So you’re thinking it’s time to go out on your own, get out from under the corporate ladder and work for yourself…First of all – give yourself a pat on the back, that’s fantastic news! And, secondly, it’s time to hustle. Working for yourself can be an incredible experience full of the freedoms and liberties you are after, however it also means staying on your game and finding the freelance work necessary to make it work. From hitting the online freelance circuit to networking like a total pro, here’s a look at how to get freelance work.
How to find freelance work
Figure out what you’re good at. Selling yourself is half the battle when it comes to freelance work – companies want to hire a freelance who knows the business and needs little to no guidance. That means you’re an expert at a certain skill. If you’re a writer, editor, photographer, videographer, prop stylist – whatever it is – be ready to take on a job and run with it. Once you have that down – marketing yourself becomes a whole lot easier.
Landing one job is essential. You may be thinking – wow, one job certainly isn’t going to pay the bills. So perhaps, think about adding some freelance work to your schedule while you still have full-time income. Establish some clients and relationships and slowly build in enough projects to make freelance work your primary income. Once you have one job – the rest will follow.
Put together a portfolio or some go to place that shows off your offerings and previous work. You don’t have to make it fancy, but having a go-to spot, like a digital portfolio or website will make it incredibly easy for potential clients to get a better understanding of what services you can provide and what your style is.
Get your networking shoes on and hit the pavement. In the beginning, landing freelance gigs has a lot to do with making connections. Put the word out there that you’re available for x, y, z services – and make the connection. When you realize someone has a problem you can help fix – pitch your services. Land one client and do a great job, they will ask you back – and fostering this relationship over time will lead you to client 2, 3, and so on.
Put yourself out there. Between your networking and your website – you have the capability to make yourself seen. But how about going after brands you like or places you’re interested in. Reach out to those brands to let them know you want to work for them – and explain exactly what you can do. Perhaps you’re a photographer and you know of a brand with a website that could really use some updated images – pitch it. For free! Do that same thing again and again – until you get a bite. Building those relationships will evolve into a referral network over time.
Check out freelancing websites and boards where you can scan for gigs and post your portfolio and talents. There’s a whole world out there of freelancers making it (and even killing it!!) on a freelance salary – and you can too. But looking and pitching is essential.
Have you ever worked as a freelancer? How did you land the job?
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