Career

Calling All Non-Freelancers

Garth Beyer

We need you to freelance.

The jobless are – without objection – staying jobless.

Remember the common saying, “the best time to start a business is during a recession?” Well, starting a business is similar to freelancing, but without the vital need of initial high monetary input.

I also believe that no matter your career interest, there is a way to hack it, a way to freelance it. (Worth noting: joblessness also gives you the opportunity to take a different path, start something new. If there was ever a time to say “you have nothing to lose,” that time is now.) For many of those unemployed, turning your expertise into a freelance model will immediately define your profession as a niche.

All that leaves is finding your market: given the internet and the long tail – check, and check.

Unemployment? Spit on it. Jobless? Create yours. Desperate? Take a risk.

 

Stay Positive & The Unemployment Rate Will Change, Only When You Do

Garth E. Beyer

You Hate What You Do, But Your The Best At It

Garth Beyer

I would beg to differ. If you are comparing yourself to the hundreds of other people who don’t like what they are doing, but do it anyway, than maybe you are the best at it.

But generally speaking, there is no way you’re the best at it. If I found someone (which I’m sure I could) that really wanted to do your job, that actually enjoys it, that may even say they love it, then I would put all my money on them doing a better job than you.

Just because you’re great at something, doesn’t mean you’re the best at it.

Especially if you don’t love what you’re doing.

 

Stay Positive & Stop Using That As An Excuse To Not Go Do What You Love

Garth E. Beyer

The Not-So-Simple Simple Process Of Becoming An Expert

Garth Beyer

Step 0: Choose what you want to become an expert in.

Step 1: Learn about it to the point you don’t make mistakes.*
Step 2. Do things adequately.
STUCK
Step 3. Follow your intuition.

After step two is complete – you’re mediocre and work has become more a routine than anything – is when almost everyone gets stuck. They get comfortable with meeting standards and not pushing any buttons for improvement. But there is no art in doing something right. The art is in doing something better than it was done before. Art follows passion and passion follows intuition which hopefully you follow. That is how you become an expert.

* No. I hope it’s obvious that I don’t actually mean that you don’t make any mistakes at all. However, there is a point in every position of your career path where you make little to no mistakes. This point arrives when you learn nearly all you can.

 

Stay Positive & If You Stop Being Surprised At Work, You’re Stuck

Garth E. Beyer

Getting The Quote

Garth Beyer

A lot of journalists will say that nothing feels better than getting the quote you need within the first few sentences of talking to someone.

You can tell if they are a professional journalist if they continue to say that despite having a quote within the first two minutes, that they continued to talk with their interviewee.

I say that nothing feels better than getting seven exemplary quotes you don’t know what to do with and a handful of tips on life than stopping when you get your quote.

Journalism isn’t only about words on paper, it’s about the connections and relationships you have to people. It’s about growing as a person and making your career and life a learning experience.

2028 Election Won Primarily From Public Speaking

Garth Beyer

I was interviewed by Rockford Register Star when I was in the Running Start Program and was asked what I wanted to be when I was older. I told them I aimed to be the youngest President in history. That means I would be 35/36 in 2028 depending which day in November the election is held since my birthday is 11/6/92. I am putting this in the Public Speaking section because I came up with a public speaking strategy for my campaign.

Unlike all Presidents, I would visit states more than once.

First Visit: Talk about the people, talk about myself and talk about my plans/goals/etc.

Second Visit: Respond to questions from people after they had heard my presentation.

I also have an alternative I would try if that seemed to not be the most beneficial technique.

First Visit: To listen to what everyone wants, to hear questions they have and to talk with the people personally.

Second Visit: Answering and discussing the questions and concerns they want to know about rather than going off about this or that when half of the listeners do not understand what I am talking about.

The point is to get to know them and be prepared. Do you realize that the best beginners of public speaking do this? Before they have to present, they are NOT practicing their speech in the back, they are out with the audience getting involved. They are performing the best preparation a public speaker can perform: Knowing your audience.

 

Stay Positive and Connect First, Then Speak

Garth E. Beyer