Working with people in different countries can often be difficult. I do it all the time, and I’ve found that some countries are best to avoid.
In this installment of Adventures in SEO Writing I’ll examine the different countries I’ve worked for. Now, I work for people, but I often associate certain jobs with countries, especially if they’re unique or just a quick job that I won’t do again. I don’t want to come off as racist or bigoted or anything, but these are just the experiences I’ve had. Here we go!
In this installment of Adventures in SEO Writing I’ll examine the different countries I’ve worked for. Now, I work for people, but I often associate certain jobs with countries, especially if they’re unique or just a quick job that I won’t do again. I don’t want to come off as racist or bigoted or anything, but these are just the experiences I’ve had. Here we go!
Pakistan
Some of the worst people to work for come from Pakistan. I don’t know what it is with this part of Asia, but you’ve got India and Bangladesh in there and they’re just as bad. If I had to say which was the worst, however, my money would be on Pakistan by far.
A lot of women work online in Pakistan and their English is horrible. They often get stuck getting $2 for something like 5,000 words and then when they get the job they don’t know what the hell to do.
Earlier in my freelance writing career I’d often take some low-paying jobs from women in Pakistan. Usually it would involve proofreading stuff that they wrote to make sure it was usable. I’d do the jobs and then they’d point out all kinds of errors that weren’t there, claim their original employer complained a lot, or come up with any other excuse to not pay you. And the amount you’re squabbling over is like $8 or something.
There are much better ways to spend your time, so I urge you not to work with any people from Pakistan when it comes to your SEO or other writing needs.
A lot of women work online in Pakistan and their English is horrible. They often get stuck getting $2 for something like 5,000 words and then when they get the job they don’t know what the hell to do.
Earlier in my freelance writing career I’d often take some low-paying jobs from women in Pakistan. Usually it would involve proofreading stuff that they wrote to make sure it was usable. I’d do the jobs and then they’d point out all kinds of errors that weren’t there, claim their original employer complained a lot, or come up with any other excuse to not pay you. And the amount you’re squabbling over is like $8 or something.
There are much better ways to spend your time, so I urge you not to work with any people from Pakistan when it comes to your SEO or other writing needs.
Bangladesh
This country is just as bad as Pakistan. Here you have more men pawning themselves off as freelance writers and SEO artists, and some of them are probably pretty good. Most, however, are sorely lacking.
I’ve with worked a lot with people in Bangladesh, again when I was starting out. They’re pushy, rude, and complain about everything. You can give them a perfect document and they’ll complain that you wrote it on white paper. And don’t get me started on how many times they try to rip you off or not pay you for work delivered. Another great country to stay away from!
I’ve with worked a lot with people in Bangladesh, again when I was starting out. They’re pushy, rude, and complain about everything. You can give them a perfect document and they’ll complain that you wrote it on white paper. And don’t get me started on how many times they try to rip you off or not pay you for work delivered. Another great country to stay away from!
Russia
I’ve had good experiences working with Russian people and I’ve had not so good experiences. I won’t call them bad really, but they did leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Russian people, especially men, can come off a little pushy. They want to get the best deal and hey, there’s nothing wrong with that. But it does get a little old. I’ve also noticed that a lot of Russian employers will say that something isn’t quite what they want, but they’ll take it anyway. What the hell does that mean? I think they just try to find a way to get the next job at a cheaper price.
Russian people, especially men, can come off a little pushy. They want to get the best deal and hey, there’s nothing wrong with that. But it does get a little old. I’ve also noticed that a lot of Russian employers will say that something isn’t quite what they want, but they’ll take it anyway. What the hell does that mean? I think they just try to find a way to get the next job at a cheaper price.
Caribbean
I’ve worked with quite a few different people in the Caribbean and all of my experiences have been good. Maybe a lot of them are feeling in high moods or something. Mainly people here are running hotels or something related to the tourist trade. They need some kind of SEO content for their websites, and I’m happy to oblige.
Working on content for this area of the world is great. You can learn all about beautiful beaches, lush forests and jungles, and stunning mountain views. Sometimes I feel a little bad taking their money because writing the content is such a nice break from other, more boring things. Of course that feeling fades about as quickly as those highs.
Working on content for this area of the world is great. You can learn all about beautiful beaches, lush forests and jungles, and stunning mountain views. Sometimes I feel a little bad taking their money because writing the content is such a nice break from other, more boring things. Of course that feeling fades about as quickly as those highs.
UK
I’ve had great work from a lot of people in the UK. One thing that I’m finding more and more, however, is that a lot of people looking for content work in the UK are in fact from other countries. This is obvious when you start talking to them for awhile. For instance, take being called ‘Dear.’ I hate this, and it’s a dead giveaway to a native content marketer that you’re from one of the aforementioned countries that are terrible to work with: India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh.
Sometimes I don’t’ find this out until it’s too late and I’ve already started a job. Usually these people are a bit more pushy, but that’s just one of the things with doing business with people in that part of the world. They’re much more demanding and impatient, and that’s just how business goes.
When it comes to actual Brits, I’ve usually done well. Like most places in the world, people here are about the same as everywhere. I’ve been in nearly 20 countries and lived abroad for 5 years. I’ve got a foreign wife and mixed nationality son. I’ve seen a lot and worked for a lot of people. Most are just fine, it’s just a few bad apples that your remember most.
Sometimes I don’t’ find this out until it’s too late and I’ve already started a job. Usually these people are a bit more pushy, but that’s just one of the things with doing business with people in that part of the world. They’re much more demanding and impatient, and that’s just how business goes.
When it comes to actual Brits, I’ve usually done well. Like most places in the world, people here are about the same as everywhere. I’ve been in nearly 20 countries and lived abroad for 5 years. I’ve got a foreign wife and mixed nationality son. I’ve seen a lot and worked for a lot of people. Most are just fine, it’s just a few bad apples that your remember most.
Israel
I kind of make it a point now not to work with people from Israel. Why is this? Do I hate Jews? No, it’s just that I’ve had bad experiences working with people in Israel on several occasions.
My most recent job with an Israeli involved writing some SEO articles for a medical site. The guy wanted 650 words, but I have him 2 articles that were 1,000. I thought they were pretty good, and would have put them on my own site. He liked them, but then the next day he started saying they needed editing. I looked at them again, but really, all that he’d done was cut out about 400 of my words to add in about 100 of his own. So I had to go and fix that, or at least make his writing correct. And then he kept on talking about ending the job all the time. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to continue,” he would say. When I get a red-flag like that I know it’s time to stop.
I had a jewelry guy in Israel once. He was the same way, getting an article, adding in a bunch of stuff, and then requesting tons of edits. Fine, no problem, but don’t complain to me when your own writing proves not quite up to par. In the end he wanted to hire me again, but I refused. Some people just aren’t working for after an initial job.
Other examples just include people you send messages back and forth to for about a day or two, then all of a sudden there’s nothing. You send another message but there’s not a reply. Generally I just find working with people in Israel on copywriting and SEO is unproductive.
My most recent job with an Israeli involved writing some SEO articles for a medical site. The guy wanted 650 words, but I have him 2 articles that were 1,000. I thought they were pretty good, and would have put them on my own site. He liked them, but then the next day he started saying they needed editing. I looked at them again, but really, all that he’d done was cut out about 400 of my words to add in about 100 of his own. So I had to go and fix that, or at least make his writing correct. And then he kept on talking about ending the job all the time. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to continue,” he would say. When I get a red-flag like that I know it’s time to stop.
I had a jewelry guy in Israel once. He was the same way, getting an article, adding in a bunch of stuff, and then requesting tons of edits. Fine, no problem, but don’t complain to me when your own writing proves not quite up to par. In the end he wanted to hire me again, but I refused. Some people just aren’t working for after an initial job.
Other examples just include people you send messages back and forth to for about a day or two, then all of a sudden there’s nothing. You send another message but there’s not a reply. Generally I just find working with people in Israel on copywriting and SEO is unproductive.
Canada
I love working with people in Canada. I’ve never had any problems, except maybe some slow payments now and again, but that’s nothing really to get upset about. What I do hate is the currency conversions, something that I also experience with a lot of Australian people I work with.
I hate working on a job for $100 say and then only getting $95 or whatever it is that day. But again, that’s just one of the things you have to deal with and it in no way reflects badly on those people to the north of me.
Obviously I’m running out of things to say on this installment of Adventures in SEO Writing, so until next time, keep on keepin’ your sanity!
I hate working on a job for $100 say and then only getting $95 or whatever it is that day. But again, that’s just one of the things you have to deal with and it in no way reflects badly on those people to the north of me.
Obviously I’m running out of things to say on this installment of Adventures in SEO Writing, so until next time, keep on keepin’ your sanity!
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