Cyberwise.

I was laid off from my job in IT; I have been thinking about starting my own company instead of going back on the job market. I have a profile on LinkedIn and a Facebook and I would really like to do some consulting freelance work. How do I get started?

--Anonymous

Via E-mail

Despite your current challenges, this might actually be a good time for you to launch a tech consulting business, Here's why: Although many companies have laid off employees as a means of cutting costs (costs that include not just salary but benefits), there is still a need for qualified tech workers in a variety of areas.

You are off to a good start by keeping up to date via social networking sites. Still, don't neglect the traditional IT organizations such as Black Data Processing Associates (www.bdpa.org), which offers mentorship, career development programs, and a career center; the National Society of Black Engineers (http://national.nsbe.org); and Women Who Tech (www.womenwhotech.com).

I would recommend creating a Website, Register a domain name with a site such as Go Daddy (www. godaddy.com) or Register.com, among the many available. Be sure that the name is professional and easy to remember Don't bother with the bells and whistles--a simple informational site (with links back to your LinkedIn profile and/or Twitter and Facebook profiles) will do as you get your feet wet.

Before you begin seeking out potential clients, however, make sure you have a plan of action, that is, a general business plan, which must include your technology strategy. Do the research to find out the competitive rates for your services. For freelance work, I would suggest starting with Elance (www.elance. com) and Guru.com. Another site I really like is Blellow (www.blellow.com), which bills itself as "a place for freelancers and professionals to collaborate, find work, and solve problems." Happy hunting.

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