Everyone talks about how they make income from freelancing but nobody talks about how to get started, what to consider or avoid.
This blog will discuss exactly what working as a freelancer and share tips on getting started. Let’s begin.
What Is Freelancing
Freelancing is like steering your own boat; you get to choose your direction and set your own pace. Ever thought about trying it out yourself? You decide which job to take, when to work, and how to get it done!
It is a form of flexible work, working for yourself instead of being tied to a single employer. You offer your services to clients, usually for a specific task, without any long-term commitment.
What’s Driving the Rise of Freelancing Today
More and more professionals are leaving the traditional 9-to-5 job behind and turning to freelance jobs, with 47% of freelancers now offering knowledge-based services like marketing and programming. This shift shows how it is attracting skilled experts who want more flexibility and control over their work. Here are the major reasons:
Expansion of the Gig Economy
The gig economy is a labor market made up of short-term contracts and freelance work, which is different from traditional long-term employment. It’s driven by digital platforms that connect independent workers with people or businesses needing temporary or on-demand services.
The gig economy has transformed how professionals approach work, focusing on project-based, on-demand employment. Gig work fits into this by offering professionals the opportunity to pitch their work on different projects of their choice.
Change in Employer Preferences
Companies are increasingly seeing the advantages of bringing on freelancers for specialized, short-term projects, letting them tap into expert skills. This approach helps cut down on overhead costs, all while ensuring access to professionals when needed.
Navigating Uncertainty
Economic and global disruptions, such as pandemics, have shown the importance of having diverse earning channels. It provides versatility, thereby creating a foundation for future work models.
Advantages of Freelancing
Flexibility at its best
One of the key advantages of being a freelancer is that it gives you the liberty to decide when to work and how you work. This helps create a work-life balance that is in sync with your needs.
Unlocking Global Opportunities
Freelance work takes you out of your local job market to a global stage. This gives you invaluable collaboration opportunities and a chance to further your reach.
The Disadvantages of Freelancing
Unreliable Clients
There’s the problem of losing clients without prior notice. After developing connections with a client, they might suddenly reduce their budget or stop needing your services.
Lack of Employer Benefits
In a traditional job setting, employers provide their employees with job benefits like leave grants, insurance, or retirement plans. As a freelancer, it’s hard to get all this and you have to cover your expenses, which can add up massively in a short time.
Tips on How to Start Freelancing
Find a Niche
Explore different opportunities and target where you’re good. When focusing on a particular aspect, you’re getting a more specific segment of clients rather than the broad general market, which allows you to stand out more easily.
Create a Strong Portfolio
A portfolio is like an online CV. It shows your future employers your previous jobs and what you’re capable of. If by chance you don’t have a portfolio, you can focus on volunteering. Build your portfolio in a way that highlights your best services rendered and make it easily accessible in terms of sharing and readability.
Set Your Price
This is one of the most common problems that freelancers face. Make deep research on the price your fellow freelancers set for a particular service, and adjust yours to be fair but competitive, putting into consideration the type of work, the time spent, and the experience.
Put Yourself Out There on Social Media
Social media platforms like X, LinkedIn, and Upwork are potential ways you can easily pitch for gigs. Share your portfolio, engage with other professionals in your field, and connect more in groups to increase your chances of discovering potential job openings.
Pitch and Preserve Clients
Start by reaching out to people in small groups and applying on independent contracting platforms. Remember, keep every conversation professional, personalize your portfolio, and offer your services while keeping their requirements as the central focal point.
Common Freelance Job Platforms
Upwork
Upwork is one of the most trending platforms suitable for freelancing and not only limited to design, writing, development, and marketing. It is usable by both professionals and beginners. To sign up for Upwork, visit upwork.com and create a profile.
Fiverr
This allows freelancers to offer services starting at $5. It is a flexible platform for creative writers, User Generated Content creators, and more. Sign up on fiverr.com using your Facebook, Google account, or email.
Contra
Contra is a platform created for freelancers to build a professional portfolio, connect with clients, and showcase their projects for free. It charges no fees from what you earn, giving 100% back to them. Visit contra.com, sign up, build a portfolio, share your profile, and browse job openings.
These platforms and many others simplify the process of networking among freelance workers, finding jobs, and understanding the system. Each platform is unique and finding the right one that fits helps.
At Inside Success Nigeria, we’ve built our community on the foundation of preparing young people for economic challenges and opportunities alike. As global trade reshapes the economic landscape, we empower youth through workshops teaching recession-proof skills—like freelancing—and a paying Writers Program that amplifies young voices analyzing complex economic issues.
Our journey has shown us that when a group is strategically prepared, it becomes a force for economic transformation, and in the grand scheme of things, communities like ours are moving the needle in youth economic empowerment. If you’re passionate about building a thriving career, achieving financial independence despite global challenges, and connecting with like-minded professionals, we invite you to join us at Inside Success Nigeria.
Join our community today. Let’s build economic resilience and extraordinary futures together through freelancing!
Leave a Reply