Freelancing-Is It Worth It?
With the recent pandemic changing the work culture dramatically in almost every sector, there has been a remarkable increase in people leaving their jobs and trying to provide services online on various platforms. Most of these masses consist of young people passionate to harvest their skills and reach out to more people globally. Thus freelancing has revived again, and the graphs are soring high as clients from different areas outsource their jobs to talented freelancers. The most significant advantage that these clients gain is that the rates are low for hiring these freelancers, and clients have more options as they receive multiple proposals for their jobs. This article will explore the dimensions of freelancing in the present world and how you can benefit as a freelancer.
Numerous platforms provide interfaces for freelancers and clients to interact. Some of the known ones are Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, People Per Hour, and many others. These websites attract freelancers by offering them low service fees or better client connectivity. By far, the standard of Upwork has been the leading one in most cases as they allow clients to hire freelancers from remote areas. Other websites like LinkedIn offer a more official approach to freelancing, and usually, the hiring process is similar to that of applying for a job on this platform. With that said, it is not an easy task to build your portfolio as a beginner on any of these platforms unless you have strong links. But many of the freelancers who are now top-rated on these platforms were once beginners in their field. The key is to stick around and not give up because, as they say, “slowly and steady, wins the race.”
For clients, freelancing has changed everything. Clients post their jobs from remote areas because they know that hidden talent is somewhere on these platforms. But the real advantage that the clients have here is that they have more control over the hiring process.
Considering Upwork, the usual process is that the client posts a job and then mentions his budget-a method which is not available in the conventional hiring process. Then the freelancers reach out to these potential clients through their proposals in which they say their cover letters (formal invites), any samples of their past work, and their rates, which are usually below the client’s mentioned budget. Then the client can independently choose from these proposals, and they have the option to go for an interview or online chat before they hire the freelancer. These processes show that clients have a complete check on the hiring process. Most of the clients here are looking to outsource their jobs and looking for people who can get the job done on a relatively small budget.
For freelancers, there are a lot of opportunities to explore the vast world and reach out to international clients. But for a freelancer to succeed on such international levels, there is more than just a single skill required. A freelancer should have a grip on his skills, but more than that, he should be able to do proper marketing of that skill using clear-cut portfolios. Moreover, a freelancer should understand accounting more than average to manipulate the budget of a particular job in his favor. Last but not least are the communication skills of a freelancer. Your communication gains more importance when you are a beginner on a particular platform. Many experts suggest that you go for an online course regarding communication skills before opting for freelancing.
Considering these facts, it is evident that freelancing is not easy. But you can not truly upgrade yourself by sitting in your comfort zone. There will always be a time when you will have to quit your comfort zone, and for successful people, this time generally arrives early in their lives.
Side hustles are part and parcel of students. These activities give students immense chances to progress in their fields by practically understanding their skills. Among the various jobs posted on these websites are related to content writing, graphics designing, and website development. These fields are not accessible because there is creativity in all of them, and creativity has no boundaries. There are many subclasses of these fields that specify the types of jobs available on these platforms. Nonetheless, it is never too late to start learning any particular skill.
In the age of the internet, acquiring skills is becoming more accessible, as many platforms offer online courses. The only hurdle people face while going for such options is their comfort zone. If you are interested in drawing, you can go for fabulous options in graphics designing categories. The recent changes that had occurred globally have proven that nothing is permanent and that you will have to keep revolutionizing yourself if you have any intention to succeed in your life. Freelancing can help you out initially in setting the pace for you. So, it is safe to conclude that freelancing is genuinely worth it if you spend the right amount of time.
