So, you want to become a Freelancer...

January 27, 2023, | By Erika Glysz

Long gone are the days of working a regular 9-5 job in the office, day in and day out. It is becoming increasingly popular to work from home and explore other non-traditional sources of income such as freelancing. The term freelancing refers to being able to work for many companies instead of just one, and also refers to those who earn an income on a per-project basis instead of hourly or salary. With the rise in people wanting to start their own freelancing careers, many people are still left unsure of where and how to start. Here is a complete beginner's guide for those looking to start their freelancing journey but who are unsure of how to do it.

1. Brainstorm what exactly it is that you'd like to start freelancing

One of the first things you should be doing is figuring out your niche and what type of freelancing work would you like to do. Are you a baker? Perhaps you are a graphic designer or a model, there are endless possibilities for the types of careers you can have in the freelancing industry. For most people, they stick to an industry of interest such as a hobby, or they go with something they've had training in (such as a postsecondary degree). If you aren't sure of where to start, jot down some ideas of some areas that interest you, and then do some research to see what types of freelancing opportunities are related to that area of interest.

For example, maybe you have a love for photography, and you can advertise yourself as a freelance photographer who can take photos at events, weddings, or for clients within the community.

2. Start branding yourself and your new business

Now that you've figured out what area you want to specialize in you are ready to start getting your name out there. One of the first things you should be doing as a newfound freelancer is creating a logo and business name for yourself. There are many amazing and FREE logo creation platforms such as Canva that can help you bring your designs to life. I would also suggest creating other branding materials such as business cards, a portfolio, and some social media accounts for your potential clients to follow you on.

PRO TIP: For those who are looking to make a career out of freelancing it's very beneficial to have a portfolio to showcase your work. There are a ton of great portfolio websites out there such as Adobe Portfolio, Wix, or WordPress. Having a portfolio of your past work can really help you in gaining new clients for your business by giving potential clients an inside look at the work you can accomplish.

3. So you created your portfolio, now what?

It can be a daunting task to fill your portfolio with past work experiences when you have none and are just starting out. Many people are in the same boat of not knowing how to get clients, but also not being able to obtain any due to their lack of experience. I'm here to tell you this vicious cycle can be stopped! There are a few ways you can fill your portfolio with work to present to future clients and I'm going to tell you exactly how:

a) Start creating on your own in your own time. If you bake cakes, start making some and take photos as content that you can put into your portfolio.

b) Find some companies that you like and start designing work as if it were from your time at the company. Are you a graphic design major that loves Apple? Start creating graphics as if you were actually working there and use everything that you've created in your portfolio.

c) Now this one is one of my favourite tips, start going around to businesses and offering your services for free in exchange for promoting them within your portfolio. This is a great way to get your name out there, as well as do work pro bono for a company that may end up using your work anyways. This was how I started my freelancing career and many of the clients I did free work for came back to me later and became paying customers of mine.

BONUS TIP: Do your market research, and remember to never be afraid to put yourself out there

So you have a brand, a name, a logo, and some sample work in your portfolio, now what? The next step is to put yourself out there and showcase your work and yourself as a freelancer. Now, you may be wondering how to get actual paying clients and I'm here to tell you a few different ways that you can achieve this. There are many types of sites that are wonderful freelancing hubs for people to sell their services as well as acquire them. Sites like Fiverr, Upwork, or Redbubble, are great examples of design-based platforms that allow users to buy and sell their work as well as get hired on by clients.

Another important step to do in the process of branding yourself is to do a little research into your industry and figure out how much you should be charging for work, who are your competitors, and what is in demand from clients. Taking a look at who else is in the market and how they are performing is a great way to see where you need to position yourself for the most success.

And lastly, don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Utilize your portfolio, blogs, and your social media to start giving you traction and a brand presence online. You can use all of these tools collectively to help you reach your goals of bringing people to your portfolio and to gain a following on social media.

It can seem like a scary task to get started but once you do I know you'll be asking yourself "why didn't I start sooner."

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