Courtesy – Mukumbura at Flickr.com
You have quite your regular 9 to 5 job and is on the verge of becoming a full fledged freelancer in whatever field you have chosen. But the first year as a freelancer is really tough, so you must have heard experienced freelancers asking you not to quit your regular job until you establish a strong client base. It is true that you will not be able to give full dedication to your job if you are trying to establish a foundation in your freelancing career and still managing a full time job. The demands of the two will burn you out, so you have to take it easy and establish relations with your clients (in a freelancing career, you don’t have bosses) and then let them know that you will available for more work. Every business venture has its teething problems, and it is easy to get disheartened, especially when you are not flooded with offers. However, the trick is to do your job well, ask for endorsements and recommendations and then plunge ahead. Make use of every opportunity and put your best foot forward all the time.
Remember these tips as well:
Keep your spirits high
You may be doing freelancing of the same kind of 9 to 5 job, for example, if you have been working as a web designing in a company, you can decide to become a freelance web designer. You may have had explicit achievements and accolades to show for your regular job. But when it comes to freelancing, you have to prepare a unique portfolio and then often, the first response that you get from a prospective client may not very positive. It is easy to lose heart in such cases, especially if you mean to supplement your income by freelancing. There is no time to waste because competition is getting stiffer by the day. So try to win plump projects and really do a good job on them.
Plan for a freelancing career earlier on
If you intend to turn to a freelancing career, you will need to plan for it earlier. For example, if your passion is writing, then you will need to have a portfolio of published articles to show. In that case, you don’t have to spend much time making a portfolio. True, your writing maybe raw in the initial years, but published articles are published articles; they have a value of their own.
Overestimating or underestimating your schedule
It often happens to inexperienced freelancers; they either take too little or too much. Different assignments require different time-frames to complete. Have an idea of how much time each task will take and then allot your time to each. Sometimes you will have to give up a plump project to fulfill a prior commitment, but your word is very important. Meeting deadlines is very important in a freelancing career. After you a complete a few projects, you will have an idea of how to dedicate time for each project.
Tread cautiously
Your first year as a freelancer is very important. Just because you happened to cinch a good project doesn’t mean the client will pay you. The internet is a huge world where fraudulent people are hidden in every nook and cranny. Just because you are eagerly awaiting your first main assignment, doesn’t mean you have to offer your services for free. Recognize the signs – when a client asks you to provide a sample, be wary, he must have asked that to several other people before you and is looking for free work. Do not start work without asking for and receiving an advance. You are not in any charity program.