Home » Earn Online » A Beginner’s Guide on How to Become a Freelancer
Do you want to earn a limitless amount of earning by working only 6 hours a day, then freelancing is the way for you.
In today’s time, there are over 15 million freelancers in India, who are working independently and earn somewhere between 1 lakh to 12 lakhs per annum. Working flexibility and better earning opportunity is what makes people want to become a freelancer nowadays. And the change in mindset has occurred due to the popularity of work-from-home jobs that have emerged as a result of the pandemic.
So many people have also started freelancing along with their regular job as a second source of income. If you want to become a freelancer and have no idea about it, you are at the right place. This article will cover almost all the aspects of a career in freelancing.
Let us get started.
Becoming a freelancer is not an easy task and you might wonder how to be a freelancer. Don’t worry, here is 7 steps journey that you can follow to become a freelancer in no time. So, let’s get started then.
The first and foremost thing you need to do is to choose your freelancing niche. You can become a freelancer for any niche, but it is highly recommended that you choose the field that attracts you and you feel enthusiastic to work for. So, before taking freelance work try to explore various niches, read about the niche which attracts you, and interacts with people working in that niche. This way you will work for the niche that is best suited to your skills and interest.
Some of the freelancing niches to consider are digital marketing, graphic Designing, sales and marketing, translation, social media coordinator, logo design, freelance Writer and many more.
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How to be a Freelance Graphic Designer
Creating a profile that makes you stand out from the crowd is the next important thing. A freelancer profile is mostly about expressing yourself. It is the ultimate expression of what you do, who you are, your experiences and expertise, and the services you offer. Your clients will know about you from your profile. Therefore, make it intriguing if you want to become a freelancer. The freelancing market is highly competitive; hence an amazing profile can help you stand out.
To find online freelance jobs you need to select a platform where you can find the right clients who need your services. There are several platforms where you can search for your clients, some of the famous freelancing platforms are Upwork and Fiverr. These platforms follow a bidding system where freelancers and clients bid at what rate they want to provide and take services. Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are also good places to find clients.
After building your professional portfolio and selecting a platform, the next major step that you need to take to become a freelancer is finding clients. Mind you, this will not be an easy task at the beginning; however, as you find your first client you will start finding more. And make sure that you clear all the guidelines and terms of your freelance work before taking any work. This will only save you time but protects you from any exploitation too.
It is very important to determine how much you will charge your clients for your freelance work. The fees for your services depend on your skills, expertise, and your work experience along with the type of work you provide. You cannot charge a very high amount just after you start freelancing.
Clients will not hesitate to pay an experienced person to get their work done. At the same time, they may not want to pay that much for just a beginner freelancer with no experience.
If you are a beginner, give discounts to your clients. Once you have built a great profile, start charging as per your need. That is why do not leave your full-time job immediately to start freelancing. Once you acquire a stable position and your freelance earning is enough to cover your expenses then consider pursuing freelancing as a full-time profession.
As soon as you have found a suitable client and have determined the price of your services, start working. And before starting work remember a few things don’t start working on a real project immediately. Draw a draft, show it to the clients, take their feedback and approval then start working. This trick will save you time and money both.
One of the major and undermined steps of working as a freelancer is the customer relationship. Several newbie freelancers make the mistake of not maintaining a healthy customer relationship even after the work is done. If you maintain a good relationship with your customers then it increases your chances of becoming their regular service provider and sometimes, customers also recommend their favourite freelancers to their friends and other people. Increasing your chances of finding work.
Source: TechAbu
Always create a clear and concise freelancing profile, from the title to the content everything should be presented in an understandable manner. Don’t try to overdo it , clearly state your services, skills, years of experience and contact details. This way your customers will not get confused and more likely to contact you for work.
Showing your face in an intro video or having a professional display picture builds trust in your clients. This shows that you are reliable and will show up whenever they need you. So, make sure that you have a clean and professional-looking picture in your freelancing profile or add an intro video in which you can introduce yourself and talk about your services.
Put your best work in the front row, and highlight it with client testimonials and feedback. This will show your future clients the type of work you have done and what is the best freelance work that you can offer to them.
If you are new to freelance work and have done the job or studied before this then you can earn some cookie points showing your certificates and awards you won in your previous work. This works as great feedback for new freelancers and helps them in bagging new clients.
In this digital world having appealing visuals for your freelancing profile is cardinal. If your profile looks plain and boring or cluttered and chaotic no one will stay to look at your work. So, make sure that you make your profile visually attractive with bright colours, font type and size, and good quality images.
If you want to become a freelancer you need to become a social person, from finding new clients to advertising your services everything needs to be done. You can do this work much easier if have social media presence on multiple platforms, from where you can interact with clients. So, link your social media handles with your freelancing profile.
Always keep your freelancing profile updated, don’t let it look like a shut-down site. Post about your latest projects, attach new client testimonials update your profile picture from time to time.
Also Read: Tips for Freelancers to Help You Succeed
Now that you know how you can become a freelancer and what are its benefits let’s know about a great freelancing opportunity that can be bagged by anyone with the right skills and knowledge.
You can work with Chegg India as their Q/A Expert, as an expert, you are required to answer the questions that are posted by students worldwide on the Chegg platform. Several subjects like English, Mathematics, Economics, Business, Science, etc. are available. You can apply for any of these subjects as per your area of expertise. You can become an expert at Chegg and earn per question you answer.
Freelancing jobs offer several benefits. Let us discuss some of the advantages of being a freelancer.
Benefits |
Description |
Work Flexibility |
The major benefit of becoming a freelancer is that you get work from anywhere and at any time you like. The freelancer can:
|
Self- Management |
While doing freelance work you have to do self-management. As you will be your own boss, that doesn’t only mean that you have freedom but you do have more responsibilities. As a freelancer you have to:
|
Better Earning Opportunities |
In today’s time of rising inflation having an additional or better-paying job is crucial. Freelancing gives this opportunity to earn a limitless amount of money. Because when you do freelance work, you get to:
|
Global Exposure |
Working with the same employer for several years leads to monotony. However, when you become a freelancer, you get to choose with whom you want to work. You can work with
|
Enhance Skillsets |
Doing that one work year after year diminishes one’s enthusiasm to do something new. However, when you take online freelance jobs you work for multiple clients and do multiple tasks for them. This means you
|
Also Read: Freelancing Meaning, Pros & Cons
Freelancing offers greater benefits from limitless earnings to working with international clients. However, there are certain drawbacks to this profession too, that one must keep in mind before they become a freelancer.
To earn, to grow and to live is what freelancing allows you. Starting to do freelance work is one of the best decisions that one can make in today’s time. Even if you have a full-time job, you can still become a freelancer by giving 2-4 hours a day to start a side hustling business.
And after reading the article you might have got some good idea how you can become a freelancer. So don’t wait up for any crisis start upskilling yourself, build a freelance portfolio and earn some extra cash in your free time. This way you will not only have financial security but you will be able to live the life of your dreams too.
Dive in to our Freelancing guide, to learn strategies to find full-time/ part-time freelance projects to generate more income.
If You want to become a freelancer there are certain steps that you need to follow. You can start your freelancing journey by:
1. Find your Niche
2. Learn Skills related to your niche
3. Define your Business Goals
4. Create Portfolio of your previous works
5. Research about your customers and competitors
6. Create Pricing Strategy
7. Propose your services to clients
8. Start working
Although there is no limit to the earnings of a freelancer however, that happens after you have reached a certain level and gained years of industry experience. But if you are starting new as a beginner one can earn around 10k per month from a freelance work.
Earnings are the best part of any job, and if you can earn limitless then it makes the enthusiasm much more. When a freelancer work for their clients they need check the diffrent payment modes that will work for both parties. If you are working with national clients then easier to recive payment in your bank account through modes like GPay. Paytm, PhonePe and if you work with international clients PayPal is one of the most trusted payment mode.
Anyone can become a freelancer. There is no professional degree required for becoming a freelancer. However, there are basic things that are required such as:
1. Knowledge of your niche
2. Professional Portfolio of your works
3. Availability of necessary tools and software
You can become a freelancer without any experience. You can start freelancing with no experience in the following ways:
1. Select your desired niche
2. Develop necessary skills
3. Create a website for your business
4. Promote your job on social media
5. Find your first clients
Freelancing is definitely a good career option for everyone who has a desire to grow constantly and the ability to work independently. Freelancing is the same as having your own business, which involves its own risks. However, if can take fig risks and develop your skills freelancing will definitely work for you.
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