Guide for freelancing  beginers

Freelancing has a lot to do with it. Flexibility to set your hours. The ability to increase your prices whenever you want. The final freedom to be your own boss.

 

Maybe it will be enough to tempt you to continue and quit your full-time job, right now.

 

But she is smart.

 

You know that it will not be easy to find private jobs. He understands that working freely will bring challenges, as well as opportunities. 

 

We will help you decide if freelancing is the right approach for you.

 

What is freelancing and how does it work?

 

 

A beginner's guide to Freelancing

 

What is freelancing?

Freelancing means providing services as a self-employed person. You will probably take on the independent work of several different clients, perhaps working a few hours each week for each client. You will charge an hourly rate or project cost.

 

The pros and cons of self-employment

So what's the best thing about freelancing? And what might make you think twice?

 

Let's look up and down:

 

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Benefits of being an independent professional

1. Make money by doing something you love

freelancing perk

 

One of the great benefits of freelancing is spending most of your day doing something you love.

Do you enjoy writing? Maybe you will take on freelance writing jobs as a copywriter or blogger.

Do you like art?

 You could start an independent graphic design business.Did you teach yourself the program? There is a lot of independent work in software development.There are all sorts of independent jobs out there, but some of the most common will fall into one of these broad areas:

Writing services: copying, editing, SEO writing, technical writing, proofreading, and more.

Photographic services: logos, websites, printed materials, infographics, book covers, and more.

Software development services: mobile applications, plugins, websites, desktop software, and more.

Administrator services: include functions such as data entry, email management, communication forum management, booking trips, and more.

Are there any of these attractions? Is there anything on this list that you can do for fun?

 

2. Be your own boss

freelancing perk

 

At some point, you may have dreamed of being your own boss.

When you become a successful freelancer, you are in full control. That may be difficult, but it is also something that many private individuals can consider giving up.

You get to decide which projects to take. You get to reject clients you don't want to work with. No one tells you what to do.

You even get a raise. Once you have established a large number of customers who are happy with your work, you can easily set your prices high.

3. Schedule your own hours and circumstances

freelancing perk

Unless the type of remote work you do involves providing your customers with time-sensitive support, they will not care what hours you work. You can work from 5 a.m. to noon and finish the day. 

This is a great benefit of freelancing, especially if you have children or care responsibilities. You can be independent at bedtime, or while your children are at school or kindergarten.

Also, working freely means you can plan your work for hours if you are very careful and productive.

You may be surprised at how much you can do in just a few hours.

4. Work from home (wherever you want)

freelancing perk

By 2020, people all over the world are finally working at home. Some could not wait to return to the office - but many liked it.

If you love your place and the comfort of your home, you will love to work from home. You can set up your workplace the way you like, listen to whatever music you want, and even take an afternoon nap.

Well, after 2020, you may feel tired of your four walls. There are many other options available, such as local cafes, public libraries, and workspaces.

Some independents live a “digital nomad” life: with a laptop and internet connection, you can work anywhere in the world.

While that may not be a viable option until COVID is properly managed, it is really worthwhile to look forward to in the future.

5. Work with people you love only

freelancing perk

Have you ever had a colleague you didn't get along with? In a normal work environment, stick to anyone hired by your boss or supervisor. 

Whether it's a co-worker in the office who is always talking, a stupid colleague, or a boss who always treats you lightly ... co-workers can make a great job into a nightmare.

But in your private life, you can choose who you work with. If the client shows too much pain, you can dismiss it. Even better, you can actively seek clients and businesses you really want to work with.

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Disadvantages of private jobs

There are a number of self-employment benefits, as we have just seen. But there are other obstacles to overcome.

1. You will need to plan your health insurance

This is a major distraction for many potential freelancers and small business owners in the US and abroad other than national health systems. If your health insurance is with your employer, self-insurance can have a significant impact on your home budget.

Of course, you will still have health insurance options. For example, if your partner is employed, you may be able to join his program. In the worst case scenario, you can simply pay for health insurance privately.

No matter what your specific situation is, make sure you know what is available and how you will cover health insurance before quitting your job.

2. There may be more managers than you expect

Managing your small business involves a lot of work that will not have a direct impact on your bottom line. As a private contractor, you spend a lot of time on things like accounts, taxes, emails, marketing, social media, project management, and so on.

You will not be able to charge for every 40 hours of your working week. Instead, you may charge 20 to 25 hours. So don’t make the big mistake of comparing your free work rate per hour with what you did per hour in your day job.

3. You may feel lonely without your partner

While solitude for freelancing may be a straightforward perk, even strong introverts may not be enough for their company.

If you are used to having a colleague with you during the working day, working freely may seem lonely and unusual. You may find it difficult to focus without your regular social networking.

4. Your costs may increase

Although you may not be able to afford to go to work, you may find that your expenses increase. If you need a new laptop, a new chair, a new software, or any other independent software or tools, it should be out of your reach.

Depending on what you already have, and the type of freelancing you plan to do, your expenses may end up being a large portion of your income - at least in the first few months.

5. Your income will fluctuate, often in unexpected ways

 

As a freelancer, you are less likely to have a steady monthly income. Unless all your clients are constantly demanding the exact amount of work from you every month, your income will fluctuate significantly.

Some independents call this cycle a “feast or famine”. In one month, they may have to work hard to make ends meet, working hard to do it all. The following month the project is halted. They didn't want anything new, so they had little to do, and they didn't have enough money.

Worse yet, you may find that the money you are expecting is not realistic. The client may be late paying you, or the gig you rely on may fall.

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How freelancers make money in the gig economy

Maybe you've measured good and bad, and you want to keep going. The question on your mind right now is, "How can I start doing freelance work?"

There is no direct way to go freelancing.

Some private individuals have a good network of new customers through their LinkedIn contacts or with other private individuals. Some turn to markets like Upwork or Fiverr to get started, or seek out gigs on freelance writing sites like ProBlogger's job board.

Finally, freelancers make money by:

• Taking a particular gig, which may be one (“design my website logo”) or a general commitment (“write me a blog post weekly”).

• Charging hourly rate (e.g. $ 50 / hour) or project cost (e.g. $ 100 with a simple logo).

• Finishing work on time.

• Perform any necessary revisions. Determine with your client in advance how many rounds of updates you are prepared to do.

• Submitting client invoices.

• Paid, which is always a good moment!

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How do I start freelancing?

So how do you get started doing freelancing?

You can find Google's "independent functions" and hope to find something worthwhile. However, that could mean a downhill race with some new freelancers who are desperate.

Also, you will need a few items in place before you can start independent work.

Note: I think you already have a knack for what you do and you have some samples that you are proud of. Haven't arrived yet? Check out these tips on how to become a freelance writer for more guidance on developing your skills and portfolio.

Here's how to get started, right:

1. Make sure your work ethic is legal

In order to be able to work independently, you need to make sure that you are required to pay your taxes, and that you fill out any required forms.

For many freelancers, it makes sense to register as a self-employed person instead of a company. In the USA, this is called “sole proprietorship.”

However, you may want to seek professional advice on what will work best for your situation, especially when it comes to taxes. Building an LLC may be the best option for you.

2. Combine a simple portfolio to show potential customers

Whatever your freelancing niche, clients will want to see examples of your work. They need to know that you are right in what you are doing.

Before you start bidding for jobs, compile a writing portfolio. This should not be anything good. If you are a copyist, there may be examples of the copy you wrote. If you are a logo designer, it can be a web page with pictures of the logs you have created.

3. Create an email address that looks like a professional

If your regular email address is like Sparklybunny@hotmail.com or firefly4eva@yahoo.com… you will not make a better impression on your potential customers.

Ideally, you want an email address on your domain, such as name@yourdomain.com. If you do not already have a website running, a smart Gmail address is a good option.

Good options for your Gmail address include using your name, your first name, middle name, or your name and what you do (e.g. janedoewriter or johnsmithdesigner).

Even if you already have a smart email address, you may want to create a new freelancing system so you can easily distinguish between business and personal emails.

4. Create some form of online presence

If you are able to budget, the best option for your website is to set up a WordPress site that you own. This gives you more freedom and flexibility.

Setting up a website can be time consuming, however, and you may not want to create an entire website before you start doing freelancing. Some quick and free ways include:

• Creating a free website with WordPress.com, a commercial organization that offers a free basic program

• Setting up a free page on Out.me

• Creating a Facebook page for your private business

It is important to have something online so that your friends and contacts can easily identify potential clients with information about your services.

5. Let everyone know you will be working freely

If you are looking for a private job, it does not pay to be shy. Let everyone know you will be freelancing. Friends, family, former colleagues, and even high school students. Someone will have your gig (or you will have a friend you have).

Do not worry that you will be seen as annoying or hopeless. Unless you go further, your network will be happy with your change of job and willing to help.

Keep your message short and to the point: this is not the time to post a history of everything you have been on over the past decade.

Here is an example of what you can email:

Hello friends,

I got some good news. As of today, I am a freelance writer. I will be an expert at writing a copy for small businesses or startup websites - although I am also open to other gigs.

In case you need any copy of your business website, I would be happy to work with you. Or, if you know someone who is looking for an author, I would love to see you on my website: www.joesmithwriter.com.

Thank you,

Joe

6. Get your first paid gig (and continue)

Your first paid gig may appear in existing contacts. If you are really lucky, you can get several gigs going on in your network.

Many independents, however, find that this is only temporary. A few good places to turn to after this are:

• Agencies. These will have continuous self-employment for months or years to come. Do a little diligence, however, to make sure you only look for reputable organizations that pay well.

• High quality work boards or work sites. There are many different sites that list gigs: some of them have regular, well-paying functions, and some are not worth your time. For more great options, check out these lists of freelance writing boards and blogging sites.

7. Get proof from your customers

After completing a client project, ask him or her to give you proof. Most clients will be happy to offer one - but very few will do so without notice.

Proof of high quality is very important if your work is difficult to show by samples. If you are a virtual assistant, producer, or ghost; evidence may be a major factor in helping potential clients decide to hire you.