Freelancing has always been a good career option. After the global pandemic, increased remote jobs, and the great resignation, freelancing has gained tremendous popularity. There are 59 million active freelancers in the US alone, the highest in the world—followed by the UK, Ukraine, Brazil, and Pakistan. While India is slowly gaining traction in freelancing, the age of freelancing has inevitably arrived. To survive in this upcoming highly competitive era, we have curated this complete guide for beginners to understand the A to Z of the freelancing world. So if you have decided to go freelance, here is a complete process that will help you kick-start your journey.
Find a skill
The most important part is getting a skill you can offer as a service to your clients. If you are already doing a job, then you have a skill. But if you are a complete beginner or looking to change your job profile/industry, then learning a skill is imminent. Find out what you are good at and what intrigues you. There are so many online learning platforms that will assist your learning process.
Check whether the skill is in demand or not.
The skill you choose should be in healthy demand; otherwise, you will have a hard time finding a client. Let’s say you pick IOS development as a skill. Go to any job listing platform and see whether there is enough listing for an IOS developer.
Create a portfolio
Portfolio is the second most important part. A portfolio will help your client understand your services, previous work, charges, and expertise. Since you are a beginner, you don’t have any prior work experience. Work for a reputed brand/individual for free in exchange for a testimonial (2-3 clients). Then add your work and testimonials to your portfolio. Your portfolio can be in the form of a Website, PDF, or even a link.
Find the right Freelance marketplace.
After you have created a solid portfolio, start looking for clients. As a beginner, you should have 2-3 clients that you can serve monthly. Freelance marketplaces can provide you with clients, but it highly depends on the platform. Choosing the right platform is essential because popular freelance Gig marketplaces with so many freelancers and high competition will force you to lower your prices. It is better to join a less popular marketplace like Gig4u, where competition is relatively low, and you won’t have to worry about dropping your prices.
Build your brand
Brand building can be game-changing in your freelance career. Brand building is a must to establish yourself as an authority in your niche/industry. Post content regularly on social media platforms and build an audience. These platforms can be YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Post helpful content that adds value to your fellow freelancers or businesses. With consistency, you will have so many inbound leads.
Don’t quit your job.
Quitting your job is an impulse decision. Do freelancing part-time along with your job. If freelancing doesn’t work out, you will have your job because freelancing can be overwhelming. Start with small projects and get used to the freelancing lifestyle. Quit your job when you are ready to take on big projects.
Consistently deliver your best work.
Always over-deliver on your projects. Since you are starting out, if your work fails to meet the client’s expectations, you will lose that client. Client’s badmouthing will lead you to lose your reputation and potential clients. In contrast, clients who like your work will refer you to more people in their network.
Freelancing is a profitable and prosperous career choice. Hard work and consistency will lead you to success. It is okay to make mistakes; learn from them and keep improving yourself. Happy freelancing!
