“How do I start working as a freelancer?”
This is the top question every aspiring freelancer has in mind.
With countless resources online, it could be very confusing.
Which is which? What should you be learning about first? Where do you even begin?
If you have no experience and literally, have zero idea about how freelancing or work-from-home jobs operate, this short and easy-to-digest guide is for you!
What is online freelancing?
Three things — Internet, Service, Client.
Yup, only 3 keywords to help you understand the industry.
Online freelancing is a type of profession where a person (a.k.a the freelancer) offers services to clients over the Internet.
Freelancers are also referred to as Independent Contractors because they are generally not under the employment of any company. No benefits. No pension. No health insurance.
Yes, you read it right. The setup is quite different from working in a traditional corporate environment. You’ll be working as a self-employed individual, paying for your taxes and other government contributions.
If that is the case, why does it seem like everyone wants to try it?
Freedom, should I say?
Imagine yourself working using your laptop in your living area, in your bedroom, at a coffee shop, in the car, or wherever you can think of (as long as the internet is available).
Freelance jobs are flexible, letting you work anytime as long as you meet the deadlines or the required hours of work.
Not only does it give location and time freedom, but you can also sign as many clients as your time and energy can handle, giving freelancers unlimited earning potential each month.
Cool? “So how do I get started?”
1. Prepare your equipment
- Laptop or Desktop: You can use any brand with any specs. Whatever you have at the moment, I suggest using that. You can upgrade when you start earning. Ideally, it is best to invest in higher specs, but if you’re looking to buy now on a budget, you may go for at least an i3 processor and 8GB RAM.
- Internet Connection: Nowadays, most households are connected to Wi-Fi. But don’t get discouraged if you have no access to an internet connection just yet. You can start your learning journey via mobile data or pocket Wi-Fi (or whatever you’re using to read this blog). Once you’re ready or luckily, once you sign a client, you can then invest in a more stable connection.
- Headphones? Not required unless you’re applying for a voice job.
- Aesthetic setup? You can think about that later on.
2. Choose a service/skill to offer
If you already have a passion, interest, or relevant corporate skills in areas like writing, design, marketing, programming, communication, etc. you may also offer these skills online.
But if you’re someone who wants to shift away from your corporate niche and hasn’t yet figured out what new skill to explore, you may focus first on becoming a General Virtual Assistant before specializing in one skill.
Being a General VA would allow you to work in any industry of your choice doing a list of general admin tasks, and helping out the client on their day-to-day business operation.
More room for learning and discovery!
3. Learn about the ins and outs of your chosen skill
If you’ve chosen the General VA path, here’s a collection of 49 free training videos to help you get started. Another in-demand skill gaining popularity this past few years is Social Media Management.
If you’re interested in exploring other skills, you may maximize all the available resources online.
4. Build your online presence and portfolio
The most important part? This one. The phase where you are being called to take action.
Building your online presence is about introducing yourself as a human they can do business with. You can do this by creating an online page on at least one to two social media platforms. Where do your ideal clients usually hang out? Show up on those platforms and connect with them.
If you’re not a fan of social media, you can sign up on freelancing platforms like Upwork or OnlineJobs.ph where clients are posting job opportunities.
Building your portfolio is about showcasing how exactly you can help them. You don’t need a client to build a portfolio. You can create sample works for an imaginary business or your freelance business page.
5. Set up your payment system
How can international clients send you money? There are now multiple international money transfer apps like Wise, Payoneer, Paypal, and more!
You can invoice them via these platforms or you can manually create one in Canva using this free template.
Now that you’re all set and ready, you can finally start sending applications with a customized cover letter to make sure you stand out among hundreds of applicants online.
Apply to as many prospective clients as you can in a day. Remember that rejections would be a usual response (or you won’t receive a response at all!) but don’t get discouraged! Review which part you think needs to be improved, and check what seems to be working and what’s not.
Remember that one client can change your life. In the vast of entrepreneurs online, you need to find just one to get started.
So keep going!
For more freelancing tips like this, you can watch 100+ free training videos here.