Search 4 work

FAQ

FAQ

How does Search4.work work and why do you need it?

Search4.work - is the largest freelance aggregator service which helps you to monitor multiple freelance sites at once and search for projects. This is an iOS and Android app, as well as a web platform. Our service collects unique offers for remote work from all over the Internet and publishes them all in one place. 

 

Freelancers often find it difficult to find offers on remote job opportunities due to high competition. With an access to Search4.work mobile app or web version, you get one step ahead, because:

FAQ

How to get your first job on Search4.work?

Step 1. Set up filters. After you have downloaded and installed the Search4.work application on your smartphone, the service itself will offer you to configure the filters to see projects that are right for you. Check the boxes next to those categories you are interested in and want to receive future project offers about. Then specify the websites from which you want to receive them. For newbies, we recommend disabling all paid websites, leaving only free ones. 

Finish setting up filters: define project lifecycle. More mature project phase means the “older” the project will be. We recommend starting with the most recent projects, with a posting period not older than one day.

Step 2. Select suitable projects from the proposed ones. Go to the «Projects» tab and start scrolling through offers, swiping the unsuitable ones to the left. For the projects you like - swipe to the right. This action will save projects in the «Favorites» tab. 

Step 3. Click «Open» on the card with the project you like to enter freelance website. When you have completed the selection of suitable projects, go to the «Favorites» tab. Click on the «Open» button to respond to the project you like. You will be taken to the partner website where the employer posted a vacancy or a project. Please note that in order to respond to selected projects on this website, you must be registered there as a user. 

Step 4. Apply for a project. Each website has its own conditions and terms of use, however, usually to inform the customer about your readiness to work, you need to click on the «Apply» or «Get to Work» button. Accompany your application with a personalized cover letter explaining why the customer should choose you: convey your experience and background, highlight your valuable skills and describe an overall plan how you will handle this particular project. In this way you will let the potential employer understand that you have thoughtfully treated the project and are interested in receiving an offer. Keep in touch with the customer not to overlook an affirmative answer. 

 

Our recommendations.

To get started, create profiles on at least 5 websites you like, choose the free ones.

In order for your profile to stand out and become a desirable candidate, strategically include your best skills, previous work experience, biggest accomplishments, and what you can bring to the company. 

With each successfully completed project, your rating on the website will grow, which will increase your chances of getting new desired projects.

Do not give up after rejection. Today's setback brings you one step closer to your goal!

FAQ

How do I receive payment as a freelancer?

Each of our partner websites has its own conditions for withdrawing the money earned. Normally, payment for the work performed is charged to your «Personal Account» of the site where you have completed a project. Afterwards, money can be withdrawn to your bank account at your own request. We recommend you to get familiar with the conditions and schedules for withdrawing funds prior to accepting a job offer. 

Here, in Search4.work/Wiki, we have prepared detailed instructions about each of our partner websites.

Please follow the link and learn the ins and outs of working with freelance websites.

FAQ

How to choose a city in your job search?

Working remotely, you are not tied up to your location. This means that the city where your customer and/or employer is located is not that important to you. You will only need a working computer and fast internet connection to get a job. 

Work from home and enjoy the benefits that go along with it!

FAQ

Can I use the Search4.work app on my computer?

Yes you can!

Search4.work application has a web version with similar functionality.

You can visit the website link here: https://Search4.work/

FAQ

Are projects being reviewed? Are there any cases of fraud?

Most freelance websites review their job openings prior to publication, but it is not a guarantee against impostors who may attempt to steal money from you. Stay vigilant and do not disclose personal information such as your credit card and/or passport details.

If you see a job opening that is clearly proposed by scammers, click on the complaint button - triangle with an exclamation mark.

 

For more information on fraud-related topics click here.

FAQ

Do I have to pay to get a job?

Our service does require a small fee to access the links, you will see the offer when trying to move to the source site.

 

However we do have an option to start for free:

link: Get the app for free

 

 

FAQ

I am new to freelancing. Can I find a part-time job?

Yes, there are over 5000 vacancies and projects daily average received by Search4.work for people without experience and special knowledge. If you are new to freelancing, we recommend you to use following filters to find suitable jobs and short-term projects:

Categories:

 

Period:

 

These filters will allow you to find part-time jobs, even if you are new to freelancing

FAQ

How can I use the app for free?

You can pay a one month subscription fee with the internal currency - Alot Coin, which you can earn by performing simple actions. Our 30-day subscription costs 2625 Alot Coins. We charge coins for the following actions:

Just like that you can save up the necessary amount of Alot Coins to pay a 7 or 30-day subscription fee. When choosing a payment method, indicate - Alot Coin. This will save you money!

If you are eager to work, but for some reason cannot afford a subscription fee - set yourself a goal of earning money during a free trial period of 7 days by responding to tasks and/or projects  and completing them.

FAQ

Why is the «Favorites» tab needed?

«Favorites» tab is your desktop.

Add the top-rated projects that you would like to apply to, as well as those you are currently working on. The projects you have already completed will also be saved here.

 

Benefits of adding projects to «Favorites»:

  1. It will be possible to set and review milestones during the course of the project;
  2. Change the status of the project to «Responded», «Work in Progress», «Completed»;
  3. You can set a deadline reminder;
  4. You simply will not lose the project in a huge number of proposals.

In the future, at completion of a project, it will automatically appear in your portfolio. Information on completed projects we save already now. To synchronize projects between your devices (computer and smartphone), you can simply log in using your social network account.

 

FAQ

At what age can you start working at Search4.work?

According to the Labor Code of the US(2021), employment is allowed from the age of fourteen. Other countries have their own standards and regulations on employment. When providing information on vacancies and projects, we comply with these provisions of the law.

FAQ

How to request a refund or cancel a subscription on Android and/or iOS system(s)?

Unfortunately, after making your purchase via application, we do not have direct access to refunds and cannot independently carry out such operations. However, we will share recommendations, which will help you to do it quickly.

 

Android

If you use Android operating system, then you should contact Google Play technical support for a refund or choose one of the available options by clicking on the link: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2479637 

If you want to cancel subscription renewal, follow the link: https://play.google.com/store/account/subscriptions

 

iOS

If you use iOS operating system, then you should follow these instructions:  https://support.apple.com/ru-ru/HT204084 

If you want to cancel subscription renewal, follow the link: https://support.apple.com/En-en/HT202039 

FAQ

How do I withdraw money?

Each freelance website has its own conditions for withdrawing the money earned.

We recommend you to get familiar with the withdrawal terms and conditions.

FAQ

What is Alot COIN?

The most difficult thing for any person is to start a new activity. And the ability to earn money from remote work is far from easy.

You can go to university, take a design course, or, for example, learn it is correct to create ads, but this will not prepare you for the case “how to find work from home”. And to do it in such a way that both the time remains and the earnings increase.

So what is the difference between the skill of being a freelancer and working in the office?

A freelancer is a person with a lot of freedom of choice, who is almost not tied to one place and, often, looks for orders himself.



We want, so that you can learn how to earn money. And there is nothing easier than learning effortlessly! We have entered "Alot.Pro" like reward points for our users for a set of different features that we like freelancers, we do it. Thus, paving a simple path to the ability to earn money.

The app will try to motivate you to view more works., search for the best and highest-paying jobs by doing it every day. It builds up your experience and increases your motivation!



What can I do with "Alot Coin"?

With these coins, you can buy paid packages without spending real money.

 

Scam Alert!

In this chapter you will learn how to recognize the warning signs and protect yourself from being scammed.

Scam Alert!

How to Spot a Scam?

There have always been scammers, however, the number of frauds on social media and on the Internet in general has increased considerably. Therefore, it is important to stay aware and proceed with extreme caution when on the Internet. In this chapter we will not talk about ordinary fraudsters setting up fake dating profiles, but about those who are ready to throw a young freelancer under a bus. Surprisingly, sometimes even experienced copywriters, designers, SEOs fall for the seemingly apparent scams. 

One of the biggest disadvantages of working from home is that when we communicate with the potential employer, we do not see that person who pays for the work we do face-to-face. Per se, it is a virtual customer with whom you do not have a signed contract and a sense of security is being maintained simply on the basis of good faith.

Of course there are certain guarantees of payment - there are the so-called freelance websites. Here the money foreseen for the payment is reserved in the system, and after the confirmation of work being done is transferred to the account of the employee. However, these kinds of services apply service fees and even by having a secure system in place, scammers can enrich themselves at your expense. 

Lets try to review most common scams that target freelancers and learn how to avoid them.Tips and tricks have been collected personally by sad experience and therefore are completely reliable. 

 

Customers leaving without saying goodbye.

First of all, we will talk about those customers that can be found on social networks, forums or dedicated freelance websites. This is something like a real time board with job offers, if you may say so. In these cases in order to contact a potential customer/employer, you should use a personal email or Skype account. Payment, respectively, is made directly from the customers wallet to the employees without any commissions.

So let's imagine you have reached out and started to communicate with the employer and discuss all the details regarding his project. The terms and conditions are clear, and you are starting to work on it. Next, you need to present the job done to the customer and get your payment.

Let's also mention that there was an active dialogue all along the work process between you and the employer, clarifications were given and job was done. But after the project was submitted, the customer has minimized the contact with you: «Please wait, I am still checking / busy / can't talk.»

But most of these scammers simply prefer to leave without saying goodbye. Without any «Thank you» or «Good luck», they remove your from the contact list and disappear. At this stage it gets clear that you have been scammed and the most unpleasant thing is that it is all your fault. So what exactly did you do wrong?

It’s that simple! Be careful when cooperating with customers who do not have a rating on FL.RU website or any reviews. If the employer is not verified, then the only guarantee of the future transaction on job being done may be an advance payment. Before starting any work, ask for half of the payment first and the other half later when the work is done, but keep in mind that even then you may be scammed and «forgotten».

Therefore, if possible, avoid customers that are unknown to you, newcomers and those people with whom other freelancers have not worked yet and have not left any feedback and/or review.

 

Constantly Unhappy Customers.

The vast majority of people will not fall into this category, however, there are scammers who can profit even if you cooperate with them via freelance website services. The work proceeds as usual, there is a technical task, you carry out the project and send it for a review. But in this scheme, all the magic happens at the last stage.

At a certain moment, the customer finds thousand errors and inaccuracies. This person believes that nothing is ever good enough and finds their satisfaction in complaining. All your recent work needs to be redone and/or finalized. After another submission for verification, new remarks appear and this happens until a certain point, when you are offered to simply «stay friends». In other words, they refuse the work you have done, but all rights of the completed project remain with the contractor. In theory, he/she can keep it, resell and use it for his/her own purpose.

Alright! It's okay, but after a month or two, you stumble upon your work online. Most of these scammers are confident that the refused work will be thrown away or forgotten, which is often the case. At the end, they get their money back and receive unique material for free.

Online fraud scams can face punishment only if they already have a certain rating and reputation among freelancers on the aggregator freelance website. In this case you can complain about the dishonest employer through arbitration or leave a negative review. But usually such customers change accounts after a week or two and start looking for a naive freelancer again.

 

The Myth of doing a Test-Assigment and get a job

Nowadays the majority of websites warn freelancers that performing any tests or assignments prior to starting legit cooperation on a project is unacceptable. Therefore, your application for work must be accepted and only then you can open Word, Photoshop or any other software and start your work. Nevertheless, many freelancers find job offers that indicate the need to perform the test-assignment prior to starting. In addition, a customer promises great price for your work, huge volumes and a bright future.

A job sent to an email can simply get lost in spam, but most often this is one of the schemes to get a job done for free. Let's assume you are not familiar with the customers, you did not communicate nor seen him/her. Your work was received, but for some reason did not meet customer expectations or standards and therefore you might not even have received an answer. It can happen, but in practice, the completed task is already published on the website or has been sold to someone else.

Therefore, we recommend you to forget about completing any prior tests, as they are nothing more than an excuse for a scam. If the employer really needs to know your professional level in performing a specific job, then you can provide him/her with your portfolio. Submit few of those and it will be enough for the initial acquaintance with you.

 

 

The Final Thought.

In the modern age, scammers have settled down in absolutely every corner of the Internet, where they feel as comfortable and confident as possible. However, this does not mean that you have to give up the dream of working as a freelancer in a virtual environment. Remember that hundreds of thousands of freelancers are successfully generating income from their projects. Of course most of them have already taken a little tumble, but luckily for you this is the experience that you got from the article, and they - from practice.

Remember to be more careful when working with new customers, ask for an advance payment and demand additional guarantees. Try to cooperate with large and well known freelance websites and carefully study available feedback about the employers before taking any new projects to work on. This way you will protect yourself from being scammed.

Scam Alert!

Scammers. Tips from experienced freelancers.

We can not claim that there is an absolute way to be protected from online scams, however, here is what experienced freelancers advise.

First of all, you should try to find out as much information as possible about your potential employer at the early stage of negotiations. You should determine the whereabouts of your employer. Normally, the employer sends you a letter or a message with his coordinates: address and a phone number. If a letter or a message arrives without this information, then you should immediately request it. Often fraudsters immediately terminate negotiations with you, as they begin to understand that it will be difficult to scam you. Sometimes they start to use ridiculous excuses, such as «we are moving to another office» or «the phone will be connected only next week».

After you receive a phone number and address - verify it. Try calling and finding their office (if it is a big city). If they are present in your city, then arrange a visit. Also, you can ask for assistance in finding a coworking space. Another tip when visiting the office, pay attention to how long this company has actually been there. Go to their neighbours (if it is a large office building), and make sure neighbours know who is located next to them.

If they are located in another city and you found their location, then again you can use a trick mentioned before and call their neighbours in the office building to make sure they have heard about that company. Also you can try using Google Maps and browse street views to look at the exterior of an office building. Sometimes Google Maps stores photos of the buildings and you might get lucky and find all necessary information you need and confirm that this company indeed exists.

Another possible sign of a scam is the behaviour of a potential employer, when on the one hand he demands detailed resume and other information from you, but on the other hand does not provide anything about himself, despite your requests. Usually in this way a scammer tries to protect himself. He wants to make sure that you are from another city or even from another country, and that you yourself are not a fraud and will not submit a stolen job/project for which he will be responsible.

To find out exactly from which city you are from, scammers usually invite you for a personal meeting in their «office». If you write back to them saying that it is not possible due to your location, then they will definitely know that you are from another city. Later they will inform you that after all it is not necessary to meet in person and will offer to continue negotiations by email or through the internal messaging system of the freelance website.

Therefore, if a potential employer is inviting you to their office, always answer that you are ready to come; find out the address and agree on a time. If they provide necessary information on your first request and specify the name of the person who will greet you, then most likely they are not scammers. And again if you are from another city, then you can always refuse a meeting due to your busy schedule. If they are from your city, we advise you to go for a personal meeting.

In addition, you can always try to look up information on the potential employer online through search engines using their email address or a company name. Or you can ask your fellow freelancers for any information you need using forums. Surely some of these people have already dealt with this company and can tell you some positive or negative information about them. 

Finally, you can browse the Internet for the so-called «blacklist of employers». Such blacklists exist both on individual websites, as on dedicated sites for job search, freelancing, etc. Likewise this information can be found on specialized sites for some specific types of work, for example, forums for translators, designer communities, etc.  

If you have fallen victim to a scam - be a responsible citizen and make sure you report it. Leave your feedback on at least one of these forums or webpages. After all, some other freelancers did it before and added many dishonored employers to such «blacklists» and therefore perhaps helped you or another person not to become a victim of scammers. So help others too!

But of course blacklists can be fabricated likewise. Sometimes competitors give false feedback, using methods of unfair competition, so called negative PR, in order to tarnish other companies reputation. If a forum has the «blacklist» then it would be useful to read the comment section to see what exactly has happened and why this particular employer was added to the «Most Wanted» list. 

Frequently scammers behave extremely aggressive towards the person who blacklisted them and towards the website itself. In order to be removed from the list, they can use threats both in relation to the one who reported them and to the administration of the website. There are known cases of hackers taking down the webpages or temporarily removing the access to site contents to its visitors if site administration declined their request to be removed from the list.

If the employer is not a fraud and was included in the «blacklist» due to a misunderstanding or competitors unfair methods, then such an employer behaves appropriately and constructively trying to either correct this misjudgement and make sure it will not happen again, or reasonably prove wrongful behaviour from competitors side. Naturally, such an employer will soon be removed from the «blacklist» and therefore information you find there can be trusted.

Scam Alert!

Protect yourself against scams.

There is no better protection than a prepayment.

 

Therefore ask for an advance payment always and for everything, unless you are a freelance newbie working on a portfolio or working for a customer that has already established himself as a reliable employer.

If you thought that customers are not afraid of being scammed, you would be wrong. They do too and maybe even more than freelancers. These fears do not arise out of thin air, unfortunately, there are a lot of scammers targeting all sorts of people. For this reason no one will give you a 100% prepayment, however, it is reasonable to ask for 30-50% upfront. 

If the customer does not agree on these terms - continue to convince him. Your task is to convince the client that you are a reliable partner and you are not going to scam him.

Even after all your efforts and negotiations techniques the customer does not want to transfer a prepayment, saying that he has already been scammed before and from now on he pays only for the work done, then this might ring a bell for you to consider if the customer himself is a fraud. They often like to hide behind this «fact» and use it to their advantage. 

Another option is to offer a customer a risk-free deal on free-lance.ru (if possible). This service is free of charge for the customer, however, you as a freelancer will pay 10% of the initial reward promised for the job done. Yes you will lose some money, but it will protect you from losing the entire amount that was agreed on (however, you can adjust the 10% price).

As mentioned before, receiving an advanced payment does not mean that you will get the rest of the money promised. However, it will be a smart move to «secure» yourself if the type of work allows it. Do not provide original sources of your work to the customer before receiving the final amount. For example, if you draw a design - send only JPEG digital files and not PSD, when designing a web page - host it locally and not on the customer's server. Some designers add a watermark on their files, however, it might be unpleasant to see for a customer, therefore, you should consider all pros and cons before choosing your strategy. 

Third option, how to protect yourself is to sign an agreement, but this is more as a moral pressure tool on the customer than a real guarantee in case something goes wrong. Customers and contractors are often located in different cities and no one will want to battle over the dispute being mile away. 

Scam Alert!

Examples of fraud.

We will try to keep this article updated with screenshots and other examples of common fraud methods to keep you aware and able to question employers intentions. Please send your scam cases to our support and we will share it with other freelancers.

Scam Alert!

Attention! Freelance workers can be targeted by hackers.

 

Examples when freelancers can be scammed:

Example №1

You are being contacted by a potential client who claims working for a company that needs a website, text translations etc. This person wants to do the work himself, however, the company allegedly refuses to pay additional fee to a full-time employee. Therefore, a client needs a freelancer who will agree to say that he did the work, then receive money from a company and transfer 90% of the amount back to a client. In other words, you are being offered good compensation for essentially only agreeing to receive a transaction. 

Be aware of the consequences and do not agree to participate in such schemes. Most likely you will be used as a dropper and the transfer that you would receive will not be a fee at all, but the money stolen from someone's bank account.

 

Example №2

You are offered to receive bank transfers and to send obtained funds to other people, leaving yourself a certain percentage. Client might say that you will work in some kind of a payment system or something like that.

Do not agree to participate in this scheme! You can be set up to transfer stolen money.

 

Example №3

You are offered to conduct a transaction through the freelance website on terms described in the example one. Which means you do not work on the project yourself, you only receive a bank transfer, leave a certain percentage to yourself and transfer the remaining amount to the person who made an order. After a while, the website administration deducts the fee that you have received from the client, because they have found out that the order was paid with the stolen money. And as a result you lose not only the money received from the client, but also the amount that you transferred to the hacker.

Such situations occur on foreign freelance websites.

 

Example №4

You are being offered to register a bank card on your name and share its details with another person (a client) for a certain fee. Do not agree to do this either!

Trying to make money quickly, you can not only get in trouble with the law, but also end up on the blacklist of the banks. 

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

In this article you can find practical tips about freelancing for those who are just getting started.

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

How to Start Freelancing With No Education or Experience?

In order to answer this question, let's try to understand the meaning of the word. What is a freelancer? A freelancer is a self-employed person working mostly online from the comfort of his own home and being hired to provide specific contract-based services for a fee instead of being recruited in an organisation. 

 

Let’s think about it:

A young mother on maternity leave feels that she has some free time, however, is still months away from returning to work. Or a student that has some spare time and does not know what to do with it. Or even you having a vacation soon but unfortunately not having enough money in your pocket.

Sounds familiar? If you have recognized yourself, then the topic of additional income should be interesting to you. Luckily modern technologies allow us to work remotely, in our cozy and warm apartments or coffee shops while drinking hot tea. Also there are many different freelance marketplaces offering freelance jobs.

 

What do you need to get started?

Choose freelance marketplaces using Search4.work https://goo.gl/Y8hFK6. Yes, exactly dedicated websites for freelancers, since it is better to start searching for jobs using secure providers. You should always keep in mind that there are scammers who want to receive a completed project without paying for it. Freelance websites will help you to avoid falling for these tricks as they provide safe transaction systems, where promised payment is secured on the website and paid after the work is complete.

 

Places to find freelance work.

If you are a beginner, then use our Search4.work service at https://Search4.work/. It is a place where the customer is ready to pay and the contractor is ready to provide his services. A win-win situation for everyone. Your task is to understand what you can offer, what level of skills you have and how much you want to earn. You will find all information at Search4.work. 

You may come across a customer who can provide you with work for a full year. On our website you can set up necessary filters, choose the vacancy you like and begin your journey into the freelancing world. 

With the help of our filters you can stand out, beat the competition and improve your chances of finding the employment you desire. 

Filters Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lqGO9H1vo 

 

As you can see, a step by step guide to starting a career in freelancing can help you reach new heights that you never knew you could reach. The main thing is to constantly act and take necessary steps that will bring you closer to achieving your goals. 

Also, in the process of work it is necessary to constantly develop your skills and acquire new knowledge. After all, this is the only way to achieve the desired result. Likewise, it is important to remember that everything does not happen at once. Success must be achieved gradually. The only free cheese is in the mousetrap - this idiom should be always remembered when working as a freelancer. Now, knowing how to start, you should take matters into your own hands and gradually go towards your goal.

 

Search4.work wishes you the best in your job search and may it bring you pleasure!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

 

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

7 Most Important Things to Do Before You Quit Your Job to Freelance.

Freelancers should have a deep look into their finances. Before quitting the job, you need to write down a detailed plan that will include client acquisition strategy, average income in your field, as well as how you plan to manage your money. Freelancers often don't understand the economic realities of per diem employment. If you don't save enough money when you have a steady income, you leave yourself susceptible in the event of an industry-wide downturn or a personal emergency.

Some experts recommend putting aside a significant portion of your income for at least half a year period prior to switching to freelancing. Also, a freelancer will benefit from having good health insurance so that your medical emergency does not become a financial cataclysm.

 

Working from home probably seems like a great idea, but it can also be a massive distraction. You are your own boss, you can plan your time now, however, you have no one to tell you that it is probably not the best time to chat with your relatives at 11 AM. Freelancers need to sit down and establish rules of their new home office. It is necessary to limit the time spent for non-work related correspondence, social media, phone calls and keep in mind that it is better to have a TV in another room. Also freelancers need to tell their family and friends that they are not constantly on-call just because they are working from home.

 

As a freelancer you handle client negotiations and communications yourself. In other words, you are dealing with difficult clients and fanning out the flames that your manager used to handle. And also you do not have co-workers to vent to or ask for advice.

Moreover, freelancers need to be able to recognize a job well-done. In a corporate structure, that is done by co-workers and superiors, however, now you have to do it yourself..

 

Freelancers are not just experts for hire; they are the proprietors of their own brand. Not only do you need to be marketing yourself as such, you also should be taking steps to turn a one-person enterprise into a credible small business. Learn to talk about yourself as the CEO of your freelance company, not just a freelancer. Client will take you more seriously knowing that you take yourself seriously. To legitimize your business, you should register as a sole proprietor or LLC. You should also set up a business bank account and learn about taxes.

On the marketing side, you need to be scouring online and offline networks to find new clients. As a freelancer you need to be comfortable talking about yourself and your skills, as well as to keep a stack of business cards and register on freelance marketplaces.

 

While it might seem beneficial to undercut your competition's bid in an attempt to win a gig, most bids are won by freelancers who offer a fair price for their services and can clearly explain why they are the best person for the job. Clients are looking for high quality work as opposed to the lowest price. They are willing to pay more for a service provider who has a great reputation and has done exceptional work. Therefore, it is important to plan your hourly or flat rate long before a client poses the question.

 

One of the most difficult aspects of the freelance transition is the unpredictable nature of payments. Moreover, most corporate employees are not used to calling and inquiring about their paycheck as they are used to receiving them every month as scheduled. Freelancers, however, are often forced to repeatedly invoice and call to ask about their payment. Take into consideration, that client can delay payment, especially when you need the money the most. There is no need to be afraid when those invoices lag, you have to pick up the phone and find out why you have not been paid in a timely manner. 

 

Whether you are a freelance programmer, graphic designer or writer, you need to constantly improve your skills and learn about peers in your industry. Take courses, attend seminars and visit big annual conferences in your industry. You should do this even as a full-time employee, but as a freelancer it is vital that you are constantly growing and improving your skills. 

 

Our filters will help you track best gigs and apply faster than your competitors.

Filter Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lqGO9H1vo

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Don’t Be Afraid of Competition.

Do not be afraid of the competition in freelancing, where it is easy to feel like a little fish in a big pond when you are just starting out. Often it is quite difficult for a customer to find a competent contractor. However, if you follow these steps, you will be several steps ahead of your competitors. 

  1. Built up your portfolio. Even if there are only a few projects, that is no reason not to showcase your work. Also do not forget to ask clients to leave feedback on your work performance. Carefully arrange completed projects and reviews in a folder and share them in the cloud.
  2. Do not send copy-paste cover letters. If you customize your cover letter, then you can explain exactly which job you are applying for and why a contractor should choose you. And of course be polite, edit and proofread your letters carefully.
  3. Use filters in the most efficient way. Please find a guide to using filters here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lqGO9H1vo 
  4. Request detailed job requirements and ask questions. If you start working on a gig without inquiring about work criterias and hand over a project on time, then a number of problems can arise. For example, a customer expected to see a different end result, however, you have misunderstood each other and now the deadline has already passed! Therefore, it is important to clarify conditions and assignment requirements before starting to work on a project and send intermediate options for approval.

 

This way you will definitely know that you are performing in accordance with customer expectations and will submit the required job on time. Additionally, you will receive a great review of your professional competencies.

If you and your client communicate via freelance websites, then ask to exchange numbers so you can contact him/her if you have any questions, or you can do it via Facebook for example. 

 

  1. Experienced freelancers know that it is difficult to estimate the price of their work during first negotiations, because it is not always possible to know the exact amount of hours that will be needed to complete a job or how difficult it will be. Name the approximate cost or rate for your services, and after a detailed study and getting answers to all your questions, the final price can be provided and approved.
  2. More about money. Divide the total amount into three parts. For example, ask for 20% upfront, 30% by completing half of the job and final 50% after completing a task. This will protect you from being scammed.
  3. Screenshot negotiations with a client. So that later it can be easily proven that the color of the banner was asked to be red, not pink. 
  4. And finally, politely ask customers for feedback, show gratitude and express your willingness to work together in the future. 

 

What is the most difficult part for you?

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Most Popular Freelance Jobs

For many of us the question of choosing a career path is one of the most important decisions of our lives. What are my talents and strengths? What career is right for me? What will make me happy at work and how can I earn enough money?

 

We are glad to present to you the best remote jobs and careers:

 

Journalism, Copywriting & Editing:

 

Graphic Design & Illustration:

 

Programming, maintenance of person computers, laptops and networks:

 

Translations:

 

Management:

 

Marketing:

 

Architects and Engineers:

 

Unusual professions:

 

So here you go, highest paid and most popular freelance jobs on the world wide web. Choosing one of these jobs is not such a difficult task as you might have though at the beginning. However, if you have any doubts, you can always consult knowledgeable specialists who will certainly help you to choose a career that fits you best.

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Freelancing: 5 Thing You Need to Know

Freelancing means working as an independent contractor rather than being employed by someone else. At first it might seem challenging and awkward, as you are probably used to working in an open office space, however, you will get used to it quickly.

 

Complete freedom of freelancing means that no one is accountable for you but yourself, and this makes you work even harder. As a self-disciplined person you will be able to spend your day productively, without tweeting or using social media all day long.

 

Usually when starting freelancing, you might be tempted to work all day long. Imbalanced work schedule, rest and sleep deprivation is a mistake that many freelancers make. In order to be successful, stick to the working time you are used to e.g. working hours from 9 AM to 5 PM.

 

You can be the best freelancer out there, who completes projects on time and does a good job of billing and invoicing. But this does not guarantee that you will always receive timely and regular payments from your customers. Michelle Thread Gould says that it is important to know that over 30% of clients will not pay according to agreed terms. Don’t count on timely payments, unless you see a payment proof on your account statement.

 

Freelancing includes many hours that are not being paid. Be aware that some clients may refuse to pay as soon as you complete a project. It is hard to tell who is reliable and who is not. 

Freelancing is not easy. Not everyone succeeds in making money this way, but it is a fantastic opportunity for strong-willed people who refuse to give up! You may lose money today, but don’t quit. You will find a better client tomorrow. So just keep believing, working hard and never back down.

 

To help you track best gigs, don't forget to use our super-filters that help you find best projects more efficiently and faster than your competitors. You can buy them using Alot Store inside the application http://Search4.work/getapp

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Why is freelancing so popular these days?

Money does not fall from the sky or flow out of the ground, you have to work hard to earn it. Any skills and talents will come in handy, because freelancing combines a huge number of professions.

Freelancing can also be used as a side job, as in the beginning your profits will not be very big and it takes time to build trust and have regular customers and/or income. Working from home is very trendy, however, it also has few additional advantages such as:

Working from the comfort of your own home seems like a dream come true. It is quite possible to start doing it yourself. To do this you just need to figure out how professionals do that and start looking for freelance gigs. And our Search4.work services will help you with this. 

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Client vs Employer

When you work in an office, you have an employer. This is a person who loads you with all different kinds of work, controls and pays your salary. 

Regular employee receives a fixed salary that does not depend or represent an actual workload. Does not sound really motivating, does it? You can be working harder than your colleagues and be more efficient than anybody else, but the difference in salary would be only several hundreds dollars.

You will ask me: “What about annual bonuses and health insurance?”

But now ask yourself this question: “Is it even worth it?”

Client is a person with a problem that needs to be solved. You will need to find out what a client needs to do, agree with him on terms and assignment requirements, complete a task and receive your reward. 

If you are an introvert by nature, you might find it difficult to freelance. Try looking for remote work opportunities instead. 

 

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Guide to freelancing for beginners

The first crucial step to becoming a freelancer is to identify your strengths and choose a job you love. 

List of jobs you kind find on freelance marketplaces:

Now let's move on.

Fast and reliable internet connection, a laptop or personal computer, email address, ICQ, a smartphone, Skype account to keep in touch with your clients, bank account and a digital wallet. Also, do not forget about our application filters feature that allows you to find best projects more efficiently and faster than your competitors. 

 

Do your research before jumping on the first job you find. Search the Web for similar job listings and check the bids to find out what the industry rate is. Then take your experience into consideration and you will eventually figure out your own rate.

 

Your resume gives a list of all things you can do for potential clients and helps them to understand if you are the right fit for a gig. Therefore, having a portfolio is a must-have! How to sell yourself when you do not have relevant experience and there is nothing to provide as a reference?

 

For example, you are good at graphic design and for sure you have several saved files on your computer to show off your talent. You don't really need anything fancy, what is important is that you have several good examples of your work that you can provide to potential employers in order for them to understand who you are. Perhaps, a customer will not be very much interested in looking at your «spontaneous creative designs», but in the beginning before an actual order is complete, it can be better than nothing. It will give a potential client an overview of your professional level and skills.

 

Very often people getting into freelancing are ready to complete orders for free in order to build a portfolio. You can do the same. To do this, just place an ad on a freelancers marketplace with approximately following content: «I will design an outstanding logo or complete brand identity for your business absolutely for free for a portfolio...».

 

Create an account on every freelancer marketplace adding all your contact information. Describe your services, best skills and unique features in great detail, as well as fill in your profile showcasing from ten to fifteen completed projects.

 

 


«Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.»

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Are you ready to be happy?

Five reasons why you should try freelancing.

Many of our readers already have some experience in freelancing, and even more are interested in testing their abilities in this field. It is not surprising, as freelancing has a number of advantages that are so appealing to people and continues to motivate them to leave comfortable office desks and go freelance. So, why are people so attracted to taking up freelancing?

 

All individuals are talented and have a need for self-expression. Yes, absolutely everyone including taxi drivers, shepherds, clerks, governmental officials and policemen. Yet working normal desk jobs, it is rare that they could ever find a platform to showcase their talent. Someone in this situation finds salvation in drinking alcohol, however, some are able to express their creativeness in taking up a new hobby.

Going freelance is a great opportunity to share your talents and ideas with other people and put your unique skills to good use. If someone likes your ideas, they might even want to pay you for your time. Although, having an opportunity to express your talents and explore your creative impulses is worth more than any money.  

 

Often freelancers are working longer hours than their office colleagues, however, it is being compensated by having higher incomes. There are many stories when people were going freelance, receiving not only independence but also a financial wellbeing. Although, let's be honest, there are enough sad stories. In any case, if something goes wrong, you can always go back to being a full-time employee. However, if your current job can be described as «I pretend to be working and my boss pretends to pay me money», then God himself told you to try freelancing. At least as an additional income; you can take advantage of a situation and earn yourself some extra pocket money in the process. It definitely won't get any worse.

 

The world is changing right in front of your eyes and those professions that were popular and in great demand yesterday, are no longer needed. Or maybe once upon a time, twenty years ago, you made a wrong choice and now you have to pay for it, working in a field that is not interesting to you. Now with freelancing you get a chance to fix it.

Thanks to freelancing you can catch on fast. And for those who are willing to learn new things, the sky's the limit. It all depends on your talents and hard work. Believe me, if your work can impress a client, then he is the last one to ask for a bachelor's degree or relevant work experience in your field.

 

Work-from-home opportunity makes freelancing an increasingly attractive option for people to pursue and a crucial factor that makes everyone want to get deeper into freelancing as their occupation. In fact, working from home has both pros and cons. However, since this article is focused on the advantages of freelancing, let's talk only about the good stuff.

If you work from home, you will only need a stable Wi-Fi connection, a smartphone, an email account and possibly a printer. In fact this is not an impossible task to accomplish, although for some other professions this list may vary depending on the needs. 

 

Those who have ever worked in an office know how hard it is to get their days-off approved by a boss. Coordinating priorities, back-ups and what is even worse if your partner has to go through a similar process at the same time. 

It is different for freelancers as they can pack their bags and slip to their favourite destination with a family or friends any time they want. Or they may continue to work while physically being in Thailand, Montenegro or Istanbul. Sounds great, doesn't it?

So there you have it, the bright side of freelancing! If you think this does not give you the full picture of the situation, then you are welcomed to write your comments down below and share your personal experience.

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Knowing Your Client Is Half The Battle Won. What Is the Other Half of the Battle?

Competent communication with a customer is half the success. Remember, it is not enough being a good IT programmer or a designer to be a great freelancer. You should also be a manager. Everything depends on how well you are able to sell your services and how well do you communicate with customers in the process of working on a gig. 

Usually, a customer is mainly interested in three things: freelancers competencies, his professional experience (e.g. portfolio) and price. And slightly less about headlines.

Showing that you are a perfectly adequate person in the easiest part. However, many freelancers forget about some basic rules when communicating. First of all, don't make a fool of a client, even if he really does not understand the problem behind the problem. Kindly explain to him the essence of the question without using difficult professional terms and advice on the best possible solution to his problem. Secondly, when communicating avoid slang and jargon, and show respect towards a person. Maybe he is twice your age and might get offended by your choice of words.

Showcase similar projects if any. This greatly increases the chances of a customer choosing you to do the job. Do not try to please the client and give him a realistic time frame for accomplishing a project. Analyze your current workload and set aside some additional time if things do not go as planned or other unforeseen circumstances occur like getting sick, being invited to a birthday party or having some Wi-Fi issues. 

Every customer wants to pay less and receive more. This is a totally normal desire, however, everything has its own price. And, unfortunately, not everyone understands this and is trying to negotiate a price. Keep the bar high. Of course you can offer a small discount for your services, however, if a customer wants to cut the price in half - then probably it is not your customer. Respect your time. 

A customer might have a lot of excuses for asking to lower a price. Most popular are:

Before starting a new project and after you have already discussed all terms and conditions with a client, make a short summary: I am doing this and that, the term is such and such, the price is such. Let a client confirm that everything is correct. In some cases it is even better to have a technical assignment that you can always refer to. 

It is important that you understand each other before the work starts. A clear statement of the problem is very important!

Let me also remind you that a freelancer should not unexpectedly disappear for three days and/or ignore emails. Make it a rule to review incoming messages and periodically check for new opportunities. If you are going on vacation or a business trip, then do not forget to warn clients you work with that you might be unavailable for some period of time.

Ask a client to share his contact details. Knowing his Skype and having his freelance marketplace contacts is good, however, it is also important to have a phone number. It might be necessary to reach out quickly to solve an urgent problem. If you are working for a company, then it would be mandatory to know the name of the employee, company address and corporate phone number. It happens that an employee quits and «forgets» to pay for your work. Having contacts within the organization you will be able to solve this issue with another representative. 

If the scope of work is large, then divide it into milestones and ask a client to pay for each stage of your work separately. This can be beneficial for both of you - a customer minimizes the risks, and you are encouraged to work efficiently providing best services. Receiving a large sum in advance can psychologically relax you, however, do not forget that without getting a prepayment you put yourself at risk. 

After finishing a project, do not forget to ask the client to leave a review either on a freelance marketplace space or a forum. Potential  customers pay attention to reviews.

Our filters will help you track best gigs and apply faster than your competitors.

Filter Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lqGO9H1vo  

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Foolproof Guide: How to Work For Yourself

In the minds of many people, freelancing is an ideal form of employment. You yourself choose where, when and how much you work, not being tied to an office and for the most part being your own boss. And this is all correct. More precisely, only a part of it. 

Today we bring to your attention a post from Mikhail Tsarev, who several years ago has decided to leave an organization where he worked and went on a «free voyage», in other words, took up freelancing. The risk-taking initiative has justified itself and now Mikhail is working on a development of his own project - «Mikhail Tsarev’s Studio». We are sure that his experience will be useful for people who are thinking about starting to work for themselves. 

_________________________

 

After reading many articles about freelancing on Lifehacker and other sources, I wanted to share my views on the life of a freelancer and what you can do to not only survive but also to really make it a success. I will try my best to be clear and concise, and although I do not want to use cliché headings as «7 mistakes of …» , «3 reasons why ...» and etc., I will still be a little bit figurative. This article is addressed to everyone who has already taken up or plans to take up freelancing as their main source of income and possibly as a next step plans to create his own business. At the end of the article you will find practical recommendations if you are at the beginning of a freelancing career. 

 

 Why did I quit my full-time job?

Very often I have come across an opinion that freelancers are some sort of losers who do not have any career prospects, «low-skilled workers» who do not bring any value to a company and cannot get along with their coworkers. Are you about to quit? We are just glad! And out of despair, the person goes freelance. Somehow many people believe in this myth, but I do not agree with them. In my case, an employer offered me to stay and overall conditions in a company were pretty good, but I simply did not have a desire to stay any longer. Why? A common problem of any person is that no matter what he does, sooner or later he will get tired of it. If you start your journey as an engineer - please sit down and do your «engineering» job year after year and do not dare to think about design or marketing. Of course the projects you will be working on are different, but you will face same old problems and might get tired of hearing «It is what it is!» from your boss. In addition to this, your growth as a specialist will be very one-sided and will quickly reach its ceiling. As an alternative you can take leadership positions, however, you will still play by someone else’s rules.

In this sense, freelancing is an excellent way out for those who are interested in constantly developing their skills in several directions and most importantly for those who want to take control of their own life. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than doing something you really don't enjoy. And the choice you made at the age of 18-20 can often be wrong. A person’s destiny is a lifelong project and I personally want to have a complete control over it. 

 

Is it a real freedom?

Antagonists reason that freelancers do not become «free» as from now on every new client is their new boss. However, it will only be true to those who themselves agree with this statement. It is all in your head. My freelance services are the «LLC in the name of Me». Client is my contractor, my partner but not my boss. We are equals. Period. And maybe it is just pure luck, but I have never come across a customer who would argue with that. 

Freelance is freedom. However, it is too early to celebrate. After all, now, among other things, you are free from the regular flow of finances, stable workload, insurance, sick-leaves and other components of the life of an «office slave». 

 

What to expect?

At first, I wanted to divide the list into two parts - positive and negative aspects of being a freelancer, but in the process of writing I have realized that most of these points could be a plus for one but a minus for another. Everything is very individual and depends solely on the character, therefore decide for yourself.

  1. You will have to take full responsibility for your life.
  2. You will decide when, where and how much to work.
  3. You will decide when, where, how much and, most importantly, how you will earn money to go on a holiday.
  4. You will be paid for the actual work done and not for the time «at work», therefore, freelancers live, support their families and eat using those funds that they have earned.
  5. You will be able to choose and change the scope of activities and further development for yourself, but you will be prohibited to stop developing.
  6. You will move very little and therefore begin to gain weight. Yes, maybe the travel time to work was not that useless after all. You will be forced to do sports even more often and even more carefully monitor your health.
  7. A lack of communication will impact even an introvert.
  8. It will get easier for you to find spare time to meet with friends, but if most of your friends work nine-to-five routine jobs, then don't be surprised if you start to drift apart; common topics will decrease over time.
  9. You will constantly develop your skills in areas that you might not have previously thought about (or did not want to think about): sales, marketing, accounting, negotiation strategy and tactics, personal branding and much more.
  10. The competition will swallow you as soon as you stop developing.
  11. You will not be able to stay afloat for a long time if you do not create or modify existing systems and methods of accounting for time, customers, income, expenses, as well as pricing policy and information within your field of work and a strategy for further development.
  12. Among other things, you will never forget about budget planning and constant client search.
  13. You have to learn how to communicate with people.
  14. Circle of acquaintances will constantly expand and I promise you that very interesting (but something very unusual) people will join in.
  15. You will understand how much a quiet and comfortable workplace means and might not be the fact that your apartment meets these criterias. 
  16. Responsibility and punctuality should be synonyms for your name.
  17. The level of your income will directly depend on how creative, talented and diligent you are.

Whether you are still thinking if freelancing is right for you, try to answer this question: Are 80% of the above mentioned points pluses or minuses of working as a freelancer? 

Where to start? Practical recommendations.

There is still a big controversy over combining a full-time job and freelancing or doing only freelancing. I believe that if you already have a permanent job, then you should definitely start with combining the two. By this I do not mean that you have to freelance during your office working hours. No, not at all. You still have evenings, weekends and in some extreme cases nights. You should quit your job only when the income from freelancing has started to grow and this activity brings you pleasure, and only when a white-collar job really begins to interfere with a future development of your business. 

Also, before quitting be sure to give yourself a solid financial cushion that will cover expenditures for you and your family during at least six months. My mistake was that I had saved up only for two months of «autonomy» and by the time money ran out, there was still no constant flow of clients. Thus do not repeat the same mistake, it can cost you a roof over your head, nerves and relationships with the loved ones. And if it works out and you immediately start making good money, then still do not rush to waste your savings. Let it be your personal emergency fund that will come in handy during a period of calm months (for example in summer) and you will mentally thank me once again for giving you this advice. All in all, it is worth preparing for a transition in your career and preparing in advance.

If you already know what kind of services you will provide and sell to people, then make sure to check and research demand for your services before starting. There is a lot of information on this topic online, therefore, I do not see a point in repeating it. Again, if you don't know, make sure to sort it all out before writing a resignation letter. And most importantly - run a test version: find a client, land a gig and complete it. After trying it out, calculate the time spent on a project and received payment for it, and compare it with your current salary. It may turn out that it is just not worth it. That was the main reason why I have been combing freelancing with the main job for so long. Be ready to change. I myself am slowly switching to projects related to real estate and design, since there is a bigger demand in this job sector.

Searching for new customers, freelance marketplaces and competition.

Freelancer at the start of his career is spending most of his time in a constant mode of searching for new clients.

Many people recommend that beginners should start by using freelance marketplaces. To be honest, it is difficult to imagine how a beginner can get a job given a current situation. A profile without reviews and/or work history can only attract clients offering the lowest price. First of all, you will lose interest in working «for food» very quickly, and secondly, dumping, as you know, kills any market. This is exactly what we can see on most online freelance marketplaces: spoiled customers in search of free labor and freelance newbies fighting for any order.

Competing with freelancers from Belarus and Ukraine will become a rather interesting task for you: would you be able to convince a client to pay you two or even three times more doing the same job? It will not always be possible to demonstrate a superior quality of your work, since your peers are often doing a great job themselves. How to solve this problem? Think for yourself; a lot depends on a specific industry that you work in but this problem definitely exists, and this is a fact. 

 

That would be foolish to criticize freelance marketplaces and not to offer anything in return. My advice is - social media. This is a very convenient way to find future customers; you can search and segment potential clients by age, profession, geography and send your targeted cold emails (do not confuse it with spam), communicate with people directly, create your own community and receive offers on your own terms.

Also it is worth mentioning forums and noticing boards. At the initial stage of freelancing, you should not neglect these methods of attracting new customers - it really works. 

The biggest challenge freelancers face during their first year of work is making a name for themselves. To do this, you should collect feedback. Moreover, social media comes to rescue here too; reviews left by real people on your page are crucial and make a positive contribution to creating your personal brand. 

The next step would be to create a website. There you will be able to place more detailed information about yourself and your services, add a portfolio and reviews from social networks , as well as create a dedicated space for reviews to be left directly on the website. If done correctly, then over time you will be able to get new clients using search engines.

Someone might disagree with this approach and will continue to stand by freelance marketplaces by all means. But, in this article I have described my personal experience and telling me: «This will not work», - is no longer an option. Ultimately, everyone finds their own way to solve a problem of finding new clients. It is a rather complex but very interesting and creative process. Obviously, the higher your level as a specialist, the less you will be worried about the problems of competition and finding new customers.

 How much do you earn and where are promised gold mines?

 

You should not be under the illusion that freelancers are extremely wealthy. It is often said that an average income of a freelancer is higher than the average salary of a specialist of his level working for a corporation. This is essentially true, but it is often forgotten to compare the number of hours worked. A freelancer, especially a beginner, may not simply have enough job offers to cover our usual one hundred and sixty working hours per month. In my opinion, the following statement would be correct if we assume that all of your inner processes start to run smoothly and you have enough clients, then you will be able to earn no less than on a full-time job employee spending half the time on work. For example, I used to spend three and a half hours traveling to work every day. By performing basic arithmetic operations, I have found out that in the last eight years I have spent eight month of my life stuck in traffic jams. This discovery impressed me. Being a freelancer, I have spent around three and a half/four hours a day working, five days a week. That is the time I used to spend on the road and my income was very close to the one I have had working for a company. But it is worth clarifying that these four hours a day were spent directly on working on projects, however, I have invested several more hours a day working with clients. A few more hours - to develop myself professionally; reading books and forums, as well as watching various video tutorials. You cannot hide away from this, but in total I was spending around eight hours a day working. And most importantly, I have had a flexible schedule; I did something early in the morning, something in the afternoon, and if I wanted, I could work on more creative tasks in the evening. I no longer had «Monday» or «Finally it is Friday!» words in my vocabulary. 

As you can see, you cannot earn millions working as a freelancer. However, as I have mentioned at the very beginning, freelance can be a step towards creating your own business. The next stage of your development, if you want of course, will be a transition from direct project execution to project management. After all, no matter how efficient and effective you are, you only get the same twenty four hours a day. Therefore, a financial maximum can be calculated very easily. And if a number of your orders grows and time starts to run out, perhaps you should think about creating a team. Finding reliable employees is not that easy, however, still possible. If things go well, it would make sense to start an LLC, officially hire people and even rent an office. Soon you will understand that having one million in revenue is not that much when working in a team. Just be prepared for the fact that one day your best employee will submit a resignation letter - nothing personal, just he has decided to start a new «free» life…

 

Conclusions.

The main idea that I wanted you to understand - freelancing is very cool, but it is not for everyone.

Someone is ready to spend his life playing by the rules, but if you prefer a «manual mode», then think, analyze and act - things will work out!

All of the above is my personal opinion only, and I do not say that that’s the one and only truth. I would be happy to discuss further details and debate in the comment section.     

Our filters will help you track best gigs and apply faster than your competitors.

Filter Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5lqGO9H1vo   

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

Can a small-town person become a good programmer?

Tech talent continues to be a hot commodity and a lot of people from different cities are extremely interested in working in this field. One of our subscribers has been wondering whether it is true that it is easier to become a programmer living in a large, developed city or not? Therefore, we would like to share his findings with you.

«Is it even realistic for a person living in a province to become a good tech freelancer, independently studying through online courses?»

Absolutely anyone can become a developer, especially a freelancer. Freelance is notable for its variety of tasks and ability to gain a quick set of experience - unlike, for example, working for a company as a junior programmer going through the same boring, similar tasks.

If a person knows absolutely nothing about the industry and wants to gain basic knowledge, then video courses can be a good place to start. But be aware that it can give you only theoretical knowledge and minimal practical skills. At a later stage of freelancing, use these videos as an additional source of knowledge and opportunity to learn about new technologies. In freelancing there is no substitute for real practice. A professional consists of 1% talent and 99% of work.

Tips for First-Time Freelancers

10 Tips For Newbie Freelancers, That Will Help to Build Up Self-Confidence and Reach Financial Stability.

  1. Constantly look for new clients. Even if at the moment you are busy with work, send offers to potential customers. Current projects will end and clients may take an unexpected break. Therefore, in order not to be left out, you must have some backup options. 
  2. Collaborate with your colleagues. It would be perfect if you have had few workmates who could help you out and take part of an urgent work when necessary. This way you would be able to retain your reputation as a person who is ready to help out a customer at any given time. 
  3. Master other skills. This way, instead of offering one service, you will be able to offer a package of services that is more expensive and valuable. An understanding of related industries will also reflect on the quality of your services for the better.
  4. Collaborate with freelancers and work as a team. It is not a one person job to work on a project. One stage flows into another and if you can be recommended by other specialists with whom the client has already worked with, the likelihood of client contacting and hiring you dramatically increases.
  5. Manage your money wisely. Make savings wherever they are possible, try not to take any loans, exclude impulsive purchases, do not go into debt and plan large purchases in advance.
  6. Appreciate loyal customers. They are the ones who provide a stable income. When completing their orders, try to deliver more than expected and they will stay with you as long as possible.
  7. Learn how to effectively sell your service. If you are having troubles getting over your fear of sales, try to look for a remote job. In this case, you will also work from home, but it will be the employer's task to search for new clients. You will be able to cooperate with several companies. It all depends on the workload you have.
  8. Work with different kinds of clients in different fields. Any business has its decrease in sales, therefore, cooperate with customers in different fields so that your income does not fall too far behind and is spread between various areas. In addition, it will help you to work on different tasks and break the monotony of your work routine.
  9. Develop and boost your qualifications. Learn a foreign language. Foreign clients pay more for the same services.
  10. Take care of your safety. Make sure to have document copies and follow internet security rules to keep your computer safe from cyber crime. 

 

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Tips for Freelancers

Tips and useful information for freelancers.

Tips for Freelancers

Biggest Fears of Being a Freelancer

When starting a freelancing job, many people underestimate themselves.

How to overcome your fears?

 

Competitors.

Yes, there are professionals better than you, but they have also started from the bottom. The myth that lack of experience will ruin your chances of becoming a freelancer is just a myth.

 

Where to find clients?

It is better to start with something simple, for example, use our services at https://Search4.work/ in order to find new customers across popular freelance marketplaces. In the future it will get easier for you to recognize scammers and you will be able to find possible customers directly using social media.

 

What if I don’t get paid?

When using online freelance marketplaces, a question of being paid does not exist - payment is guaranteed. When cooperating with a client directly- it is better to ask for an upfront payment (at least 50%) and gradually provide completed work to a customer.

 

I won’t earn enough money.

In the beginning, a lot of people do not know how much their work actually costs. Therefore, it might be useful to talk to your competitors and ask for advice. And the most important thing is not to be afraid to assign a decent price for your work. It is better to go separate ways with those who cannot pay you.

 

I'm not in demand.

Many freelancers have an absurd fear of stagnation and they start to take orders on any terms possible. Yes, it is better to earn at least something than nothing, but what if while you work day and night on a cheap project you miss a good one? Learn to wait. 

Remember that you should love what you are doing. It should ignite the light inside you and then any difficulties on your way will seem insignificant.   

 

Our filters will help you track best gigs and apply faster than your competitors.

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Tips for Freelancers

Copywriting Tips

Headlines.

There are five types of headlines you should know. Choose one of them for your article.

 

  1. Threatening headline, which keeps a reader awake at night.
  2. Headlines that make life easier. The promise of a better tomorrow.
  3. False headline. Mistakes that your audience makes.
  4. «How-To» headline. Audience does not have a solution to their problem and this article will solve it.
  5. List headlines. These headlines promise a numbered list of instructions or information.

 

Different templates for each category:

 

  1. Threatening headlines.

How well protected your [important person or thing] is from [danger]?

7 Warning signs that [empty]

Danger: [empty]

Can we really trust [Person / Company / Product]?

Shocking news about [empty]

The Greatest Lie: [empty]

How [empty] threaten your [empty]: 7 Ways to Protect Yourself

9 Lies [group of people] love to talk about

13 things your [trusted person] won't tell you

5 little-known facts that will affect your [empty]

 

  1. Headlines that make life easier.

Being late? 11 ways to make your [empty] easier

How to deal with your [faulty problem]

10 easy ways to [complete a difficult job] in record time

Get rid of [problem] once and for all

How to get rid of [problem]

How to [empty] in 5 minutes

 

  1. False headlines.

Have you made these 9 [empty] mistakes?

7 [empty] mistakes that make you look stupid

5 [empty] mistakes that make you [look / sound] like [empty]

11 [empty] mistakes you have never knew you have made

Don't do these 12 things when you're [empty]

 

  1. How-To headlines.

How [empty]

How to become [desired quality]

How to [empty] (Even if [typical problem])

How to [empty] without [unwanted action]

How to [do something] when you [do something else]

How to [empty] and [empty]

How to [do something] that [your audience] will love

How to use [empty] to [empty]

How to [empty] in [year]

How to [empty] - complete guide

How to be smart in the stupid world [empty]

 

  1. List headlines.

7 Ways [to do something]

101 [empty] for [Process / event / reason]

72 Killing Resources for [Audience / Process]

TOP 10 [empty]

7 [empty] secrets [the audience] should know

7 amazing reasons [empty]

5 rules for [empty]

7 steps towards [empty]

Get [empty]! 10 REAL ideas how to [empty]

7 things [audience] wants to hear

 

Introduction - approximate length: 300-500 symbols excluding gaps.

Important! Remember that introduction that fits best will is written at the end. Begin writing starting from the main part.

Keep your introduction short but clear. The reader should not have to guess what the author means.

Here are some tips for writing a good introduction:

 

Start with a short sentence or a question. If you have written two hundred words, reduce to one hundred. Less words - more power. Find the rhythm. A rhythm needs to be fast. You can slow it down while writing the main part. To do this, you need:

 

At the end of your introduction part, provide an answer to the question. However, do not give a full answer yet. One sentence will be enough, otherwise readers might not read till the end. This really is the most important part of any article, and is the bedrock of the paper.

 

Main body.

Tips for writing the main body of the article:

 

Example:

Let’s say you are writing an article on sleep deprivation effects and anxiety levels and you have following subheadings: 

  1. The importance of sleep;
  2. Sleeping reduces anxiety;
  3. Skip a lunch break and catch more Zzz.

 

The first one is very boring, the second one gives too much information and the third one cannot be understood right away. 

Instead, try writing like this:

  1. Easy way to reduce your daily anxiety;
  2. How to get rid of anxiety without pills;
  3. Avoid this and you will sleep better.

Also, add list headlines where possible.

 

Ending - approximate length: 100-400 symbols excluding gaps.

After you have finished up writing the main body of your articles, you can go to the ending. There are three ways to write it:

  1. Brief summary of the article;
  2. Ask reader a question;
  3. Answer a question from the article.

 

If you are writing a brief summary, then be short and clear, three sentences will be enough. By this time you should have already answered all of the questions in your article, however, you can finish it by raising a new question that follows up from those that have been discussed. This encourages readers to comment. If you have raised a question in a main body but was left unanswered, answer it now.

It is not allowed to:

 

Keywords.

Create an article structure by keywords. Important! Don’t try to simply insert keywords, use them as clues or directions for what to write about. You may even never use them directly.

For example, here are the following keywords: how to change a car tyre, how to change a car tyre yourself, is it safe to change a car tyre yourself, instruction on how to change a car tyre. You should combine several of these keywords into three to five paragraphs and explain how to safely change a car tyre - a complete intrusion. Try to write about each keyword.

Important! The structure that you make using article keywords should be a minimum that you write about. You are free to add new information if you find it helpful to a reader.

 

Text formatting.

Highlighting text in an article for attention blocks.

Some particularly interesting or important parts of the text containing crucial information are being highlighted for attention-grabbing purposes. It could be information requiring special attention, reflections, conclusions or other information of interest to the reader. 

 

Requirements:

 

Highlighting important moments in bold.

This must be present in your article. With their help, you will need to highlight the most important points of the article that were not included in the attention blocks. Article should contain from two to three sentences being highlighted in bold located in the different places of the article.

 

Requirements:

 

And a couple more requirements:

 

Category - technologies

Writing style - journalistic, conducted from a third person. 

The target audience is both professionals and housewives in need of advice. 

The article should be written in simple language.

It is allowed to experiment with both text and its design, however, each article should contain:

 

When revising a text, follow these criterias.

A good article should be interesting to read. 

Sometimes copywriters approach their work irresponsibly and do a mediocre job of writing or rewriting an article using one or two sources. Final result turns out to be uninteresting and even less informative, or on the contrary containing too much information and unnecessary terms. We write articles for people and not for search engine robots. Therefore, they should be engaging, informative and easy to understand.

 

Objectivity.

Very often copywriters write an article containing only one sided evidence, opinions or arguments, unconsciously carrying out some sorts of marketing plan. However, professional articles must be free from bias, prejudice and discrimination and reflect on a process or an objects as neutral as possible.

For example, very often we come across articles writing about medicinal herbs that can magically hear and cure all diseases and can do that even faster and more efficiently than pills. This kind of statements must be avoided.    

 

Reliable information and fact checking.

Copywriters often forget to verify the accuracy of their sources or information that they have written down in an article. You should be especially careful with statistical data and details, because as we all know the devil is in the details, isn't it?

For example, one copyrights once wrote that two billion people have been infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and the fact that this figure represents 25% of the world population, apparently, did not bother him. 

 

Stick to the plan.

Sometimes copywriters try to make things easier for themselves and skip the planning phase, or do it in the worst possible manner. In the vast majority of cases, this leads to decreased quality of an article and missing information for both readers and search engines. In extremely rare cases a copywriter is capable of changing the structure of an article and making it more interesting. If you are able to do that then let’s go!

 

Avoid tautology.

Tautology is considered to be not only the saying of the same thing twice in one sentence, but also if it is located in the sentences next to each other.

 

Avoid repetition.

Some copywriters go round and round repeating the same questions (aspects or topics) throughout an article. In most cases, this is not justified and indicates their inability to structure material currently. Looped texts are a subject to mandatory revision.

 

Foreword and conclusion.

Foreword is an important part of an article, if of course it was planned to include it. Foreword can serve as a sort of endorsement for an article and should lead a reader to the topic and not sound too general. So, for example, foreword to an article on the topic of «Affordable treatment for HBV therapy» should not mention hepatitis B nor its danger. 

The conclusion must contain a finale and succinctly tell the reader how and why it is that what's been presented is significant to their knowledge. It may consist of three to five sentences with most important points and they should not be united by a single narrative.