Have you ever wished you could still earn a living while not being being tied down to a fixed work schedule, or having to deal with stressful work situations?
Or what about having your job outsourced? It would be nice to worry about that, or other economic uncertainties. And of course, there's your boss. What kind of kind of mood will Mr. Burns be in today?
Online Freelance Jobs For Beginners
Despite economic challenges, you must make ends meet and keep your dream of a financially-free-lifestyle alive. An excellent way to achieve that is by becoming a freelancer online.
You get to make as much money (as time allows), take vacation when you want and choose the project to work on. The best part is you can work from the comfort of your home, or from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
If the laptop lifestyle sounds great, this guide will help you get started. You’ll be on your way to finding the best online freelance jobs for beginners in no time.
Types Of Freelancing
A large proportion of the online freelance jobs for beginners are service based. Some might require special skills such as offering legal services which require that you've passed the bar.
The majority however, don’t require any particular college or high school qualifications. Some of the most sought out freelancing skills include the following.
Writing
The web is driven by content. Dominant search engines such as Google require quality content on websites and blogs, so they get indexed and ranked. Online businesses regularly need different types of content which will help build their brands and drive sales.
Other businesses looking to move into new territories are seeking translators. Internet users are looking for information that will help them solve particular problems.
All of this means the demand for good writers is always there. The great thing is that basic writing knowledge is all you need to get started.
Learn more about becoming a freelance writer at iWriter or read my review of iWriter.
Programming
Programmers are among the highest paid professionals in the world. You will need to know how to write code if you wish to start a freelancing career as a programmer (and there are hundreds of programming languages out there).
The good news is, to get started, you’ll only need a few. Consider the type of freelance programming work you’d like to do. For example, being a mobile app developer, network programmer or web developer.
This will give you an idea of which programming languages and technologies to learn.
Are You Creative?
If your skill lies in harmoniously combining colors, shapes, lines, text and other visual elements, freelancing as a creative is not only an excellent way to follow your passion, it can pay well too.
Freelancers under this category include graphic designers, web designers (not developers), animation creators, video editors, voice acting and even architects.
Freelance Marketing
Freelance marketing is my favorite type of freelancing because you can create passive income. Imagine getting paid multiple times for work you’ve only done once. More than your typical freelance jobs, online marketing tends to bring out the scams and schemes…
I spent years trying to find a legit program that taught real online marketing (not just a funnel designed to bring in more members). If you have the money to test different programs, you can try some of the get-rich type systems, however a legit educational platform such as Wealthy Affiliate would be my recommendation.
Others Types of Freelance Jobs
Some of the other common online freelance jobs for beginners include virtual assistants, transcribing, accounting, researching and data entry among others.
How To Get Started
Getting started as a freelancer is more simple than most people believe.
- Decide on the type of work you’d like to do as a freelancer. Focus on one skill or two related skills.
- If you are not skilled in the type of work you wish to do, get the necessary training. The internet is a great resource to get tons of free training for a variety of skills.
- Find a freelancing website such as freelancer.com or upwork.com where jobs in your chosen field are being offered and sign up. Complete your profile.
- If you’d rather not share your income with a freelancing website, you can choose to look for jobs on online job boards. These pay better but are highly competitive and require more research.
- Start bidding on jobs.
Resources
The main resources you’ll need to get started as a freelancer are a computer, an internet connection, and of course, time.
Some jobs, such as virtual assistant work might require additional tools such as software.
As a freelancer, you’ll also be responsible for your own work hours and financial management so basic timekeeping and bookkeeping software might come in handy.
The process is pretty much straightforward. However, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to get a freelancing gig once you’ve completed these steps and invested in the resources.
To increase your chances of success, here are some tips to set you apart from other beginner freelancers.
Tips For Beginners to Succeed At Online Freelance Jobs
Your initial goal is to create a portfolio that shows you have the skills to solve your potential client’s problems.
If you don’t have any previous jobs to display in your portfolio, you can simply think of a possible problem your potential client might have and provide a unique solution which you’ll then use as a portfolio item.
Treat freelancing as a business. This means you’ll have specific work hours, a particular target market, an accounting system, business plan, and an office and so on. Treat freelancing as a business so you can focus and set goals that lead to profitability.
Be wary of the low pay trap. Freelancing is highly competitive. It can be tempting to charge less just to land a job.
If this happens several times a month, it means you’ll have to work more to reach your financial targets.
Rather than charge less, an easy way to get paid what you’re worth is simply explaining the value you’re offering in your proposal letter. Many clients are willing to pay more as long as they know they’re getting what they pay for.
Go the extra distance to bring added value. This may be more challenging as a beginner, but the goal is to build your portfolio, develop relationships and acquire recommendations.
Keep A Journal
Not all clients are created equal. As a freelancer, you’ll work with different personalities. Many customers will be great. However, you’ll eventually come across a difficult one.
While most freelancers would rather avoid them, such clients offer excellent learning lessons. With time, you’ll be able to identify demanding clients early on and take measures to protect your business.
Keeping a journal of what you learn along the way will help you become a better and more efficient freelancer.
Don’t Isolate Yourself
Freelancing can be lonely. If you are an introvert, this type of work may be perfect for you.
However, you should build a network of people with similar interests around you. Contact other freelancers, and ask questions. Many will be glad to help and are usually looking for people with similar interests as well.
Running a freelancing business from home can separate you from society. A simple way to combat loneliness is to get out of your house. Head down to the nearest coffee shop and open up your laptop.
Put aside some money for a vacation every once in a while. It doesn’t have to be an expensive one. Even local weekend trips can do wonders to recharge your batteries.
And, perhaps the most important thing is to get some exercise. Join a gym, go for daily walks or bike rides. If you enjoy sports, get involved with community leagues.
Final Thoughts…
Online freelance jobs are giving people opportunities they’ve never had before. They allow you to build independence and enjoy life on your own terms.
Also, companies are gradually seeing the value of outsourcing. They can downsize their offices, avoid employee specific expenses, and reduce their own stress levels.
There's never been a better (or more important) time to learn how to build a part-time, or even a full-time income online.
Please leave a comment below; I’d love to hear your thoughts. What kind of freelance work appeals to you most?
If you found this article useful, or think it might be helpful for other… please share 😀
Great post. Freelance working has many advantages and this is one of the most important benefit.
Great post. I always encourage this type of post as I want everybody knows the advantage of freelancing. Then they would be more interested and confident to invest their time and effort on it. It has so many benefits rather than office job. Some trustful sites are providing the opportunity of freelancing and they are quite reliable. I am also doing e-tutoring from home and it is quite beneficial for me.
Thanks for your comment. I agree… there are so many ways to earn an income online, or even start your own personal business. Freelancing and tutoring are great ways to get started.
Again, thanks for sharing your insights 🙂
Jay
Thank you so much…only God can reward you.
I am having a hard time when it comes to proposals. I read all you post (as of the last 3 months) and It guided me to create a fantastic profile. But I got hooked at the proposal stage. With this guide, I am sure to make it through. God bless you, MD Satu.
I m working as a freelancer sitting at home.
Becoming a freelancer is the best way to earn some good money.
Great work.
Thanks,