Guides

What employment status do I have? Your contract may not provide the answer!

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

Recently, Freelance Advisor reported on the very important Supreme Court 2011 legal judgement on Autoclenz Ltd v Belcher and Others and how this may affect freelancers and contractors who have IR35 concerns. As this case is so important for all employees, workers and freelancers in deciding their employment status, at Workline we thought we’d explain this in more detail.

The case highlights the importance the Courts now give to finding clarity in employment relationships, not by looking at what is written down in a contract, but what is actually happening in the working relationship.

Social Networking and Work – can they go together?

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

Smart phones, internet, social media sites, e-mails, tweeting, blogging – we have accepted all of these innovations as part of our working and daily lives – they help us to work more flexibly, stay in touch for longer and respond to each other more quickly. But several surveys and employment tribunal cases this year have shown that employers need to provide clear guidance to staff regarding how they use social networking sites.

Christmas parties – what can you claim?

Jon Norris | Guides,Money

Joy of joys, it’s Christmas party season again! Time to don ye now some gay apparel, get some business cards printed and make sure you can fit all those important client parties into your schedule.

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I’d like a second job – what do I need to know?

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

I’d like a Second Job – what do I need to know? There has undeniably been a huge increase, across all professions, of people taking second jobs or finding an extra source of income by ‘moonlighting’. Getting a second job can be a great (or necessary) thing to do, and while it’s not illegal to have a second job, there are several issues you need to consider, to avoid jeopardising your main source of income. Here we describe what you need to know.

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Small Business Owners – a guide to what documents you need when employing staff!

Lesley Furber | Guides

We recently highlighted how red tape is putting off small businesses taking on staff. Another area of huge concern and confusion is what paperwork you need to give your staff to ensure your working relationship is clear and unambiguous. We give you the low-down here!

The challenges of dealing with international clients

David Sumner | Guides

One of the most attractive aspects of freelancing is that despite working from home, working online offers you many opportunities to land projects from clients across the globe. With English serving as the global business language of choice, for the native English speaking freelancer there should be no barriers to attracting a diverse and international clientèle.

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Eight ways to get your website instantly ignored

TimothyTim | Guides,Technology

OK, that’s it. I’ve had it with sloppy internet stupidity and moronic marketing strategies from site owners. Here are my top ten (alright, eight) moronic things you’re doing to your website that dramatically hinders your ability to sell stuff.

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Custom and practice, and employment contract terms

Lesley Furber | Guides

We know there are a lot of employees out there, at the moment, who are having their employment terms changed, usually against their wishes. At Workline we thought we’d look at this in more detail, specifically focusing on what ‘custom and practice’ means and how and when a ‘custom and practice’ might be come part (a term) of your contract of employment.

Blogging Basics: Part 3

Rachel Soothill | Guides

So after exploring why and how you should set up a blog as well as looking at how to make your blog as easy to find, use and navigate as possible. Here is the third and final chapter in the blogging basics series…the content.

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Unfair dismissal reforms – fair or unfair?

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

The Chancellor, George Osborne, at the Conservative Party conference last weekend confirmed that the Government would double the qualification period needed for employees to be able to claim unfair dismissal – from 1 year (which it is now) to 2 years – from April 2012.

Blogging Basics: Part 2

Rachel Soothill | Guides

In January 2011 there were a reported 153,205,413 identified blogs on the internet and this number was growing by approximately 47,719 per day. These figures reflect just how popular blogging has become but also highlight the difficulties of getting your blog to stand out from the crowd.

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Blogging Basics

Rachel Soothill | Guides

For wannabe bloggers out there, The Guardian has just launched a new regular section called “How to build a profitable blog”. The blog will follow internet marketer and professional blogger, Glen Allsopp, who at just 22 years old takes home £10,000 a month from his websites, as he coaches freelance writer Andrea Wren on how she can do the same.

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How to work with a Virtual Assistant

Rachel Soothill | Guides

A virtual assistant carries out the same role as a traditional administration assistant; however the person fulfilling the role no longer has to be physically present in the office (or home, if you’re a working from home type).

How to improve your sales pitch

Rachel Soothill | Guides

One of the common challenges that most freelancers face, and most loathe, is the need to pitch yourself and your services to potential clients. For most of us this is the hardest part of being self-employed and can be terrifying and intimidating.

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Freelance Facts

Rachel Soothill | Guides

If you are thinking about joining the world of freelancers or perhaps you have recently started your own freelance business – good for you!

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Writing an effective sales proposal – the basics

Rachel Soothill | Guides

As we discussed recently, the sales pitch is one of the hardest challenges a freelancer will face, so it is essential to get to grips with some basic sales techniques and tools in order to continue finding new work.

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Your legal status and IR35

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

Many new freelancers and contractors may be vaguely aware of IR35, but not know when and where it applies. Before getting too intimate with the ins and outs of the IR35 legislation, the first step is to know if IR35 is even relevant to your situation.

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Internships – a good opportunity or a waste of time?

Lesley Furber | Guides

Internships and work placements have been getting some bad press lately. Are they an extremely good experience for both Employers and graduates or potentially unethical exploitation?

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Company Name vs Trading Name

Jon Norris | Guides,Legal

When it comes time to form a Limited Company, undoubtedly the biggest hurdle will be choosing a Company name. Company names are like URLs – they have to be unique – and with over 1,000 companies formed every day in the UK, the number of available company names is decreasing rapidly.

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Care Workers – what are your rights at work?

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

At Workline we get a lot of queries from Care Workers who are unsure of their rights, and with Healthcare Providers in the news lately as they run out of money, we felt it was time to summarise your rights!

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Using an Umbrella Company

Lesley Furber | Guides,Money

Many Contractors choose to use the services of an existing ‘Umbrella Company’ – they are limited companies that employ Contractors. If you choose to do this, your contracts will be treated for tax purposes as if they are all inside IR35.

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How to make your contracts IR35-proof

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

This is a difficult and potentially time-consuming process. Long-term freelancers will certainly wish to ‘IR35-proof’ their contracts in order to avoid the reduction in earnings. Contracts will need to be checked for each job/project and they should highlight your status as a self-employed professional.

How to write a Marketing Plan

Rachel Soothill | Guides

Look at a marketing plan as your map to achieving your business objectives, providing you with signposts to help you reach your ultimate goals.There are a number of sections that will make up your marketing plan and all will need careful research and planning.

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The Swedish Derogation Model – what is it?

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

The Agency Workers Regulations come into force on 1st October 2011 to bolster the rights of so-called “vulnerable” agency workers – and the Swedish Derogation is being mentioned a lot by Umbrella Companies. What does it mean?

The secret weapon for growing your business? Customer service!

Bex White | Getting a Job,Guides

With competition fierce between companies to win business, customer service is one of the most overlooked weapons in your arsenal. I read many articles about growing a business, many of which point out that referrals and word of mouth often generate the best leads, yet they still tend to stick to tactics designed to winning new clients.

Get inspired!

Rachel Soothill | Guides,Working From Home

Working from home with minimal social interaction is an unfortunate, but common scenario for many of us freelance writers. Some might see this as the perk of the job while others might find it has hindering effects on creativity. If you fall under the latter then it is imperative that you take heed of the advice I am about to impart…

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How to switch off for the weekend

Jon Norris | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out

One of the toughest parts of being a freelancer (apart from getting those pesky invoices in on time) can be separating your personal and business lives. If you’re a Sole Trader (rather than a Limited Company) this can be especially hard, as you may use your personal email address and phone number. There’s nothing more annoying than getting a call from a client when you’re trying to relax on a sunny Sunday.

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How to write a press release

Rachel Soothill | Getting a Job,Guides

Whether you have launched a new product, service or just have exciting business news to share, at some point you may need to write a press release in order to promote these developments. Like Marketing, PR is an essential tool in promoting your business and its key messages. However, unlike most Marketing initiatives PR is usually free and will often only require a good news story and a well written press release.

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What is a Contractor?

Lesley Furber | Guides

There are 3 basic ways you can be employed in the UK – as an Employee, as a Worker or as Self-Employed/Freelance. However, Contractors can be either a Worker or Freelance, depending on how they are employed on each job. Read on for more information!

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How to avoid Invoice Anxiety

Jon Norris | Guides,Money

Going freelance is a big step for anyone. It takes a not insignificant amount of confidence to leave the cosy 9-to-5 world and step out on your own, but landing that first client is a feeling like no other. However, a common problem for first-time freelancers is Invoice Anxiety. When should you invoice? What should you do if your client doesn’t pay straight away?

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Health and Safety

Selina Murray | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out

It’s become a bit of a standing joke hasn’t it? There you are, standing up a ladder, drinking a beer, waving a power tool around, and some interfering person appears and gets very upset at you about you breaching health and safety procedures, and when you’re out of the office it can be even more annoying.

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Creating a buzz with your content

Rachel Soothill | Guides,Technology

Now we have established what a powerful communication tool social media has become, the next step is to learn how to harness that power and use it for getting your business and key messages out there. Social media is rapidly becoming the chosen channel for businesses to communicate and share ideas, and should form a strong part of your online marketing strategy.

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Using Facebook effectively for your business marketing

Rachel Soothill | Guides,Technology

With around 600 million users worldwide, Facebook is the largest social media platforms that exists. It has pageview rates and engagement metrics that blow away the competition. If you are not using Facebook as part of your marketing strategy you could be seriously missing a trick!

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Becoming a brand – Part One

TimothyTim | Getting a Job,Guides

Brands are everywhere taking your money, ideas and possibly souls. Want a drink? 52% of you actually heard “Get a Coke”. Need some trainers? 32% heard “Where are your Nikes?” Gum? 27% “Wrigleys”. etc

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Do networking meetings work?

Rachel Soothill | Getting a Job,Guides

Some see networking meetings as the foundation of any successful freelance business. It is an opportunity to meet potential clients, form relationships and share contacts which could turn into new business. Others see these meetings as an awkward and pretentious excuse to drink tea and waste business cards.

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How to get angry properly

TimothyTim | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out

“Ooooh you god-damned, badger-faced tool! I would tell you why you’re a fecking incompetent simpleton but I’d be worried I’d have to waste more precious seconds of my rapidly dwindling lifetime explaining what every third word in the sentence means.” This is an example of an angry response.

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Standing out from the crowd

Rachel Soothill | Guides

Freelancers are no longer a rare breed, more and more employees are turning freelance everyday and competition is growing fast. In these competitive times it is important to stand out from the crowd and embrace your individuality.

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Agency Worker Regulations (AWR) – what is it, and what does it mean?

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

From 1st October 2011, Agency Workers in Great Britain (Northern Ireland will publish their own separate regulations) will have the right to ‘equal treatment’ in certain areas of their employment. We summarise what you need to know!

How to avoid homeworking distractions

Rachel Soothill | Guides,Working From Home

Working from home is one of the advantages of being a freelancer. However, with the perks there can be lots of distractions to watch out for, such as the television, family members, cats walking across keyboards and the numerous tea breaks. While distractions aren’t a problem from time-to-time, it is important not to let them occur on a regular basis otherwise they will start to have an impact on your work.

I got ninety nine problems but a pitch ain’t one

Jon Norris | Getting a Job,Guides

Thankfully they’re becoming more and more rare, but every so often a freelancer may be asked to deliver a pitch for a project. Aside from being a pain in the backside, pitches are usually used to determine whether or not you’ll cut the mustard. So how can you make sure you’ll impress your audience?

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How to form a Limited Company

Jon Norris | Guides,Legal

If you decide to form a Limited Company, your next question will probably be “How do I do that?” Many people imagine that forming a Limited Company is an exercise in endless bureaucracy, involving mountains of paperwork and astronomical costs. This couldn’t be further from the truth. According to Companies House 362,000 companies were incorporated in the financial year 2009/10 – over 1,000 every day day!

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Customer loyalty – five tips to keep your clients coming back

Jon Norris | Getting a Job,Guides

There are two types of clients for most freelancers. There are those who you’ve known for years and do regular work for – they call you up as and when they need you, and there are the one night stands. They’ll find your details somehow, get you to do a job and discard you like a used tissue. It’s always slightly disheartening – why don’t they want you back? Were you not good enough? Did you accidentally insult their wife?

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What shall I wear today? Dress codes and how to look fabulous

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

After the recent hot weather and with summer around the corner (allegedly), is your client happy with what you wear to the office? The warm weather naturally lends itself to a different dress styles but what if you turn up to work in shorts, vests, mini-skirts and halter-necks?

Limited Company vs Sole Trader – which is best for you?

Jon Norris | Guides,Legal,Money

It’s the freelancer’s perennial quandary – should I stay as a sole trader, or form my own Limited Company? There are advantages of both, but also some drawbacks to be aware of. Remember every situation is different – some people may choose to go Limited for the added weight it puts behind their company name, some people may choose not to incorporate to as they don’t earn enough to take advantage of the added tax efficiency.

A guide to getting your own way, by being a gigantic dick

TimothyTim | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out

Didn’t we take over a bunch of banks? Didn’t the government promise on bended-knee that they would not let the rich irresponsible cretins in “the city” screw us again, at least until we had time to get our collective lipstick on?

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How to get LinkedIn as a freelancer

Rachel Soothill | Guides,Technology

As the biggest social networking site for professionals LinkedIn is a no-brainer for all freelancers looking to broaden their horizons. With over 6o million members, it is a great starting place for finding and connecting with potential new clients and also for being found.

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How To Podcast Part 3 – Publishing

Andy White | Guides,Technology

We’ve discussed planning and recording your podcast, now we’re going to explore how to make sure people can listen once you’ve produced it. Using some simple technology you can make it easy for people to subscribe and listen to your creation – let’s talk about your options.

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Professionalism: Ten tips to make a good impression

Jon Norris | Getting a Job,Guides

Freelancers can be a paradoxical sort. From a client’s perspective we can be highly regarded specialists brought in to solve issues that no staff member can fathom, or we can be sandal-wearing layabouts who flit from place to place, only working when we choose to. Freelancers know that neither stereotype is correct – unfortunately the client’s perspective is often the only one that matters.

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Contracts – What should you include?

Jon Norris | Guides,Resources

Making sure you have an airtight contract in place before you start work for a client is important – perhaps the most important aspect of doing work as a freelancer. Without a contract in place you are leaving yourself open for a whole world of financial and legal hurt, and most freelancers learn this the hard way. But what should you include in a contract?

The company I’m working for has gone bust – help!

Jon Norris | Guides,Resources

Its every freelancer’s worst nightmare. You find an awesome new client, agree on a brief, sign the contract, then one day you phone up to find all the staff have been let go and the MD has fled to the Caymen Islands. What can you do?

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The Basics of Credit Control

Jon Norris | Guides,Resources

One unfortunate side-effect of being self-employed is having to manage your own company finances. Nobody gets into freelancing to be an accountant (except, perhaps, freelance accountants), and chasing payments can be a colossal drain on time and morale. We’ve already published a straight-forward guide to getting paid on time, but what happens if your clients refuse to pay?

Probationary Periods, the myths!

Lesley Furber | Getting a Job,Guides

You’ve been offered a new job, but your new Employer has made you a conditional job offer that includes a probationary period for the first few months of your employment. What does that mean? Here we give you the basic facts.

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Quiz: Are you a good freelancing parent?

TimothyTim | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out

Kids. Whether you wanted them or not, once you have one, your general level of harassment will never fall below ‘fraught’. Freelancers have it extra bad as they don’t get all that lovely maternity leave / paternity leave that the PAYE population enjoy. So in the spirit of helping you through these tough times I’ve [...]

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Sunday Working – rules and regulations

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

If you are asked to work on a Sunday, do you have to? Here is a run-down of your rights.

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Employment Tribunals – Your Rights

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

With a 56% rise in Tribunal claims in 2010, Employment Tribunals (ET’s) have been in the news a lot lately! Here we give you the information you need to know about what they do and how they work.

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The Basics of Google Analytics

Jon Norris | Guides,Technology

It’s all well and good designing and building a website to promote your business – but how do you know if people are actually visiting it, and what they’re doing once they’re there? Luckily, Google is on hand to provide anybody with free, relatively in-depth website analytics.

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[Web Wednesday] Getting to grips with AdWords

Sebastian Powell | Guides,Technology

For some, just the thought of getting started with Google AdWords makes palms sweat and knees shake. The somewhat steep learning curve all too often results in ineffective campaigns with little return on investment; a big no-no for freelancers and small businesses with limited financial resources.

Employment Law changes from April 2011 – what you need to know

Lesley Furber | Guides,Legal

A new fiscal year always means more fun legislation changes. This year is no different and, as well as the tax changes which we’ve already detailed, there are a raft of changes to employment law. Effective from 6th April 2011 are the following changes -

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Seven tips to make eCommerce easy

Chris Barling | Guides,Technology

Freelancers are generally folks who sell their expertise and services rather than products, but what if you write a book, develop a software package, produce a training video or create an e-learning programme? If so you probably have a shopping cart element to your website and whether you’re new to selling online or an old hand, it’s never a bad time to brush up on the essentials of ecommerce.

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Retirement law shake-ups – now we’ll never afford that Conservatory

Lesley Furber | Getting a Job,Guides

Until 2011 your employment could end legally at 65 with your retirement – this was called the default retirement age (DRA). This is to be abolished during 2011 – see full details of what this change means in our new guide here.

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How To Podcast Part 2 – Recording

Andy White | Guides,Technology

In Part 1 I talked about conceptualising and planning your podcast. In this post we’ll explore how to record, edit and prepare your first episode for public consumption, and what equipment you’ll need to do it.

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Mileage Expenses – what to claim, and how to claim it

Jon Norris | Guides,Resources

If you’re travelling when doing business, you’ll probably want to claim mileage expenses. This can be done in two different ways. Firstly, if you’re operating under your own Limited Company you can claim tax-deductible mileage expenses (more information on this in our Guide to Limited Company Expenses). Alternatively, you can negotiate mileage allowances with a client as part of your contract.

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Working Time Directive and the Royal Wedding Bank Holiday

Lesley Furber | Getting a Job,Guides

With the additional Royal Wedding Bank Holiday in April 2011 and the additional Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Bank Holiday in June 2012 things are bound to get complicated. Here’s what you need to know.

A freelancers guide to National Insurance for the new tax year

Mel Dixon | Guides,Money

National Insurance is great. It builds up your state pension entitlement and helps pay for the NHS and other welfare services. Us freelancers pay National Insurance on a quarterly basis with the amount we pay dependent on how much we earn. Read on for a jargon-smashing guide…

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Stress! And how to deal with it.

Bex White | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out

Deadlines, project management, chasing pay, being creative under pressure… it all adds up. From my personal experience and that of managing other designers, I can state one simple fact. Stress is almost always completely self-induced and easily avoided by following a few simple ideas.

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The hidden dangers lurking in the office

Mel Dixon | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out

The office is one of the safest places you could possibly work. You come in, you sit down, and you run your fingers over a keyboard for a few hours. What’s the worst that can happen? Electrocution by the office toaster? Well, as far-fetched as that may seem, it could happen. And that’s not the only hidden danger in the office.

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Capital Gains Tax – The Basics

Mel Dixon | Guides,Money

Capital gains tax is a tax on possessions, or more specifically the increase in value of your possessions. This can apply to shares, property or antiques. The tax comes into action at the moment that you dispose of them – whether that’s by selling, or in certain cases, giving them away as a gift.

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How do you like your Pancakes?

Jon Norris | Guides,Lifestyle & Time out

Forget Christmas, forget Easter, today is the big one. Shrove Tuesday, or as it is known colloquially, Pancake Day. Today we, as a nation, celebrate the day on which St. George stole flour, milk, eggs and lemon juice from a Swiss castle…or something. In a recent survey of freelancers, 100% of them said they love pancakes, and working from home means we can enjoy pancakes all day long.

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Guide To Maternity Leave and Pay

Lesley Furber | Guides

Ordinary Maternity Leave lasts for 26 weeks and all Employees are eligible for this regardless of their length of service with their employer. Workers and Freelancers aren’t generally entitled to Maternity Leave but may be entitled to some form of Maternity Pay. Our advice is updated for 2011 to also include details of how you can ‘swap’ Maternity Pay so that your spouse/partner/the father of your child can take Additional Paternity Leave instead.

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Top tips for speaking on camera

Tom Hickmore | Guides

hen I began making video for business way back in the eighties it was only the top dogs of sizeable companies that made video appearances – either for their workforce or publicity’s sake. Since the advent of cheaper video equipment and the spread of video across the Web, any one of us might find ourselves called upon to make a video appearance or to organise one for a client or colleague.

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[Money Monday] When is charging interest not in your interest?

Bex White | Guides

Dealing with clients who miss payments or pay late can put a strain on the relationship between designer and client and are something I am often asked about by those new to working for themselves . One method of addressing late payments is to charge interest on the amount due.

Avoid expensive airport Wifi by buying a local SIM Card

Jon Norris | Guides

The travelling freelancer is becoming more and more common these days. Whether it be visiting clients, attending conferences, or just taking a holiday, freelancers and contractors are doing more travel than ever before. One ongoing problem is the issue of keeping data connections going while abroad.

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How To Podcast Part 1 – Plan & Prep

Andy White | Guides,Technology

Identify your passion This is the most crucial thing you need if you want to produce a podcast or indeed other forms of online content. Passion. I’m going to make a bold statement, but one that I believe to be true. Podcasting your passion is 10,000 times easier than podcasting anything else. If you truly [...]

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[Web Wednesday] Really Simple Email Management

Steve Stark | Guides,Technology

Email is a major sap on time, energy and resources. Learn how to manage it better to reduce stress, free up time and get more done. We generally have an unhealthy relationship with our email. Our inbox is a Pandora’s Box enticing us away from what we are meant to be doing and distracting us with a world of things we have not done.

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Guide to Pay, Wages, Pay Cuts, and ‘Unauthorised Deductions’

Lesley Furber | Guides

Pay and Wages explained. How your Pay is protected from ‘unauthorised deductions’ from your Employer and what to do if your Employer wants to cut your pay or you cannot get to work during transport or weather disruptions. Updated for 2010.

Show me the money! Our guide to chasing payments

Sarah Agnew | Guides

When raising your invoices, create a template with prompts so that you can ensure you provide as much information as possible on the invoice. Do not assume that the Accounts department will know what your invoice is for, who it is from, what your payment terms are or how to pay you if you don’t tell them.

Getting ready for change: a freelance perspective

Mel Dixon | Guides,Money

As a freelancer it’s crucial to remain relevant and to be ready for change in any given industry. Of course, nobody likes change in the world of business. Most of us would like to stick with the same processess and skills which have got us so far, without having to worry about the future. Freelancers are effectively on a treadmill, we can’t stay still without going backwards.

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[Money Monday] Freelancers Gift Guide

Jon Norris | Guides

Well, it’s December. Christmas is officially here – although it seemed to start in the shops about a month ago. So what are you going to buy the freelancer in your life? Obviously everybody is different, so for the sake of this article we’re going to generalise somewhat. We’re imagining the freelancer you know and love is forward-thinking, independent, tech-savvy and probably startlingly good-looking.

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Writing a CV: You’re doing it wrong.

TimothyTim | Guides

CVs; we all have them, we’ve all read them and we all hate them. If Cthulhu himself had been sitting about on his throne of skulls or whatever thinking about the most horrific punishment to inflict on every working man and woman between the ages of 16 and 65, he would not have gone far wrong with the invention of the Curriculum Vitae. Coming from the Latin expression meaning; “to put ones-self up for ridicule”, curricula vitarum have been the mainstay of HR decisions for nearly two millennia.

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[Web Wednesday] Keep your credentials secure with cloud password storage

Jon Norris | Guides,Technology

Remember the days when you could go out and leave the front door unlocked? When you could walk to the supermarket without fear of ending up buried in a bathtub full of sand? Unfortunately, those days are no more. These days if you’re going out you better take your stab-vest. Security, both off and online, are becoming increasingly important.

Guest Post: 12 ways to make a great first impression

Edward Stern | Guides

As a freelance writer, making a great first impression on a client is just as important as being able to show off a portfolio of quality work. Clients want writers who can write immaculate copy, of course, but also want someone they can trust and work with. Plus, it is only human nature to give preference to people you like and get along with.

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Did you miss work due to the snow? Know your rights!

Jon Norris | Guides

As you’ve probably noticed, the weather has been a bit on the chilly side for the last few days. Down here on the south coast we had about a foot of snow, and the Freelance Advisor team worked from home for a few days – that’s the official Freelance Advisor Dog enjoying himself in the picture there.

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The 21st century freelancer

Mel Dixon | Guides

Freelancing in the 21st century offers a limitless number of opportunities for helping you become more efficient and finding more work. Technology really is a freelancers best friend.

So, what are these opportunities and how does the 21st freelancer make the most of them. Read on…

Travelling to the US? Know your rights.

Jon Norris | Guides

These days we’re speaking to more and more freelancers and contractors who are frequent fliers – attending conferences, providing consultancy or UK-specific advice to big businesses. But for all their air-miles these guys and gals don’t know a lot about travelling abroad, especially to the US.

Victim of the Quango Bonfire? Now’s the time to go Freelance!

Jon Norris | Guides

The UK Government has announced severe cuts today to Non-departmental public bodies (or Quangos), with thousands expected to lose their jobs across a range of sectors. Overall 192 Quangos will be abolished, with a further 289 due to be restructured and reformed. Luckily for those left out on a limb by the government, there’s never been a better time to go Freelance.

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The art of speed reading for freelancers and contractors

Mel Dixon | Guides

In our day-to-day lives we read a lot. And some of us would like to read a lot more. Often it’s time that restricts us, or perhaps the strain on our eyes.

For many freelancers and contractors the ability to read quickly and efficiently can be vital. It can be the difference between gleaning an important piece of information and remaining in a soon-to-be unblissful state of ignorance.

Come along we haven’t got all day!!

The Minimum Wage – changes from 1st October 2011

Lesley Furber | Guides

Anyone who is defined as a Worker (including Employees and Agency Workers) are entitled to the UK Minimum Wage. The Government recently changed the minimum wage, so be sure you’re getting paid the right amount!

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Equal Opportunties and Discrimination (Equality Act 2010)

Lesley Furber | Guides,Resources

The new Equality Act came into force on 1st October 2010 and replaces all previous equality legislation. The Equality Act covers the same groups that are protected by existing equality legislation, however, these groups will now be called “protected characteristics” (PCs). The new Act also extends protections to some other characteristics and introduces other changes. Updated for 2011.

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Save Money by Switching to Open Source Software

Jon Norris | Guides,Resources,Technology

Software comes in many different flavours these days. The majority, from Microsoft, Apple and the like, is closed source – meaning the developers don’t release the source code their software is based on, which helps them protect both their intellectual property and bottom line. A growing percentage of software, however, is Open Source, meaning the developer releases the source code for anybody to poke around in and change as they see fit, and, most importantly for you and I, the software is almost always free.

Before you begin blogging… read this

Mel Dixon | Guides

Blogging offers freelancers and contractors the opportunity to market themselves for free whilst providing valued content to a targeted audience.

Perhaps you want to positition yourself as an industry expert, or simply provide some enlightening prose because you truly love what you do.

The following is a list of useful tips to get you started.

Where can I get my hands on capital?

Michael Rose | Guides,Money

Working job-to-job and contract-to-contract is all well and good. But if you want to build a business you’ll need to find some cash.

Christian Nellemann, founder of XLN Telecom, shares some of his experience on how you could get your business off the ground financially.

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Who am I? Freelancer, contractor or small business

Mel Dixon | Guides

Here on FreelanceAdvisor we make numerous references to freelancers, contractors and small businesses – after all that’s who we’re here for!

But what are the defining characters of each? What follows is a no-nonsense guide to who’s who and why. Beware: stereotypes abound.

Ten Tips To Improve Your Productivity

Clare Evans | Guides

We all need good time management skills but if you are feeling that there is too much to do and not enough time then it is especially important to take a good look at your time-management and productivity habits.

Most freelancers could do with a little more time in their day, so we’ve asked Clare Evans author of Time Management for Dummies for her top ten tips to help you get back on track and stay in control.

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Making money with screencasting

Ian Ozsvald | Guides,Resources

Monetising your knowledge is a core skill for freelancers – making money whilst you sleep is a necessary step forwards as you build your freelancing career.

Professional Screencaster Ian Ozsvald shows us ways of making money by screencasting. This post follows the earlier tutorials on Communicating more effectively and raising your profile through screencasts.

Five tips on how to make the most of a business break

Emma Jones | Guides

When you start and grow a business, you’re involved each day in the detail of running the business; perfecting customer service, ensuring positive cashflow, making new products, and so on.

This is all good and right but to plan for business growth, it’s important to step away from day-to-day affairs and take a good look at the business from a distance.

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Debt collection: a guide for contractors

Mel Dixon | Guides,Money

Debt collection. It’s a term which often invokes the notion of a murky underworld where burly henchman terrorise blameless innocent types, usually of a slender frame; they are often grabbed by the collar and thrown against the nearest wall.

However, if you’re a contractor or freelancer who’s owed money which is not forthcoming, how do you go about collecting it in the most civil manner possible?

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Looking for a partner? Secrets of success for business partnerships

Emma Jones | Guides

A good business partnership is like a good marriage. You meet the right person, work well together and combine talents to create something wonderful. Emma Jones offers the secret to ensuring a business partnership doesn’t turn sour.

#FreelanceFocus: The Pomodoro technique

Mel Dixon | Guides

Would you like to take a Pomodoro? In this instance I’m not asking you to accept a tomato, but instead enquiring as to whether you’d like to try a technique designed to improve your powers of concentration and increase the efficiency of your work.

As part of our Freelance Focus series, application designer Cesare Rocchi advises any freelancer who’s struggling to maintain their discipline and productivity to try out the Pomodoro technique…

A detailed review of the emergency Budget

Mel Dixon | Guides

The emergency Budget as delivered by George Osbourne has been described as a legislative “Big Bang” which will have a huge effect on everyone in the UK for a long time to come. For freelancers and contractors the headlines have been positive. But what about the finer detail?

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Smoothing freelancer-client relations

Mel Dixon | Guides

A new interactive guide has been produced by the PCG which offers information and advice on how clients can source freelancers and make the most of their talents. The guide works as a handy reference tool which will ultimately help potential employers better understand freelancers and contractors, and ensure a smoother working relationship.

But it’s also pretty darn useful from a freelancer’s perspective…

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4 ways to grow your business

Emma Jones | Guides

Are you wondering how to grow your business and develop it in a way so it’s not wholly reliant on you? Have you considered outsourcing/franchising/productising as a way to achieve that growth? Emma Jones outlines the options with tips for each strategy.

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10 tips for creating the network you want

Janette Whitney | Guides

As the saying goes ‘it’s not what you know but who you know’ so how can you widen your network of contacts to create the network that is important to your freelance business?

Business Growth Strategist Janette Whitney shows us how…

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Five tips for converting leads into sales

Janette Whitney | Guides

One of the biggest sales and marketing problems that small businesses can face is getting people whom seem interested in buying something to actually take the plunge and hand over their money.

Because let’s be honest, it’s actually pretty easy to attract attention to your business and meet prospective customers these days. The internet has made it simple to give your business a marketing presence (your website) and drive people to it (online advertising and search engine optimisation).

The key then to a successful business is not just one which attracts prospects, but one which has fail-safe systems to convert them into revenue.

Guide to working with freelancers

Michael Rose | Guides

The PCG have just launched a rather useful, comprehensive and interactive guide on how to work with and get best value from freelance workers.

Aimed at clients the guide provides easy to follow advice on wide ranging tips — helping them to ensure success when working with freelance professionals. There are video interviews with company bosses and freelancers outlining their personal first-hand experiences and it highlights potential pitfalls and blunders when planning a project.

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Working Time Regulations – Working Hours, Rest Breaks and Holiday Entitlements Guide

Lesley Furber | Guides

All the information you need to know about the Working Time Regulations – Rest Breaks, Weekly working hours limits, Daily working hours limits, Opt-Outs, Holiday entitlements – and Bank Holidays. Holiday entitlement and sickness during holiday information updated for 2011.

Create a publishing empire from your home

Emma Jones | Guides

Do you have content you would like to share with an interested audience of existing and potential customers? It’s never been so easy to package your content in a stylish way, and distribute it in a cost-effective way.

Enter the age of home publishing with Emma Jones.

Go Freelance - 2011 Edition

Leif Kendall | Guides

‘The ultimate guide’ to going freelance is now even bigger and better. The 2010 edition comes with 32 packed pages of advice for anyone who freelances or who is considering making a move to freelancing.

Getting Started: How do I make my website happen?

Alick Mighall | Getting a Job,Guides,Technology

If you want a website for your small business or to show off your freelancing work AND know what you want then you are almost ready to contact the designers but thinking clearly, focusing on objectives and writing a good, clear brief can make a world of different when it comes to getting a quote.

You’ll not only save yourself time and money but you’ll also make developers and designers like Alick Mighall really happy.

Freelance Advisor #Best of 2009

Michael Rose | Guides

The best freelance posts of 2009. A great year for Freelance Advisor with a new section, new features, a forum and our visitors doubling since January. If you’re new to the site you may have missed some of the most popular and useful posts of 2009. With this in mind we’ve gathered links to the very best posts of the last year, voted for by our readers!

7 steps for troubleshooting troublesome clients

Joanna Ptolomey | Guides

Are some clients more trouble than they’re worth? Freelance information consultant Joanna Ptolomey reminds us that, when time and attention are your most precious asset, and time is money, not all clients are the same.

Her simple steps can help bring some balance back into your books and your business.

Top 10 tips for building trust as a freelancer

Michael Rose | Guides

Steven Hearsum, change consultant and chairman for our National Freelancers Day event has written a blogpost about one of the key issues that arose during the debate: ‘How to Build Trust as a Freelancer’.

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How do I set up a Limited Company?

Michael Rose | Guides,Money

Setting up a Limited Company is one of the smartest way to get paid for your work. With a Ltd you get to define your brand, own everything you do, run your business in the most tax-efficient way and pitch for work you wouldn’t be able to get as a sole-trader.

Some people, usually the folks at Umbrella companies, will tell you that setting up a company is costly and complicated but with low-cost solutions out there it’s a no-brainer.

Using Google AdWords to find new clients and customers – part 3

Rob Watson | Guides,Technology

Part three of our guide to Google AdWords for beginners:

Yesterday Rob explained how to set up your first Google AdWords campaign. Today he looks at some of the best practices you should follow.

Using Google AdWords to find new clients and customers – part 2

Rob Watson | Guides,Technology

Part two of our guide to Google AdWords for beginners:

Yesterday Rob explained the basics of GoogleAdwords. Today he looks at setting up your first AdWords campaign and some of the most common mistakes in setting up.

Use Google AdWords to find new clients and customers

Rob Watson | Guides,Technology

Whatever it is that you (or your clients) do, you can always find new customers over the internet – even if you’re a niche business or you only work in a specific area or region. In this 3-part guide to AdWords Marketing Manager Rob Watson tells us how to increase our clicks

Freelance Business: The importance of planning

Alex Blyth | Guides

Freelance journalist and author of ‘How to Grow Your Business For Entrepreneurs’ Alex Blyth writes about entrepreneurs and how they achieve success.

In this post Alex takes a look at a fundamental skill that all entrepreneurs need, the ability to plan and make progress towards long-term goals.

Avoiding Accountancy Hell: Two steps to Accounting Heaven!

Darren Fell | Guides,Money

Got a great accountant but lousy software?

Or great software but an accountant who wants everything in Excel spreadsheets?

Crunch Managing Director Darren Fell explains why choosing an all in one accounting solution can save you a lot of time and hassle when it comes to your year-end.

Recommended read: The Contractors’ Handbook

Darren Fell | Guides,Resources

A must read for Freelancers and Contractors. Rarely do you pick up a book that answers all the questions. Not only does the new Contractors’ Handbook answer them in detail, it goes into areas I hadn’t even thought about – despite creating and running several successful businesses.

Go Freelance guide - New & Updated for 2010

Leif Kendall | Getting a Job,Guides

Updated for 2010 our free ebook guide to getting started in freelance is essential reading for newbies and experts alike.

‘Go Freelance’ is a complete 32 page guide, covering everything from starting out to running your business and staying motivated.

Download your copy today.

Written Statements and Contracts

Lesley Furber | Guides

All Employees are legally entitled to a Written Statement, which they must receive within two months of starting the job. It is a summary in writing of your main terms and conditions of employment. For further information read this article; updated for 2011.

Also In this article is: - information for freelancers on how to agree contracts, - and for Employees, details on how the terms and conditions in your contract can be changed with information about short-time working.

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Maternity Leave and Pay Chart

Lesley Furber | Guides

As part of our guide to Maternity here is a quick chart to help you work out your Maternity Leave and Pay entitlements – updated for 2011.

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Part-time workers rights

Lesley Furber | Guides,Resources

Did you know that part-time employees and workers have the same employment rights as full-time employees (and workers)? You do not have to work a minimum number of hours to qualify.

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Flexible Working and the Right to Request Time off for Training

Lesley Furber | Guides,Training

Certain Employees, who have caring responsibilties for children or adults, now have the legal right to request to work flexible hours. Additionally, employees have the right to request time off for work-related training.

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Statutory Sick Pay, Sickness and Fit Notes

Lesley Furber | Guides,Resources

Up to date information about Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and your entitlement to it. New information in 2010 on Sick notes and ‘Fit’ Notes and our advice is updated for 2011.

Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions

Lesley Furber | Guides

For up to date details (2011) of Income Tax and NIC rates for Employees, Workers and Freelancers read this article.

Pay and Wages, Pay cuts, Protection from ‘Unauthorised Deductions’ from your Pay

Lesley Furber | Guides

Pay and Wages explained. How your Pay is protected from ‘unauthorised deductions’ from your Employer and what to do if your Employer wants to cut your pay.

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Grievance Procedures

Lesley Furber | Guides,Resources

All Employers are required to have a grievance procedure for employees to use, in case you are unhappy with any of your working conditions. This article explains how the procedure should work and is updated for 2011.

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