For those who are new to the field of freelancing, the first step is to acknowledge that freelance isn’t a free act.

According to the latest survey conducted by the prominent freelancing platform Upwork, the number of Americans choosing to work as a freelancer has increased from 53% to 61% in the last 5 years.

Close to 50% of freelancers accept that this kind of work presents them with the flexibility unavailable in traditional job settings.

However, breaking into the freelance world is harder than you may expect. Let’s talk about the best practices on how to be successful in the freelancing world.

How To Get Your Dream Freelance Job

What is Freelancing?

A freelancer is a self-employed person that offers services to clients.

Here are some examples of freelance services you can offer:

1. Social Media Marketing
2. Blogging
3. Teaching
4. Interpreting
5. Advertising Copywriting
6. Tutoring
7. Stock Photography
8. Ghost Writing
9. Magazine Articles Writing
10. Translation
11. Legal Work
12. Graphic Designing
13. Virtual Assistant Work
14. Programming
15. Music writing and production
16. Photo Editing
17. Travel Consulting
18. Accounting
19. Online Researching
20. Editing
21. Social Media Management
22. Sales Consulting
23. Podcast Production
24. Video Editing
25. Business Management
26. Voice Acting
27. Grant Writing
28. Marketing Consulting
29. SEO Services
30. Music Tutoring
31. Google Advertising Consulting
32. Interior Design Consulting
33. Housesitting
34. Professional Essay Writer
35. Wedding Photography
36. WordPress Site Consulting
37. Pet Training
38. Driving For Uber
39. Data Analysis
40. Personal Fitness Training
41. Yoga Tutoring
42. Tour Guiding
43. Being a TaskRabbit
44. Investment Consulting
45. Caregiving
46. House Cleaning
47. Computer Training Services
48. Real Estate Sales Consulting
49. Pet Care Services
50. Being A Notary Public
51. Party Planning
52. Yard Work Services
53. College Counseling
54. Bicycle Delivery
55. Professional Organizing

4 Common Freelance Job Types

There is no shortage of gigs for hardworking freelancers, just note that half the time you’ll be working, and the other half you’ll be finding work unless you set up a retainer and develop long-term relationships.

We have broadly categorized the list above into 4 areas of hard skills you should have if you want to be a successful freelancer and some resources that will help.

1. WRITING

Check out the Freelance Writers Den for opportunities to get paid for your writing.

Also, make sure you understand the basics of affiliate marketing to make more income on autopilot. Take this FREE 5-Day Master Affiliate Marketing if you don’t know what it is.

Top affiliate marketing resources to sign up for:

• Awin
• ShareASale
• MaxBounty
• iGain
• FlexOffers

And make sure to download Grammarly, a free grammar and spelling tool that monitors anything you type on your computer so you never accidentally make a silly mistake and get rejected from a copywriting job.

2. COMPUTER PROGRAMMING

Here are some apps that can help you become more productive with your time.

• Freedom – distraction blocker on your phone
• MileIQ – track your mileage automatically
• Strides – goal and habit tracker

Get familiar with different web hosts such as:

• WordPress
• GoDaddy
• BlueHost

And top themes such as:

• Genesis
• Divi

3. DESIGN

• 99Designs – place to get design work
• Design Contest – auction place to get design gigs
• Creative Market – a marketplace to sell your designs
• DesignEvo – software to help you design quick logos

4. ADMINISTRATION

• FreshBooks – accounting software
• Dubsado – business management software
• HubSpot – marketing, sales, and CRM software
• Trello – a great tool to help you stay organized
• ConvertKit – email marketing tool (FREE webinar resources below)
  • Get Your First 1,000 Subscribers – Beginner
  • Earn Your First Dollar – Beginner/Intermediate
  • Email Copy-writing Tips – Beginner/Intermediate
  • Make More Sales With Funnels – Expert

Becoming A Writer

The first and the most well-spread profession that comes to your mind speaking about freelance is a copywriter. It lets your creativity go, and you can earn pretty well on such a position.

Firstly, when you just being your career as a freelance copywriter, you need to take some classes or courses. It will give you a possibility to avoid a significant number of mistakes and obstacles in the future. You will master your skills and get some tips helpful for the upcoming writing orders.

There is one more plus of such courses, and you can ask for instance a professional essay writer about peculiarities of the academic writing or issues to remember if you are going to deal with such a sphere.

Well, to become a writer who earns a fortune, you need to upgrade yourself every day and listen to the professional tricks as well.”

The Advantages

The most significant reason why freelancing is attractive is its flexibility. One can work from the comfort of home, or any other place according to their convenience, and take up jobs only as needed.

A freelancer can decide what work to take, how to deal with clients and control how it is done. You can also set your own prices for the services you offer.

Moreover, it doesn’t usually require an investment to get started.

The Disadvantages

While the merits are many, this type of work also comes with its own drawbacks too. Working independently could feel isolating for many, as there is no social interaction between colleagues or clients.

Being an independent contractor also prevents you from getting any benefits like paid vacation, sick leaves or even health insurance.

You will have to make alternate plans or work around your schedule during emergencies, and if you do not have another person to delegate to, it might become quite challenging to handle work.

The changing workload and income might make budgeting difficult as well.

Getting Started

Step 1: Decide on a niche and target market.

Step 2: Figure out your rates and create packages.

Step 3: Create an online portfolio to showcase your work.

Step 4: Join freelancer websites to get job opportunities.

You got this! Good luck!

 

Michelle Brooks loves to read, write, listen to music and use words to persuade people. She has worked her way towards being the team leader of content managers. She uses words as weapons, so keep an eye out for her powerful articles.