How to start working as a freelancer15 min read

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Prices of basic food items going up, the bills keep coming up and you’re out of a steady job. Is this your situation? So how about you know how to work as a freelancer?

Being a freelancer can be an excellent alternative for those who have been out of work for a while, but need to generate some kind of income or acquire new professional skills.

In general, freelance jobs do not require much professional experience, depending on the area and work, nor fixed hours.

Did you like the suggestion? Want to know how to enter the freelance market? Then you are reading the right text. Stay here with us and we’ll tell you all the details of this type of work.

 

What is freelancing?

A freelancer is someone who does specific work for a client who is unwilling to commit to a full-time job. In general, freelancers take on several projects with different clients simultaneously.

With freelancing, the client pays per project, per task, or hour, depending on the contract. 

Freelance projects often involve short-term assignments, although satisfied clients often request follow-up work.

 

Read more:

• Freelancer: do you know how to charge for your work?
• Tips to get paid on time
• Online invoicing: a guide for freelancers

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a freelancer?

Does the autonomy of this type of work attract you? There are other advantages to becoming a freelancer but also pay attention to some other points. Let’s count them here for you to make your choice:

 

Benefits of freelance work

 

Flexibility

As a freelancer, you can choose your schedule and decide when and where to work. For example, you can work from home or rent a space on the beach or in the countryside. The flexibility of freelancing helps promote a better work-life balance.

Therefore, it is important to pay close attention to the hours worked per day. Don’t stay up all night working or going much further than eight hours a day, agreed? It is essential that you, as a freelancer, have this control.

 

Choice of clients and projects

Working as a freelancer allows you to select projects that match your skills and interests. That way, you also have even more chances to deliver very positive results to customers.

Find out what your skills are, what you like to do and invest in it!

 

Set your earnings

You can enjoy greater control of your earnings, as you generally have more bargaining power to define the value of your work as a freelancer.

The amount of work you can do daily or weekly is another factor that will determine your earnings, in addition to the agility you have to develop the tasks. In the beginning, you will likely take more time to make fewer deliveries. But do not worry. Experience will bring you agility in everyday life.

 

Improved skill set

As a freelancer, you may have the opportunity to work on more specialized projects, giving you greater experience in niche subject areas.

Therefore, never stop studying and seeking knowledge. Today, many free courses can help you become an increasingly valued professional in the job market.

 

Add Experiences and Skills to Your Resume

When working as a freelancer, you acquire many experiences and skills, depending on your area of expertise and even your client portfolio.

All of this can be included in your resume, improving it and enhancing your chances of getting a good position in the future — if that’s what you want, of course.

Disadvantages of Freelancing

But not everything is so positive in the life of a freelancer and it is important to consider possible concerns.

 

Isolation

Unlike a part-time or full-time job, running a freelance business can be lonely, especially if you’re working remotely.

 

Earnings insecurity

The market does not always need so many freelance professionals, there may be a certain seasonality in this demand. Therefore, if you work in this modality, it is important to have good financial planning.

 

Administrative Responsibilities

As your boss, you will need to deal with certain bureaucracies such as contracting, invoicing, marketing, and other relevant administrative tasks.

 

No employer-funded benefits

No transportation allowance, flex benefit, or health plan. All this will have to be built into the price of the freelance service.

 

How much does a freelancer earn and how to price it?

Many professionals get lost in this essential step of the freelance career, as they are unable to price their experiences and the time spent.

The tip is to look at websites to work as a freelancer and check how much is being paid per hour for a given service, or what is the average amount paid for a given project.

Then, analyze whether your price will be above, equal to, or below that average. You must consider your experience in the area and also the deadline to complete the task (the more urgent, the more expensive).

But it is worth noting that the value of some works may be subject to pressure from market supply and demand. During Black Friday or Christmas, for example, when many advertising pieces are being produced, perhaps a designer can charge more for them.

Freelancer groups on social media are also a good place to look at the average fees charged by professionals.

 

How to find your first job as a freelancer?

You can become a freelancer at any time, whether you are employed or not, one thing does not cancel the other. It is possible, for example, to keep a steady job and, in your spare time, do a freelance project in an area that can be a hobby, such as photography.

To find your first job as a freelancer, we recommend that you search on websites specialized in this type of work or that you ask someone in your contact network to recommend you for a project.

 

What areas are most in demand for freelancers?

Almost any service an employer needs can be outsourced to a freelancer. However, there are certain fields and industries where freelance work is particularly common, such as:

• Graphic design;
• Marketing, media, and public relations;
• Accounting;
• Writing, editing, and proofreading;
• Fashion;
• Photography
• Advocacy;
• Schedule.

For those looking to work as a freelancer on the internet, the areas of design, marketing, photography, and programming are highlighted for containing many remote opportunities.

How to become a freelancer?

Do you want to try to work in this market? So let’s activate your entrepreneurial spirit with some tips we’ve separated to help you become a respected freelancer:

 

1. Activate your network of contacts

If you’re serious about freelancing, you need to let people know about it. A good start is to get in touch with former work or college colleagues who work in the same field as you.

 

2. Invest in social networks

Social media is also a great way to advertise your availability and skills. Do this professionally, with good text and always showing the quality of your work.

That way, people will already realize that there is a lot of quality in your work and this will make them interested in your services.

 

3. Be committed to deadlines and quality

Meeting deadlines and delivering projects with quality are essential requirements for anyone who wants to be a freelancer. Your client has to trust your work.

Think how much easier it is to change service providers than to fire an employee and hire another.

 

4. Keep in touch with customers

It is also necessary to maintain frequent contact with people who hire your services so that they remember you in the next opportunities and can indicate your name to other people and companies.

 

5. See projects as a step towards a steady job

If you only want to be a freelancer while you don’t find an effective job, a tip is to define a period to work as a freelancer and continue looking for a permanent job.

If you find it convenient, you can even let your client know that you are looking for a permanent opportunity. Maybe the first opportunity will appear to work with him!

And, of course, good work, especially in this case, will be your best business card.

 

Speedy.io: like a bank, but better.

Now that you already know how to start working as a freelances, how about getting to know Speedy.io?

We are here to contribute to the day-to-day of your company!

Speedy.io payment account offers:

• Dashboard for managing and controlling your charges;
• Customer registration and control;
• Notifications about the status of your charges;
• Personalized SpeedyPay Invoice issue with description and your company logo;
• Tax note issue;
• Your client chooses how to pay the invoice or invoice, which can be via credit card, PIX QRCode, bank transfer, PEC Flash, or cryptocurrency;
• Account deposits via credit card, PIX QR code, TED, bank transfer, PEC Flash, and cryptocurrency;
• Online and exclusive support during business hours and much more!

Speedy.io helps you manage your finances while you focus on what matters most: delighting your customers.

And the best: no monthly fee or membership fee.

Discover the benefits of the Speedy.io payment account

Visit the website to learn more!