Freelance work takes a very different approach to job seekers searching for conventional employment.
A freelance role is ideal for those who want control over their professional lives or who desire a lot of variety in their workdays.
But where do you start looking for freelance work to begin with and how do you develop your income?
1. Network, Network, Network
You need to ensure that your CV is up to date and reflects all of your professional achievements, contacts, and accolades from previous employment or professional activities. Always think of your network as a foundation on which you may build future employment opportunities.
When it comes to considering your network and who’s in it, don’t be limited; contacts for future freelance work may come from any source, including past professional coworkers, family, neighbours, and friends both real and virtual.
2. Attend Industry Groups
Making connections with individuals in your chosen sector may lead to some leads. Identifying and joining trade and industry associations is a fantastic approach to meeting like-minded people. Attend conferences and gatherings sponsored by independent professional organisations in your area as well.
3. Use Social Media
Job seekers may use social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other platforms to promote themselves during their job search. These days, the vast majority of businesses use social media to locate the brightest new talent. If the hiring managers are congregating on these sites, it’s only natural that you should be there too.
Search for phrases and hashtags that are relevant to the position you’re looking for, such as “freelance tutoring” or “freelance software developer.” You may also share with your followers what sort of employment you want and how to make connections to assist you to find work.
4. Search Job Sites
Sites such as Upwork, People Per Hour and FlexJobs are fantastic places to begin your search for freelance work! While there are several job sites available, these sites can guarantee you a secure job search that isn’t tainted by fraud or deceptive opportunities, which is often one of the most challenging aspects of finding freelance employment.
As a freelancer, you’ll be spending a lot of your time looking for work and projects. Using job sites takes some of the legwork out of your search since they track down and authenticate job posts from across the internet and group them into distinct career categories for fast searching.
5. Don’t be Afraid of Cold Pitching
Do you have skills that would be beneficial to a company down the road? Send them an email! Cold pitching is when you send an email or a text to potential customers in an attempt to recruit them. To make it worth your while, you must be picky with whom you contact and personal in your communication.
Potential clients will be able to tell if you’re just sending out a lot of emails to a lot of people, much as they would with applying for more conventional work. It’s critical to establish contact with those who have expressed interest in working with you, and it may help you refine your message if they’re a potential fit for the position. Take some time to research firms that specialise in the area where you want to work and reach out to only those who seem like good matches for your talents.
6. Create Your Own Website
To get freelance work, no matter what sector you work in, you must show it off. To promote your talents and accomplishments, use your own website.
A simple website that gathers information about your clients work is a good place to start.
Must haves should include:
- Who you are, why you do what you do, and what your professional experience is, create an About You page.
- Advertise your accomplishments, create a Projects page (or something similar) on your website to highlight what you’ve accomplished for customers.
- Create a Testimonials page for clients to praise the good work you’ve done.
- A Contact page to allow visitors to contact the business.
- Up to date content.
A website builder could be a good choice for you if you want a great way to get a quick website up and running with no prior knowledge needed. Or you can create your own with a little research. My personal favourite is WordPress for creating websites.
7. Join LinkedIn
LinkedIn already has a large network. You may reach contacts by joining groups, networking with your network and posting on their site.
A strong conclusion is a good place to start. This is essential for two reasons. First, the summary is the first thing that visitors to your profile will see. Take the time to explain why someone should consider hiring you.
Second, your summary is used by LinkedIn to assist you in determining what search results you appear in. The more keywords you use in your summary, the more likely it is that you will show up in a search result.
However, don’t just throw random keywords in your summary. Make sure you’re using the “correct” keywords in your niche in a relevant way. The more focused terms you use, the more likely people will be looking for you specifically rather than someone else in general.
Finally, you may add media to your profile to spice it up. Nothing beats showing clients what you’ve accomplished. So, whether it’s a link to a live site you built or a static picture for a customer, include samples to show that you have the abilities you claim.
8. Collect References
Skipping the request for recommendations or testimonials is a common mistake that many business owners make. It may be difficult to ask for one. However, because it is becoming increasingly common for individuals to give feedback on everything, it may not be as aggressive as you believe.
It also offers a chance to show off your talents and achievements and builds trust for potential clients. It’s an excellent marketing tool that allows you to showcase what you’ve done in the past. Plus, it’s a great method for demonstrating your abilities and accomplishments. There is nothing more impressive than a delighted client.