6 Things I've Learnt From Freelancing This Past Year

Publié le - Dernière modification le

Including things like reading a client's mind basing on their writing, asking for more money, sniffing wrong clients and more.

This past year has only been gone 6 months, but it seems like a whole year for me already. Freelancing has continued to make me smile wider by making my ends meet, but that's not all I can say for this Godsend of a work-at-home programme.

Following months of exposure to different clients and fellow freelancers, I have grown to learn a nuI have hmber of interesting aspects that may apply, not only to earning money from my table by the window, but to getting more out of every day I live.

Some of them you've probably heard, others you may have experienced too. The list is all inclusive.

Honesty and professionalism are key

Besides showing that you understand what your client requires when you are writing your bid proposal, make it a point to stay honest all through.

Yes, I know a lie or two here or there can get you a job in a field you're not well versed in, but that's just a short term shortcut. It never pays off well in the end for most people.

Start by bidding on projects on you can actually do. Then tell the client what you can do, and show that you expect him/her to be as honest with you as you are planning to be with them.

As for professionalism, it always seeps through your proposal depending on what you write and how you express yourself.

Show your client that you're a professional by taking charge of the situation and showing them in detail what you will do once they hire you.

PS: Clients prefer hiring freelancers that appear more knowledgeable than them in the field of interest.

Aim for repeat hire

Freelancer.com doesn't label your repeat hire rate across your profile page for design purposes only. Higher repeat hire rates signify a freelancer that clients love working with so much that they'll look for them every time they post a project.

In my time as a freelancer, I've been hired twice by each of my clients for different projects. I've learnt to always cultivate a relationship with the client such that they choose to hire me again when a new project comes up, even if it's after a couple of months.

Getting new jobs everyday is rewarding financially, but nothing beats getting hired by the same person more than once.

Don't fear the big or long term jobs......

Many folks on freelancer.com still log in everyday to look for the 1-day jobs that will earn them a quick buck, small or not. That's why editing and proofreading projects (in the writing section) always seem to generate over 25 bids in less than 4 minutes.

Forget the ease of the job or its short duration for once. Long term jobs can be quite paying, especially if it's pay per hour. They might come with seemingly Herculean tasks at first sight, but that shouldn't send you scampering off.

Look deeper and consider how long the project could take and how you could fit into your daily timetable.You don't have to keep logging in every day for two months. Snap those long term jobs already!

....but bite off only what you chew

Despite the job security and ease that comes with long term or bulky projects, avoid going off with a project you can't handle.

If a project might take up all your personal time in the long run or stall another project you're in the middle of, skip it. YES, skip it, however enticing it might be.

I once accepted a long term project that made me consider quitting freelancing by the time I was half way through with it.

I hated myself, I hated the project and felt consumed through and through. Even with a pay rate that was biweekly and good enough, my love to work only dissipated further every day.

If a project requires you to do more than you think the client is paying you for, skip it altogether. Low fees are acceptable for short, 1-day projects, but not for 3 month projects that may leave your skin whiter than ice and divert all your family time.

Keep an open mind

Freelancing is largely based on our creative forces, which means that each job might come with new artistic demands.

Whether you're a coder, a graphic designer, an illustrator or a content writer, there's a wide range of artistic forces within you that should help your work appear desirable and unique each time.

As a writer, I have found myself being offered projects about topics I could never have imagined writing about in my life. I never pass them on because of that: instead, I accept them and use the opportunity to go on a research trip.

You've got to jump out of your comfort zone and reach for new ideas and goals, regardless of how challenging they are. Who knows what your new project might require?

Quality service can not be understated.

Quality is quality.

Quality work will get you chosen over freelancers with thrice your number of reviews anyday. If you doubt it, ask me.

In the last 5 months, I have applied to projects where fellow bidders with over 2000 reviews have been skipped in my favour, and I don't attribute it to luck.

Qualifications (such as the UK and US English Level Tests) are necessary, but quality work done for previous employers will always raise your flag higher than your fellow bidders'.

There's a world of opportunities on Freelancer, but only the freelancers with the right tools are getting them. Use some of the tips above to hone your bidding power and employability.

What have you learnt from your time as a freelancer? Post in the comments below.

Publié 4 août, 2017

ssmedg

Writer,Editor

I am a first class degree graduate of English from Makerere University and have worked as an writer,editor and proofreader for different student journals, blogs, websites and magazines. I am good at both written and spoken English and have been creating content for as long as I can remember, with a specialty to young adults in various fields of interest. My services are quick, cheap. and professio...

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