy of my daughter’s pre-school. I have to carry the box outside when the phone rings. I regularly put my head down on the desk and snooze around 2.30pm. I sometimes work in my pyjamas. And, I have answered the office phone in the nude after a shower – more than once. So there it is. That feels better. That’s the awful truth. Big Noel’s real name should be Tiny Tim. I’m small, I’m alone and I’m happy. Do you have anything to get off your chest? Sat, 31 May 2008 04:24:41 CNN: 25 Reasons Why You're Not Getting The Job Taken from CNN by Anthony Balderrama. When you're job hunting, you can go mad if you think about the amount of factors beyond your control that affect your chances of getting hired. Leaving a trail of angry bosses or co-workers will come back to haunt you when you need references. The economy, your location, industry trends -- even the hiring manager's mood -- can influence whether or not you get a job. Still, as nice as it would be to blame your lack of offers on external factors, you can't forget that common denominator in your job hunt -- from the résumé to the interview -- is you. Here are 25 ways you might be unknowingly sabotaging your own job search: The first steps Not keeping track of your accomplishments When you're happy with your job, it's easy to forget about possible future job hunts. You never know when you'll end up looking for new work, and if you don't keep a running list of awards, promotions and accomplishments, you might not remember them when it's time to update your résumé. Leaving on a bad note As much fun as it is to fantasize about telling off a bad boss, don't actually do it. Leaving a trail of angry bosses or co-workers will come back to haunt you when you need references. Not networking If you're silent about your job search, your friends, family and colleagues won't think of you when they hear about job opportunities. Only using the Internet Online job boards are fantastic resources, but you need to do some footwork if you want to increase your chances of finding a job. Contact companies whom you'd like to work for, even if there are no job listings. Not all companies advertise openings online. Only searching for the perfect job Yes, your job search should be focused. After all, applying to every job posting that comes your way is a good way to waste time but not an effective way to find a job you want. However, if you approach your job hunt unwilling to accept anything less than the precise job title, pay, vacation time and hours you want, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. The résumé and cover letter Writing a generic cover letter If your cover letter looks like it could have come from a word processor template, right down to the "To Whom It May Concern," don't bother sending it. Hiring managers look for a candidate who wants that specific position, not someone who sends out applications en masse. Write a new cover letter for each job application and include details specific to that company. Typos Sending a cover letter or résumé filled with grammatical mistakes and typographical errors shows hiring managers you don't care about the quality of your work and probably not about the job, either. Including your current work info as the best place to contact you Making sure employers can get in touch with you is important, but they shouldn't be contacting you at work. "Potential employers are going to question if these people will search for a new job on their time," says Kathy Sweeney, résumé writer for the Write Résumé. Focusing on yourself and not on the company in the cover letter "When 'I' is the predominant subject -- and there are times when it is the only subject of all the sentences in the cover letter -- it indicates to me that they don't understand my organization and its needs, and, in fact, says they don't care to know," says Dion McInnis, associate vice president for university advancement at University of Houston-Clear Lake. "And therefore, I don't care to know them." Not targeting your résumé to the position Just like the cover letter, your résumé should build a case for you to be hired for a specific position. If you're applying for a financial analyst position, don't waste space including your teenage stint as a lifeguard. The interview Showing up late Nobody likes to be kept waiting, especially hiring managers evaluating whether or not you would make a good employee. Dressing for the wrong job Your interview attire should match the dress code of the company, or be one step up. If the office dress code is business casual, wearing jeans and a t-shirt won't work in your favor. On the other hand, if you're told dress is casual, you'll stick out if you show up wearing a double-breasted suit. Not asking questions When the interview comes to a close, the hiring manager will undoubtedly ask if you have any questions for him or her. Not asking anything is the equivalent of saying, "I don't care all that much about the job." Badmouthing a former boss When you talk to hiring managers about a previous employer, you're also talking about them. The way you talk about a previous employer is how interviewers think you'll talk about them in the future, so keep it civil. Not paying attention Another way to show you don't care much about the job is to get distracted. Answering your phone, sending texts or digging through your bag tells the interviewer that your focus is anywhere except on the interview. Not researching the position Your chief objective in an interview is convincing the hiring manager you're the best candidate for the job. How can you prove your qualifications if you don't have an idea of what skills you're expected to have and what your responsibilities will be? Not researching the company Employers want to know that your motivation for work is more than a paycheck. If you demonstrate that you know something about the company's history, its goals and its culture, you prove you want to be a part of the company. Forgetting common etiquette Don't cuss, chew gum, burp, take off your shoes, forget to shower or do anything else that's not appropriate in a business setting. Don't give the interviewer a reason not to hire you. Forgetting you're being interviewed from the moment you walk in Just because you're not sitting down at a desk across from the hiring manager, don't think you're not being evaluated. For example, employers will often ask their receptionists if you were nice them. Even if your interview involves lunch or dinner, you're trying to get a job, not show off your ability to down tequila shots. Bringing up salary too soon A rule of thumb is that you should never bring up pay; let the hiring manager do it. Of course employers are aware that you want to know about the salary, so they will bring it up when the time is right. Appearing too concerned with money suggests you aren't passionate about the position or the company. After the interview Not sending a thank-you note Interview etiquette extends beyond the goodbye hand-shake. Follow up with the interviewer by sending a thank-you note, either by e-mail or in the mail. Not only is it standard business practice, it's also common courtesy. Being over-aggressive in follow-up Thanking the hiring manager for the interview is acceptable. You can even check in to see if a candidate's been hired if you were given a deadline for the decision. However, calling, e-mail or stopping by the office repeatedly is not persistent; it's annoying. Not learning from your mistakes Not every interview goes off without a hitch, so don't beat yourself up if you flubbed an answer or two. However, if you don't take the time to review each interview you go on, you're bound to repeat the same mistakes again and again. Forgetting where you've applied and interviewed After a few weeks, you've applied at more than dozen places and probably interviewed with a few companies. Eventually it's harder to remember where you've sent a résumé or interviewed, and applying to the same place makes you look like an applicant who applies to any posting that pops up, not the best fit. Stopping your job search while you wait for a response Even if your interview for the job of a lifetime went well, don't freeze your job hunt while you wait to hear back. For a variety of reasons you might not get the job, or you might stumble upon an even better opportunity. You don't have anything to lose by continuing the hunt. Sat, 31 May 2008 04:11:01 Attn Freelance Writers: How to Get More Work from Existing Clients Article taken from Freelance Switch. One of the best ways to increase your income as a freelance writer is not to market for more work (ie, new clients), but to get it from existing clients. This is an often overlooked marketing method and missing it is like throwing money out the window. Employing the 80/20 Marketing Rule There’s a time-honored, marketing rule of thumb that says 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your clients. Most of us spend 80% of our time chasing after new clients. Switching that algorithm, for example, spending 80% of your time massaging your existing client base, would be a much better use of time. Following is a 3-step plan designed to get more work from your existing client base. Ask for a 10-minute Consultation. As freelance writers, most of us get clients either via referral or because we’ve pitched them. Usually, clients contact us with a specific project in mind. Once we complete that project, we may never hear from them again until they need us again for another, similar project. Why is a consultation important to getting more work? Asking your clients to give you ten minutes of their time allows you to dig deeper into their business. What you’re looking for are pain points: problems you can help them overcome. For example, as an SEO writer, a lot of my clients are internet marketing firms. They provide a wide range of services, from SEO article writing to blog postings to article submission services. Each one is different. I recently snagged more work from one client by finding out that he had a lot of blogging work he needed done. These weren’t for any of his clients, but for his own sites. But, he just didn’t have time to do them and meet client deadlines as well (a lot of internet entrepreneur have this problem, including yours truly). Only by talking to him and getting a better understanding of his business, his workload, how his day flowed was I able to get this work – which is ongoing. Prepare a Questionnaire. You should do this before you have the consultation session with your clients. Prepare open-ended questions. Remember, the goal is to find out more about how you can help them (ie, get more assignments). You might ask, for example, are there ancillary services they’re not offering because they don’t have the time/staff to handle it. Prepare five to ten questions along these lines that will help you gain a better understanding of their business. Proposal. Once you’ve had the consultation, prepare an open-ended proposal where you specifically ask for the work. For example, you might say, “During our consultation, you mentioned that you have many website clients who don’t have blogs. You can package my blog writing services as part of your website design offerings to potential clients.” In fact, that’s how I got my foot in the SEO writing door. I queried clients, offering to let them package my SEO article writing services with their internet marketing services. I landed my first client within a week, and now SEO writing is about 75% of what I do as a freelance writer. Getting more work from existing clients is not hard. With a little planning, it can be the most cost-effective and lucrative marketing you will ever do as a freelance writer. Thu, 15 May 2008 12:13:35 37signals: Sleep deprivation is not a badge of honor Article from 37signals. Forgoing sleep is like borrowing from a loan shark. Sure you get that extra hours right now to cover for your overly-optimistic estimation, but at what price? The shark will be back and if you can’t pay, he’ll break your creativity, morale, and good-mannered nature as virtue twigs. Now we all borrow occasionally and that’s okay if you fully understand the consequences and don’t make it a habit. I did that the other night. We pushed an update to OpenBar, which had me working until 1:30 AM. That wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t because I got woken up at 5 AM to help deal with an issue that arose. But the costs the following day were typical, numerable, and expensive: Stubbornness: When I’m really tired, it always seems easier to plow down whatever bad path I happen to be on instead of reconsidering the route. The finish line is a constant mirage and I’ll be walking in the desert for much longer than was ever a good idea. Lack of creativity: What separates programmers who are 10x more effective than the norm is not that they write 10x as many lines of code. It’s that they use their creativity to solve the problem with 1/10th of the effort. The creativity to come up with those 1/10th solutions drops drastically when I’m tired. Diminished morale: When my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders, it loves to feed on less demanding tasks. Like reading my RSS feeds for the 5th time today or reading yet another article about stuff that doesn’t matter. My motivation to attack the problems of real importance is not nearly up to par. Irritability: If you encounter someone who’s acting like an ass, there’s a good chance they’re suffering from sleep deprivation. Your ability to remain patient and tolerant is severely impacted when you’re tired. I know I’m at my worst when sleep deprived. These are just some of the costs you incur when not getting enough sleep. None of them are desirable. Yet somehow it seems that the tech industry has developed a masochistic sense of honor about sleep deprivation. At times it sounds like bragging rights. People trying to top each other. For what? To seem so important, so in need, so desired that humanity requires you to sacrifice? Chances are you’re not that special, not that needed, and the job at hand not that urgent. Software development is rarely a sprint, it’s a marathon. It’s multiple marathons, actually. So trying to extract 110% performance from today when it means having only 70% performance available tomorrow is a bad deal. You end up with just 77% of your available peak. What a bad trade. This is why I’ve always tried to get about 8 1/2 hours of sleep. That seems to be the best way for me to get access to peak mental performance. You might well require less (or more), but to think you can do with 6 hours or less is probably an illusion. Worse, it’s an illusion you’ll have a hard time bursting. Sleep-deprived people often vastly underestimate the impact on their abilities, studies have shown. So get more sleep. Stop bragging about how little you got. Make your peak mental capacity accessible. << Earlier