Career Resource Utilization

I found more freelance gigs on WhatsApp than anywhere else. Most freelancers are busy sending cold pitches or posting daily on LinkedIn. But the real action is happening quietly inside WhatsApp communities. Here’s why they work so well. Every group is filled with people who are already hiring. They don’t need long introductions. They need quick solutions. That urgency makes it easier for you to pitch and close faster. The best part is that these aren’t random people. They’re founders, marketers, creators, and startup teams. They talk openly about projects, ideas, and urgent tasks. You’re basically sitting inside a live marketplace of opportunities. And here’s the smart way to stand out in these groups: → Don’t spam your services. → Offer help when someone asks a question. → Recommend other freelancers too. → Stay consistent in conversations. When people see your name pop up with value, they remember it. And that’s how referrals begin to flow. One small introduction can lead to a long-term client. One quick reply can turn into a project. Freelancers often look for complex ways to find clients. But sometimes, the simplest platforms bring the biggest results. Start joining WhatsApp communities in your niche. Design, writing, editing, marketing—there’s one for everyone. Your next client might already be typing in one of them right now.

For the past few days, I have been spending a lot of time on Product Hunt, thanks to all the product launches we’ve been doing. While scrolling through the platform, I just realized what a goldmine it is for freelancers. Let me explain. Platforms like LinkedIn and Upwork have become saturated, and landing gigs through them is becoming increasingly difficult. The competition is fierce, and it’s hard to stand out. But think about Product Hunt. Every single day, 100s of new tools and websites are being launched there. This means more opportunities for freelancers to connect with founders and early-stage startups who are actively looking to grow their products. These startups often need help with things like content writing, social media management, marketing strategies, design, development, and more. By reaching out to these founders with a personalized pitch, you can position yourself as the expert they need to build their brand or enhance their product. And because these are early-stage businesses, they value freelancers who can bring creative solutions and a fresh perspective to the table. Pro tip: When pitching, don’t just talk about your skills. Focus on how you can solve their specific challenges or contribute to their growth. Do your research, show them you understand their goals, and tailor your pitch to their needs. This will make you stand out instantly. So, instead of spending hours competing on platforms that are already oversaturated, why not explore this untapped treasure trove of opportunities on Product Hunt? Have you ever used Product Hunt to find freelance gigs? I’d love to hear your experience! 🤠 I just discussed this in more detail in my newsletter. I also share tips related to freelancing, content, and marketing. I’m leaving the link to subscribe in the first comment in case you want to check it out. 🤗

🚀The transition from student life to the working and career world is huge – here’s how to get ahead before you even graduate or leave school. 🎓 What comes after university? 😬 I recently talked with students at Nottingham Trent University about transferable sales skills that truly make a difference when you start your career. While university gives you the foundation, it’s real-world, transferable skills that will set you apart. Here are the top skills every student should focus on building whilst studying 📚: 1️⃣ Communication – Get involved in debating societies and sports teams. These experiences will help you communicate with confidence and impact. 2️⃣ Adaptability – The working world is fast-paced and constantly changing. Take on leadership roles, try new activities, and challenge yourself to think beyond your comfort zone. 3️⃣ Problem-Solving – Whether it’s leading a group project or tackling a complex assignment, the ability to find solutions is invaluable in any career. 4️⃣ Networking – Join clubs, attend campus events, and connect with alumni. Relationships built now can open doors and shape your career path. 5️⃣ Resilience – University has its setbacks and stress. Building resilience now will help you handle challenges and stay focused on your long-term goals. 💡 My advice? Don’t wait until graduation. Start building these skills today to set yourself up for a smoother transition into the working world. Every experience you take on now is an investment in your future. If you’d like guidance on how to strengthen these skills, please don’t hesitate to reach out – I’m here to help! #StudentSuccess #LifeAfterUniversity #CareerReady #TransferableSkills #RealWorldSkills

As the winter term kicks off and I step back into my teaching role, I’ve been reflecting on what skills future marketing leaders really need. For years, I’ve taught and lived by the T-Shaped Marketer model. But I believe it’s time for an upgrade. The next generation of marketers must excel in three core areas: 1) Human Insight: The foundation. This is what makes us irreplaceable: empathy, creativity, context, and intuition. It’s our strategic superpower. 2) AI Collaboration: Not just using AI tools, but knowing when and how to co-create with them. Think: agents, assistants, chats for ideation, content generation, research, and analytics. 3) Channel Mastery: Going beyond digital. Yes, social media, email, and SEO still matter. But so do communities, offline activations, and even emerging channels like GEO visibility. I would call this model "The AI-Driven Marketer". This is the kind of marketer I want to help shape and learn from. Do you feel the T-Shaped model still fits today’s marketing world? What would you add to the "AI-Driven Marketer" profile? #AIMarketer #Marketing #DigitalMarketing #GrowthMarketing #AIDrivenMarketers

Most people only check 2 or 3 job sites. That's a mistake. After 20 years of running a consulting company, I've used dozens of platforms to find great talent. The best opportunities aren't always on the most popular sites. If you're job hunting, expand your reach. Here are the top platforms to find full-time, part-time, fractional, remote, and freelance work: ➡️ 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 / 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 These dominate global job searches and have the largest employer base. • Indeed – General jobs, global, full-time and part-time 🔗 indeed.com • LinkedIn – Professional networking, full-time roles, career growth 🔗 linkedin.com/jobs • Google Jobs – Aggregates listings from many sites, all job types 🔗 google.com/search?q=jobs Best for: General exposure and mainstream hiring ➡️ 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲-𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 Purely remote or hybrid-friendly by design • We Work Remotely – Tech, design, marketing 🔗 weworkremotely.com • Remote.co – Curated remote roles, flexible hours 🔗 remote.co • FlexJobs – Paid access, vetted remote and hybrid jobs 🔗 flexjobs.com • Jobspresso – Remote jobs in tech, marketing, and UX 🔗 jobspresso.co • Pangian – Global remote community and listings 🔗 pangian.com • Virtual Vocations – Telecommute roles across industries 🔗 virtualvocations.com Best for: Professionals seeking verified remote or hybrid work ➡️ 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 Ideal for senior talent looking to go fractional and for side project work • TalentLoft – Top executive and technical fractional talent 🔗 talentloft.com • GoFractional – Fractional leadership roles 🔗 gofractional.com • Toptal – Premium freelance network for vetted experts 🔗 toptal.com ➡️ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 & 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵-𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 Geared toward innovation, product, and early-stage companies • AngelList – Startup jobs, equity options, tech and growth roles 🔗 angel.co • PowerToFly – Focus on diversity in tech, remote work 🔗 powertofly.com Best for: Startup environments and mission-driven work ➡️ 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 / 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲-𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 • FlexJobs – Strong focus on flexible or reduced-hour roles 🔗 flexjobs.com • Virtual Vocations – Many part-time remote listings 🔗 virtualvocations.com • Upwork – Freelance gigs often short-term or hourly 🔗 upwork.com Best for: Those seeking side income or reduced schedules I hope this list helps you find your next job. 💡 Share if this helps others ➕ Follow Jason Moccia for more tech and leadership insights

There are remote job boards… And then there are job boards that actually lead to offers even if you're applying from Nigeria or anywhere in Africa. If you’re tired of submitting applications with no feedback or wondering where others are getting these legit remote jobs, this is for you. There are tons of websites out there but not all of them are worth your time. Some are outdated and some are full of fake listings. But a few stand out consistently because they list authentic roles, hire across borders, and Nigerians have landed real jobs from them. These platforms list opportunities that span various fields: tech, admin, writing, customer service, etc. Top Picks (High Trust & Nigerian-Friendly) - https://lnkd.in/dJPxPnX5 – Consistent remote roles, often open globally - https://remoteok.com/ – Great variety, used by many Nigerian freelancers - FlexJobs – Curated, scam-free jobs (requires a small fee) - https://wellfound.com – Startup-focused roles - Jobspresso – Legit companies & roles in tech, marketing, and support - Remotive - Curated remote jobs across industries - https://lnkd.in/dUEiDYb9 – Global-focused listings - Outsourcely – Remote-first companies hiring worldwide - https://www.toptal.com/– High-end freelance talent (vetting required, but worth it) - Upwork – Freelance marketplace (competitive, but many Nigerians win jobs) - Fiverr – Great for creatives, marketers, writers - LinkedIn – Use the “Remote” filter + optimize your profile! Trusted companies that hire 100% Remote These organizations are remote-first or remote-friendly meaning they don’t care where you live, just that you get the job done. Companies where Nigerians have landed roles or interviews: - GitLab - Automattic - Canonical - Doist - Shopify - Buffer - Uplers - Turing (via screening) - DuckDuckGo - Contra - Upwork (corporate) These companies often have global hiring policies and don't restrict talent from African countries. But like I always say your positioning matters too. The opportunities are there. The key is not just finding them, it’s being ready when you do. And most importantly, don’t disqualify yourself before they do. I'll share the things you need and require to put out a good application. There are other companies in Nigeria and outside of Nigeria that offer remote opportunities but you need to look and do your research. If you know other sites that are genuine and authentic, please share in the comments. For more career and recruitment tips, follow Boluwatife Ojo, PHRi for more.

I’ve been freelancing since October 2020. If all that experience disappeared and I had to start again from scratch, here's step-by-step what I'd do: Phase One: Knowledge Time to learn how to write. This is the number one thing you must do before anything else. Read... • “The Adweek Copywriters Handbook” by Joseph Sugarman • “The Boron Letters” by Gary C. Halbert • “Writing Tools” by Roy Peter Clark (Free PDF in the comments!) Next, you have to know what you’re selling. What is an article, exactly? How is it structured? What’s the difference between a case study, newsletter, landing page? Semrush has a solid article explaining it all (link in comments)! Post what you learn on a Twitter or LinkedIn account to start building your personal brand. 💡 Phase Two: Practice It’s time to put into practice what you’re learning. → Choose three topics you’re interested in writing about. → Create a Medium profile. → For one month (minimum) post one article a week on Medium. For ex: In my case, I was interested in digital marketing, remote work, and influencers. A few articles I wrote... • How Onlyfans is Ushering the Creator Economy into a Prosperous New Era • How Chloe Ting Became the Queen of Home Fitness • “Skinfluencers” Won’t Make it Easy for the Luxury Skincare Industry Phase Three: Pitch Let’s get some clients. Step 1) → How to Find Them: • TechCrunch’s “Recently Funded” • LinkedIn’s “People Also Applied To” • Newsletter Sponsors (Ex: If your target client is crypto, subscribe to Milk Road and pitch its sponsors as the audience demographic overlaps) Plus, subscribe to these newsletters dedicated to surfacing freelance gigs: • Kat Boogard’s Newsletter • Peak Freelance’s Newsletter • Sonia Weiser’s Opportunities of the Week Newsletter • Superpath Content Marketing Slack Community • Kaitlyn Arford’s Newsletter As you sift, create a list of clients that are in relevant to the topics you chose earlier. Step 2) → How to Pitch Them: The final step is to cold pitch. The rules: • The email is 80% about them, and 20% about you. • Bring a gift by pitching articles that are relevant to their target audience. • Link to your Medium articles to prove you can write. • Follow-up twice over the span of eight business days (roughly). Reminder: Stellar articles and personalized cold emails are *all* you need to start freelancing. I was earning ~$5,000 a month before I had a newsletter, website, Twitter, or LinkedIn. The next phase will be building the little parts: Contracts, website, etc (will explain in a future post 😌 ). Did I miss anything? Let me know! (Pictured: My setup working remotely for the first time ever in Paris 🌱 it felt v special :') ! )

Here is what I wish I knew before I became a social worker: Most of us were taught that our only path was to get a degree -> attain your License -> start a private practice; when in reality, we were being trained for leadership, systems design, and crisis strategy the whole time. So here it is: #1 Don’t fall for the raisinism tactics #2 your skills are widely transferable Here’s a list of social work specific skills that are transferable and marketable: 1. Human-Centered Research & Assessment • Qualitative interviewing • Needs assessment • Data interpretation • Program evaluation • Case formulation • Cultural analysis 2. Crisis Management & Conflict Resolution • De-escalation • Risk assessment • Safety planning • Mediation • Trauma-responsive communication 3. Leadership & Organizational Development • Policy analysis • Change management • Facilitating team alignment • Leading professional development • Implementing systems-level solutions 4. Emotional Intelligence & Communication • Motivational interviewing • Group facilitation • Active listening • Coaching & supervision • Cross-cultural communication 5. Program Design & Implementation • Curriculum development • Community engagement • Workflow optimization • Logical frameworks • Collective impact strategy 6. Advocacy & Systems Navigation • Interdisciplinary coordination • Stakeholder engagement • Coalition building • Resource development • Public speaking 7. Project Management • Planning & timelines • Budget-conscious decision-making • Deliverables management • Meeting facilitation • Documentation & reporting Social workers don’t ‘just talk to people. We run programs, build systems, prevent crises, mediate disasters, and translate human behavior into strategy. That’s organizational intelligence — not case management. #SocialWorkReimagined #MacroMindset #SystemsThinkers #HumanCenteredLeadership #SocialWorkersInLeadership

Your next client isn’t posting job listings… they’re lurking! Freelancers, here’s the biggest mistake I see on LinkedIn: You’re searching for job posts instead of getting in front of the people who already need you. Here’s the truth:
Most high-ticket clients aren’t posting “freelancer wanted” ads.
 They’re THINKING about their problem, not actively searching for a solution yet.
 They’re LURKING—reading posts, engaging in comment sections, and gathering ideas. 💡 The freelancers who win? They show up before the client even realizes they need them. Here’s how you do it in 3 easy steps: ✅ Find the conversations before they turn into job posts. - Use Sales Navigator to track CEOs, CMOs, and founders in your niche. - Set alerts for when they comment on industry discussions. - Engage with their content before you ever send a pitch. ✅ Look for pain points hidden in plain sight. - Posts like “We’re scaling fast” = They need help. - “We’re testing a new marketing strategy” = They need experts. - “Who knows a great [skill]?” = They’re hiring, but informally. ✅ Be the expert in their feed—before they need you. - Comment insightfully on posts from decision-makers in your industry. - Post your own content showing how you solve problems. - When they’re ready to hire? You’re the first name that comes to mind. Freelancers who wait for job listings compete with thousands of others for the small % of gigs that weren’t filled at the networking stage. 
Freelancers who show up early build relationships—and get hired before the listing even exists. Are you waiting for opportunities, or positioning yourself for them? 👇

I spent most of 2024 trying to make sense of the job market. Everywhere I looked, the advice felt either outdated or out of touch. Apply here. Network more. Learn to code. Build a brand. It all felt like noise. And then one day, I stopped scrolling and thought to myself, What am I doing? That was the moment the teacher in me took over: the problem-solver and critical thinker. So, I went to work. I analyzed labor trends. Looked at projections. Dug into hiring data. I researched where industries were growing and what roles were in demand. Then, I cross-referenced it with what I am good at, what energizes me, and where I could grow. Because if I were going to move forward, I needed alignment, not just another job. I started taking in-depth courses to explore the possibilities. And I will be honest. Passion was missing at first. But once things started clicking again, it came back. With all that digging, this is what I have found so far. And why not share it? There are others in the same boat. Here are the 10 platforms I found most promising for real opportunities: Jobspresso – https://jobspresso.com Virtual Vocations – https://lnkd.in/eGufeH6k Upwork – https://upwork.com Freelancer – https://freelancer.com Toptal – https://toptal.com Fiverr – https://fiverr.com NoDesk – https://nodesk.co RemoteHabits – https://remotehabits.com Remotive – https://remotive.com Glassdoor – https://glassdoor.com Each one is worth exploring. Some are better for freelancers. Others for full-time roles. Next, I built a 6 to 9-month skill-building plan, including but not limited to courses: • Coursera – I chose certifications from Google, IBM, Meta, and Microsoft • Trailhead by Salesforce – I will be completing certification soon • edX and Verizon Skill Forward – Free, guided programs with a real-world focus https://lnkd.in/e-N2y6_6 Almost everything I am taking is free to audit. These are the certifications I am focused on: Complete list: https://lnkd.in/gB85jDYS Some standouts: Google AI Essentials – https://lnkd.in/gtH8ts-Y Google Data Analytics – https://lnkd.in/gsNiSn9z Microsoft Power BI – https://lnkd.in/gCYSi8Ey IBM Data Analyst – https://lnkd.in/gPiuupFB Google Project Management – https://lnkd.in/g2p-583c Salesforce Trailhead – https://lnkd.in/eJ4iZaUg These are not resume fillers. They are skill builders. Each one was chosen based on data, trends, and long-term potential. Here is what I know now that I did not know then: You do not have to guess. You do not have to wing it. There is a more thoughtful way forward if you take the time to figure out where you fit. So I am sharing this for anyone else trying to build something meaningful in 2025. What helped you stop spinning and start gaining clarity? #careerclarity #careerdevelopment #upskill #learninganddevelopment #salesforce #coursera #freelancejobs #digitalcareers #skillforward #trailhead #edX #careerstrategy #thoughtleadership