As children, we dreamed of becoming doctors, astronauts, and firefighters, but hardly any of us wanted to work as a typical office employee from 9 to 5. For a child, there is nothing worse than monotony and boredom, and it is true for adults as well. After all, deep inside, each of us has an inner child who strives for freedom and self-expression. That is why despite the many risks, people are leaving the office these days and starting freelance jobs. 

In this article, we analyze what pitfalls you should think about so that neither your mental health nor your financial situation gets worse.

Analyze the Pros and Cons Again

Imagine waking up at noon, drinking coffee by the seashore, having yoga classes, and starting work in the late afternoon… All this sounds amazing, but unfortunately, real freelancing rarely looks like this.

Of course, working for yourself offers plenty of benefits: 

  • there’s no boss who controls you; 
  • you are not tied to a specific place; 
  • you plan your time yourself; 
  • you do what you truly enjoy. 

But there are downsides too: 

  • no one will pay you for sick or maternity leave; 
  • your income will depend on your clients, who can be rather stubborn; 
  • you are to search for customers on your own, and this might be pretty difficult.

Next, there are many legal issues you have to take care of if you engage in freelancing. You have to handle paperwork and pay taxes – and this is only the beginning. When you were employed, some departments in your office took care of these mundane things, but now you have to figure out how this works.

Don’t Burn Your Bridges

If you have studied all the pros and cons and decided that there are still more pluses, make wise decisions. A common mistake future freelancers make is to abandon a project that has already been started or leave work suddenly. Before you quit the office, start working on a client base and think about a financial cushion. You may need a couple of months or a year to begin making good money.

Rate Your Candidacy

Freelancer resumes are different from full-time job ones. Most importantly, you have to show samples of your work: texts, pictures, sketches, etc. And the best way to craft a winning resume is to turn to a career advice expert and get professional help. 

For instance, authors from https://skillhub.com/resume-writing-service will help you describe your personal accomplishments and key skills in such a way that future employers and clients will distinguish you at once. First of all, a professional CV will highlight your work experience and qualification in the best possible way so you can get more interviews. Second, it will be ATS-friendly. 

More and more companies use ATS bots to scan job applications before the human recruiter or hiring manager reads the resume. So, a bot-beating resume will allow you to rank higher than other candidates. And third, you will greatly save your time on writing business. 

Talk to Your Friends

It often happens to freelancers that their friends become their first customers. Thus, if your good acquaintance is a hairdresser looking for a social media manager, why not offer help? The same goes for plenty of fields, be it graphic design, video editing, etc.

Be honest and tell your friends that you are open to an online job and are ready to try something exciting. Give them examples of your works, tell them about your experiences, and show how passionate you are about what you do. People trust those who are enthusiastic, and this quality makes it much easier for you to land a job. 

Study All the Resources Available

As many career advice experts say, one of the most crucial steps before starting a freelance career is profound research on the area you are to enter. First, by reading blogs and career resources, you will learn what problems other freelancers face and how they solve them. Second, you will learn about the pricing policy in your profession. 

Search for New Clients

No doubt, at some point, you’ll feel the need to step out of the shadows, start a job search, and look for customers. First of all, create an account on all available sites. Upload your new CV to the most popular job search resources and stay tuned for new vacancies all the time. 

In addition, if you are a copywriter, find agencies that are interested in a fresh freelance perspective. Submit your job application even if they don’t need remote laborers right now.

Moreover, you can take advantage of marketplaces. These are sites where customers and contractors work without an intermediary, paying a small commission per transaction. Marketplaces are pretty convenient as both customers and contractors receive comments and reviews. 

Be Available

Hiring managers and recruiting firms recommend being present everywhere: from social networks to professional sites. Moreover, it’s better to answer messages as fast as possible. Why? If a client needs a completed order urgently, they might choose you. 

In fact, you must be in touch not only before the order but also in the process. If you can reduce the client’s stress level by telling them about the work done, they will appreciate you even more. Besides, get acquainted with different payment methods and electronic wallets.

Collect Feedback

Letters of recommendation and reviews are a currency no less valuable than money. As soon as you finish a project and see that the customer is satisfied with your work, ask them for feedback. Most clients will agree if the work is done on a high level. This way, you will greatly invest in your career. 

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/gWlBxOAgXgQ 

Plan and Set Priorities

Planning is every freelancer’s best friend. Find out how much money you need for a pleasant, comfortable life. Then calculate how many regular customers you need to lead a life like this. 

Then, it’s necessary to organize your workflow: determine when to take on the most difficult tasks and when to devote time to simpler routine ones.

Don’t forget to highlight weekends, holidays, and vacations in your calendar. And don’t underestimate the value of rest. By neglecting it, you’re setting yourself up for burnout. That is why it is so essential for a freelancer (and job seekers in general) to have savings for those times when you are tired or sick. 

Keep in mind that any freelancing has a β€œlow season.” For example, if you make money with wedding photography, you need to think about what to do in the rainy autumn.

Wrapping Up

Of course, over time, change the price of your services as you grow professionally. For example, at the initial stage, it is worth setting moderate prices and gradually increasing them according to the improved quality of your work.

Also, remember that the absence of the usual office schedule can greatly affect your mood, making you less productive. There’s a risk of being distracted by other things, which will lead to missed deadlines and lost customers. So, develop self-discipline, and then your transition to freelancing will definitely be painless.