How to become a successful freelancer

| | 2 min read

Freelancing is not just sitting home and earning some extra income, it is in fact a proven career option. Anybody who is capable of working in an IT company should be able to earn as much or even more through freelancing. Besides being a viable employment option for the unemployed, it gives students and non-IT employees an addional revenue source. As the adage goes - there is no free lunch - you have to put in some effort to get into this field. However it is not very difficult and if one spends some dedicated effort he/she can start off in this field in a matter of 2-4 weeks. The following gives a mashup of some of the points you have to consider...

Who can be a successful freelancer

  • Literally anybody can become a successful freelancer
  • There are no preconditions and no essential qualifications
  • There will be a field that matches your interest and capability
  • You dont have to have any technology know-how to start with

Essential Attributes for a Freelancer

  • Willingness to work :)
  • Confidence in one's own abilities
  • Desire to grow

Skills you will learn along the way

  • Ability to work independently
  • Ability to self-learn
  • Targeted browsing skills and Good internet-search skills
  • Good communication skills
  • (Obviously) Good technical skills

Areas where freelancing opportunities are avaialable

  • Web Application Development
  • Desktop application Development
  • Graphics Designing - logos, themes, icons
  • Website Designing - layout, templates
  • CAD conversions
  • Slideshow Presentations
  • Technical writing
  • Professional Blogging
  • Data Entry
  • Software Documentation
  • Content editing, manuscript reviewing

Before you start off

  • Identify two or three areas where you would like to try a hand
  • Learn essential technologies and tools required to work in the selected areas
  • Identify people whom you could fall back for technological assistance

Starting off

  • Bite only what you can chew. Try out a few small projects initially
  • Communicate with the community your problems and get help when needed
  • Build expertise in the technologies and tools in the selected area
  • Contribute to the community to build your profile within the community

Succeeding as a freelancer

  • Anybody putting in some effort should be able to manage a decent career as a freelancer
  • To succeed exceptionally well you will have to work exceptionally well
  • You will have to gain top-class-expertise in the area you select
  • You should have a very good profile within the community and should be contributing well for the community.

Good luck with freelancing