Freelancing: Class 101

Okay, so if you have been keeping up with the updates, you probably read 5 Tips for Successfully Freelancing as a College Student. If you never freelanced before, you are probably curious about what is out there, what can you do, where can you go, how much can be made. Well, these are all good questions, especially when starting out.

With freelancing becoming more and more popular throughout the world, no one would blame you for asking those questions. Those are some very common questions many have when they are thinking about starting a freelance career. Luckily for you, having a successful freelancing career is easier than it really seems, just follow these steps below, and you will be on your way.

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What do you want to do?

Now, that you know about freelancing the first question in mind is probably, what can you do? Well, most people that I talk to, assume that freelancing means writing. They could think that as I am a freelancer and I mainly write, but that isn’t everything to freelancing. When freelancing you will find people are looking for all sorts of things, such as virtual assistants, writing, editing, customer service, telemarketing, and much more.

Think of it this way, if someone needs it, I bet there is a market for it. So, sit back and think of what you are good at and what you want to work on.

Brand Yourself

In order to succeed in your freelancing career, you must brand yourself. Basically, if you are starting out, I recommend using Upwork, Elance, or Freelancer. These sites are free unless you want more applications, which they all have their own pricing. Nonetheless, you can create a name for yourself. These sites will allow you to create a portfolio, ratings, and work history.  These sites are great for dabbling into a few different fields that you are interested in.

Of course, it can be a little scary at first, but after a while, customers will know your name and will want to hire you on the spot. Other than that, you will want to work on making your profile making clients want to hire you because you are their best option.

Start Pitching

You got your profile all set up, but you don’t know what you should do next. Well, the next step is to start looking for jobs that you are interested in. You will need a great cover letter that goes over your experience, skills, and why they should hire you. With a great profile or even a portfolio to back it up can make the client make up their mind in no time.

I do want to say this, do not get discourage if you don’t hear back from your first few pitches to clients. This is completely normal, but keep on going because starting out can be a little difficult for those who never worked from home. As long as you have the skills, mindset, and patience, you will be on your way to landing your first freelance gig.

That’s it. Yup, that is how to become a freelancer. It is a pretty decent gig if you play your cards right. However, I cannot stress enough, if you want to be successful at this, you will also need to treat this like a real job. If not, you will not see the success that most people see.

Question: Are you ready to start a freelancing career?