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:

• Journalism, Copywriting and Editing;
• Marketing;
• Graphic Design & Illustration;
• Development & IT;
• Writing & Translation;
• Management;
• Consultancy;
• Writer;
• others.

Now let's move on.

• The Freelancer Starter Kit.

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. 

 

• Your Rate.

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.

 

• Portfolio.

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...».

 

• Landing your first freelance job.

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.

 

• Communicate with peers using online professional communities and forums.

• You will get a chance to communicate with more experienced colleagues;
• Potential customers might notice you;
• Over time, you will gain authority among professionals.

 

• Advertising will make it possible to show ads for your services only to those who might be interested in them. On average it takes approximately 3-4 months to promote yourself as a freelancer. So let's reach your goals together with Search4.work!

«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.»