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Tag: Freelancing 💻

  • How to Interview a Freelance Content Writer? | Tips for Hiring Freelance Writers

    Writing content for more than 1000 words doesn’t provide the relevant information, what the people are seeking from the content. Content marketing has been popular in the field of marketing a product, becoming a source of income for many companies.

    As it is stated, Information is wealth, for instance, you are looking for a nice ambience restaurant to have dinner and the primary thing you do is search ‘A good restaurant nearby me’ on Google right? out of incalculable content, the web search manifests you the highly reliable content on the information you are seeking for.

    Moreover, the content must be descriptive without false information. Therefore professional writing (Freelance writer) is as right as rain to any content that can reach a high ranking on Google as well as gets a point in achieving the attention of people.

    Notable content writers or freelance writers are the creators of a powerful link between brands and targeted people as freelance writers are the pillar in building brand awareness with their impactive content.  

    Well, how do you choose the right freelance writer for your company? There are different types of freelance writers such as Blog writers, Brand journalists, Copywriters, Technical writers, Scriptwriters and Ghostwriters, who are mastered in their own field of writing styles.

    But, how do you know if the chosen candidate will bring profit to the brand with the help of his/her content? Will he/she compete to write and be efficient in capturing targeted audiences with the writing? Will the selected candidate match all the qualities you have been looking for? Well, all these questions will be answered when you are interviewing a freelancer.

    How to Interview a Freelance Writer
    Questions to Ask to a Freelance Writer
    Tips for Interviewer Before Hiring a Freelance Writer
    Tips for Freelance Writers before going for an Interview
    Qualifications Needed for a Freelance Writer
    FAQ

    How to Interview a Freelance Writer

    Interviewing any candidate as well as a freelance writer follows a similar pattern, whereby prepping questions that the interviewer gonna ask and review the background to have a further conversation.

    As in the case of interviewing freelance writers, start the interview with an appreciation note, like lauding their talents for making the content more ingenious and instructive ways in order to connect the targeted customers.

    As I said before, reviewing the writer’s past experiences with their clients, command of the language, background and tone of writing the given topic highly depends on the person’s portfolio, and that should be critique ere the interview so that the interviewer get some ideas while having a conversation with the freelance writer.

    After greeting each other, proceed with small pep talk like ‘What are your hobbies apart from writing?’, ‘What do you find interesting about writing?’ and ‘How do you enthral and cogent people with your writing skills, is there any particular talent to do so?’ Note: Always conduct the interview in a convenient ambience to make the freelance writer comfortable as well as communicate in a friendly manner.

    Secondly, identify the freelance writer’s behaviour during the interview, as this would aid you to check the person’s mentality in taking the task. Most importantly, check the freelance writer’s grammar, give them a topic to write at the spur-of-the-moment, analyze whether they are articulate in expressing the given information into high-quality content.

    Last, but not least, see to their tone of language, where you find that person is either glib or eloquent.

    Questions to Ask to a Freelance Writer

    After having a general talk, move on to the questions you have planned to ask the freelance writer, notably, the questions should be professional and not personal.

    These questions might help you in interviewing a freelance writer:

    1. What do you think are the integral parts of good content as a freelancer?
    2. How do you make sure your content is SEO Friendly?
    3. What do you need to know before you start writing content?
    4. How do you proofread?
    5. As, the content really helps a lot in the marketing, so how do you say that your writing will lead a hand in increasing sales?
    6. How do you conduct research on the target audiences and write content according to their preferences?
    7. How many times do you revise your content?
    8. From which source do you get the information regarding the content?
    9. How will you differentiate between good & bad content?

    Once you are done with the questions, then end the interview with a soft and hopeful note.

    How to Hire Freelance Content Writer for your Startup
    Curious to know how to hire a freelance content writer. Well, this article will guide you on how to choose the right freelance content writer.
    StartupTalkyNiku Mandal

    Tips for Interviewer Before Hiring a Freelance Writer

    Freelancer writers play a vital role in the improvement of a firm. So the company must appoint a promising Freelance writer. So fetching a skilled hireling depends on the qualities and excellence of the interviewer.

    A good interviewer must be a good listener and should be heedful. Good listening quality will help to compute the person in the opposite. They must let the other person talk and explain things.

    He must be patient enough to listen to the other person’s conversation. The question they ask must be slightly tricky and observe how the person responds to it.

    The interviewer must be qualified to discern the capability of the interviewee. Every freelance writer has distinct virtues, the interviewer must be skilled to filter out the adequate one the company requires.

    Tips for Freelance Writers before going for an Interview

    In an interview, everything counts, like your way of communicating, your small gestures or how you handle things when they ask you a tricky question. An Interviewer notices everything you say or do. There are few things that you should do and not do during an interview. Here we are listing out the important ones.

    • Before you attend an interview do a small interview beforehand about the company and your client. Make sure that you meet all his prospects. Go through the description of the project you are attending.
    • Go prepared for all the likely questions the interviewer may ask. They may ask simple questions or tricky questions, it depends on the interviewer but don’t answer before giving a thought to it. Preparation is the basic factor for getting chosen in a consultation.
    • Be professional, try to develop an impression that you are apt for employment. Dress suitably, be sharp and don’t be tardy.
    • Be confident in what you are saying. The interviewer must also have performed a small research about you. So if they have called you for an interview then it means they must have seen something in you. Remember your goal and be confident that you can achieve it.
    • Be honest to them about what you can and can’t. Don’t over-praise yourself. And in case they inquire about your prior client or projects, don’t imply that you had an unpleasant association, instead, indicate that you respected them.

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    Qualification Needed for a Freelance Writer

    For becoming a freelance writer you don’t need a formal degree, some prospects may expect a bachelor’s degree. If you are interested in completing a degree then you can take English, journalism, or communications.

    Having a degree helps you to produce nice integrity work. If you don’t possess a grade then you can do an online writing program.

    The significant mastery the canvasser may aspire is writing, ideation, typing skills, endurance, basic computer understanding, and dealing capacities. You don’t have to be a well-experienced person and it nearly depends on the case’s demand. You can serve some online content writing courses to get a vital idea.

    Conclusion

    If a company wants to peddle their content then first should understand what the people seek and how they prefer it. People always crave something new, even in content, they filter out and choose a company that captures their interest.

    People don’t pay too much time going over an entire clause, so the phrases used must be short, detailed, unique and delightful. So a firm must decide on a freelance writer who can forge content that meets the company and also the people’s requests.

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    FAQ

    Can you become a freelance writer with no experience?

    Yes, anyone can become a freelance writer if you have the right skills for the job.

    What is SEO in content writing?

    SEO is the process of optimizing website content for search engines like Google.

    What does a freelance writer do?

    A freelance writer is an independent creator whose job is to write content for various publications and channels, such as websites, press releases.

  • How to Hire Best Freelance Content Writer to Scale Your Content Marketing

    Whether it’s digital marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing, blogging or website creation; content plays a crucial role in generating traffic, engaging with customers and boosting conversions. In other words, content is the king in order to increase brand equity and reputation.

    With the shift in digital technology, the demand for freelance content writers has increased. As the success of a brand depends on the type of content produced. So, companies are keen on hiring freelance content writers who could write good content for them.

    A freelance content writer is a self-employed individual who writes creative and engaging content for clients. They help clients to craft their online content which further saves their time and provide value to the audience.

    A content writer not only knows the art of content writing well, but can also set the tone, garner attention, understand the subject matter and, most importantly, layout all the information in a sequential and presentable manner.

    But the question remains how to hire the right freelancer for content writing? It is not that difficult anymore since the gig economy is booming. In this article, we will guide you on how to find the best freelance content writer for your startup.

    How to Hire Freelance Content Writer

    How to Hire the Right Freelance Content Writer

    Write Definite Job Description

    Give out a strong and definite job description. You may wonder where this piece of the puzzle fits in. In all truth, your job starts from here. Sending out a detailed, highly specific job description not only does the initial filtering but also ensures you meet the right freelancers.

    You may want to let the writer know your work requirement, your purpose, his or her workload as well as the audience he or she will be writing for. For example, one’s approach towards writing for business blogs will be quite different from writing for your social media handles. Know that these things matter to a writer. By sharing your precise needs, you are increasing your chances of finding a writer well-equipped to handle the job and produce great results.

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    Market Your Job Requirements

    The right candidate can approach you only if you are discoverable. If your business is a startup, it might not yet be recognizable just by the firm’s name. Make your presence known to all and work on your accessibility. Besides posting for the job openings on your official website, post it on the top job-seeking websites as well as freelancers marketplace. A few of the top freelancer marketplace in India is freelancer.com, Upwork and Fiverr.

    Posting a job ad is not enough. You can include a section of benefits that you can offer:

    • Freedom to write evergreen content that will stand the test of time, particularly if your business doesn’t have an established blog.
    • Insights into how well their writings do.
    • Opportunity to network with other writers.
    • Input into content strategy.

    Best Ways To Outsource Your Jobs to Freelancers | Freelancing Jobs
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    Connect With Bloggers Network

    It is a known fact that one can find some of the best freelance writers on bloggers’ networks. Blogging Networks act as a middleman between brands and bloggers. Some of the best Bloggers networks are Acron Activate, Bloglovin, Aspire, BlogHer, BlogMeetsBrand, Clever, IZEA, SocialFabric, TheSway, and TapInfluence.

    A good idea would be to throng these networks and go through the posted works. You can always approach a blogger directly and request them to write for you if his or her work is best according to you. It might cost you more, but it will be worth it. Look out for a strong profile that you want for your organization.

    You can also connect with freelance content writers via these:

    Social Media: Nowadays everyone uses social media which makes it a great place to market our business. You can even post your job description on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram where you can use your industry-specific hashtags which is a good way to find a successful content writer.

    Referrals: It is another best way to get a good content writer. You can ask your close friends, business associates or co-workers who work with content writers. If someone in your circle knows then they will be able to guide you and refer a qualified writer. Referral or word of mouth is the best way to get a qualified content writer because you hear about them from someone who has already work with them.

    Agencies: One of the easiest ways to get content writers is through a Content Agency. They have a team of freelance content writers who will write the content based on your requirement. Some agencies will do everything from content creation, writing, editing to publishing, and providing a relevant image to the content.

    Learn How to choose the right content writing agency?
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    Ask For Portfolios and Work Samples

    The first step would be to go through the candidate’s writing portfolio and work samples. Does he or she already have any previous experience that matches your need? Does the writing style suits your requirement? Has the writer got a basic knowledge of the subject you intent him or her to write on? Does his or her writing skills match your standards? Do their previous experiences add value to the kind of work you are seeking them for? Passionate writers often have their blogs with all their skills on full display. Does your candidate has his or her blog or in the past has contributed as a guest blogger? These minor details usually serve as the candidate’s plus points and help build a strong job profile.

    Give Out a Test Assignment

    The second step would be to give out a test assignment though this does not play the part of the ‘nail on the coffin’, a sample test assignment sure serves as the final call to pronounce your judgment. Give out an original topic, relevant to the content you expect your job prospect to later work on and allow him or her a period of 1 to 2 days wherein he or she gets to display their writing skills by completing the assignment.

    Telephonic/ Face-to-Face Interview

    Every writer has a unique writing style that would help you to decide which one is relevant for you. Do not base your judgment entirely upon the facets of grammar, but take a closer look at the mood, presentation, and suitability of the created content. Interview a test sample, this criteria may almost seem optional. Conducting an interview, though, has its own merits. Many companies, these days, prefer interviewing potential candidates over the phone or via Skype. By conducting an interview, one can decide if the candidate seems passionate enough to do the job with a sense of responsibility, besides acknowledging their personality and desire to give their best. Some questions which you should ask during the interview are:

    • What type of content do you like to write?
    • What is your work schedule?
    • How many articles can you write per day?
    • What ideas do you have for content for my business?
    • How do you craft SEO-friendly content?
    • What are your prices?

    Just like any other job, you need to see the freelance content writer you choose is the right fit for your needs and can produce the quality work you want.

    Conclusion

    With all this information, you are set to find the perfect freelance content writer for your startup.

    FAQs

    What does a freelance job mean?

    A freelance job means to work independently rather than for a company. Freelancing is a type of job where you’re self-employed. You are your own boss. You can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to any project.

    What is a freelance content writer?

    A freelance content writer is a self-employed individual who writes creative and engaging content for clients. They help clients to craft their online content which further saves their time and provide value to the audience.

    What is a freelance digital marketer?

    A freelance digital marketer is a professional with multiple ranges of skills from content and copywriting to social media, search engine optimization, ad creation, building websites, strategy building and design.

    How to start a freelance digital marketing business?

    You can start a freelance digital marketing business by following these steps:

    Step 1: Manage your expectations.

    Step 2: Identify your talents and skillsets.

    Step 3: Find a niche.

    Step 4: Develop a personal brand.

    Step 5: Look for clients.

    Step 6: Figure out how much to charge.

  • How to Hire a Freelance Digital Marketer for Your Startup?

    Hiring a freelance digital marketer has become common now. With the increase in the number of active internet users, the larger share of people are shifting online and hence companies or startups are moving towards digital marketing.

    Digital Marketing is the marketing of products and services with the help of electronic devices and the internet. Digital marketing has been introduced to reach more and more people around the globe creatively. Marketing, unlike the olden times, has reached the peak of advancement by incorporating digital marketing.

    The work of a digital marketer is to identify the new digital technologies and use web analytics tools to measure the traffic in a site to optimize marketing campaigns, social media marketing, email marketing, and search advertising.

    Thus, startups are keen on hiring freelance digital marketers as they are less expensive and less risky rather than hiring full-time employees who require long-term commitments, bigger paychecks, contracts and benefits. A freelancer can be contracted on an hourly basis to deliver high-quality work in a short span of time.

    And in order to find them, you need to search on various online freelancing marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, etc. or other platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, etc. which lets businesses find and hire a potential freelancer.

    Now the question comes How to Hire Them?

    For that, you need to post a job description on various sites mentioning the work that you want to hire for, skills required, stipend and perks.

    The job description must include that he/she must oversee the online marketing strategy of the organization. They must plan and execute digital marketing campaigns and be able to design, maintain and fill in the content for the organization’s website. The job description may include the following day-to-day activities:

    1. Develop and manage digital marketing campaigns.
    2. To exercise a social media strategy.
    3. Manage and maintain the organization’s website.
    4. To track and analyze traffic on a website.
    5. To fix errors on the website or in the content.
    6. Posting videos and audio content on the websites.
    7. Create online advertisements and oversee Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads management.
    8. To identify new emerging digital technologies to enhance the business.
    9. Attend product launches and networking events.
    10. Work on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of the website.
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    What to look for in a Freelance Digital Marketer

    Hire a team, not an individual

    Every person has boundaries and they can be produced up to a certain perimeter only. The job of marketing demands a candidate with a wide skill set composed of:

    • Analytics and Statistics.
    • Conversion Optimization.
    • Return on Investment.
    • Pay-Per-Click.
    • App Store Optimization.
    • Originality and Innovation.

    It is unlikely to find a person who excels in all the above skills. The solution to this problem is to hire a group of freelancers who are proficient in various skills. A diverse team can surpass individual limitations and the combined efforts promise better results for the company.

    Self Education

    It is important for the hirer as well to self-educate with the basics of digital marketing. Like, learn how to use Inbound Marketing tools like Google Adwords, Google Analytics, Buffer, etc. A basic understanding of digital marketing would help you to communicate better with the applicant. This will also help you to know if the implemented marketing steps are legit or not.

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    Search Online

    There’s nothing you can’t find online. Freelancers look for opportunities on websites like Internshala as well. You must design an attractive advertisement stating the skillset you are looking for and the perks of working with your startup. The advantage of searching online is that you can read the reviews and ratings of the applicants given by the companies they have worked in the past and their popularity in the marketing field. This helps you select suitable candidates. You can work with a marketing agency or hire a consultant to help you find desired freelance digital marketer. Share the availability of the job on LinkedIn and other social networking sites. This is the most effective method to find freelancers.

    Hire a Person with a Plan

    No amount of hard work can make up for bad marketing. A digital marketer should be capable of designing a game plan to improve the statistics of the business. By asking questions about their objective towards your company, you can filter out competent applicants from the rest.

    Google Your Applicant

    Googling your applicant before hiring helps you to find as much information as possible about the applicant.
    Googling your applicant before hiring helps you to find as much information as possible about the applicant.

    The online presence of the person you are about to hire plays a tricky role in understanding the applicant’s capability. If his blog or content shows up in one of the first few searches then the marketer is a good investment. Otherwise, you might end up with an inexperienced freelancer.

    Referral Marketing

    Who understands the toils of the job better than your present employers? Ask them to recommend candidates who they find as the best fit. Reward the employer whose reference is selected for the job. This simple action gives you free advertising without spending a fortune on Google and Facebook ads.

    Search Everywhere

    The young are high with enthusiasm and ideas. They are not afraid to experiment and are always looking for exposure. You should attend various conferences and meet professionals working in the same field. Get to know them and build your network. This provides future employers and increases the prospects of your company.

    Pricing of Freelancers

    A freelance digital marketer has flexible working hours so he/she is paid depending on the amount of time they are put in the job or the type of project they are working on. Usually, a startup hires a freelancer to work on single or multiple projects for a short span of time so it’s better to discuss the price with the freelancer.

    Conclusion

    If you also own a startup, then digital marketing would be a great option for you rather than going for traditional marketing. As it helps the business to reach the targeted audience in a cost-effective and measurable way. You can hire a freelance digital marketer as and when required based on your budget to improve the scalability of your business.

    FAQs

    How do I hire a digital marketing freelancer?

    You can find and hire digital marketing freelancers from various online platforms like:

    1. Upwork
    2. Freelancer.com
    3. Fiverr
    4. Freelancermap.com
    5. LinkedIn
    6. Internshala
    7. PeoplePerHour
    8. Guru
    9. Flexjobs
    10. Toptal
    11. OnSite
    12. Indeed
    13. Craigslist
    14. VA Networking

    How much does a freelance digital marketer cost?

    Freelancers’ hourly rates range between $50 and $100. The average hourly rate for a freelancer is more than $100. But you can negotiate with the freelancer as per your budget.

    Is digital marketing expensive?

    It is not that expensive as traditional marketing. It cuts down your cost and provides a number of advantages that traditional marketing does not. It helps you to reach a larger audience in a cost-effective manner.

  • Best Ways To Outsource Jobs to Freelancers

    What does outsourcing essentially mean? It means that there are certain tasks in your company that for certain reasons you and your current employees are unable to do. So you give that work to someone else who is not a part of the main company. It’s not as simple as it looks. But it is best to outsource jobs to freelancers.

    You have to very careful and wise about outsourcing, the kind of freelancer that you are hiring and the kinds of work which when outsourced will bring you the greatest profit.

    Most Common Challenges Faced By Small Companies
    Benefits Of Outsourcing Jobs To Freelancer
    Tips on Outsourcing Jobs To Freelancer

    A freelancer or an outside firm will not understand the passion and essence of your company. They will not do the work the way you want them to do. This can change the way people conceive your company and can also downgrade the quality of your product. What we mean here is that not all tasks in your company are meant to be outsourced. You have to know the kinds of tasks that can be safely outsourced, whether you should hire a freelancer or another firm or should you do the work.

    But still, outsourcing is a very popular option, especially among small companies. Why so?

    That’s because at the end of the day you can make more money and have more chances of profit. But you cannot just use freelancers to do the less important tasks. But it is best to outsource jobs to freelancers because your work will be done easily and with more profit. That will only hold your company back in the long run. Try outsourcing in the sales and revenue sectors.

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    Most Common Challenges Faced By Small Companies

    • Hiring new employees
    • Increasing profit
    • Employee healthcare
    • Growing revenue
    • Cash flow

    Out of the five challenges listed above the options that are favored by outsourcing are Increasing profits, Growing revenue, and Cash flow. It allows you to bypass employee hassles and lets you function as smoothly as possible.

    Now that you know the basic advantages outsource jobs to freelancer to do your task you must decide on what kind of tasks should you outsource. To begin, try and keep a record of your activities. Identify the tasks that you do the most and that have the highest value. Keep them to yourself. The tasks that you outsource should be such that they have low-value returns and something that you and your current employees cannot do well. But take care that the job that you give them shouldn’t be your key competency.

    Benefits Of Outsourcing Jobs To Freelancer

    • The task will be done by someone who specializes in it and will, therefore, have better quality. Thus, improvement in quality, and you also save time.
    • You can get the task done on an economic scale by outsource jobs to freelancer rather than getting a full time employee.
    • As you have given the task to someone else you can now focus on what’s important and give more time into planning future projects and products.

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    Tips on Outsourcing Jobs To Freelancer

    Don’t Overdo It

    Like said before, you have to be careful too. You have to control the amount of outsourcing that your company does. Too much of anything is bad and that goes for outsourcing too. If you outsource too much it won’t take long for your company to become weak. All your competitors need to make you fall is a few freelancers. Also over time, you will realize that your company is changing and you will start losing your foothold. The quality and reputation will also change and so will your customer base.

    Hide Your Key Competency

    There’s an important lesson to be learned before you choose a freelancer to do your job. Never give them control over your key competency. What is meant by key competency? It is that thing that makes your company what it is. In easier language, the thing or rather the idea that sets your company apart. If you give that away, it would be like allowing someone else to drive your favorite car. Your key competency is the root or the foundation underneath your company. Giving that to someone else will change the very essence of your company.

    So, how will you recognize your key competency? Look at Apple, their key competency being the design of the smartphone. They employ a lot of freelancers to do a bunch of other technical but only the Apple company can make the phone look like an iPhone. That’s their basic essence.

    You should ask yourself, what is that thing that sets my company apart from others? What ideas, passion, and choices define your business?

    Set Your Goals First

    But this doesn’t mean that you will blindly outsource anything that is not your key competency. You have to first ask yourself the very basic question that most people fail to do: why should I outsource? See, the answer to this question will decide whether the outsourcing will give positive results or not. You have to give it a thought before you come to a decision. Is it really necessary to outsource? Because the task is so non-essential, you might want to just download good software and take care of it.

    Choose a Platform

    There are a number of sites that serve as marketplaces to hire freelancers, including Upwork, Freelancer.com, People Per Hour, and many others. Choose only one site, this keeps it simple to manage. It’s also worth noting that there are more niche job websites that can provide better results for certain tasks. People most often use same sites for hiring and managing projects.

    Do Not Always Choose Lowest Bid

    Hiring someone to do your job just because of the price is the biggest mistakes. Although price is an important factor but so is experience and quality of work delivered by an individual. The bids vary drastically as people having different work experience, from all around world send you bids. Settle for a bid that offers you a reasonable price and enough experience to handle your project.

    Price is one factor that you want to consider, but it’s not the only factor.

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    When You Should Outsource Jobs To Freelancer?

    You might outsource because you want to save money or maybe you and your current employees simply don’t like the task. But only focusing on money may not always work in your favor. Maybe in the short term, it may seem like a good decision but in the long run, it can have negative impacts on your business. Try and avoid outsourcing in critical sectors like sales & hire.

    Use New Technologies

    It’s always a smart help to take help from the software sector. If there’s a software that can take care of your tasks that you don’t want to do, then go and check if you can solve the problem with the software. It’s always better, easy, and hassle-free than hiring an actual human to do the work. There is a lot of software available on the internet that can do a lot to boost your productivity. For instance, 94% of marketers have claimed that taking the help of software to do their work has helped improve their work and also helped them enhance their quality of work.

    However, there are certain kinds of work that you simply mustn’t handle on your own. Like taxing and handling of legal documents. It’s always a wise decision to consult a professional for such tasks. Most of the small companies hire freelancers or firms to take care of tasks like this. Also normally these kinds of tasks are specialized and their services are required only a few times in a year. Hence it’s not a wise decision to employ someone full time for this. Rather outsourcing is the wisest decision in this case.

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    Conclusion

    As far as outsourcing is concerned, your choice depends on the task that you’ll be handing out. Finance and accounting are where the major bulk of outsourcing occurs.

    Also, the IT sector has witnessed a massive increase in outsourcing because of the problems related to this sector require specialized and skilled help. Currently outsourced IT work like project-based and statement of work tasks are now equal to staff increase for IT work. The legal sector is seeing a steady increase in outsourcing as more and more companies are hiring lawyers and established firms to take care of the legal part of their businesses.

    All of these changes and trends including the increase in outsourcing and freelancing is part of the popular gig culture that is becoming the new norm of the business world.

  • How to Write Freelance Bid Proposals

    It’s hard to muster up the courage and set out to start something of your own. It’s even harder to build a steady work pace, in the Indian freelancing market, and land enough clients to keep you smiling throughout the year. What isn’t hard is curating the perfect proposal for your clients, a feat that adds to your success and shows professionalism. This being said, proposals do play quite a role in helping you not only land clients but also bag great projects, and make a good impression.

    Why do You Need to Write Freelance Proposals?

    Before we come to understand the necessity of writing business proposals in any and every professional setting, let’s see what it is.

    So, how do you define a business proposal? Wikipedia defines it as a, ’a written offer from a seller to a prospective buyer.’ Call it a bridge between the service provider (that’s you!) and the client.

    Another source says, ‘A proposal puts the buyer’s requirements in a context that favours the seller’s products and services, and educates the buyer about the capabilities of the seller in satisfying their needs.’

    That is, you need a proposal for a business proposal since it clarifies and establishes the terms of working on the project. It describes the targets and goals through a formal document that is mutually agreed upon, by both the client and the freelancer.

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    Clients Expectations From Proposal

    • Personalization in proposal
    • Professional writing style
    • Details about your skills and experience
    • Social and communication skills
    • Assurance that you will spend time on their project and add value.
    • A price that matches your skills, experience and professionalism

    How to Write a Good Proposal?

    Know Your Client

    Writing a proposal may seem like a daunting task but knowing your audience narrows the scope quite a bit, and makes the task both easy and more specific. You need to know the person behind the desk, to create a maximum impact with your proposal. For that to happen, a strong understanding of your client is vital.

    Think of a proposal as an in-between between finding your client and getting paid. Now this ‘in-between’ requires some convincing, demonstration of your skills and a notion of how this professional relationship can be successful. Knowing your client’s preferences, work requirements and needed job skills help. By addressing your client personally, you are adding more value to both his company and the job at hand. This assures your client that you are genuinely interested.

    Note How You Start

    You might want to draft a proposal that captures your client’s interests right from the beginning.

    • Start with a specific, attention-catching (yet professional) subject line and follow up to a strong, purposeful introduction.
    • Let them know what makes you different. Mention your skills and convince them why they might need you.
    • Don’t hesitate to dole out your observations regarding the business or the project. Consequently, follow up your observations with solutions and suggestions; that is, what you could do from your end to optimise their business.

    Promote Yourself

    How can your client hire you if they don’t know what you are capable of? The key? Promoting yourself.

    • Let them know why you are the perfect candidate. Elaborate on your strengths and how is it going to be beneficial for your client.
    • Do mention your qualifications along if the job requires any kind of academic expertise.
    • Work on your communication skills. You need to convince your client that you are indeed capable of the task.

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    Highlight Your Strengths

    If you are a freelancer, who is searching actively for a job online, you sure need to let the world know of your strengths and abilities.

    • Sell yourself
    • Put your marketing skills to effect, and build a wide network. Your client should be able to reach you before giving you the job and needless to say, network building helps.
    • Let the client go through your sample works, that are relevant to the job.

    Include Your Work Samples

    Employers are always eager to see if the words on your portfolio do indeed translate to some real work. A collection of carefully categorised and sorted work samples will do the job for you.

    • Among your work samples, including the projects that are similar to or related to the task at hand. This would assure your client that you carry some experience in the area and hence, are capable of doing the job.
    • Instead of keeping a diversified portfolio that showcases everything you ever worked on, be more specific or job oriented. This shows both expertise and professionalism. Resist the urge to include your every work on your portfolio.
    • Keep the language in mind
    • Note that when addressing your clients in your proposal, you want to be persuasive and positive. Let them know that they don’t have to worry at all and their project is under capable hands.
    • Be professional
    • Add a little value on the client’s front. Let them know you understand their company’s vision and his or her passion for the job. Adding value not only builds a healthy professional relationship but also, ensures that both the employee and the employer is satisfied with the result.
    • If possible, use their language.

    Create a Brand of Your Own

    Creating a brand of your own makes you stand out of the crowd. The point being, instead of heading for the built-in templates, you can draft your proposals. From deciding on a design layout to curating, writing and editing your proposals, crafting your content brings a sense of your own identity to your work and projects forward your image in the professional market.

    You can also refer your client to visit your website or portfolio. Because it will help the understand to know more about you and your work. But this is optional.

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    What Your Proposal Should Include?

    Confused what you should include in your freelancing proposal? Here’s a complete breakdown of everything that should be there:

    General info

    Give a little introduction about yourself. This includes your name, your client’s name, contact info, and project brief. You can also tell write little bit about your education. For example any type of course that you have done and which will help you to complete the task.

    About the work

    Include your skills and why you should be considered for the candidature.

    • Acknowledge what your client is looking for and how are you going to deliver on their needs?
    • Give positive suggestions and solutions and let them know how you plan to optimize their business. Show the client that you understand their needs and are capable of delivering them.

    Deadlines and Cost

    Most freelancing projects come with their time restrictions and expenses.

    • Consider how much time would you need to deliver the project. And include it in your proposal with mutual agreement.
    • Will there be any overhead expenses? How much will be paid and on what basis? What would be the mode of payment? What will be the contract terms? These are some of the key points that ought to be discussed in the proposal as well.

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    Conclusion

    While the above factors sum up the points of consideration for writing a great freelance portfolio, there are other factors as well that still need to be considered. For example, your client, the project undertaken as well as the pay scale offered. With these tips, however, we hope you craft an amazing proposal and win that dream project.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I write a good freelance proposal?

    Keep your proposal short, professional, and friendly. Adding samples of your work at the beginning of your proposal. This might help in creating a good impression in the starting. Your proposal needs to be short so that your client do not lose interest also, you have to make sure you capture their attention with few witty lines. Clients are interested in knowing what is your reason or motivation of working with them. Simply they want to know how you fit the needs of their project. So, answer the question ‘why should I work with you’ very carefully and creatively. Not to mention add your relevant skills and experience.

    What should be included in bid proposal?

    A bid is a tools to persuade someone to choose your company over others. Most often people write it as if it is a information source, no wonder why it does not work. The bid should be written considering clients needs and expectations in order to let them know that you understand them clearly. Every client is different and so shall be your proposal, personalized. Also the proposal should include how are you adding value or if you understand them.

    How many bids one gets on Freelancer?

    Well, that depends on your membership type. Free Members get 6 bids per month. Intro Members get 15 bids per month. Monthly number of bids for basic, plus, professional and premium members is 50, 100, 300 and 1500 bids respectively.

  • How to Turn Your Freelancing Hobby Into a Profitable Career

    You have a freelancing hobby that looks like it could become a full-time career option then you need to make some major changes in your work environment. Some changes will be easy and comfortable while others can be difficult and time-consuming.

    For example, if you are planning to start your own company, you have to pay taxes at both the state and federal level. Something that your company took care of before. We have provided you with a map here showing everything that happens when you leap.

    Let’s start with some of the basic pre-requisites to launch your freelancing career.

    • Make sure that there are a fair and profitable market and a client base out there that you can cater to.
    • Make sure that you love your hobby enough to make it a full-time job that gives you income.
    • Ask yourself this question before you start, am I willing to put in the work and energy that it requires this business to become a successful source of income? You have to remember that the goal of every freelancer is to become successful and earn good money.

    The number of freelancers is increasing day by day because more people seek flexible working hours

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    Have a Business Plan

    Before you start with the actual work, there is a need for a basic plan. A plan that tells you what the fundamentals of your career are going to be. You need to chalk out certain points that form the basis of your work.

    • The number of hours that you are willing to put in every week.
    • An account of what your expenses are going to be.
    • Your goal and your purpose behind your career. Basically what you hope to get from all of it.
    • Your long and short term goals.
    • How are you different from your competitors in the field and why should your customers choose you over them? You need to provide not only your area of expertise but the specifics of your skills. The longer and more elaborate the list, the better are your chances to get selected/hired by prospective clients.

    Income

    Income
    Income

    Now that your hobby is going to become your job, you need to make sure that it brings in enough money. You have to do a thorough calculation for this purpose. Calculate your annual salary and calculate what you need to earn in a month.

    You have to take into account various aspects like unforeseen expenses, clients leaving and months where you need to beef up your productivity.

    Take a good look at your budget and your level of industry expertise and decide on the number of hours you’re going to work in a week.

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    Growing Your Business

    Now, this sector is big, as in you have to rattle your brain over this because this is what keeps your business alive and going. When all of this was just a good old hobby of yours, you took whoever came to you as your client. But now you have to be wise and selective when it comes to choosing your clients. You need a source of income, preferably one that is long-term and also stable. Look for clients who have spent at least $10,000 online and are looking for long-term relationships.

    Marketing Your Services

    You need to increase the number of clients. That is of primary importance. This is the most basic strategy of success in your business. Also as your number of clients increase you will start to look “official” to your existing clients.

    It’s the age of the Internet and to be a successful freelancer you need to have an impressive portfolio/webpage. There are multiple ways to do this and it’s really easy.

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    Portfolios

    There are many websites where you can build your portfolio. If you are a content writer then here are the websites for you Clippings.me, Press folios.

    If you are a graphic designer then you can create your portfolio on Wix, Kro.

    These websites have attractive templates where you can drop in your information. Or if you want a webpage of your own then you can go to Weebly or WordPress to create your website. You don’t need any type of programming skills to develop your website on WordPress.

    Be it a portfolio or a webpage, it’s a good idea to include case studies showing the problems that your client presented to you and the way or the skills that you used to solve them and a visual (if possible) showing your final work. Your portfolio/webpage must include who you are, what skills you’ve got and why you are better than others in your field.

    LinkedIn Marketing

    LinkedIn is a necessary tool that can further your career. Your account should be polished and complete with authentic information about your working history and skill set. If you have a web-page or a portfolio then make sure your LinkedIn page has their link. Include a professional-looking headshot and if possible, testimonials from past clients.

    Try and reach out to potential companies and recruiters. There’s an even more effective way to make sure that companies notice you. There are LinkedIn groups that are great for networking and getting new clients. Show active participation in group discussions and put your skills to good use and someone or the other will notice you. Some of these groups allow automatic joining whereas in others you have to request access.

    Cover Letter

    Another thing that you have to learn is that Personalized cover letters give you a better fighting chance. This shows your interest in the company and your willingness to work with them. Begin by researching the company and learning about its needs as much as you can. If possible address the cover letter to the hiring manager’s first name. Your message should be brief with proper official format and language. But try to give a little touch of personalization and discuss how you could add value to the firm. Make sure to include email address, phone number, Skype ID and available hours to set up an interview.

    Benefits Of Turning Your Hobby Into A Full-time Career

    There are so many advantages to choosing a freelance job as a full-time career. You can travel anywhere in the world. This is the best way to work while you are travelling because in a full-time job under any company you will not be able to do this. But if you choose to be a freelancer for full-time then you have the opportunity to work from anywhere, travel to beautiful places and eat delicious foods.

    Many people are now becoming Digital Nomads to enjoy their life and to be free from the regular 9 to 5 schedule. So, take advantage of this time and just ride on the wave of success.

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    Conclusion

    As we can see, it’s a long journey and it also has to be a well-planned one. You have to keep your patience and keep working, trying to bring in more and more clients to make yourself eligible to work with some big-shot companies out there. There’s fierce competition out there but as the wise old owl said there’s nothing that a good business plan and determination cannot achieve.

  • How to Improve Your Freelancer Profile that Stands Out

    Searching for jobs can be tedious and direly frustrating at the same time. Yet, once you consider stepping into the shoes of a hiring manager instead, and think of scores and scores of profiles lying on your dashboard for a single job post, you know the stakes are high as is the level of competition. The bottom line here is, getting your job profile to stand out among a host of others and getting noticed by your potential client. So, how do you compete against a thousand others? This article deals with just that!

    With some great skillsets you must need a high-quality freelancer profile to compete in this competitive market. Here, we have listed some of the ways to improve your freelancer profile that stands out.

    Ways To Improve Freelancer Profile

    Ways to Improve Freelancer Profile
    Ways to Improve Freelancer Profile

    Keep It Visually Appealing

    As a freelancer, it is your online profile that gets noticed first, before you apply for any project. Now, you aim to not just to attract attention but hold it long enough for the client to take a genuine interest in you. The best way to achieve that is by putting some serious thought in the design department as well.

    Make sure you put up high-resolution images to showcase your work. Do include write-ups wherever needed and make sure to keep them short and simple; nobody likes to read long essays. Keep a formal, user-friendly layout and categorize your work samples well. Last but not least, put up a professional, front-centered display picture on your profile.

    Certification and Skills

    Your profile should mention a list of all the professionally certified courses you have undertaken to obtain either software expertise or gain specific knowledge. Also, do include your academic qualifications as well as any merit certificates or honours received for academic or technical excellence. Some jobs require specific academic expertise and that’s where your academic degrees come to your rescue.

    While at it, mention your professional skills and highlight your strengths without coming off as too boastful. And lastly, be honest with your profile, forgery is never accepted it only proves that you are good at lying.

    Promote

    Every successful freelancer, on some level or another, relies on self-promotion to get noticed and gain clients.

    • Think of an attractive title for your gig. You need to be specific and catchy at the same time. The title is, after all, one of the first things your client sees.
    • Make an introductory video that not only lets your employer know of what all skills you’re capable of but also tells a bit about yourself. It’s a known fact that a video can engage the audience in ways much better than rich text. Use that to your advantage by making short videos for each of your gigs.
    • Start promoting your profile on other online platforms, from your social media handles to your blog, so that people can reach you for your freelancing services better.

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    Portfolio Check

    A great freelancer profile needs a great portfolio. After all, it is for your skills that your client is going to hire you. Attach your portfolio that is your work samples based on what content adds more value to your work genre and not to increase your work’s diversity. Make sure you not only concentrate on the work samples but also on the display layout.

    Add Experience and Achievements

    Your client needs to know if you carry any significant previous work experience similar to the assignment being offered. Your work experiences add credibility to your portfolio and increase your chances of bagging the job. If you have had participated somewhere, won awards, or were a scholarship student, mentioning it is worth the while to add significant value to your profile.

    Update Your Profile Frequently

    As a freelancer, you are constantly learning, improving and exploring new genres with each project. Of course, curating your profile, accordingly, from time to time, marks your progress, keeps your work folio updated with the latest trends and keeps you a notch higher in the professional market.

    Link Your Social Media Profiles
    Link Your Social Media Profiles

    If you have created your freelancing profile on the sites like Fiverr, UpWork then you also have to link your social media profiles there. So make sure your social media profiles are professional and updated. It would be great if you can post quality content and upload some of your sample works on your social media profiles.

    Even you will get many opportunities from social media too. Like on LinkedIn business professionals are looking for people with right and quality skillset. So here is a door to your freelancing career success.

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    Stick to One Niche

    Don’t make your freelancing profile over-complicated make sure you are showing expertise in one niche only. Make your profile understandable so that people can connect with you easily. For example, if you are a Web Developer and you are creating a freelancing profile of yours. Don’t mention any other irrelevant skills that you have like Closing Sales, Data Entry etc. This way people will get confused and chances are they will ignore your profile.

    Set Your Price Properly

    Many freelancers especially those who are beginners done this mistake, they try to provide services at the cheapest price. If you believe in yourself and you think that you will provide quality service then make sure you are setting the right price. You can also take inspiration from other freelancer profiles.

    If you are creating a profile on Fiverr then mention all the services you will be providing for the specific gigs. There are many freelancing websites where you can mention your hourly charges, follow the same rule for those websites also.

    What Solutions You Can Provide?

    You are reading this article because you want to earn money from freelancing. You might be beginner also that’s why you are surfing on the internet. I have something to tell you, it’s not important how many skills you have or how professional you are. The most important thing is what solution you can provide to the market. What is the burning problem you can solve with the help of your skills? If you can answer this question not with words but with your action. Then you can earn money because people are looking for results, not for process.

    So, research about the trending tech and online marketing things and try to find the problems that people may face. If you can solve those problems then you are all set to get started.

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    Conclusion

    Creating and managing a good freelancer profile is not a tough job. But getting new clients and improving yourself and your profile is hard. There are many tools and technologies available which you can use to be updated. Try to learn new skills and keep updating your profile. Always remember those who are not learning and improving are bodies without soul.

    You will achieve all the success you are looking for but make sure you are consistent. Don’t take any negative feedback personally those are just indication to improve yourself. Keep patience and never give up because this is the transaction charge for success. Success is easy, you just have to work for that. All the best!!

  • The 9 Most Popular Types of Freelancers

    A freelancer is a self-employed person who offers his or her services to clients, out of his or her own accord and independent of any superior authority or organisation. It is okay to have your head buzzing with random questions at this point. After all, it is quite a dare, to claim your own space in the market and put your best skills to test. But, as it goes, it is never a wrong time to learn something new, and creating something of your very own is worth the efforts, even if it was just a random try.

    According to gig economy statistics from 2018, 33% freelancers work in creative fields. According to their stats, 21% of all freelancers are in consulting/professional services. 17% are writers, journalists, and content service providers, 15% are in tech/web development and the left 14% of freelancers work in other fields.

    In this article, we deal with what are all the different ways, in which you can start freelancing in India. That is, the most popular types of freelancers in India. If you are new to this game and have been bitten by the freelancing bug too, take a look! With flexible work hours and great work, the job sure carries its perks.

    Different Types Of Freelancers

    Most Popular Types of Freelancers
    Most Popular Types of Freelancers

    The Independent Contractors

    One of the broadest categories here, an independent contractor, in literal terms, means an individual who works of his own free will and does not have a specific employer.

    As this is the case with all the freelancers, this category encapsulates all the categories mention below. Individual contractors include people working with several different clients, often multiple clients at once, either full time or part-time. The work is often undertaken on a per-project, per day or a contractual basis and the work variety is diverse.

    Part-Time Freelancers

    Call it one of the smartest or the most baulking types, but part-time freelancing provides an excellent opportunity to the individuals who are looking to explore new work genres or extra income without running the risk of having to quit their day job.

    Thus, these people have a steady job, which is their main earning source and a part-time freelance gig on the side, where they get to work independently. Also called the Moonlighting, part-time freelancing is a popular choice among quite many individuals, who want to develop their skills while maintaining a permanent earning source.

    Business Owners

    Look at this category as a cross between a freelancer and a small-time business owner. The conclusion? An individual who undertakes projects as a freelancer, but has employees. The freelancer pays his or her employees out of his earnings and thus, earns a livelihood.

    Business owners often prefer to work in the same niche and are experienced freelancers who know their jobs well and have over time, established themselves in the market (enough to employ other people). These dedicate long hours to their craft and often get projects through networking.

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    The Experiential Freelancer

    One of the most curious of the types, these individuals are full-time freelancers who love what they do and strive harder and harder to learn and achieve more. They often undertake diverse projects and are constantly pushing their work boundaries by learning new things.

    Needless to say, this kind of curiosity demands to remain constantly updated with the latest developments in their work fields and experiential freelancers are masters of it. Of course, there is a reason why, these days, even hot-shot corporations want to hire the services of a freelancer.

    Diversified Workers

    Not exactly a freelancer but cutting, these individuals depend upon a variety of odd jobs for their income. They often don’t work within a particular sector but undertake a variety of part-time jobs, online freelance work, and short term projects to keep the house running.

    Virtual Assistants

    Virtual Assistant Statistics
    Virtual Assistant Statistics

    A Virtual Assistant is just like an Office Assistant but the difference is that a Virtual Assistant doesn’t work at an office or the place of the client instead they work from home or anywhere. The job of a Virtual Assistant includes various tasks such as content writing, replying emails, chat support etc. Think of it as you are working for someone as a personal assistant but from your place.

    The advantage of being a Virtual Assistant is that you get long-term projects here. And there are so many jobs available which you can do as a Virtual Assistant and the pay is also decent.

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    Freelance Web Developer

    The name is self-explanatory here, a freelance web developer or a programmer is someone who builds websites and web applications. If you are a web developer or you know some of the programming languages like HTML, CSS and JavaScript then you can start working as a freelancer. The only thing is you have found out project specifically in your niche.

    Don’t worry! If you don’t know how HTML, CSS, JavaScript works. You can easily learn them online. There are so many courses available which you can take to learn the basics and that is enough to enter the freelancing world.

    Freelance Bookkeeper or Accountant

    Many businesses out there which don’t want to handle their bookkeeping part. As a freelance bookkeeper, you will handle their accounting part. If you know about how accounting works or if you have worked somewhere as an accountant then you just have to use those skills to work digitally.

    You can also learn these skills easily online. But you have to be expert in bookkeeping because people nowadays looking for professional services. So, if bookkeeping is something that you are passionate about go ahead and start earning.

    Graphic Designers

    A Graphic Designer is someone who conveys the message of any brand visually. In the field of Graphic Designing, you have to decide your speciality or the niche on which you are going to work. There are so many graphic designing works available such as logo designing, web designing, t-shirt mockup, banner designing and the list goes on.

    Once you have decided the niche on which you are going to work or target. Find out the other famous graphic designers and research about their work. If they are doing something different then you also have to do something more unique.

    Again if you are not a professional graphic designer then no one is going to hire. Just because as a graphic designer you create an image of the brand and no one wants to create an unprofessional image of a brand. So, before you start looking for projects build your portfolio first. Try to take inspirations from other graphic designers and do something more than them.

    Also, don’t forget about the pricing, you have to include pricing for each type of work you are going to do as a graphic designer. But don’t provide cheap service at the cheapest price. See what others are charging for the same work and if you think that you can also do the same go ahead and charge what you deserve.

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    Conclusion

    So now you know the different types of freelancers out there, did you figure out which category you belong to? Or if you are a beginner, what method struck out as the best for your skills? Freelancing is a booming sector and the Indian market accommodates no less in recruiters than the freelancers. With its perks and challenges, what do you think of the present freelancing business? Let us know in the comment below.

  • The Pros and Cons Of Becoming a Freelancer

    Freelancing is a growing industry. Day by day many people are becoming a freelancer to enjoy their life and to be free. There are so many things which you can explore as a freelancer. This is the era of online marketing and everything is moving into digital so it’s our time to change. As a freelancer, you get the opportunity to work from your own space. You just need a good smartphone and a laptop or PC and an in-demand skillset to become a freelancer. If you have a skill or solution that you can sell in the marketplace you are all set to go.

    Truth being acknowledged; everything comes with its own set of merits and challenges and freelancing is no different. At the end of the day, it is always ‘what suits you and what doesn’t. So if you are planning to quit your job and turn freelancing into a full-time career, and this little thought quietly crept into your mind, take a look at this article and find out for yourself. Below we have listed some of the pros and cons of freelancing.

    The Pros of Freelancing

    Pros of Freelancing
    Pros of Freelancing

    You Get to Be Your Boss

    What can be better than not having a boss standing at your desk all day? The big ‘pro’ here is that the freelancing market in India allows you to learn to make independent choices, manage your affairs and decide what is to be risked and what not. You are your manager, lawyer, supervisor and financier. Freedom is both addictive and self-exploratory.

    Choosing Your Work

    One reason why more and more people in India are switching to freelancing is the monotonous nature of the regular desk jobs. Not all projects are interesting or a skill-enhancing experience. One of the major pros, hence, is that being a freelancer, you get to choose what projects to work on and what people to work with. Freelancing gives one the freedom to explore, try new work genres, adopt new techniques and keep learning as you progress further. Every project is a fresh challenge.

    Flexible Work Hours

    You can work anytime and anywhere as long as the results are great. That is all the client cares about. This is especially a boon for young parents or especially those people who can’t leave their house or work under a rigid schedule.

    Unlike 9 to 5ers, you get to prioritize your daily tasks, work in your own time and manage your schedule as per your needs.

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    Explore New Work Genres

    This is probably the best of all the freelancing ‘pros’. With its versatile work schedule and open business culture, Freelancing lets you experience work cultures from across the globe, build networks with people from all over the world and explore new work genres. Freelancing is simply the best way to earn while getting a chance to constantly improve your skills and add more feathers to your hat.

    Travel While Earning Money

    Many people are choosing this field because it offers you to travel the world at the same time you can also make money. This also helps freelancers to build a network and get more clients. Of course! You can also travel the world if you are in the corporate field but you will not get the freedom.

    Learn New Skills

    Freelancing means using your skills to make money. When you get any work there are so many new problems or tasks that you will discover, you have to learn new and unknown skills to complete that specific task. This one of the most interesting part of freelancing because you can explore more new talents you have.

    There are so many websites available which offers online courses for freelancers to improve more and learn new skills. You can also become a part freelancers community to build your network and become a better freelancer.

    Also read:

    The Cons Of Becoming a Freelancer

    Cons of Freelancing
    Cons of Freelancing

    Working Alone

    This sounds wrong since one of the major reasons why you had quit your job was your desire to work independently, and alone. Turns out it doesn’t hurt to have a team, behind your back, who support you when an assignment is becoming too hard and keep updating you with their feedbacks as you progress.

    Unless your profits are great, you can’t even hire an assistant and once you accept an assignment, there is no backing out. You are all alone in this, and without the securities, a regular job would provide.

    The Empty Desk Syndrome

    One of the major cons that come with freelancing is an erratic work-flow. Owing to the dicey nature of the freelance culture, sometimes you have more work than you could have asked for and other times your hours run at an empty stretch. Ask any veteran freelancer and you will get to hear a vaguely similar story.

    With time, you eventually get used to the irregularity of paychecks and schedules. The first brush with the empty desk syndrome, however, is the hardest.

    Managing Your Private and Professional Lives is Hard

    If anything, your stature as a freelancer blurs the line of distinction between your private and personal lives. Sure, the independence and the flexible work hours are nothing less of a piece of cake. And yet, if not managed well, it doesn’t take long for your professional life to start getting disturbed owing to the randomness of work schedules.

    Also read:

    Not Getting Paid for Work

    Being a freelancer also means not getting paid sometimes. This practice is notoriously common in the freelancing community. As you gain experience you eventually learn to protect yourself from non-paying clients. But in the interim, you might even find yourself running after your client to pay you for what you deserve.

    Also, you get paid after the project is finished. So if a certain project requires 3 months, it translates to two months without a paycheck. This can be hard, particularly if you are running tight on budget.

    No Fixed Income

    As a freelancer, you won’t get fixed income because it’s really hard to get regular work. Compared to a full-time job in freelancing there is no security that you will get regular work from clients. Even many freelancers are leaving this platform because of this problem. To sum up, for survival you can’t depend on freelancing if you are a beginner.

    Time Management

    As a freelancer, you work as per your schedule and this is the most difficult part of freelancing. Because a lot of time it will happen that while working on an assignment someday you will be energetic and the other day you will not be in a mood to work. While you are working as a freelancer you are not in an office and you don’t have any boss, so you have to manage your time on your own.

    Also read:

    Conclusion

    Freelancing in India can be fun and risky; enlightening and daring; oddly peaceful and yet stressful at the same time. The question is, as is with a lot of things, how well you manage it with your inherent skills? Stay put and eventually you will discover your own merits to stay or flaws to leave.

  • How to Overcome 8 Most Common Challenges as a Freelancer

    When talking of the freelancing scenario in the country, it is widely estimated that by the year 2025, the ‘freelancers’ market of India will grow to a whopping $20-30 billion. Nearly 23% of these Indian freelancers have annual earnings of ₹60 lakh and lie under the age of 40.

    With the rise of the entrepreneurship culture in India, freelancing is more popular than ever. The best paying freelancing jobs in India are Web Development, Graphic Designing, Social Media Specialist, Accountant, Digital Marketing, and Content Writing. Contrary to the common beliefs, the freelancing business is not all about perks, the challenges form an ample share of this work culture.

    Most Common Challenges Faced By a Freelancer and How to Overcome Them

    ways to overcome challenges faced by freelancer
    Ways to overcome challenges faced by the freelancer

    Managing Time
    plan
    Finding work
    Not Getting Paid for Work
    Working alone
    Creative Block
    Completing Works Before Deadlines
    Procrastination or De-motivation
    No Consistent Work

    Managing Time

    One of the major challenges one faces as a freelancer is time management. As the line between private time and working hours gets blurred, the subject becomes quite a complicated issue. Flexible working hours were one of the major reasons that made you consider freelancing. But once your work starts getting affected by  ‘flexibility’, it is not a perk anymore.

    How to manage your time effectively?

    Time can be effectively managed by having a proper plan of the day to day activities. Effective planning is considered the most important aspect of time management.

    plan

    How to plan your tasks for efficiency?

    Constantly updating your calendar with your work assignments, keeping track of how much time you spent on every task, setting per day goals, and working with time reports will help you stay ahead in the game. The best part? You don’t even have to do all of that manually. Freelancing tools like Freedom, Tomato Timer, RescueTime, and Freework enable you to do just that with a click of a button.

    Finding Work

    If you have already had your first brush with freelancing, you know what a major challenge can this be. As more and more freelancers join the workforce, the competition gets only tougher each day. Nobody wants to end up with months of unemployment and rejection.

    How to find more work projects as a freelancer?

    There are a large number of online platforms out there that enable service providers and recruiters to come together and benefit from each other. Content mart, Truelancer, Freelancer, Upwork, and Fiverr are some of such popular services, catering to this purpose. Building your brand, keeping an attractive portfolio, Connecting with more people and Active networking helps you increase your probability of finding work.

    Not Getting Paid for Work

    Being a freelancer also means not getting paid sometimes. As you gain experience you eventually learn to protect yourself from non-paying clients. But in the interim, you might even find yourself running after your client to pay you for what you deserve.

    How to overcome Notorious Clients?

    Insist your employer on making a contract before you offer your confirmation and start working on the project. Or better yet, make the process easier for your client and make one yourself, and get your client’s approval. There are several tools like Bonsai, Termsfeed, and Freelancy that help you with the legal issues and generate a contract on your own. In the absence of any job securities, contracts protect your interests as a freelancer

    working alone

    working alone
    Working alone

    Surprised!? It might have been one of the major reasons why you had quit your job. Turns out it doesn’t hurt to have a team, behind your back, who support you when an assignment is becoming too hard and keep updating you with their feedback as you progress. Unless your profits are great, you can’t even hire an assistant and once you accept an assignment, there is no backing out. You are all alone in this.

    How not be lonely as a freelancer?

    Find a freelancer community where you can interact and learn from the experiences of many more of your kind. Platforms like these help you build networks and help you find a support system, wherein you can share your doubts and discuss your problems openly. Taking regular breaks from work and turning to your friends and family for some ‘out’ time helps.

    Creative Block

    One of the major challenges you face as a freelancer is getting stuck in a creative block, this not only hampers your learning but also makes things monotonous.

    How to overcome Creative Block?

    Keep updating your style sense with new trends. Try looking for inspiration in new places and give your old style a break. You can even start with some intense brainstorming sessions instead of directly coming to work. The bottom line is, don’t hesitate to explore new genres and styles, even if they lie out of your comfort zone.

    Completing Works Before Deadlines

    This is also a part of time management. Becoming a freelancer might be easy, getting work also might be easy. But you have to learn to set deadlines. Often, the client will ask to complete a task immediately or give you work to complete within a short period. This is a common challenge that many freelancers face.

    How to complete projects on time?

    Do not hurry while planning the task. Making decisions based on assumptions should be avoided. Taking time to plan the work deadline is a good idea. If any client wants service in urgency then try communicating with them. Tell them why you need that specific time to complete and that the quality of work will suffer if you do it in urgency.

    Procrastination or De-motivation

    You can’t be self-motivated every time and this is a common problem in every profession whether you are doing a job or working as a freelancer. Even sometimes you may feel unwell and postpone your work. Taking a break is not a problem but if you want to become a successful freelancer then you have to work hard without any break.

    How to overcome De-motivation?

    Plan every day and Setting long-term goals can be difficult to accomplish results in de-motivation, so divide your goals and set targets daily. If you feel demotivated anytime, check the good feedbacks which you have received from your clients and also don’t forget to reward yourself for every goal you achieve.

    No Consistent Work

    Freelancers face this problem so often. Sometimes they get a load of work but the next month there is little work or even no job. In India, the competition among freelancers is very high, but to survive this race you have to find a way.

    How to overcome the Inconsistency?

    Don’t depend on the clients you are working for. Research other online platforms searching for work. Getting work constantly is very difficult, so creating your profile on websites like Fiverr, People Per Hour, etc, and doing something different with your gig which makes you stand out might help you to make money consistently.

    Conclusion

    Challenges are everywhere no matter what career field you choose but this is the right time when you should start freelancing and build your own business. We are living in a digital era where we have all the resources and opportunities we need to grow and bring the best out of ourselves. There are also many freelancing communities out there from where you can get the support you need to grow your freelancing business. As when you work with a team you can overcome challenges easily and can bring your freelancing career to another level.