Here’s everything you need to know about becoming a freelancer.
Job searching is a difficult task no matter the occupation you’re shooting for or the country you’re doing it in, but there exists no better version for that than being the arbiter of when and where you work.
Are you someone in search of extra cash? A parent who wanted to see their kids as they grow up? Or an employee who wanted to be free from the four corners of the office? No matter the reason is, finding your way here means that you are interested in trying out and finding success in freelancing.
So what is freelancing exactly? Where do you start? What do you need to have? Yes, these are the first few questions that pop in our mind.
What is Freelancing?
Let’s start off with familiarizing ourselves with what freelancing really is. A majority of the people around us wonder on how this modern type of employment work. And yet, it has been around the country for more than a decade.
Freelancing is actually similar to having a business since, in both scenarios, you are your own boss. Being a freelancer provides you the freedom of working anywhere you want, whenever you want.
In addition, you aren’t necessarily committed to work for just one employer for the long term – you’re given the freedom of having to work with multiple employers and in short, terms, depending on your preference and job provided to you.
Anyone can work as a freelancer. Whether you’re a professional or even a student, all you need is a skillset, a decent internet connection, and a computer or laptop and you can start your freelancing career in a jiffy.
Your First Step to Your Freelancing Career
Now that you know about freelancing. What would be your first step towards this career?
It is actually simple – it starts with you. As aforementioned, freelancing is similar to having a business. And similar to how businesses work, you as a freelancer must have something better to ‘display’ against your competitors.
This simply means you have gain skills and knowledge you have interest in acquiring, and then looking for the right people in need of your service.
After you’ve gained the right skills and know the right team or people, you can go ahead and check freelancing sites like Upwork, Freelancer.ph and, Onlinejobs.ph.
Using these sites make it easier to find clients who need your service – it is also where people who worked with you can provide feedback. This, in turn, is something you can use to sell yourself out more.
Necessary Tools and Equipment to Start Freelancing
Computer And Internet
As you have expected by now, freelancing involves having two necessary materials – a computer (laptop or desktop), and a reliable internet connection.
They are vital for a freelancing career as the computer is the main thing you use to do your job while the internet connection is your way to communicate with your clients, especially if you work as a virtual assistant.
Work Place
In addition to that, you should find a conducive working environment. As you are free to work wherever you want, you can shift between staying in your room, going to a cafe, or even renting a space. You just have to make sure that you are able to work well in your chosen area, no background noise that can distract you and your client whenever you’re having a discussion.
Bank Account
Furthermore, as half if not most of the clients you work for are from a different country, it is best to have a bank account or payment processor. Some of these payment processors are Paypal and Paymaya. When you have these with you, clients can easily transfer their payment to you, which you can then easily transfer to your bank account.
Portfolio
Among all these, you must have an amazing portfolio to attract clients. Make sure all the important points are properly stated and easy to read, highlighting the skills that you believe is necessary to the position you are applying for. A well-made portfolio will serve as a way to get their attention, providing a first impression that you are capable of doing their requests.
Continuous Improvement in Freelancing
As the number of freelancers grows in the every year, the competition for a specific job increases.
As a word of advice, it is always best to continuously improve yourself, so you won’t be left behind. Investing in yourself through earning additional skills would increase your quality, which would then sell you more off the freelancing market.
You can learn from gaining more experience from each job you take and from dealing with different people you work with. In addition, you can also learn more from a lot of online educational sites, such as Coursera, Lynda, and Udemy. These sites offer diverse classes for a lot of fields, giving you a lot of options when it comes to enhancing your skills or adding a new one.
Client Red Flags
Freelancing has a lot of pros, but there are also red flags to take note of, especially when it comes to looking for clients you’d be working with. You can either find clients through a referral from friends or through the websites mentioned before. As the interaction is still online, you should still observe anyone who has wrong motives.
The most common red flags are:
Clients with negative feedbacks
In most freelancing websites, both clients and freelancers can provide feedback after working for them. Before agreeing on working for someone, it is best to check their feedbacks. There you will see if they’re great people to work with.
Unverified payment method
This is a red flag because of the possibility that the client would just run without paying after getting what he/she needed. It would be effort wasted if that were to happen. You can try and ask the reason behind the unverified payment method, but all-in-all, it’s up to you if you’d take the risk.
Unreasonable pricing
It is best to ask other freelancers the usual price range for a certain job so you won’t be scammed. Some clients provide extremely low price but involve multiple revisions, which is disadvantageous to you. Some may also provide extremely high price, which is something you should be cautious of especially if it’s too good to be true.
Client requiring you to buy something
Probably the biggest red flag of all is when a client asks you to buy something for them. Your main goal as a freelancer is to offer your services and get paid. If you feel like you’d be spending instead of earning money from it, it’s best to move to the next one quickly.
How to Write a Good Cover Letter
A cover letter is a proposal to catch the client’s attention. It is your gateway to landing a job. That’s why it’s important to have a concise cover letter. It’s important to read the job post carefully first before drafting the cover letter so it would greatly hit the mark and get their attention.
To start off, it’s best to tell something about the client first. Try providing authentic compliments about their business, adding some information about it to make them see you’ve researched enough about them. You can also rephrase what they have provided in the job offer, letting them know that you read it thoroughly before applying.
Next would be introducing yourself. Here you can share an experience where you can showcase your knowledge and skills regarding the job. You can also add the software that you have used related to the position. This would determine if you are a good fit for the job.
One tip would is to tell a story on how you enjoy your work instead of listing your credentials again – they can already to find that on your portfolio. It is best to be creative to get their attention. Put your best foot forward, starting from the cover letter.
In summary
Freelancing has continuously grown throughout the years. There are a lot of pros into it – some would be having control of your time and being able to be around your family while you work.
This is a guide for Filipinos interested in starting their career in freelancing. With just the right skill set, knowledge, and equipment along with a positive mindset and inspiration, any roadblock would just be a stepping stone in reaching your dream job working on the internet.
