- You can work as much or as little as you want – with freelancing, you are basically self-employed. You can choose the clients you want and work with them as you please. You also have the option of setting the time of work during the day.
- You can have the flexibility in case the unexpected happens – don’t you just hate it when there’s something special that you need to miss because of your cookie cutter scheduled job? With freelancing, you can choose the hours you work and give time for the opportunities you don’t want to miss.
- You have the opportunity to earn more – freelancing means you are free to scale your time and effort to get the maximum profit. Unlike a job that pays by the hour, you can actually work faster and end up getting more clients over time.
Once we understand the benefits of freelancing, we now come to a conclusion that this job setup is an ideal way to earn money with flexibility. In this post, Mark Alvarado gives us tips on how to find the next freelance job.
How to Find Your Next Freelance Job
1. Think of your skill set
Before having a freelance job, you need to start understanding what are your highly profitable skill sets first. You need to place them in a list and prioritize those which you can make an income from and enjoy thoroughly. Starting from the top of the list you create, you need to think of possible job positions you can do before you begin freelancing. For example, if your passion is art, maybe you can start working as a freelance graphic designer. As someone who loves writing, perhaps you can be an article writer.
2. Build your portfolio
After thinking of your skill set, you need to start making your portfolio. Select at least 5-10 best samples of your work and place it on a website. You can make your own website or place it in a freely hosted one. If you don’t have the time to do this, you can simply save your samples first and be ready to show it when needed. Having a resume will also be helpful.
3. Look for jobs through websites and job boards
The next step is to look for freelance offers in websites and job boards. You need to show that you have the skill sets or prior experience to the position you are applying. That is why it is previously emphasized that you need to build your portfolio and resume first. Some known websites are LinkedIn, Indeed, as well as ZipRecruiter.
4. Find clients through a marketing pitch
As an alternative, you can also find your own clients through a marketing pitch. This is done by sending e-mails to potential companies who may be in need of your service. However, the chances of getting a company to contact you are slim, so you have to be determined to keep on pitching. Companies would be willing to pay at a higher rate if they think that you are a valuable asset.
These are just some of the ways that you can find your next freelance job. The whole point of freelancing is learning how to navigate on the own path you choose–with great freedom comes great responsibility.
