After being featured in TV Patrol’s Work from Home segment, I found my inboxes full with questions like, “How can a lola like you still manage to work online?”

Being a lola does not matter online. Anybody can work, regardless of age, gender, race, or sexual preferences.

But I won’t fool you into thinking that working online is easy; or that applying to jobs when you’re just starting out is like picking the petals of a rose while saying, “He hires me, he hires me not..”

So, what does it take to build an online career from scratch?

Below are your Youthful Granny’s tips on how you can work from home.

TYG’s Tips for Starting an

Online Career

• Set your mind

Working from home has pros and cons. You don’t have to travel to get to work. All it takes is a few steps from your bed to your office or to any area in your home you want to work in. You don’t have to spend for transportation fees, or endure the metro’s traffic or long MRT queues. These save you a ton of time, money and effort that you can spend for the needs of your family.

But like anything else, working from home has disadvantages too. Can you stand working alone for long periods? Can you focus on your work amid everyday distractions (crying babies, playing kids, unannounced visitors)? Can you resist the temptation of your bed? Are you willing to do painstaking research and study new skills?

Building an online career requires commitment, discipline and determination. Set your mind.

• Grab opportunities as they come

If you’re bent on working online, then stop the Mañana Habit. Do not forego opportunities to learn or upgrade your skills, whether paid or free. You are your own business. Therefore, it will be wise to invest in yourself. If you find a job post you know you are capable of doing, go ahead and apply. Have no fear. The internet of things is filled with all sorts of information that can help jumpstart your career.

• Be independent

Sorry to be harsh, but if you’re looking for hand-holding from seasoned freelancers, you won’t get it unless they see your efforts. Make Google your best friend. Join Facebook groups like Work at Home Pinoys. It has a Frequently Asked Questions thread where you can find the answers to almost every newbie issue you might have, from creating an online portfolio to writing a cover letter. It has other threads where old-timers share their tips and insights.

• Toot your own horn

One of the things I learned from working online is to make myself stand out. With millions of freelancers out there, how can a lola like me compete? Always, always, put your best foot forward. When creating your work profile, include certificates or awards you garnered both online and offline. Ask recommendations from your previous employers and post it there.

Remember – you are your own business. Sell your skills. Be confident during an interview. Be visible online – not to bother other freelancers but to help them in your own little way. What comes around goes around. Good karma awaits those who sow kindness and helpfulness.

• Prepare yourself for rejections

It happens. You applied to a job and feel you’re the best fit only to find out that the client hired someone else. Okay, you’re allowed to sulk in a corner – I do that too (lol). But don’t let one client put you down. Keep on applying. Never give up.

Think of rejections as opportunities to improve. I’ll give you a tip. This only works for Skype or Google interviews, though.

I used to download and install apps that enable me to record conversations. When rejected, I listened to the interview and took note of the following: confidence; syntax and grammar (I’m a writer so this is a requirement); knowledge of the job; and so on. What was it that made the client reject me? Did I sound boastful or did I lack confidence? What did I miss? I wrote my answers, rerecorded the interview, with the hubby playing the role of the client. Time-consuming, yes, but definitely effective.

These are my tips on how a lola or anyone can work from home. Try them and let me know how they work.

Happy job hunting!