Freelancing – Earlier, this word used to evoke a statement, “Oh! let us make some extra money along with our regular work” but not anymore. With the change in time and ideas the dimensions of freelancing have also changed, it is now been taken as a serious hardcore JOB.
But let me warn you here! The final destination of a freelancing career may look beautiful but the journey to reach that destination is not at all easy breezy.
But if you manage to get through this journey, what awaits you will be nothing but pure bliss.
So let us go ahead and take an overview of the journey to become a successful freelancer:
1). Identify your skill
Freelancing in simple terms means a display of your skill set to make a work done and earn money, right?
Thus, it is as important as breathing that you identify your skills and make the world go gaga over them.
Ps – Identification is not enough, you should also be a pro in your skill set because freelancing sector wants “PERFECTION OR NOTHING”.
2). Research is your Key
Before entering into any work field, a research work is advised for your smooth functioning in the near future.
When you get sure about your skill set, the next vital thing is to do an extensive research work on the market and try to find as to which place would be in need of your skill set the most.
Remember the ideology – “The thirsty is always in search of the well” BE THE WELL.
3). Make a Compilation of Your Previous Works
A person with a handful of prior work is always more attractive than a person who is there with a blank paper asking for work.
If you are good at something (supposedly content writing or web designing), you might have done some work related to that at some point in time. You got to collect all your previous work as it will increase your market value.
It does not mean that your previous work should be of some “Professional status”, No.
For example – If you are working in a corporate firm but you want to pursue content writing as a freelancer but you never did content writing for a professional firm but you do have a blog account on which you publish your blogs, guess what? It would work just fine.
(Ps – You can write blogs at Bloggers.com) start a self-hosted blog on your own domain using WordPress open source blogging platform.
4). Be Clear About Your Vision
Quitting your routine job/life to become a full-time freelancer can be a little risky (given the fact that freelancing sector is not an instant money making machine ). Thus, it is very important to have a P-L-A-N. You need to have a clear vision and you should be able to answer two questions to yourself –
First, why do you want to join freelancing?
Second, What would you do if freelancing thing does not work out?
If you are able to give answers to these questions, you are super ready to jump in the freelancing sector as the fear of failure would go away and you would work freely.
Always remember, “A free bird makes much hustle“.
5). Never Let the Patience Go.
Freelancing is not going to get you a villa and a supercar overnight, it will take time but at the end, it would be beautiful.
Thus, you will have to maintain patience while all this and if possible, do start your freelancing career with some saved money in your hand which would ensure your financial security until the time you start roaring in the market as a freelancer.
6). Networking is the Staircase to the Throne.
Now very very important thing, you will have to realize that it is not your regular job and thus here the work would not come to you rather you would have to chase the work.
Because let us be honest there are 300 more people out there with the same skill set which you boast of so why would the company or client invest their money in you and not them?
You will have to socialize with people and make a network for yourself that will ensure you great growth opportunities as a freelancer.
Talk to people, engage with them, Make profiles on job portals like Urbanpro, linkedin, naukri.com etc. and eventually make your social circle bigger because “The bigger the better”.
To rest my case, I would just say that stay true and honest to yourself and do hard work and the zenith will be yours.
