Freelancing Guide for Absolute Beginners : 2021

Freelancing is a term you must have come across a lot over the past few years. You might also have met a bunch of people who call themselves “Freelancers.” In 2021 many are opting for freelancing jobs than regular ones. Are you one of those many too? If yes, you have landed on the right page to talk about freelancing for beginners.

Who is a Freelancer?

A freelancer is a person who works online to generate an income through the services she or he can offer online. They mostly work remotely from wherever it suits them best. Most work from their homes’ comforts, while others choose internet cafes, libraries or coffee shops to work. Even though many freelancers work all their hours online, many work part-time to earn an extra income. You have an additional skill? Can you write killer content or design a unique creative? Then you can opt for freelancing and earn some extra dollars!

The first step in freelancing for a beginner

Initially, a freelancer always focuses on figuring out the services he can provide online. Think deeper and jot down everything you can do best. Take your life experiences, for example, and see what skills you have learnt or what skills are a part of you naturally? Examples of freelancing jobs online include the following:

• Web Designing
• Content writing
• Video editing
• Photography
• Photo editing
• Web development
• SEO
• Virtual Assistant
• Digital Marketing, and many more!
• Social Media Management

For beginners, it is ideal that they choose a more comfortable service to gain more experience and exposure in the world of freelancing.

Find a Job online

Once you have decided what skill-set you specialise in, it’s time to focus on landing your first client. Where do you find a client looking for the services that you offer? The answer to the question above is that multiple online platforms offer buyers and sellers to buy and sell services. Examples of such communities include Upwork, freelancer.com, Fiverr, outsourcely, probloggers and many more. Another way you can find a potential client is by staying active on many Facebook groups and pages that let people post when they are looking for a particular service. With hundreds of clients to choose from, freelancers have the freedom to choose between the clients they prefer working with. They then approach that client and offer them their services. You can do the same but better. To look better show your client how capable you are by providing possible solutions to their worries.

Steer your career path in the right direction

Let's talk about how you can take advantage of being self-employed by making your own career decisions. Once you have worked for a first few client's focus on the following tips next:

• Figure out your strengths and weaknesses. Work on your weaknesses to make yourself better at a job and use your strengths to find better clients.
• See if a client values your work and pays you an amount worth all the effort you make. Keep working with such a client and maintain a healthy relationship with him/her. Lose the clients who do not have the kind of respect for your endeavour that it needs. A good client will always appreciate the efforts you make.
• Establish yourself on a bigger and better platform as an experienced freelancer. If you have been working with local client's, it's time you move on and try getting clients from sites that offer more for a freelancer. Dig deeper for better agencies or companies to work to build more work experience.
• Create a portfolio by buying your domain for a website. Showcase your abilities and services you have offered in the past. Talk about all your past experiences and client appreciation on the website. Write a couple of blogs or more to show your knowledge on a specific subject matter. Keep updating your website by adding more articles every month. Also, keep adding your work experiences as you complete more tasks one by one.

Final Thoughts for a Beginner

With freelancing, you are your boss. You can always let go of something that is not exciting enough for you. Moreover, As a beginner, never think that you don't have enough experience, to begin with. You will never be able to initiate a freelancing career that way! Leap at the first client you think needs the kind of services you can provide well. Finally, always remember to maintain the quality of your work regardless of the payout you are getting. Sometimes you need to choose a task just for the sake of gaining experience and adding value to your portfolio.