5 Tips for First-Time Freelancers
With COVID-19 shutting down industries left and right, finding a job hasn’t been more tedious and difficult. Thankfully, freelancing jobs are still here and there is no shortage of them especially for would-be freelancers. If you’ve decided to become a full-time worker in the gig economy but don’t know where to start, here are five tips to help you out:
1. Register on multiple job websites
Start freelancing on the right note by registering on multiple job websites. But with the multiple job sites around, don’t limit yourself to one platform. A number of jobs may not be available on the site you registered, so don’t waste on the opportunity and register as soon as possible. Although the process may be tedious with some sites requiring more information than others, it will still benefit you in the long run as you can find a job much faster.
When filling up information on job websites, make sure important details such as your phone number, email address, educational background, and work experience are all correct to prevent issues during the job interview. You also want to update your skills as potential employers will mostly be making their decisions with whatever technical skills and competencies you have.
2. Focus on your expertise
Speaking of skills, being a freelancer means you have to take advantage of your expertise to become successful on the job. Even though you’re applying for multiple jobs, no one will hire you if you don’t specialize in one or two skills. Being a “jack of trades” may get you interviews, but it won’t get you the job. For example, if your work mostly involves data entry and customer service transactions don’t apply as a graphic designer or software developer. Even if the job interests you, you will never be considered for the role as dozens or even hundreds of more qualified individuals are eyeing for the same job.
If you’ve been working in an office before, you should already know what processes and tasks you’re good at. List them all down in your resume and don’t forget to create an online portfolio of your current and previous work. Always attach the portfolio when applying for a job. But if you’re fresh out of high school/college or looking for a career change, you can still get remote work by applying in jobs that fit your current skills. If you have extra time, increase your skill set by attending online seminars/workshops or through employee engagement with colleagues.
3. Set work boundaries
Once you’ve managed to land a job, the first thing you should do is set work boundaries. These boundaries are needed so that you’ll be effective in your work and avoid getting distracted from time to time. Even if you’re living alone, boundaries are still important so that you can maximize your schedule.
Some of the boundaries you can set are by creating a dedicated home office and informing other members of the household of your work schedule. Make them understand your situation and inform them you’ll attend to their needs once you’re done or on break. Boundaries also pertain to being focused on the job and avoiding personal distractions while at work such as using electronic devices and attending to non-work-related matters.
4. Be flexible
Most freelance jobs from home don’t require you to work on fixed hours. As long as you finish your tasks on time, you can either work for eight hours straight just like in an office setting or choose to work on weekends. As a freelancer, you control your own time but also be prepared to receive an email from your boss anytime during the day or night.
Being flexible is the key when to comes to being an effective freelancer. You may only work for three days during the weekday but your boss may give you tasks to complete during the weekend. To avoid burning out fast, inform your colleagues ahead of time of your intended work schedule and reschedule a task if it falls on a rest day or during an emergency. You should also try to multi-task and finish complex tasks first so that you won’t get stressed trying to beat deadlines.
5. Start networking
Although constantly browsing in job search sites is a common practice, networking speeds up the job search process and will help you land a good-paying job much faster. This is because having a network signifies that people trust you by providing consistent, quality work and won’t mind paying you a big amount to get your services.
Of course, your network is very limited when still starting out. Build your portfolio first and establish a strong rapport with your employer or with an independent contractor. Once you finish a task or project, ask for a written recommendation from your boss which you can use later to present to potential clients. Don’t worry if you can’t get a written document immediately, just stay consistent with your job and always finish projects on time. The more you stay efficient and effective, the faster you can grow your network.
In closing
Anxious about building a career as a virtual employee? Don’t worry! The five tips listed above give you the best chance to succeed at freelancing. Remember that thousands of freelancers around the world have succeeded through the remote employee experience, with some even doing it for multiple years now. Once you already get the job and get good at it, you may even decide to leave the office for good.
