Students can be a freelancer with zero experience. Really? A freelancer does project work without being on staff. He or she does not have a strict schedule, workplace, or supervisor, but there is no fixed salary, paid vacation, or sick leave.
The freelancer finds customers independently on specialized exchanges or through acquaintances, performs one-time tasks or project work, and receives a piece-rate payment. The level of income depends on specialization, complexity and the number of tasks performed.
Freelancing gives more freedom than office work, but you cannot succeed without hard work. You will have to combine the roles of the performer, manager, and supervisor: to plan your time, negotiate with customers and resolve conflicts.
Learn and find out how students can become a freelancer from scratch without experience. Let’s check this article to dig deeper.
Step 1: Choosing a major
The main criterion for choosing a specialty is your interests. If you studied economics and worked as an accountant, but you have always had a heart for texts, you have the opportunity to go the other way and become a self-employed copywriter.
You can find orders for almost any intellectual specialty. The most in-demand areas for customers, according to the freelance exchange: are marketing, SEO, design, texts, translation, and development.
Consider the possibilities of starting a freelance career in these areas.
Copywriter
You can write texts or rewrite articles without profile training. It is enough to have a wide vocabulary, to be literate, and to be able to use services to verify the uniqueness of the texts.
Along with the search for orders, we recommend immersing yourself in the subject and reading books by professional copywriters.
By the way, a great option for work can be write essay for me services that help similar students with their academic work.
See also: The 5 Best Student Start-ups to Inspire You in 2022
Translator
To make money as a translator you will need to know a foreign language, the level of which you will have to confirm with a test assignment or works in the portfolio.
Competition in the translation niche is high, so it will be difficult for a beginner to take an expensive order.
Proficiency in rare languages, such as Chinese, Arabic, and Korean, will be an advantage.
Designer
The easiest way to start earning money on design is to create web pages on Tilda. Master the basic tools of the designer with free video tutorials on the Internet.
To take on more complex projects in interface design or brand identity, you’ll need specialized training.
Marketer
To become a marketer, you need a strong theoretical base and the ability to apply knowledge in practice.
A freelance marketer develops strategies for promoting clients, sets up advertising campaigns, and evaluates their effectiveness in web analytics services.
SEO Specialist
A specialist in traffic and SEO-optimization of sites will require knowledge of the basics of Internet marketing and technical skills: the ability to collect a semantic core, analyze traffic through web analytics services, layout web pages, etc.
Seo specialist training is available at online schools – choose a free or paid training program in the selection of courses on SEO.
Developer
Freelancers in IT develop websites, customize the configuration of corporate 1C programs, design mobile applications, etc. If you are not new to programming, there should be no problem finding orders. If you are far from the IT sphere, training at online schools will help you get a quick start in the profession.
If the above specializations are not close to you, don’t be afraid to choose another direction. If you get a kick out of creating illustrations or retouching photos, develop in what you love.
Customers want professionals in different fields. With the choice of specialty solved, we move on to the next point of the plan – the preparation for freelancing.
See also: The Challenges of Being a Healthy Student
Step 2: Preparing for freelancing
Before you write your resignation letter, we recommend preparing the ground for freelance work. New employment format – new rules.
A safety cushion
Do not throw yourself into the abyss of freelancing without savings. Even higher education does not guarantee a stream of orders with a high price tag. You will need more than one month to find regular clients and reach a steady income.
Workplace
Think about where and how you will work. If the Internet is constantly disconnected, and the laptop takes half an hour to boot up, it’s time to solve the hardware problem. In addition to serviceable equipment, you’ll need a quiet and comfortable place to concentrate on tasks.
Work and rest schedules
Agree with your housemates that even though you are at home, you are not watching soap operas, but making money. Household chores, talking on the phone with your friend, and playing with the dog are relegated to your free time away from freelancing.
Self-employment
Whether or not to become self-employed is up to everyone. But many serious customers only work with self-employed freelancers.
See also: 10 Fundamental Student Recruitment Strategies for Higher Ed in 2022
Step 3: Register your account at the exchange
To make it easier for a customer to make a choice in your favor, fill out your information in detail on exchanges and job sites.
Your profile is your resume, so choose a high-quality photo in a business style and be sure to write about your professional qualities, education, and relevant experience.
Most job exchanges offer a paid subscription. Thanks to it you can get access to profitable orders and improve your position in the ranking of performers. Test out different platforms before you decide to purchase a pro account.
Step 4: Building Portfolio
A portfolio is the face of a freelancer. Put educational and practical works in it that will demonstrate your knowledge and skills to the client.
If you haven’t done any practical work yet, that’s no problem. Find a task for your profile on the exchange, or come up with the terms of reference yourself and do the job as you would do it to order. Your portfolio case is ready. Regularly add to your portfolio and review it as you gain experience.
Step 5: Looking for orders
You have registered at the exchange and subscribed to job channels. Now you need to keep track of new publications and respond to the projects you like.
It’s important for a freelancer to be in the right place at the right time: the faster you respond to a new ad, the higher your chances of becoming an implementer.
Allocate time, say 15 minutes each in the morning, lunch, and evening, to browse the feed and send out responses.
See also: Best Free Web Design Courses for Students to Start
Step 6: Execute the work
You have found a task to your liking and sent a response. The customer has seen your application, profile, and portfolio and chosen you as the executor.
Now you need to make every effort to do a quality job on time. Meeting the deadline is important. If your client was satisfied with your work the first time, there is a high probability that he will turn to you again.
After the first order, you can proudly call yourself a freelancer, and be sure to ask the client to leave feedback about working with you. Such feedback is useful for your reputation on the exchange, and your portfolio.
Step 7: Developing as a freelancer
You can’t become a successful freelancer once and for all. You have to constantly maintain your reputation as a performer: understand the needs of the client, meet deadlines, and do the work well.
In order not to “get stuck” on low-budget projects, it is important to devote time to professional development.
Books, expert interviews, professional development courses – all this should become part of your life and be part of your weekly, if not daily, plan.
As you gain experience, your average check will increase, and regular clients will trust you with more complex and interesting projects.
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