Manila Freelancer

Instant messaging is the lingo du jour. With e-mails and chats becoming more prevalent and accepted in business, you’ll have to hone your instant messaging skills in order to compete.

If you want to get a home-based job, here are some of the most important IM skills you’ll need to learn:

Typing skills
Until someone invents a voice-activated instant messaging service, it’s a type-heavy technology. Learn the keys on your keyboard and learn to type fast. When you’re working in a home-based job, quite often you’ll find yourself communicating with multiple clients all at the same time. To keep up, you’ll need to clock in at way over the 20 words per minute or so you’re currently capable of typing.

IM jargon
The instant messaging jargon is a whole new way of communicating using shortened words, alternative spellings and a whole sentence in the form of several consonants and a few vowels. Learn what the acronyms mean and how appropriate they are for the occasion. Some of these words are too colloquial or slangy to be used for business purposes so understand which ones to use during your chats with clients or business associates.

IM Etiquette
Your home business is still a business so it’s important that you hone your skills in instant messaging etiquette. Using lots of capital letters for emphasis, for example, may be misconstrued as you being enraged and shouting. It’s also good manners to find out if the other party is available through instant messaging.

Be brief. If you find yourself going over the limit, send an e-mail instead. And yes, do take careful consideration about what you write. Instant messaging may be instant technology but all your messages can be easily saved with a simple click of the mouse. Don’t write anything you’ll regret later on.