Freelancing can be an attractive career choice for those who don’t see themselves working a 9 to 5 office job. From the outside it can look pretty nice: being able to set your own schedule, not needing to answer to anyone but yourself, or taking the day off just because. But besides that, how do you know if freelancing is the right option for you?
If you think working as a freelancer only has its upsides you would be wrong. Freelancing is not for everyone and it can take a while before you get into it or make it a viable career option. If you’re looking to make freelancing a long-term career path, then you should move forward with thought. It takes a certain type of person to make it and become a successful freelancer. Here are some tips for figuring out if freelancing is right for you!
You Like Working Alone
If you don’t mind working alone, then you have a shot at becoming a freelancer. No more will you need to deal with office politics, or replying to those annoying mass email chains. Freelancing is by nature a solitary career. You will be interacting with your clients from time to time, or maybe some other freelancers occasionally, but you’re pretty much on your own for the rest of it. If you’re fine spending hours alone working in your home or office, then you might be cut out for freelancing.
You Can Multitask
As a freelancer you’ll also be wearing many hats, as you will be responsible for taking care of every aspect of your business on your own. You should be a natural at doing many different things, sometimes all in the same day. It’s a lot more than simply working on your client’s project. You’re essentially a business owner. This means you handle all client communication and negotiating, website upkeep, bookkeeping, networking, marketing, invoicing, ongoing self-learning and much more.
You Are Awesome At Organizing Your Time
As a freelancer, one of the perks is that you don’t have to answer to anyone. That is, except yourself. But this also means that nobody will be there to hold you accountable other than yourself. As a freelancer you’ll need to be the master of your own time, and you might even need to use time-tracking tools to help make sure that you’re putting every minute of the day to use. If you are detailed and you are naturally organized, then freelancing will suit you, but if not you’ll find yourself struggling.
You Are Able To Focus, Anywhere
One of the main positives of freelancing is that you have the freedom to work from anywhere. You could work on a beach in Mexico, or down the street at your favourite coffee shop. Wherever you are, you can only make this possible if you have the ability to focus on your work no matter what distractions are calling. If you can reliably tune the noise out and get the job done, then you have a great chance at becoming a freelancer.
You Can Motivate Yourself
Being a successful freelancer requires you to keep yourself motivated. It’s easy to stay on task in the beginning of a new business. But the issues start to happen when it’s a few weeks or months down the line and you still have difficulty finding work or things become monotonous. If you’re good at motivating yourself to reach your goals, then freelancing is a good career choice.
You’re Comfortable With Not Knowing What Will Happen In The Future
Uncertainty and risk don’t scare you. As a freelancer, there are no guarantees you will be successful. For a lot of people, freelancing usually ends in frustration. But if you can stay dedicated, determined and work hard, there is a chance that you will make it. But you will never know for sure unless you give it your all. Even the most successful freelancers are still uncertain about what their futures hold. Even then, you are not guaranteed clients all the time. Even in the face of risk and adversity, you have to keep trucking on during a freelance career.
You Have Confidence In Yourself
If you’re the type of person who isn’t afraid of risk, then you most likely have a healthy level of self-confidence. Confidence in yourself is another requirement to become a freelancer. You need to put yourself forward in front of clients in the best light possible if you want to land any worthwhile gigs. You also need to know your worth so you can be paid what you think you deserve. Negotiating your rates and contracts and dealing with not-so-great clients takes a lot of guts. If you are lacking in self confidence you might get taken advantage of and you might find it difficult to earn a decent fee.
You Are Great At Communicating
As we said before, you will need to wear a lot of hats as a freelancer. You are the main point of contact with your clients. You’ll find yourself sometimes in constant communication with them, either by phone or email, or maybe even text. This can be uncomfortable for those who are not used to communicating professionally at all times. Whether or not you are nervous is another story, this is something that you can’t avoid. You can be the best at what you do but that doesn’t matter if you come across as nervous or shaky when you are on the phone with your client. If you’re comfortable chatting, then clients will be easy to land.
Take some time to think about the things and characteristics we mentioned above. Freelancing is a great career path, but only for those who can either fit the bill. Even if you don’t check all the boxes, if you are flexible and adaptable, then you can learn to develop these freelance traits and skills to make it to the top of your industry. Keep in mind that while there are a lot of benefits to working as a freelancer, you will need to be even more dedicated than you would be in an office job.
Author’s Bio
Karthik Talwar is a content writer for BreezeMaxWeb that helps businesses showcase their brand through enticing copy. When he is not working, he enjoys exploring new places and trying new foods.
