Category: Work

Unleash your productivity with AI

Unleash your productivity with AI

At Jonusta, we are thrilled to adopt AI-driven technology 😃 to provide our users with powerful, efficient workflows 🌐. ChatGPT has paved the way for the release of numerous AI apps 🤖 each week, enhancing the way we work 💼. Here are several AI-powered tools designed to optimize your workflow:

📝 Writing Applications:

1️⃣ Lex.page – Harness the power of AI 💪 to streamline your writing process with this user-friendly app. (https://lex.page/)
2️⃣ Type.ai – Experience efficiency 🚀 with this AI-powered document editor.
3️⃣ Wordtune.com – Enhance your communication 🎯 with this Chrome browser extension, offering clear, persuasive, and authentic writing.

📚 Summarization Solutions:

1️⃣ ChatPDF.com – Simplify your PDF reading experience 📖 by uploading and interacting with files in a more personalized, efficient manner.
2️⃣ SciSpace – Easily navigate complex academic content 🎓 with SciSpace, as your reading Copilot assists you in comprehending challenging passages.

🗒️ Note-taking Innovations:

1️⃣ Notion AI – Embrace the full potential of AI 🌟 within Notion to work faster, write better, and think bigger – all while minimizing repetitive tasks.
2️⃣ Audio Pen – Quickly convert your spoken words 💬 into clear, concise text using audiopen.ai, allowing you to focus on your thoughts.

🔬 Research Advancements:

1️⃣ Consensus – Rely on Consensus.app’s verified references 📚 from published papers, providing a more accurate research experience than ChatGPT’s occasionally fictitious citations.

ChatGPT in development

ChatGPT in development

The international development and social impact sector is a constantly evolving field, with new technologies and innovations constantly emerging. One of the latest breakthroughs in this space is the advent of ChatGPT, a language model developed by OpenAI, which could revolutionize how we work in this field.

ChatGPT is an AI or machine learning model that has the ability to understand natural language and generate human-like text. It can assist development professionals in various tasks, from finding information and translating documents to creating reports. This can greatly improve communication and collaboration within the development sector, making it easier for organizations to share information and work together more effectively.

But the implications of ChatGPT go beyond just improved communication. Its ability to extract insights from data can have a huge impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of development projects. For example, ChatGPT can be used to analyze project monitoring and evaluation reports, providing organizations with a better understanding of the impact of their work. It can also be used to analyze social media data, providing organizations with valuable information on what people say about their projects and how they can improve.

Furthermore, ChatGPT can also play a critical role in knowledge management, which is essential for international development and social impact work. The model can be used to create automated tools for document summarization, which can help development professionals quickly find relevant information and stay up-to-date with the latest research and best practices. This can greatly improve the ability of organizations to share and disseminate information, helping them to learn from each other and continuously improve their work.

While ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the development sector, it is important to consider the ethical implications of this technology. Organizations need to ensure that the model’s output is unbiased and does not perpetuate harmful stereotypes, and to continuously monitor for any bias. Furthermore, technology should be used to augment the work of development professionals, not to replace their jobs or undermine their roles.

In conclusion, ChatGPT represents a breakthrough in international development and social impact work. Its ability to understand natural language and generate human-like text has the potential to greatly improve communication, collaboration, and knowledge management in the sector. However, it is important to use this technology responsibly, by addressing its potential biases and ethical implications and continuously monitoring its output. With the right approach, ChatGPT has the potential to make a significant positive impact on the communities that the development sector serves.

Tips to land your next role

Tips to land your next role

There‘s no need to feel like job hunting is a soul–sucking, thankless task. Follow these tips and you‘ll be sure to see results.

1. Believe in yourself 🙌

Self–doubt is a job hunter‘s worst enemy. If you don‘t believe in your own skills and abilities, why would anyone else? Carry yourself with confidence and sell yourself to potential employers.

2. Get organized 🗒️

When you‘re job hunting, it‘s important to stay organized. Keep track of the companies you‘ve applied to, the positions you‘re interested in, and your progress in the application process. This will save you a lot of time and stress in the long run.

3. Network, Network, Network! 🤝

Networking is key in any job hunt as a lot of job openings aren’t even advertised. Talk to your friends, family, and acquaintances to see if they know of any openings that may be a good fit for you. You never know who might have a connection that can help you get your foot in the door.

4. Be patient 👀

Job hunting can be a slow process, so it‘s important to be patient. don‘t get discouraged if you don‘t hear back right away or if you don‘t get the first job you apply for. Keep putting your best foot forward and eventually, you‘ll find the right opportunity for you.

Join The Jonusta Community of Change Makers 🌍

To make your hunt a little easier, set up your profile with Jonusta which includes detailed information on what it is you’re looking for in a job. Check out our fantastic new job board & connect with other Jonusta change-makers on LinkedIn or Twitter. When you sign up with Jonusta, you become part of a community of change-makers that is committed to making a difference. We are here to connect you with opportunities that make a difference.

Hire Freelancers!

Hire Freelancers!

When you hire freelancers, you get the best of the best

When you hire international development freelancers on Jonusta, you get the best of the best: from proposal writers to economists, to M&E and education specialists. You choose who you want to work with based on their skillset and reputation.

You only pay for work needed

As a business hiring freelancers, you pay for the work you need. This is particularly useful if you’re starting out and want to put together a team without breaking your budget. Or if you need someone for a one-off project but don’t want to commit long term. You can also hire freelancers as temporary staff when your business grows and you need extra capacity to deliver for clients.

Hire freelancers from all around the world

Jonusta gives you easy access to global international development freelancer talent. Jonusta freelancers can work from anywhere, meaning you can find the exact talent you need, anywhere in the world! By using Jonusta when hiring freelancers, you can meet your business goals faster than ever before—and at a lower cost!

Hiring freelancers is good for your business

Hiring freelancers is a great way to save money for your business. Freelancers can also bring flexibility, experience, and increased productivity to your business. They can help you meet your business goals by providing the following benefits: no upfront costs, quick turnaround times, and diverse experience and skills.

Jonusta is quickly becoming the place to find and hire international development freelancers. Connect with our talented and vetted international development freelancers today at https://www.jonusta.com/search-talent & explore the possibilities!

Freelancing & Spring

Freelancing & Spring

Spring is the time when nature revives after the colder winter months. As a freelancer, spring is a fantastic chance to reorganize and refresh your workspace and workflow. Here are our tips to spring clean your way to work greatness!

Get Rid of Unnecessary Computer Files

Your computer is likely filled with unnecessary files: old versions of things you’ve already updated, photos and videos that can be backed up online, and documents created for your last project (ahem) three years ago. We know—it’s terrifying to see what’s lurking deep inside your computer!

Before doing anything else, ensure your important files are backed onto an external hard drive or by using an online service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Box.com (which has free storage options). Then clean house: sort through files by file type to find the large items that are safe to delete, then get rid of any unused programs while you’re at it via the “add/remove” option in your control panel.

Use Apps To Organize Your Finances

One of the best things you can do to boost your freelance business’s financial health is to set up a system that tracks your income, expenses, and savings. When you’re clear on exactly how much money is flowing in and out of your business, it’s much easier to make good decisions around where and how to spend.

Apps like Mint can help you create a budget. Quickbooks can help you track your income, expenses, mileage, and estimated taxes. Wave is both an accounting software and invoicing platform that helps you keep track of finances. Toggl makes time tracking easy and accessible so you know just how long it takes for you to complete certain tasks or projects. You can use any number of apps or services for this–just find the one that works for you!

Revamp Your Portfolio

Update your Jonusta profile and portfolio to reflect your most recent work. You should showcase your best professional efforts and top-quality work. While it’s important to include whatever previous work you have that is still relevant, make sure that the most recent (and relevant) projects take center stage. If you’re currently working on a project for a client, wait until it’s finished before adding it to your portfolio, as some clients prefer to not have their work shown publicly. As soon as the project is complete, add it!

Revamp Your Workspace

Revamping your workspace can help you feel inspired and motivated to get down to business. While some freelancers have the luxury of working in a professional office space or a home office, many work remotely or at home while juggling family life. So making sure that you’re as comfortable as possible while also maintaining an environment that’s conducive to productivity is crucial. Take stock of what’s working for you and what could be improved upon: Is your chair too stiff? Does the paint color create a calming atmosphere? Are you breathing more deeply with all the leafy plants surrounding you? Addressing these small details will ensure that you’re setting yourself up for success without spending a ton of money.

Assess your long term goals

Think about the skills and experience you already have. Are there skills that would help you get a better handle on your work and life that you could learn over the next few months? If so, what are they, and how can you learn them in an efficient way? What don’t you enjoy doing? What do you want to do more of?  

Be more mindful

When you’re a freelancer, it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life and put off taking breaks, but it’s important that you unplug and spend time with family and friends. It’s also important to have time to yourself and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. That way, when you are working, you can give it 100% because you have the energy to burn. Practicing mindfulness does help and our simple tips include taking regular breaks, unplugging from your devices at night, spending time with family and friends, and making sure you get enough sleep.

The Great Resignation & Freelancing

The Great Resignation & Freelancing

The ‘Great Resignation’ is transforming the Gig Economy

The “Great Resignation” refers to people leaving their employers and starting businesses. Many economies worldwide are increasingly seeing people move away from traditional work and into freelance jobs. This trend will likely accelerate over the next several years as we adjust to the post-pandemic world. 

What is Freelancing?

Like everything done in the gig economy, Freelancing happens through an online platform. The biggest generalist freelancing platform around is Upwork, and Jonusta is a platform specifically for International Development professionals. Organizations post jobs they need to be completed on these platforms, and freelancers bid on them. Freelancers are rated on work completed on these platforms and build their reputations by delivering good quality outputs. The gig economy is growing fast, especially in industries like International Development.

Freelancing offers flexibility, variety & opportunity  

Freelancing offers many advantages over traditional employment. With freelancing, you can:

✔️Work on a wide range of projects. If you’re tired of doing the same old thing, freelance work can provide the variety you seek.

✔️Build your portfolio and network. Freelance work is a great way to expand your portfolio and network with people in your industry. This is especially true if you’re just starting as an entry-level employee and haven’t had much opportunity to build your professional body of work. 

✔️You can work on projects that interest you or offer a more significant challenge than what’s available at your regular job.

✔️You can work flexibly from home or under more hybrid work arrangements.

With freelancing, professionals from the global south can work on projects worldwide. This opportunity provides people who otherwise would not be able to travel abroad or take advantage of international development projects. Freelancing allows international development professionals to build their skills portfolio and contribute meaningfully toward building communities worldwide. Visit Jonusta.com to get started today.

 

Why hire Freelancers?

Why hire Freelancers?

Work is evolving. Organizations worldwide are increasingly moving away from traditional employment and hiring freelancers. In the international development and social impact space, skilled freelancers can help organizations unlock their potential by solving complex problems, getting more work done, and completing projects faster. On Jonusta, freelancers support organizations meet their potential. Here are some reasons why should you hire freelancers:  

Cost savings💰

Traditional full-time employees can be expensive. In addition to salary commitments, businesses are responsible for training costs, benefits, health insurance, paid time-off, and payroll taxes. In contrast, hiring a Jonusta freelancer allows your business to eliminate most of these overhead costs without sacrificing work output.

Access to specialized talent 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

Talented freelancers offer expertise that businesses/organizations can access with ease. If your business requires a specific skill set for a project, you can identify a freelancer that meets this need. The more experienced a freelancer is, the more value they can bring to a project. 

High-quality work📝

Before hiring a freelancer, you can evaluate their past work portfolio, check out reviews from clients, and interview them to make sure they are the right fit. By successfully completing your project, freelancers build their reputation, expand their portfolio, and increase their chance of future employment or referrals.

Faster deliverables🏃

In addition to offering quality work, freelancers can often provide faster deliverables than full-time employees, and more quickly and accurately. Freelancers generally focus on one project at a time or work within shorter timeframes, which results in increased efficiency and faster project completion.

Access a large talent pool👩‍💼🧑‍💼

By opening your project opportunity to freelancers, companies can access a larger talent pool from around the world. With Jonusta, it’s easier than ever to find and hire talented freelancers.

Risk reduction⬇️

Working with a freelancer allows you to build a contract with specific deliverables before payment. 

No long-term commitment🤝

Freelancers can be hired for a short-term project, for a set amount of time, or to help with long-term projects with specific deliverables. This can give companies greater flexibility when hiring freelancers.

Ease of finding, hiring, and onboarding💻

To begin your search, you can browse through lots of freelancer profiles or create a freelancer job listing on Jonusta and receive personalized proposals from qualified freelancers.

Increased diversity🌍

Freelancers create an opportunity to expand the diversity of your company. A team of individuals from different geographic areas, educational backgrounds, cultures, and work disciplines can significantly increase your ability to handle various projects.

Schedule flexibility☺️

One great benefit of freelancers is that they’re available to be hired whenever you need them. Freelancers are excellent options to meet quickly approaching deadlines. They can step in if something comes up, if you need additional support on a project, or if you need to make up for an absence on your team. 

Fresh perspective🌳

Freelancers bring a new and fresh perspective to a project & can offer unique ideas to a project. This may be a solution to a problem or a different way of understanding your needs. 

Jonusta Freelancer tips

Jonusta Freelancer tips

Welcome to Jonusta – Your friendly International Development Marketplace! We’ve compiled some useful tips to help you when getting started as a freelancer on Jonusta.com.‍

Create a great profile

A fully completed and well-considered profile can help clients get a full picture of your experience and helps Jonusta match you with more relevant projects. From the work categories, you choose to the overview section you write, use every part to emphasize your skills and position yourself as the top-quality professional that you are.

Create sharp proposals

Landing clients starts with your proposal. Be brief, specific, and to the point. Focus on your client’s needs. If a client asks additional questions as part of the job post, give considered responses and supply relevant examples to illustrate your experience. Don’t overpromise and set the right expectations. If you can’t deliver, you could end up with a negative rating and a bad reputation on the platform.

Be prepared for interviews

If you make it to the shortlist stage, your client is likely to interview you. Be professional and show up on time and dress appropriately. Review the job/project description thoroughly and ask thoughtful questions. Ensure you learn as much about the client ahead of time.

Stay patient

It will take time to build your presence on Jonusta. If you’re new, there’s a whole world of information to learn, from marketing yourself to client relationship management.

Next Steps

That’s a whirlwind tour! We hope you find it useful as you start freelancing on Jonusta and your new flexible freelancer life. If you’re not yet a freelancer on Jonusta, sign-up today!

 

Managing Remote Work challenges

Managing Remote Work challenges

Remote working is here to stay. Whilst most of us have been working from home for 2 years now, there are still plenty of challenges to tackle as we continue to adapt to remote work. Below we discuss five common challenges surrounding remote work & possible ways to manage them.

Communication

Communication is typically a big challenge to managing remote work. Remote teams have fewer opportunities to communicate. When they do communicate, they usually use multiple tools, such as Zoom, Skype, and WhatsApp. Multiple communication channels can lead to dispersed and disorganized messages which can lead to misunderstandings and wasted time.

Solutions

Start by setting expectations for team communication. Let team members know behaviour expectations, including how quickly they should respond to messages, whether they should be available for communication during certain times of the day, how to handle communication with team members that work in different time zones. Additionally, encourage team members to overcommunicate. This will help to avoid misunderstandings and uncertainty, as well as prevent team members from having to redo work.

Scheduling

Remote teams (especially those working internationally) can be spread across multiple time zones. In these teams, there might be team members who end work before other teammates start theirs. This can complicate scheduling meetings and make it harder to find a common time to meet and collaborate.

Solutions

Determine how much overlap you really need for your team to function. Managers tend to overemphasize real-time communication when an asynchronous approach is often more productive. Flexibility is one of the greatest strengths of remote work, but it can take some adjustments to your leadership style to get it right. Default to asynchronous communication by using tools such as WhatsApp. Only hold meetings if they’re absolutely necessary and keep them short and focused. If your meeting is necessary, only invite those people that absolutely need to be there.

Workload Management

It’s easy to see when someone is overwhelmed or underutilized when you’re working in the same office as they are. When people work remotely, it can be harder to understand how team members are doing and if they’re able to handle their workload. This can become a bigger issue if your team members aren’t proactive about discussing their workload and communicating the risk of missing deadlines. Workload issues can also cause extra stress in your team. When someone feels like they’re carrying a lot more weight than their teammates, they may experience burnout or feel like they’re being taken advantage of.

Solutions

Use project management tools like Trello or Notion to manage your remote team’s workload more easily. Review the number of tasks assigned to each person, pipeline work, and time it takes for each team member to finish tasks. Work with freelancers such as those on Jonusta as there will be times when your remote team won’t be able to handle all the work that needs to be done themselves. In these situations, use Jonusta to find experts to whom you can outsource tasks and projects. Set priorities and clearly communicate prioritized tasks so that your remote team can tackle the most important things first.

Trust

Developing trust takes time, focus, and a lot of work, even if you work in the same office as your teammates. With fewer opportunities for social interactions, it can be harder to build trust in a remote team. However, it’s crucial to build trust with your distributed team. Without it, you’ll struggle to build culture and keep your people engaged.

Solutions

Organize virtual team-building activities where folks can relax, have fun, and interact with each other in a casual setting. Some examples include virtual happy hour, trivia quizzes or just opportunities to chat. Trust comes from reliability and that means that you do what you say you will, you follow through when people ask for help, and you act in your team’s best interest all the time.

Work-life balance

When people work from home, the line b/w work and home life can become blurred. This can result in overworked teams and a lack of work-life balance. This habit increases the risk of burnout because it makes your team feel like they can never unplug and get away from work. Work addiction is a serious problem that can cause burnout, reduce productivity, and erode job satisfaction.

Solutions

Encourage team members to take time off especially if a lot of employee vacation time is unused. Offer flexible work hours. This will allow your team to plan their day in a way that works better for them. It will also enable them to work during those times when they’re the most productive. Set the example yourself. Don’t email during non-work hours or weekends. Instead, send on Monday morning or whenever that person is due at work.  Take time off and talk about the fun things you did with your vacation. Remember, you can work hard and still have a life outside of work.