Overview  |  FAQs  |  Current Openings  |  Apply Online FAQs Zen Knowledge Services hires ONLY freelancers. To know more click on the following links: » What is freelancing? » What is freelancing not? » What is the upside of being a freelancer? And the flipside? » What do you mean by 'special skill set'? » What does it take to become one? » Do I need to spend money? » I want to be a freelancer. Where do I start? » What does Zen Knowledge Services do? » Is Zen Knowledge Services hiring freelancers? » What skill sets is Zen Knowledge Services looking for? » What is the procedure for applying? » I want to tell my friends about this fantastic opportunity! What is freelancing? A freelancer is a one-person-army. You do everything yourself - motivating yourself, getting business, financial negotiations, handling clients, doing actual work. Let me put it this way - doing a few things you hate, to do what you love doing the rest of your time! Freelancers do work that they are good at and enjoy, at a price and in the time they negotiate and agree up on. Most freelancers are full-time, but this is not to discount the significant part-time workforce. The work environment is not a regular office - it is usually home. Most freelancers telecommute to work, and most interaction with clients is over the Internet (both e-mail and IM), sometimes by voice, and very rarely in person. This means that the entire process of approaching a client, marketing the service, negotiating, deal finalization, actual production, and delivery - ALL happen, mostly, over the Internet. Freelancing is variously called work-from-home, work-for-hire, or independent contract. Essentially, you are not an employee or part of an organization, even though you are working. Some freelancers also call themselves consultants, depending on their offering. Freelancing is serious business. Although no official measures exist, it is estimated to be worth billions of dollars across the world. Fuelled by the Internet - the great leveler - freelancing, we believe, is poised to be the third wave in business re-engineering after IT and ITES. Web definitions: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freelancing http://www.thefreedictionary.com/freelance What is freelancing not? » Easy money » A pastime » Low-involvement What is the upside of being a freelancer? And the flipside? Upside - Most of the ups of running your own business (more money, independence) Flexible work hours - choose to work part- time now, full time later, or only early mornings, late evenings, afternoons, nights, weekends.. Flexible workdays - hence easier to face emergencies or plan vacations Flexible remuneration - of course within limits of skill set and competition, account for costs too! Doing work you love - gain knowledge, build networks, acquire skills, and learn methods from more than one organization at a time Flipside - All the risks of running your own small business (unpredictability, bad debts) No employment benefits - Medical leave, travel/phone/sundry allowances, bonuses, heavy designations, and promotions. Difficult to cash on freelance experience to seek a full-time job later Difficult to obtain personal credit - such as credit cards or loans Convincing your family and friends that you are fruitfully, happily, commercially WORKING. Related Links http://www.bcs.org/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.2703 What do you mean by 'special skill set'? Simply put, 'skill set' = set of skills, meaning something you are confident of doing a quality job at, and enjoy doing. People sometimes work for years before they discover what it is that they do best. Special skill sets are those that freelancers use to service a client independently. These are apart from the soft skills or attitude required to be a successful freelancer. These could be IT related (programming, web designing), editorial services (editing, proof reading), creative services (copywriting, graphic/logo designing, photography), financial services (accounting, financial planning, funding), management related (market research, industry consulting), and many, many such services. What does it take to become a freelancer? Fuel a little boredom (with the perpetual, perennial corporate rat race), and start with equal measures of entrepreneurial spirit and special skill sets. Spice it up with a dash of communication, computer, and Internet skills, as well as a sense of responsibility. Do not forget a generous garnish of ethics and a sprinkling of financial commonsense. Tastes superb when served with resourcefulness and/or networking! Do I need to spend money? No. The basic equipment is (of course) a phone, and a great Internet-connected PC/laptop, with reliable e-mail and IM software. Other things you might need to invest in include - Licensed versions of special software that you need for your special skill set - A software and headphones/earphones that allow you to talk over your Internet connection - Office equipment such as a printer, scanner, copier, facsimile (fax) I want to be a freelancer. Where do I start? Whether you have quit the corporate world or are actively repulsed by it, before you take the final leap in to freelancing, try hunting the Internet or speaking to experienced freelancers to get a clearer picture of » Being a freelancer » Matching your skill set and available freelance opportunities » Matching your monetary expectations with available opportunities If your employment contract allows you to, and you are truly a serious candidate, try your hand at getting, executing, and delivering one or two projects to understand the business better. What does Zen Knowledge Services do? Zen Knowledge Services is a business research firm based in Chennai, India. We undertake research and analysis work across industries - especially healthcare, IT, telecom, and consumer - for clients across the world. For a better idea about our capabilities and past work, please see the About Us section of this website. Is Zen Knowledge Services hiring freelancers? Zen Knowledge Services is always on the lookout for fresh or experienced, potential or proven talent based in India. We prefer working with post-graduates with at least one to two years of work experience. What skill sets is Zen Knowledge Services looking for? We are always looking for people with one or more of the following skill sets - Industry/Sector Knowledge - Domain/Subject Matter expertise - Market Research - Project management experience in a services industry - Global or regional business development in a services industry We especially encourage qualified and experienced Indian women on a hiatus from corporate life, based in India or overseas, and/or spouses of Indian student/business diaspora to apply. We are also looking for people with a minimum of five years of experience who can help us develop business in India and overseas. Please go to the Current Openings section of this website to know more. What is the procedure for applying? Start by registering on this website with your qualification and experience details. To do so, please go to the careers section of this website. The steps in recruitment are 1. Registration 2. Acceptance of application, sample contract, and test assignment 3. Assignment submission 4. Assignment evaluation and feedback 5. Sign up and start work! I want to tell my friends about this fantastic opportunity! Click here to tell your friends about this opportunity. Did this page address your concerns? If not, please feel free to write in to us at info@zenindia.biz. Credits | Site Map | Home Copyrights 2006. All rights reserved. Zen Knowledge Services