This entry is two-fold; it's informational and insightful and for those reasons, it will run through the month of September. First, it will give you a peek into the world of freelancers (such as yours truly) and two, it will pose the question many freelancers have – do I have what it takes to turn freelancing into a full-time income generator?
Let's start by answering a few other questions. “What is freelancing?” Basically, freelancing is “working independently" and is considered a form of “self-employment.” You do not report to a traditional job or put in the traditional 9-to-5 workday; you are not paid a traditional salary or benefits. You pick and choose work based on your personal interests and skill-sets and you are paid once the project is complete. Simply put, you are working on your terms, and your “office” is either the local coffee shop (love that aroma) or a sandy beach with a breath-taking view of the ocean (or in my case, the lake).
So let's take a look at how this can become a reality for you. An employer (oops! -- I mean a business owner – who does not necessarily need a full time staff person but needs a project completed, posts the job on a freelance website. The project in this case will be 2 hours of transcription that will probably take about 4-5 hours to complete. You (aka “freelancer”) apply for and are awarded the assignment. Two hours or two day later, the project is complete and you submit your invoice for payment. The business owner is very happy with the project and promptly pays the invoice. Once any administrative fees are subtracted, you are also happy because you have received payment for a job well done! Keep in mind that many projects do not pay well in the beginning and you will be tempted to skip over these. However, I would suggest getting your feet wet as soon as possible to get your name and skill-sets out there in the “freelance community”. Even if your first few projects are less than imagined, you will be excited to see the deposits made to your account.
Finally, there are many ways to build a freelance career but where do you start? What resources are available? What types of projects will you work on and is freelancing for you? Trust me, you will ask yourself these questions and many more. I could list some of the answers here but if you are like me, you might want to explore on your own. There are a host of resources available but here are my suggestions for getting started. Visit Crowdsource.com, Upwork.com (formerly O-Desk), and Guru.com. These sites offer projects that are available once you set up your “free” account. For higher paying projects (the projects that require specific skill-sets and expertise), you may be required to take a few tests or in the case with Guru – increase your membership which includes additional fees. If all of this sounds intriguing still, you must then answer the following questions:
Are you willing to sit for hours, reviewing and applying for potential jobs?
Are you willing to work on assignments for small amounts of money versus a 9-to-5 and benefits?
Are you curious and excited enough about freelancing to give it a try?
If you answered Yes to any of these, I say go for it! -- but don't quit your day job just yet. Rome wasn't built in a day and most likely your earnings won't be either. So what's the plus side? While I can't speak for others, for me it's the thrill of running my own business, earning extra income no matter how small, and the potential to make a living, working on my terms.
