A freelancer is an individual that is self-employed and undertakes various contractual projects for different companies. Freelancers are not committed to a company long-term. They are also known as contractors because they are only used by a company to complete a particular project or task over a short period of time. Freelancers are responsible for various aspects such as setting their work hours, keeping track of time spent on different projects, billing clients and paying their own taxes.
Today, being a freelancer comes with many benefits as it offers companies a great deal of flexibility. Freelancers have a great sense of control over the amount of workload, the clients they work alongside and their potential income earnings. Depending on a freelancer's level of expertise, they can determine what projects they want to undertake and the payment rate per project or task completed. It takes a lot of courage to decide whether to pursue freelancing as a full-time career or as a part-time job for extra income. Freelancing requires good money management and constant sourcing of new clients.
What is the best work for freelancing?
We have listed a few career options below.
- Writers / copywriters
- Web developers
- Designer
- Information technology support
- Videographer
- Photography
- Graphic design
- Market research analysts
What traits and characteristics are needed to become a freelancer?
Communication skills - To become a freelancer, you will need to be an effective communicator and constantly keep in touch with your clients.
Self-discipline - There is no top level management to monitor your work and progress. As a freelancer, you need to ensure that you are dedicated and stay on top of all your projects that have been assigned to you in order to fulfill the clients needs and expectations.
Resilience - Do not be discouraged by companies that turn you down because of your tender. Always try to bear in mind that you have to earn an income but also offer a service that is of value for money.
Organisational skills - It is important to keep track of all your potential clients, project deadlines and expenses of your business. Having organisational skills and methods in place will help you keep your workload streamlined.
How to become a freelancer
- Always have a goal in mind when you start your freelancing journey. Without a clearly defined goal, you will have a hard time reaching your ultimate success in life.
- Find a profitable market where you can become a successful freelancer. One critical factor is to be specific and not too vague or general. You need to find out what your passion is and build your business on the skills you currently possess.
- Build a quality website by creating an engaging and powerful online presence for potential clients to support your business. Your website needs to communicate what your service offerings are and how it will benefit clients. The essential elements that need to be highlighted are your skills, accomplishments and testimonials.
- The clients that you choose to work with will either be an influence to the success or failure of your business. It is important to consider that when choosing who to work with that they will help you reach the desired destination and success of your business.
- In order to maintain a good long-term relationship with your clients, you have to keep and deliver on your promises. This means that you have to constantly update your client on deadlines and the delivery of the completed task. If you are unable to do so, communicate with your clients as early as possible to avoid inconveniences. As a freelancer, it is important to protect your reputation at all costs.
So there you have it, finding a freelance job does not have to be hard. With the right skills, attitude and business approach you can take on any project that comes your way.
