A
Freelancer, or Free Agent, is someone who works on a contract or
freelance basis. As a freelancer you are acting as a specialist, or
expert, in your field. This is not to say you need dozens of awards
hanging on your wall, you just need to be proficient and knowledgeable
in the duties you perform.
Freelancers
are in high demand by employers for many reasons -when a project
deadline must be met, when the company lacks adequate expertise or
experiences sudden and explosive growth, and so on.
Many times
an employer simply cannot justify the additional expense associated
with hiring another employee. Since you are not an employee of the
company, you keep 100% of the money you earn and are responsible for
your own taxes. On the whole, you don’t have to be licensed, insured, or
have a business of your own. You just have to be a person that can do
the project.
Truly, this is self-employment at its best!
The type
of projects available for freelancers include accounting, translation
services, language consulting, creative writing, Web design,
programming, technical and business writing, data entry, Internet and
off-line research, and everything in between. Believe me, there are all
kinds of projects out there (including some really extravagant and
offbeat stuff).
To help you get familiar with the process of finding freelance work, let’s talk about some concepts you should be familiar with.
First,
when you take on a project you are promising to complete the specified
assignment within certain parameters… the time it will take you do the
project, the pay you expect for completing the project, etc.
For you to
get hired to do a project you must “bid” on it. The term “bidding” can
be misleading… you are not paying any money to get the job, rather you
are offering the employer a price you will accept to complete the
project.
Let’s say
you find a company seeking someone to write a series of press releases
for their new product line. You bid the project at $75 per press release
with three revisions allowed each. The company will likely have several
bids to look at, and will choose the service provider they deem most
suitable.
So how does the company determine the best candidate for the job?
The lowest
bid doesn’t necessarily get the job. The company only partly bases
their decision on the bid. They especially want to know whether or not
you are qualified for the job.
Your
qualifications are determined by your resume, or portfolio. Keep in mind
that many companies hire for services on a continual basis, therefore
your skills and experience level should accurately represent your
abilities in order to secure future projects with the company.
Is there a catch, you ask?
There is
no real catch. What you will notice are the dynamics of a marketplace
with supply and demand features. That is, lower skilled projects tend to
be more competitive, as do specialized projects where the market is
flooded with experts.
How do you compete when there’s a large pool of bidders?
Be the
best competitor on the block, that’s how. Get additional training if you
need to upgrade your skills, or take an internship to enhance your
experience level.
Actually,
you want to be the best competitor on several blocks. Bid as many
projects as you reasonably can within your area of expertise. Never lay
dormant – search for projects and bid, search and bid, search and bid…
Now then, for you to get started as a freelancer here are the necessary steps:
Register
at sites that list projects. It’s free to register in most cases and
makes you a member of the site. Register at several sites to increase
your chances of getting projects. Many freelancers work several projects
at the same time. Just be careful not to take on more than you can
handle.
Not only
must you register, you must submit your skill set at the project site.
Your resume must be in tip-top shape. It must be current and an accurate
representation of your experience and skills.
If you’re
not comfortable writing a resume you should consider hiring a
professional to do it for you. You don’t get a second chance to make a
great first impression.
Now just search the listings for projects you feel qualified for. When you find one… bid on it!
To go a
step further, set up your website as a showcase of your talents. Direct
prospective clients to your site and give them a tour of the *benefits*
only you can give them. Further extend your reach into the worldwide
community by advertising your services both offline and online. Go
global!
So what
are you waiting for? If you’ve been searching and searching for a
home-based job and you’re feeling frustrated with the whole thing… this
could be the perfect way for you to start working from home.