How I Joined the Outsourcing Revolution

Mention "outsourcing" to a programmer and you may as well be uttering profanity. The word suggests all the evils that have befallen the Information Technology sector since the Internet bubble burst a few years ago. We've been endlessly regaled with tragic tales of American companies who have closed up shop for many of their I.T. positions, only to "offshore" those same jobs to programmers overseas working for less pay than their American counterparts. A brain drain is taking place in the once highly secure computer programming profession.

Rather than cursing the darkness, however, I found myself recently lighting a candle (or making the problem worse, depending on your perspective). You see, just over six months ago, I joined the outsourcing revolution. I am therefore writing this article partly as a confession, my own personal "mea culpa" of complicity.

No, I haven't put myself up on the auction block to work for Indian rupees.

What I did was stumble upon several "reverse auction" web sites for outsourcing talent. If you haven't heard of them, they go by the name of Elance.com (the largest site to date) or Guru.com. Both of these sites give companies an opportunity to outsource their projects to freelance workers like programmers, graphic artists and writers. Freelancers from all over the world compete for open bid requests, offering to do these contract jobs for a fixed price.

I happened upon a site called Rentacoder. Unlike the two sites mentioned above, Rentacoder didn't require a subscription fee. Their take was a straightforward commission out of each project cost. Within minutes I posted my resume and profile. Then I had a choice to make. Which projects to bid on? In addition to programming projects, they also listed writing jobs as well. I decided to bid on some of the writing jobs first, just to see how it went, and because I had always wanted to do some freelance writing on the side.

Within my first week, I won a bid to write a document on Policies and Procedures. I completed that assignment, got paid, and then won another bid-a series of articles on stock market investing. Very soon I was addicted. I kept doing more writing?a technical white paper?web site content?economics articles?sales letters?a chapter in a novel?on and on. My payments were electronically transferred to my bank account, in New Economy style.

This addiction has grown into a decent part-time income for the past six months. I've worked for clients as far away as Australia and Turkey, in addition to clients in the East and West coasts in the United States. I became fixated with how easy it was to do business this way over the Internet, where the whole world became my market. Then I got hold of a book called Free Agent Nation, by a fellow named Daniel Pink. It was about how "teleworkers" such as myself are transforming America by doing business this new-fangled way, working for "gigs" instead of permanent commitments to one employer. I was part of another Big Thing.

Don't misunderstand, I haven't quit my day job just yet.

Am I getting rich?

Hardly. I make a few hundred extra dollars a month, and yes, I do get competition from workers in India. But now I am competing with them. The winning bid, in this case, doesn't always go to the lowest bidder. Writers from America have an edge in this arena. Some buyers of writing services prefer native English speakers.

As I said, however, there are programming jobs posted on most of these sites too. Can programmers from the United States make a living strictly off these sites? Probably not. But programmers who choose to freelance can use these sites to supplement their income while contracting through normal staffing channels. They might make some meaningful connections in the process.

So there it is. I got it off my chest.

"My name is Nader Ghali, and I joined the outsourcing revolution."

I feel much better. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go make some more bids.

Nader Ghali is a programmer living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he writes on a variety of issues. He may be reached at mrnader1@go.com, and a sample of his writing portfolio can be seen at http://www.topwrite.net

Surviving Unemployment Through Emotional Damage Control

Looking for work is a roller-coaster ride: high with elation... Read More

Online Resume Tips and Secrets

I manage a website for corporate flight attendants that features... Read More

Wake Up and Learn Something New

The US Government has just released last month's job creation... Read More

What is My Calling?

"What is my calling?" Do any of us really have... Read More

Telecommuting Cover Letters

Question: How do I market myself online?Answer: With a stellar... Read More

Build Your Career Decision By Decision

Do you dislike making decisions and avoid the challenge whenever... Read More

Certification for Freelancers and Home-Based Business Owners

When we think of technical certification, most of us think... Read More

Taking a Survival Type Job Is Good For You.

Ugh! Arg! How can a survivor type job be good... Read More

Reinvent Your Career In Five Simple Steps

The phrase "reinventing yourself" seems to be popping up all... Read More

Applying for a Job in Another Country? International Resumes

Is an International Resume still a Resume? This is a... Read More

Job Search Blurts

I coined this word to draw attention to the nervous... Read More

Career Development - When Its Time for a Change

There's a certain courage required to hear your gut. To... Read More

How to Negotiate The Best Salary and Benefit Packages

Salary and Benefits NegotiationOne of the most difficult aspects of... Read More

The 10 Second Window of Opportunity, Resume Hour Glass

Do you know that a hiring manager just spends 10... Read More

You Should Interview the Interviewer, Too

I know what you are thinking. You're thinking, "Wait a... Read More

3 Resume Secrets the Pros Use

You don't write a resume every day. Not even every... Read More

10 Tips For Writing A Professional Résumé

1. Start with an attractive layout. Use bold and italics... Read More

6 Vital Tips For Creating A Superior Resume

1: Keep It ShortConsidering that initially HR personnel only spend... Read More

Successful Job Search: 10 Steps To Quickly Acquire Your Dream Job And Put More Money In Your Pocket

Do you want to continue your costly, time-consuming and exhausting... Read More

Ready to Move -- Anywhere!

"I have lived in this city all my life. My... Read More

Are You Bored By What You Do?

Is your working life in the doldrums? Do you feel... Read More

Job Hunting Tips: Containing Anxiety

It hangs from the ceiling above your bed while you... Read More

Business & Career: Know Your Ruling Star!

"Know your Ruling Star. One man is better received by... Read More

One Cover Letter Secret You Cant Afford To Miss

Suppose you were the hiring manager, your desk piled high... Read More

Experience Hear-See-Do

Research indicates that we retain only 10% of what we... Read More