Your ultimate guide to freelancing
Updated: Oct 17, 2021
Freelancing is on the rise, more so since the pandemic hit us. Does being employed on your own and the freedom it offers excite you? If yes, freelancing is the right choice for you. Freelancing means working for yourself, by yourself.
After the pandemic hit us, 114 million people lost jobs or had reduced income, according to a report in the International Labor Organization. What would be your next step if this happens to you? Of course yes, you will look for a different source of income, without being tied to an employer who could kick you out.
It led to work from bed, and having an income on the side along with a 9-5 job became the norm. Many people started freelancing. They are sticking to it because of its many benefits.
If you are still wondering if the grass is greener on the other side, here we have listed 4 reasons to help you decide.
4 reasons you should start freelancing now
1.Work when you want and where you want
Does your schedule depend on someone else? Maybe you want to use the few hours productively when your little monster goes to sleep? Do you dream of working from the beaches or in a tent while camping?
It is possible with freelancing. Freelancing provides you with the ability to work, when you want and where you want. As long, as you don’t miss the deadlines, clients do not care when or how the work gets done.
2.Choose who you work with
Are you tired of your boss constantly demanding from you? If you freelance, you will not have a boss. There is no working for someone. You choose with whom you work. If it gets difficult to work with a client, you have the freedom to let the client go.
3.Monotony is dead
Are you bored of doing the same set of tasks every day in your 9-5? When you freelance, you get to work on multiple industries and a variety of projects. It is almost like working in different companies simultaneously. Imagine the impressive portfolio you will have and the knowledge you gain.
4. Sky is the limit
The sky is the limit when you freelance, provided you are willing to put in the effort. There is no limit on the income you can make for yourself. You will not be dependent on your boss for your promotion and the raise in salary.
Yes, Shreya, I agree with all these amazing benefits. I have never run a business, and I have no skills or experience I can show. Can I still start? Well, no worry to start, a few soft skills are needed. You can learn/ develop the other skills on the go.
Soft skills you should possess as a freelancer
Communication
You might have so many ideas to make your client's lives better. What good does it do if you cannot put them in words? Communication is not only putting your ideas across, it also means you have to be a great listener to understand what the client needs. Having excellent written and verbal communication is vital to landing clients and retaining the clients you already have.
Time management
Time is money for a freelancer. You will have a lot on your plate, pitching new clients, completing existing client work, managing your finances, marketing your services. When you have so much to do, it's easy to get stuck with a task while losing track of time. To avoid this, prioritizing your tasks and knowing where to spend your time will go a long way in making you successful.
Self-starter
When you are freelancing, you will have no boss to push you to complete your tasks. Your boss in a traditional 9-5 job indirectly serves as your accountability partner. As a freelancer, you have to be your boss and cheerleader. Your growth is solely dependent on yourself.
Adaptability
The world is constantly changing, with new technology coming up every few months. As a freelancer, it is your job to know the current market and upgrade yourself. Staying current has never been so easy. We have everything at the tips of our fingers. With just a few taps on our phones, we can access 100s of training to upskill, trending industry news. Make sure you are putting that to good use.
Where and how should you start?
Now that you know the benefits and the skills you need to master, it is time for you to narrow down and find out the hard skills that can get you paid.
Let us start with an exercise to understand what you are good at. We are going to be making a lot of lists, have your notebook and pen ready.
Step 1:
List down 5 people you follow every day on social media along with the reason you follow them.
(Ex: Kamna: Fitness coach, Maya – Parenting, Neil: Programming
Reason: Good Communication, Love the captions, advocates healthy living, easy programming tips)
Step 2:
List down all the things you enjoy doing if you are not paid.
(Ex: Writing, exercising, cooking, coding)
Step 3:
List down the things for which people come to you for advice.
(Ex: Maybe your teammates ask you to review their email, your friends may ask to write social media captions, fix errors in their code)
Now try to identify the common points repeating in these steps. In this example, it looks like coding and writing seem to be interesting.
The next step is to build your portfolio to showcase your skill. After your portfolio is ready, you have to market your services and tell the world about the services that you offer. Here is what you should do as a beginner:
Have a social media presence and publish valuable content in your niche regularly. It will build authority. Your content has to offer solutions to the pain points of your ideal clients.
Let your inner circle know about the services you are offering. The people who know you, like you, and trust you are more likely to opt for your services if you are a beginner.
Be present where your ideal clients are. Register yourself on freelancing websites like Upwork, Freelancer, Flexi jobs, PeoplePerHour, Facebook groups.
Build genuine connections with fellow freelancers in your niche, and you will be getting clients in no time😊
I hope that you got a clear idea of what freelancing is and how to get started.
Are you interested to start your freelancing journey?
DO you wish to earn more with the help of a side hustle?
Let us know your thoughts. Or book a free call to know more!
This is a guest blog by Shreya Shivananda. She is a content & copywriter who helps small businesses build authority with compelling content.