Dear readers,

In this issue of our Freelancing.HK News, we will publish an article in which we will be sharing our findings on the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Hong Kongers’ income.

Following on from this, we show you what the display of the number of references in the freelancer profile means and in our freelancer article, a copywriter explains to us how to create impressive texts with passion.

Last but not least, allow us to brighten up your day with our freelancer joke, which this time, is about a computer specialist who first helps his customers for free and then cashes in big time.

As always, I hope you enjoy reading this issue and that you have a busy and successful month.

Rainer Kurz

Around 1,4 million people in Hong Kong were living below the poverty line before the COVID-19 pandemic began, making it the highest poverty rate in the country in almost a decade. After the pandemic took hold in the country, the poverty rate has only increased. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread job losses in Hong Kong.

The unemployment rate has reached 6.4 per cent - the highest figure in 15 years - and 257,000 people are now out of work. Oxfam Hong Kong´s (OHK) latest research shows that the number of unemployed people from poor households has risen to nearly 110,000 this year, 75 per cent of whom may be outside the safety net of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA).

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unstable and difficult economic environment, making it difficult to find and keep a job in Hong Kong and increasing poverty in Hong Kong.

Freelancers can register names and e-mail addresses of reference providers with Freelancing.HK, which are verified by us. In case of an introduction of the freelancer to a client, these references will be mentioned to the clients, allowing the clients to gather additional information about the freelancer´s work performance.

P. S.: Freelancers who are already registered can send us additional references by email at any time in order to improve their project chances.

Registered service providers can present themselves with a short article in Freelancing.HK-News. In this issue, we present an experienced copywriter who has a focus in journalism and PR:
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Everyone can learn to write, but copywriting is an art.

Many times I write something down, but my passion has always been professional copywriting. After completing my studies with a double major (journalism and PR), I have been working as a freelancer since 1992.

Among my demanding clients, I can count renowned publishing houses, editorial offices of different branches as well as companies of various industries. Individual portraits of public figures are also part of my diverse portfolio. In addition, due to my meticulous research work, independent engineering firms also appreciate my services. My open mind enables me to quickly familiarise myself with new and complex topics and to implement them in a service-oriented manner.

My range of services includes the company, product texts and brochures for the press, reports, portraits, abstracting or transforming texts, as well as providing reliable assistance in the creation of concepts and presentation documents.
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The central printer of a small insurance office produces only pale printouts. The business owner calls a computer maintenance freelancer whom he has just found on Google.

The friendly freelancer, however, says that his visit is hardly necessary, as the owner can solve the problem himself. The printer has to be cleaned, just as it is described in detail in the operating instructions.

The business owner is impressed: ´I think it is great that you are so selfless and help me out for free´.

Freelancer replies: ´I always advise my new customers to follow the instructions in the manual. If they then try to do it themselves, it usually ends up in a major repair, so my visit will be definitely worthwhile.´