A freelancing guide for beginners

Things have changed a lot since the pandemic. Companies and schools went from physical to virtual meetings. Malls, restaurants and other establishments closed and transportation temporarily stopped.

We cannot avoid the fact that the world has entered a new phase. This is now the new normal that we should all slowly adapt. Financial and business experts have already said that online selling and online jobs will be more in demand now. You might also be reading this article because you want to know more about freelancing or getting online jobs, you want to earn more income or find a more stable job or probably because of pure curiosity.

Now, let’s start with the main idea of this article. You might have a lot of questions on how to start or if you are qualified for this career even without a skill or experience. We will discuss these questions here. I am not an expert on this but I will be speaking from my 6-months experience in freelancing.

What do I need before I start freelancing?

1. Technical needs:

1. Desktop/laptop - You need a laptop or desktop to do online work. If you are wondering whether you need a high-spec laptop or can settle for a more affordable laptop, the answer is it depends. Some clients would have specific requirements. They will ask you to take a screenshot of your laptop’s specifications. It also depends on the type of job you will be doing. Typically, typing jobs such as data entry or writing jobs would not require high-spec laptops, but more specialized jobs need a more advanced laptop such as video editors and developers.

2. Internet connection - You need an internet connection to do online jobs. Just like the laptop specifications, the internet speed requirements depend on your line of work. Some clients will require high-speed connections, while others don’t. Keep in mind that investing on faster internet connections is a good investment nowadays.

3. Headset and microphone - This also depends on your work. Online teaching and customer service jobs require a headset with an external microphone. Some will only require you to use earphones because it can be needed during meetings and other discussions with your clients.

2. Skills:

One of the FAQs about freelancing is whether you can start a freelancing career even without skills or experience. The answer is yes, BUT not having a skill is not enough if you want to thrive and find a stable source of income through freelancing. You need to discover your niche or the skill you want to learn and develop then invest your time, effort and even money to hone yourself.

It is easy to learn things now, thanks to technology. You can learn a lot of things in just a single Google search. You can explore youtube videos if you don’t have the budget now to take online courses or if you want to explore freelancing skills first. You can also take free online courses through Udemy or Colzzky. Some may give you a certificate, but others won’t.

If you want a more structured way of learning and have the budget, you can go for an online course through Filipino Virtual Assistance Business Consultancy or other online academies. I already took two online courses with FVA business consultancy. My experience here is good. The self-paced video lessons, live sessions, certificates, and even the portfolio submissions did help me learn the skills to start my freelancing career.

Here’s a list of the most common freelancing skills that you might want to check:

1. Admin support

2. Data entry

3. Transcription

4. Online teaching

5. Customer service

6. E-commerce VA

7. Real estate VA

8. Graphic design

9. Video editing

10. Social media management and marketing

11. SEO or search engine optimization

12. Lead generation

13. Research

14. And many other jobs

Now, you might be asking, “Can I get a client even without experience?” The answer is yes. I landed on three clients (2 full time and 1 part-time) a month after I finished my first online course. It took me a month to find clients because of the competition, but with determination, patience and a lot of resume, portfolio and profile improvements, I landed on three jobs. If I was able to do that, I bet you can too! You can actually do more than that!

By the way, I am an education graduate and I am now working as a social media manager, virtual assistant and editor for my clients. My degree is different from my career now. This only means that your educational background is NOT a hindrance. With the right timing and skills, you will land on your first client soon.

Lastly, another FAQ is whether you need excellent English skill. This also depends on your work. If you are a writer, CSR or online teacher, you must be fluent enough. Some clients will require you to take an English exam to identify the level of your English. On the other hand, some clients will only require basic English speaking and writing skills. Fear not a lot of free English courses are also available on the web. You can take one if you are not confident enough. English can also be developed with a lot of practice. :)

3. Physical:

Whether you need a noise-free environment depends on your line of work. If ever you are teaching online or receiving calls from customers and you have a noisy environment, you can invest in noise cancellation headsets. You can also use the Krisp app to minimize the noise during calls when using selected apps.

What really matters here is that you provide yourself a simple workspace. It is hard to discipline yourself and work at a specific time, especially when you are used to working in an office space. So, to set your mind and body, a workspace is necessary. It can be a corner of your room with proper lighting, a desk and a comfortable chair.

Now for the time element, some clients need part-time workers while others need full-time employees. There are also full-time jobs with flexible working hours, while others will require you to work on their country’s time zone. Fixed-rate jobs, meaning you are not paid per hour because your salary is output-based, are usually flexi-time jobs. Tip: if you want to work on a time zone near ours, look for an Australian or Singaporean client.

A lot of people are also asking if it is possible to work on more than one job. The answer is a big yes! It depends on your schedule, type of work, and time management. As long as you can still submit quality outputs without disregarding your health, you can get 2 or more clients. How cool is that?

Landing on your first client as a freelancer

Now that you are prepared physically, technically, and mentally to work as a freelancer, here are some tips to help as you venture on this new career path:

1. Upwork is not the only platform you can use to search for clients. Most of the newbie freelancers look for clients in Upwork alone. Upwork is a good platform, but the competition here is high and will require you to buy “connects” to submit job proposals. We will discuss this further soon. Here are some other platforms you can try:

- Onlinejobs.ph

- LinkedIn

- Facebook, IG

- Hubstaff

- Fiverr

2. Competition can be high depending on your skill, so prove yourself worthy of the position. This is why you need to invest time, effort and even money into your chosen niche. Investing in yourself is the most significant investment you can make because no one can take it from you. By the way, never choose a niche just because it earns a lot or only a few people are taking it. Choose a niche that you will really like so that your job does not become a burden but a passion, a fulfillment.

3. Be careful of scammers

We cannot deny the fact that there are a lot of scammers out there. You have to be extremely vigilant so that you will not waste time and money on the wrong people. Research about their background. Use LinkedIn or Facebook to look for their accounts. Check their payment and job history if you are using Upwork.

Here are other tips to help you avoid scammers:

- Never pay in advance or upon sign-up

- Never take a sample job unless you think that is really necessary... YOUR RESUME will speak for you

- Upwork users: Be careful of payment unverified clients. This is not the case for all, but you have to be critical and wise when submitting proposals to clients with unverified payments. Also, never start work without a contract.

- Never give your account details, whether it is a bank account or social media accounts.

4. It takes time, patience and hard work

As the old saying goes, there is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs. Landing on your first client is the hardest part, but the moment you have earned enough experience, it will be easier. Never stop learning, never give up on submitting proposals clients because at the right time, you will get that client.

I still have a lot of things to share, so join me on my next blog about freelancing. Before I end, I would like to answer another commonly asked question about freelancing: Should I leave my corporate job and focus on freelancing? Well, freelancing might indeed help you earn more compared to your corporate job. However, immediately leaving your corporate job is not advisable. This is just my advice but, as much as possible, have at least 6-months worth of savings before leaving your job. Freelancing jobs can become unstable at the start. It may take time for you to land on a client or your client may end your contract suddenly due to various reasons such as bankruptcy, crisis and other personal reasons. This is why you need to have an emergency fund.

I will leave another quote as I end this article: “Your success is on the other side of fear.” If you think you are not qualified or experienced or skillful enough, just take that leap of faith and see where the new road takes you. You will never know unless you try it.

If you have any questions, comment down below!