Freelance Success: The Secret Is Knowing Where To Look

Want to break out of unemployment's vicious cycle or a regular j.o.b. (just about broke) and start freelancing? You've got the skills, but not quite sure where to start looking for work, or how to deal with the business side of freelance work? Freelancing websites specialize in bringing together clients looking to outsource projects and skilled professionals looking for freelance jobs. If you have web design or development, graphic design, programming, writing or translation skills then you will find opportunities waiting for you, if you know where to look.

There are so many benefits to freelancing - you have a high degree of independence, choosing when and where to work, and even for whom to work, once you are established. You aren't tied to a fixed schedule and you are directly paid the full rate for your work, not just a portion of it like an employee is. There's an abundance of work out there, but you have to learn how to find it and build your network. This is where freelancing sites can help, especially when you are just starting out. These sites offer a wide range of projects to bid on and give you the chance to learn about the freelance marketplace.

Once you get going as a freelancer, you need to think about more than just developing your skills. You are a business now, and have to build relationships with clients and sell yourself. This can seem daunting at first but is made easier by freelance marketplace websites that bring together outsourced projects with freelance contractors. These sites all include feedback and rating systems for both clients and contractors, meaning that as your experience builds, your record of quality work will be visible to all the other members of the site, giving you more credibility. You will also find that as you gain more experience and contacts, people might approach you directly for work. In the end you might even have to turn away work - alternatively you can start sub-contracting it out yourself through the freelancing sites, giving you the best of both worlds.

Your success is all up to you - if you are professional and polite, always deliver good quality work on time, employers will come back. When setting your rates, don't be solely concerned with being the cheapest. Instead look at the budget of the project you are bidding on, then look at what you need to earn for it to be worth your time, a huge mistake many beginners make. Work out a rate that meets both the client's budget. The lowest bids are often rejected in favor of the bids that offer the most professional package. Small businesses looking to outsource some work will often pay a little more to someone who will offer a more professional service. Your goal, as a freelancer, IS to be that someone. 

Don't let the challenges and risk put you off - freelancing is a very rewarding way to earn a living and make the most of your marketable skills, and with freelance marketplace sites to help, it isn't as difficult as it used to be.

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