Freelancing allows you to have complete control over how you perform. Like a professional, you may operate from anywhere at any moment. Such attractive benefits are fuelling the rise of freelance gigs. Upwards of one-third of the American workforce presently works freelance gigs in some way.
According to FastCompany magazine- 50% of the U.S. workforce will be freelancing by 2027.
Clients want effective freelancers to address challenges in practically every sector and skill set. Hiring a freelancer offers the client an opportunity to explore talent outside the organization without the burden of fixed overheads. As a freelancer, you are your boss. It’s a win-win for both the client and the freelancer.
The most common freelancing professions are listed below:
- Software developers, Programmers
- Designers (Graphic, UI/UX)
- Digital marketing specialists
- Inside Sales, Pre-Sales
- Content Writers (Technical, Feature, Copy, etc.)
- Finance professionals (Accountants, Tax experts, PF, etc.)
- Database specialists
- Virtual assistants
- Consultants (Business, Marketing, Supply chain, HR, Finance)
- Photographers & Videographers (including pre and post-production services)
- On-demand services/Last-mile deliveries (Uber, Urban Co., Amazon, Zomato, etc)
- Beauticians & therapists
- Tutors
- Event organizers
The Freelance Gig Economy
Working freelancing gigs is becoming increasingly popular nowadays due to the convenience of not having to work a regular 9 to 5 schedule. According to a report by BCG – the Gig economy could potentially serve up to 90 million jobs; add 1.25 % to India’s GDP (gross domestic product)
Even though some individuals see freelancing as a method to ignore their orthodox way of working from the office, businesses thrive on obtaining unique skills for particular tasks at a lower cost.
One may debate whether hiring a freelancer is really at a low cost versus a permanent hire for the job. While on a per-hour basis, one may find a freelancer’s cost to be higher, however when you consider costs (administrative, statutory, etc) associated with a permanent hire, you will find hiring a freelancer is cost-economical.
Individuals must realize that freelancing is not “temporary” employment. Freelance talent is highly skilled and competent, and the services are time-bound. Freelancers get paid only if the job is complete. Good freelancers are an asset to Clients and can provide a sustainable income for them. Freelancers need mobility and flexibility. They almost always get it.
Digital Nomads Working Freelance Gigs
Freelancing can result in a lifestyle change, and that’s why we see the rise in Digital Nomads all over the world. Digital nomads are location-independent individuals who work remotely. They leverage technology to deliver their job and at times work among other nomads like a community.
Marketplaces To Work Freelance Gigs
Now that we have looked upon the aspects that make freelancing somewhat more appealing than a regular job, let’s look at what are some of the best marketplaces to find freelance work in the first place. These platforms streamline the entire process of posting a task, finalizing a bid, payments, and project management support.
(Boston Consulting Group)
Upwork
Upwork is among the most popular and probably the largest freelancing platform there. Upwork deals with a diverse variety of jobs, spanning disciplines from information technology and coding, marketing, content writing, accountancy, and administrative support.
(upwork.com)
Fiverr
Fiverr is indeed one of the best freelance platforms out there that links freelancers with company owners who need help with multiple projects that can be worked on from home, such as web designing, content writing, on-call sales, etc. The jobs on Fiverr are called gigs, and for a good reason as in a way, these are contract-based gigs.
(fiverr.com)
One more freelancing website wherein freelance professionals and businesses from all over the world collaborate on various tasks is freelancer.com. Clients can post a job, receive bids, locate a specialist, pay, and manage the job through this platform.
(freelancer.com)
Toptal is an exclusive global club of the world’s best freelance software engineers, writers, financial experts, software developers, and project managers.
(toptal.com)
Flexjobs is a platform that focuses on work-from-home offers and flexible career possibilities, such as freelancing, part-time, contract-based, and full-time work. There are many different types of employment, ranging from training and education to media and writing.
(flexjobs.com)
With ContentGrow, you can shortlist appropriate content talent from anywhere in the world. You can share your brief and budget, and you’ll receive a response from writers who fit the bill.
(contentgrow.com)
How To Find Your Freelance Gig?
It can be quite challenging to find your first freelance gig, and almost as challenging to find your hundredth gig. This is because you will be on the edge when it comes to freelancing, as your current assignment will be over soon, and you will need to find work again. Unlike a full-time job, freelancing requires you to switch clients again and again as there is no permanency.
Follow these three easy steps to find your freelance gig as a beginner or a professional.
Define your service clearly
You need to tell your client exactly what you are offering so that the client can match your service with his requirements and make sure that he finds the perfect candidate for his project. It is critical to understand that clients are seeking a solution to problems. To be valuable and effective, you must first grasp the contractor’s condition and then use your services to solve their problem.
Filter your clients carefully
All freelance platforms mentioned in this article provide a feature called ‘filters’ in the search results. Explore these filters before searching for clients thoroughly. This is what will help you to filter out those search results that you can never work within the first place.
Perform well for the client
Your clients represent your company as a freelancer. Although this may appear apparent, it is critical to have a great working connection with your clients. Successful freelancers build relationships with clients instead of viewing the job as a one-time event. Establishing a good relationship can result in recurring business and customer recommendations.
How To Build A Portfolio To Bag Freelance Gigs
Let’s take the case of a freelance writer.
Building a portfolio is especially important in landing your gigs as a freelancer. This is because one of the first things that any contractor or client will ask of you is either your CV or your work portfolio. This is what helps them to get an idea of how you work, and especially as a writer if you show them what all pieced you have worked on before, the client will compare your work to his requirements and if you feel like a good fit for him, then you will be hired.
Simply keep adding all those write-ups that you have created on your own in any cloud storage or local storage. The point is to provide one link to simply share one folder with your potential client so that it becomes easy for him to navigate through. You can even categorize your write-ups based on the different content types that you may have written before such as articles, blogs, company profiles, press releases, etc.
Beginner tip: if you haven’t worked for anyone before and don’t know what to share with your clients, then take a day, come up with a few blog ideas, and start creating your work samples from scratch. This can help you to get started until you can share your published work. Also, some clients would like to have copyrights on your write-up piece, and if they have already mentioned it to you, then it is best to not use their write-ups in your portfolio.
It’s A Wrap On Freelance Gigs For Now
Are you prepared to start freelancing?
It is all up to you. As a freelancer, you have complete control over your business and get to make all the choices. It’s not all fun and requires discipline. Freelancing is a serious business. It’s never too late to start. Clients are actively seeking fresh solutions to their issues, and your freelance services might be the answer.