Freelancing seems like a dream. Work when you want, on what you want, for who you want. Sounds perfect right?
Like most good things in life a sustainable freelance career doesn’t come easy, but with a bit of preparation and hard work you’ll get there in the end.
Decide what you’re offering
Freelancing is suitable for a range of career types, particularly in creative jobs such as graphic design, web development and journalism. Many freelancers possess a range of useful skills and can offer more than one service, so your first step is to work out what you can offer clients.
Decide on your pricing
It’s tempting to charge lower prices when you’re just starting out to encourage clients and build credibility, however you also have to consider the value of your time. If you charge £50 for a design that takes you 12 hours you’re effectively working for below minimum wage, so bare that in mind. It’s good to think about how long it will take you to complete a project and how much you value that time (in a monetary sense).
Build your portfolio
This isn’t where I’m going to encourage you to do a load of unpaid work to build a portfolio and credibility. If you’re reading this article I’m going to safely assume that you’ve been there and done that. While freelancing you should update your portfolio regularly and make sure it’s attractive to clients as it’s likely to be their first impression of you.
Network
If you don’t know any people who might need your service, how are you going to get any clients? Network within the industry and try and approach 10 people a day and offer your services (but be careful of how you do this). Most will not become clients, but the more people you approach the more likely you are to find work.
Do you have any tips on how to get into freelancing? Let us know in the comments below.
Photo: JD Hancock / Flickr
19 year old blogger and digital marketer from London. I like writing more than I like people.
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