Covid-19 has caused many redundancies with more competition for both jobs and freelance projects.
Whether freelance work is a temporary choice or a conscious career choice, spending time creating opportunities is essential.
So how do can you get freelance work?
Freelance work gives you freedom and flexibility to work at different companies and on diverse projects and brands without committing to one employer, but it is a career choice without the guarantee of a monthly salary, so it’s not for everyone.
Freelance is also a great choice if you have been made redundant or don’t feel sure where you want to work.
You can ‘try before you buy’ and your employer can try you before they buy you, reducing any risk and increasing the chances of a ‘happy employment marriage’.
Here’s some tips to get freelance work.
- Chat with people who are successfully freelancing, pick their brains and jump up the learning curve, learning from their mistakes and successes
- Get some solid experience and credibility behind you. Having some well known names of employer and brands for freelance projects helps to give you a sound foundation
- Be clear about your personal brand and be able to express it to others verbally and in writing as this will help people to ‘buy’ you (see separate blog on this topic)
- Create a clear and impactful biog, CV or portfolio and have some business cards printed which ooze quality and don’t say cheap
- ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ is a commonly used phrase. Create and build a network of contacts. Phone them regularly and support them and they’ll be more likely to remember and call you when they have a need. Phone them and tell them about your last freelance project and ask them if there’s anything coming up that you can help with
- Have a good support system with other self-employed freelancers who you can meet up with socially so that you don’t feel isolated and network with and through them. This is especially important if you are freelancing from home rather than in an office, which the majority of people are with lockdown
- Attend industry events on-line so that you can see and be seen by key contacts
- Read the trade news for your profession and keep an eye out for new business wins and moves so that you can take a targeted approach to potential projects, flagging up your relevant sector experience and specialist skills
- Be efficient with your invoicing. Send them out promptly and keep chasing to keep your cashflow healthy
- Set up a savings account so that you build up a financial buffer for the quiet times
- Choose not to worry about getting work. You want to enjoy the benefits and freedom of being freelance, not be shackled by fear and uncertainty of where your next project is coming from
- Begin making enquiries about possible projects before your current project comes to an end
- Keep your CV or portfolio up to date and create case studies that you can mail or e mail to current and new contacts
- Take time out to reflect on what projects you are doing, any learnings and do update your skills and knowledge via continual professional and personal development. Don’t work back-to-back all year and get exhausted or even worse ill
- Always be professional, smart and do a good job. You are only as good as your last project
- Remember that you are paid for your time, so remain focused and productive, don’t waste time
- Make an effort to be friendly with full time employees as they could be a future commissioner of you
- Collect business cards along the way and add to your database, connect on LinkedIn and consider a personal CRM system
- Share your flagship projects in the Featured section on LinkedIn
What tips would you add?
More
Read about Energise clients and how we helped them.
Becoming self-employed following redundancy
https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/becoming-self-employed-following-redundancy/
From employment to contracting
https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/from-employment-to-contracting/