What you need to become a freelancer
Ximena Díaz de la Serna G.
May, 30, 2023
10 min. reading
Perhaps one of your dreams is the same as that of millions of people around the world: to achieve work and economic independence. The freelance concept has spread around the world, and today many see it as a philosophy of life. But what is behind the freelance world? What does it take to be a successful freelancer?
Difference between "freelance" and "freelancer"
Although we tend not to differentiate between them and we believe that their definitions are similes, there are distinct characteristics between the two words: freelance refers to the whole world that encompasses freelance work, its context in general; and freelancer is the person who executes these actions, the protagonist.
If you want to get into this professional movement, you should call yourself a freelancer and think of this world as the freelance space. But beyond these globalized concepts, we know that you want to know how to get started and make money in this way.
Make money as a freelancer
It consists of receiving payment in exchange for doing a specific job, which generally has no other commitment beyond the date and acceptance of the work completed.
But a freelancer could have characteristics of fixed dependency with an employer, such as constant schedule agreements or work dates, without the primary exclusivity of working only for him; that is, a certain (partial) labor dependency is created that is satisfied with the punctual delivery of the assignments required by the employer, nothing more.
This opens the possibility for the freelancer to enter into other additional work agreements, generating a wider range of employers or clients depending on your attention and fulfillment capabilities with each one of them.
The spectrum of a freelancer is very broad, which is why we speak of a freelance universe.
Another important aspect that we will address next is to delimit who are those people who can be freelancers, or who fit within the freelance space.
Can I be a freelancer?
Yes, we can all be freelancers. We all have access and can do whatever we want, each one assuming his or her own risks.
Being a freelancer does not require you to have a specific license over a particular occupation. If you handle the niche with a certain degree of skills you can excel perfectly well in that particular job.
But undoubtedly, if you are a professional in a specific area, directing your freelance purposes there will generate higher profits, because it is an environment where you will be able to perform better.
A freelancer is not just a technical worker, or a person who repairs something and fills out web surveys. All professions can dabble in freelance work; a digital marketing agent can give online consulting as a freelance job, and thus make money remotely, for example.
What does it take to be a freelancer today?
We could list for you dozens of skills and tools needed to be a freelance worker or freelancer, but basically all of them are summarized in four main axes: willingness, perseverance, creativity and technological support.
So, let’s try to summarize on these four aspects what you need to be a freelancer:
WILLINGNESS TO WORK
A freelancer does not agree rigid schedules with their employers or clients, but they do agree with themselves; if you do not fulfill your commitments you will lose one of the main values of the freelance environment: credibility. If you do not generate trust, your work will be talking negatively about you. Keep in mind that in the competitive freelance world your effectiveness is essential.
A freelancer can’t measure his success with a single job either, because the impact of the freelance world on your life, if you want to dedicate yourself with a greater perspective on it, is also reflected in your monetary earnings. Money isn’t everything, but if you can’t live comfortably with your work remuneration something is wrong.
If you see the freelance world as a chimera or hobby, then it’s not your thing. Or you simply cannot consider yourself as a freelancer, but only as a collaborator. If you boost your freelance life with several activities at the same time, organized, and with positive results, you will see that making money like this is possible and increasingly accessible.
PERSEVERANCE IS EVERYTHING
We don’t want you to take or idealize the concept of perseverance in the freelance world as work resilience, or that you should “masochistically” put up with situations that go against your rights because you simply have to be patient to achieve your goals. That’s not the point. When we say that you must be perseverant, we mean to understand that on the road to stability as a freelance worker you will have many experiences professionally, academically and personally that for the moment will make you rethink whether to continue like this, or look for other job opportunities.
Turn each experience into a constant valid learning experience that will serve you better every day; thus strengthening your skills. Do not give up, on the contrary, locate the weak points that led you there, and look for solutions to avoid making those mistakes again.
ACTIVE YOUR CREATIVITY TO THE MAXIMUM
There are a lot of plumbers, lawyers, designers, and so with all professions or occupations in the working world; but that is not a limitation within the freelance life, but an impulse to stand out among the best, and how is it done? By going beyond the basics.
With the most powerful tool at hand as the internet you always have an advantage waiting to be developed by you, and that’s where creativity comes in. If you are a plumber, you can learn to create an eye-catching profile in social networks or virtual stores, where your work is clearly promoted: offering, or giving away an extra repair, for example.
Make tutorials on how to fix the bathroom faucet, highlighting your work as a more direct value; this way you will generate confidence in the client, who will know about your experience and will not hesitate to hire you.
TECNOLOGY IS YOUR ALLY
Technological tools will help you to enhance creativity and accomplish each task. It is indispensable for a freelancer to have technological equipment; because instant communication is the key to success in this space. If you can’t be contacted, or you don’t exist within social networks, there are few capabilities you have to establish yourself as a freelancer.
In addition, technology helps you to lower the cost of your work, connect with other clients, or reach further by going international. With technology there are no barriers to stop you. You don’t need high-end devices, there are many good quality and updated equipment available in the market at excellent prices.
If you are a technical professional then yes you should invest in less conventional and perhaps more expensive tools; but every money spent on this will translate into visible gains because your work will be of quality and recognized.
Where and how to get freelance jobs?
The best advice is to start by researching more about your own expertise or skills; and from that point start and build your personal company; because a freelancer is just that: a company of your own.
When you find your purpose and measure your capabilities at start-up time, create your own social profile on the network, offering your expertise, etc.
There are web portals or online systems such as mobile applications that help you in this aspect, not only to improve your social media accounts, but also offer you direct jobs according to your skills. Others recommend projects to be developed after a general contest, or virtual micro jobs.
Five websites that offer freelance jobs
Workana is one of the most popular online platforms in the freelance world, because it offers the opportunity to get open projects of various online jobs to apply for. In Workana you can not only publish your profile as a freelancer, but also apply to open projects so that your work is taken into account.
Freelancer was born in 2009 and is one of the most important platforms within the digital world to perform virtual jobs. Freelancer is among the 500 most visited sites in the entire universe of the interconnected global network. Freelancer operates in more than 50 countries and is translated into more than 15 languages.
Twago is a platform very similar to Freelancer, it is translated into 10 languages, and every freelancer can easily access, creating a structured profile on each professional experience for potential employers to verify their credentials.
It allows us to find various options such as web development, mobile application development, design, editors and writers, customer service, marketing or accounting. In each category, the platform shows the top freelancers with the best ratings. Check how other people present their profiles and improve your profile for more opportunities.
It is a web platform that allows the realization of specific technical work remotely, connects companies and institutions of high category with freelancers from different professional areas.
How do you charge for freelance work?
Getting paid for freelance work comes down to the direct deal you make with your employer or client. Generally, and increasingly, freelancers cover positions around the world, so physical payments are almost impossible, so digital wallets are becoming more and more important in this regard.
In addition, very few freelancers -especially in Latin America- have a traditional international bank account; opening them suggests a cumbersome process, and in many cases you have to travel to do so, or collect documents that for a novice freelancer represents a real challenge.
At Airtm you get paid for your freelance work without hassle. Your Airtm digital dollars account is opened for free here, and you verify it with minimal requirements. Your employer or customer signs up with your guest link (you can earn rewards for this action), add money using one of our 400+ payment methods and then send your digital dollars to your account in simple and quick steps.
Being a freelancer, or dabbling in the freelance world is not a simple fashion, it is a concrete personal decision. It is an open space for you, don’t be afraid of it, take the necessary risks, but always keep an organized idea in your mind. And remember that in Airtm you have the best business ally to save and diversify your money.
