Most people message me on LinkedIn and WhatsApp about Freelancing Because they're so confused and worried about Freelancing. So I thought to write a detailed article on Freelancing for those who are confused and anxious. Before starting the article, I'll share my thoughts.
Freelancing is nothing in itself, If you have the skills you can start your freelancing career. Make sure skills are most important for Freelancing.
Let's Start The Article!
FREELANCING
Freelancing means working as an independent company rather than being employed by someone else. Freelancers are self-employed and often referred to as independent contractors. Freelancers are hired by other companies on a part-time or short-term basis, but they do not receive the same compensation as full-time employees or have the same level of commitment to any particular company.
HOW DOES FREELANCING WORK?
Freelancers accept payment in return for providing some sort of service. That agreement is generally part-time or short-term. For example, if I hired a photographer to take new headshots for me, I could pay a freelancer for that session. Sometimes people pay freelancers to work a set number of hours per week or per month. That arrangement is often referred to as a “retainer.” A retainer refers to when you retain the services or right to someone’s time. A lot of legal professionals work on retainer. Every month, they bill a set amount of time to the client, regardless of whether that full-time is used or not. It’s really one of the simplest and most pure forms of entrepreneurship: the freelancer provides a specific service or outcome, and the buyer pays them a fee directly.
WHY ARE PEOPLE FREELANCING?
Freelancing provides a lot of flexibility and control to the individual. Most freelancers choose their own hours, the work that they do, and the clients they work with, and may even be able to work remotely. Freelancing is also a form of entrepreneurship, which means the freelancer has total control of their earning potential. Freelancers aren’t locked into a salary, so they can earn as much as they are able to bill their clients. And as a freelancer, you are your own boss. Freelancing provides a lot of variety in the type of work you can do, too. If you are someone with a lot of interests and are drawn to trying new things, freelancing can help you explore all kinds of projects and industries. Historically, freelancing isn’t something people typically do forever. They either hire other freelancers or employees to build a full agency, build their own products to replace their freelance income, or go back to working full-time. Freelancing provides the flexibility many people want in order to figure out their next career move.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF FREELANCING?
Freelancing comes with both financial and some health risks. In the United States, one of the biggest benefits of full-time employment is access to healthcare and other financial benefits outside of your typical salary. That may include a 401K retirement plan or company-provided health insurance. For freelancers, being hired as an independent contractor generally means companies will not provide those same financial or healthcare benefits to you. So freelancers are on their own when it comes to planning for their financial futures and enrolling inHealth insurance coverage. Not only are freelancers on their own to set these benefits up for themselves, but they are also at a bit of a disadvantage. When a company negotiates a health insurance policy with a broker, they are often able to get more favourable rates since they are buying in bulk. But as a self-employed individual, you are buying a policy for yourself and your family only. And, unfortunately, that means your health insurance may cost more. It is easy to set up your own retirement savings account, but there will not be any matching contributions from your employer. And finally, freelancers are responsible for all income coming into the business. If you are unable or unwilling to sell more projects and land more clients, your income will dry up. These risks are all manageable, but they are worth considering before you jump into freelancing full-time.
WHAT TYPE OF WORK CAN I DO BY FREELANCING?
Companies are becoming much more open to and interested in hiring freelancers doing many different types of work. So freelancing has become much more acceptable for a wide variety of roles.
Freelancing Services Include:
Administrative Support Services
Design and Creative Services
Writing Services
Web, Mobile & Software Development Services
Accounting & Consulting Services
Legal Services
Data Science & Analytics Services
Sales & MarketingServices
Customer Service
IT & Networking Services
Engineering & ArchitectureServices
Translation Services
HOW DO I START FREELANCING?
You canstart Freelancingat any time by simply accepting payment to complete a job for someone else. Most freelancers will want to go a step further though and formally incorporate their company, open a bank account, and create an online presence for their freelance business.
There are three main paths to making money as a Freelancer:
Working client direct refers to finding and communicating directly with clients through your own means. That may be networking, existing relationships, or word-of-mouth referrals. This is one of the hardest paths but has the highest margins since there are no middlemen in the transaction. Freelancing clients direct also creates more resilient relationships if you plan to freelance for the long term.
2. Subcontracting
Some freelancers don’t like the hassle of finding and communicating with individual clients. For those freelancers, another option is acting as a subcontractor to another company or agency. The model is pretty simple. Typically, an agency sells a large project to a client, and then they break that contract into “subcontracts” to be completed by other agencies or freelancers. For example, a web development agency may sell a full website project, but subcontract the copywriting to a freelance copywriter outside of the agency itself. A lot of agencies only employ a small number of people full time, and frequently will subcontract specialized parts of projects out to freelancers. This is great for keeping your plate full, but it also removes a level of control. If the agencies you subcontract for run out of work, so do you.
3. Websites
Another popular method for finding client work is through a freelance marketplace like
1: Fiverr
Fiverr is a platform that connects freelancers with business owners looking for services in various digital projects, includingwebsite design, content writing, and voice-overs.This freelance website provides a streamlined method for both freelancers and business owners to interact with one another. Note that on the website, freelancers are calledsellers, their services –are gigs, and business owners –are buyers.Instead of sending out bids, sellers can sign up for free, list their gigs, and set their prices. Meanwhile, buyers can simply browse through different categories to purchase. Whenever a buyer purchases a gig, the system automatically charges their account and puts the money on hold. The system will then take a commission fee and send freelancers80%of the offered price. Depending on each freelancer’sseller's level, it can take up to 14 days to withdraw their earnings. There are multiple options to withdraw the payments, such as debit cards, PayPal, and wire transfers.
2: Upwork
Upwork is a freelancing website that connects clients and freelancers from across the globe.The platform provides a wide range of categories, from web design and software development to customer service and accounting. Clients and freelancers have multiple ways to connect – clients can choose to post a job and hire talent or buy a predefined service from theproject catalog. Similarly, freelancers can access the job board and offer a service to sell. To get started as a freelancer with Upwork, begin by creating a profile. Ensure it includes details about yourself, your expertise, and your work experience. Keep in mind that clients will decide whether you’re qualified by scanning through your profile whenever you bid for jobs or pitch a project.
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3: Freelancer
Freelancer.com is another freelance website where professionals and companies from around the world collaborate on various projects. Thanks to the wide range of expertise, clients can easily find an expert of any type. You can sign up as a freelancer or business owner. Signing up as a freelancer will require you to fill out a short registration form. Provide detailed information, including your skills, educational background, and work experience. In addition to projects, there are many contests, such as visual or design work. Freelancers can benefit from these contests by earning money along with reviews on their profiles. Every freelancer will receive full payment after completing a job. However, the platform takes10%of your total earnings for contests and fixed projects. Like most freelance sites, you can choose to use PayPal or wire transfer for withdrawal.
4: Guru
Guru is a place for freelancers and companies across the globe to work together. Companies can hire professionals with various skills, such as programmers, graphic designers, and product managers. This freelance website makes it easy to browse job listings and submit quotes to clients. Start by signing up and building a freelancer profile. The system will give job recommendations based on your skill set and work experience. Freelancers can bid for long or short-term projects and give a fixed price for each project. There are multiple withdrawal methods to receive your earnings, including PayPal and wire transfer. More importantly, the site ensures freelancers get paid timely withSafePay protection. Every freelancer that signs up on this freelance website gets a free basic membership. However,Paid Membership Plansinclude more tools to make your profile stand out.
5: LinkedIn
LinkedIn is one of the most popular job sites providing an easy way to find jobs in various fields. It’s also a social networking platform for professionals to connect and interact with each other. Simply sign up and create a profile to get started. Include as much information as possible, such as your skills, education, and work experience. A comprehensive LinkedIn profile can open up more job opportunities. Adding a new post can also give your profile more exposure. For example, if you’re a freelance writer, create a post describing your expertise and attach your work portfolio. Potential employers might discover your profile and make you an offer. Browsing through LinkedIn job postings is also a great way to find freelance opportunities. To find your desired freelance job, make sure to use related keywords and sort the results from the latest.
6: Behance
Different from previous freelance sites on the list, Behance is a social network for creative talents. People worldwide use this website to build portfolios and share their creative work, ranging from animations and illustrations to website and graphic design.Whether you are a freelance graphic designer, web designer, or animator, Behance provides a place to get discovered by potential employers. Start by signing up for an account and establishing your profile. As it’s a networking site, the more profiles you follow, the more posts will appear on your feed. Behance also provides aJob List. Every freelancer will get a personalized job recommendation according to their skill-sets and category, making it easier to find freelance work that matches one’s expertise.
7: 99designs
For freelance designers looking for jobs, 99designs offers plenty of options. It is a freelance website specially tailored for designers and businesses to collaborate. There are various design projects available, from logo design and book covers to clothing and merchandise. Upon signing up, you’ll be instructed to build a profile and include your work experience. The curation team will review your application and determine your designer level. The higher your level, the more visibility you get on the platform. 99designs makes looking for freelance jobs of your expertise easy. By selecting industries, styles, and design categories, you will have access to a list of jobs to choose from. Whenever you work with a new client, 99designs will charge an introduction fee of$100and a platform fee ranging from5%to15%. Freelancers get paid via PayPal or Payoneer within three business days and sooner for people with higher profile levels.
8: Dribble
Dribbble is one of the most popular platforms for creative talents to meet, connect, and interact with each other. Designers and artists use this website to build portfolios and promote their brands. Creating a work portfolio on the website can increase your chances of getting hired. Do so by signing up for an account and uploading your designs. Another way to find work opportunities is to open the job board on your browser. There are various types of jobs on the website, including UI/UX design and content creation. However, access to freelance job lists is limited to premium users. The dribbble premium version ranges from$5 to $15/month. With a pro version, users can upload videos and multi-shot images to their profiles. A premium account will also get priority placement on the hiring search listings.
9: People Per Hour
As the name suggests, People Per Hour helps businesses find professional freelancers to hire by the hour or project. There are millions of freelancers from different industries, such as public relations, marketing, and journalism. Freelancers can create an account for free and start setting up a profile. Note that the moderators will review each application before approving it. Once approved, freelancers can start browsing for jobs in multiple categories. When working on a project, freelancers can send offers and set their prices. Once they finish, they can easily raise an invoice from their dashboard.Like most freelancing sites, People Per Hour charges freelancers a service fee per client. For$350earnings, the freelance website takes a service fee of20%. Fortunately, the fee will decrease as you work more.
10: Toptal
Toptal is a freelance website that connects highly qualified freelance industry experts with companies. Toptal has a broad range of freelancers, from web developers and web designers to finance consultants and product managers. Applying to Toptal as a freelancer requires passing five steps of the screening process, from a comprehensive English evaluation to a project assessment. This process ensures only the top3%make it to the platform. After passing all of the steps, you’ll have access to various job postings from top clients and companies, such as Motorola and Airbnb. However, failing the test will put your application process on hold for up to a few months. Toptal has a dedicated service for time tracking and invoicing calledTopTracker. With this service, freelancers will get the total price they offer and receive payments via Payoneer, Paypal, or direct local bank transfer.
11: Jooble
Jooble is a search engine for job vacancies and it aggregates from140,000+sources worldwide, including corporate websites, online job boards, freelancing platforms, social networks, and classifieds. A significant advantage to using Jooble is that you don’t have to check multiple online job boards and freelancing platforms, as it centralizes the process of finding freelance opportunities. Jooble lets you find jobs within a particular region only. On the homepage, you can select a specific city in your country to discover jobs limited to that area. You don’t have to create an account to findFreelance Jobs On Jooble. All you need to do is enter the keyword for the job you want into Jooble’s search engine. Apply different filters such as salary range, work experience, and post date to help find your preferred job match.
12: Flexjobs
Flexjobs is a website that specializes in flexible and remote job opportunities, including freelance, part-time and full-time jobs. There are broad categories, from education and training to journalism and writing jobs. Flexjobs ensures every job listed on the website is legitimate. It verifies and screens all openings, filtering out scams and fake companies. Unlike other online job boards, this freelance website doesn’t display any advertisem*nts on its page. To find freelance jobs, users need to sign up for asubscription. There are four plans available, starting from$6.95/weekEvery subscription gives unlimited access to job listings, along with a personalized work portfolio, career advice, and free skills testing. Users can pay for their subscriptions with a prepaid card or PayPal. There is a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, meaning you can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the service.
13: SimplyHired
SimplyHired is a job board where companies can post job opportunities for free. It also collects job offers from all over the internet into one page. The site has a clean user interface, making it easy to browse jobs by category. There are various freelance opportunities in different fields, including finance and marketing. To find a specific job, simply fill out the search box with related keywords. To have more relevant results, narrow it down by filling out your city, state, or ZIP code. Job seekers can also access the company pages to learn more information such as a salary overview of a company, a list of benefits offered, and reviews submitted by its real employees. People can browse through SimplyHired without a profile. However, signing up for an account will give you access to various job tools, such as a salary estimator and resume builder.
14: ServiceScap
ServiceScape is an online job board specializing in freelance writing, editorial, and translation work. The platform helps freelancers build profiles and promote them to a growing client database. What sets ServiceScape apart from other platforms is the hiring process. Instead of placing bids or sending proposals, freelancers simply wait for work offers from clients. Thus, it’s crucial to have a profile that stands out. Freelancers and employers can connect easily via ServiceScape. Both parties can send messages and schedule a conference call. ServiceScape distributes income every month via PayPal, check, and Gusto. Freelancers can set a custom pricing structure, project-based or hourly. However, the platform charges a commission fee of50%for every completed work.
15: DesignHill
DesignHill is a creative marketplace where businesses source quality design from professional designers and artists. There is a broad range of design jobs available, including logos, websites, and brochures.Signing up for an account will bring a wide selection of freelance design jobs and various design contests. It’s an excellent chance to grow your work portfolio and establish relationships with clients. As a freelancer, on this website you can build your own stores and start selling globally, using tools such as aprofit calculatorandbusiness card maker. DesignHill only charges service fees to clients. Thus, a freelancer will receive the total amount of money into their DesignHill account from design jobs, contests, or store sales.As for payment withdrawals, the website supports PayPal and Payoneer.
16: TaskRabbit
To earn money from doing grocery shopping or assembling furniture, check the TaskRabbit website. TaskRabbit is a same-day service provider that connects clients with freelancers to help with various day-to-day tasks. Unlike most freelancing sites that list professional jobs, TaskRabbit provides a list of simple errands, such as household chores, lighting installation, and delivery. To get started, simply create an account, select your area and category, and set an hourly rate. With every application, the TaskRabbit team will do a review and background check. Once a profile is approved, the freelancer will have to pay aregistration fee of$25. Then they can start discovering jobs and managing work through the mobile app. Whenever freelancers complete a task, they send an invoice for the hours worked. Clients will then directly deposit money to the registered bank account. TaskRabbit only charges service fees from clients, so freelancers will receive a full amount of the rate they charge.
These marketplaces serve as the middleman by aggregating freelance jobs on one side of the marketplace and freelance talent on the other. This can be really efficient for finding new work but come with its own tradeoffs. Marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr have a lot of competition, and it may be tough to build an initial profile or get paid what you’re worth. And they will keep a small percentage of each job as a transaction fee. But over time, if you build a strong reputation, you can reliably find work without having to prospect too hard.
HOW TO BECOME A FREELANCER?
Choose your field based on your skill set and passions, and define your target market and business goals. Next, build your personal brand by making an online portfolioandsetting up a business email account.
Conclusion
Freelancing means being your own boss. It’s on you to find a way to fill your time with paid work, whether it’s client direct, subcontracting, or through a jobs marketplace. There are dozens and dozens of different types of freelance jobs, and more companies are hiring freelancers than ever before. Freelancing can be an incredible way to earn a living on your own terms, but there are tradeoffs when it comes to financial and health benefits. It’s up to you to decide if freelancing is right for you.
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