Employment has never been more in flux—at least not in recent history. With all the upheaval, I’ve had a couple people ask about how to get started freelancing. Launching a full-time freelance business is definitely not for everyone, but doing some work on the side can be a financial stop-gap—and is a great remote option—as we wait for the dust to settle.
WAYS TO GET GIGS
- I LOVE working with Wethos. They connect freelancers with socially conscious companies and nonprofits based on the skill set. I’ve worked on a pitch deck and infographic, a congressional campaign re-branding, donor persona development, email marketing, and more—all with specialized, collaborative remote teams.
- Upwork is the best known freelance site. I used it for over a year when I was freelancing on the side. Fiverr is similar. (I’ve never used Fiverr personally.) There are definitely some cons to platforms like these—they take a significant cut of your profit and most the clients are looking for cheap work, rather than top quality at top rates. But they have a wide spectrum of both clients and project types, as well as an escrow system that prevents clients from not paying you for your work. Using a platform like Upwork likely won’t build a business for you, but it could provide useful side income.
- Skyword is more specialized, which I believe means they pay higher and have better clients. Because of this, it’s less likely that anyone can just jump onto this platform and find work. (I’ve have a profile, but have never been linked with a project.) It’s still worth checking out if your skill set aligns with their specific services.
- Check out Facebook groups. They run the gamut in industry and budget. I personally like Freelancing Females the most and have found multiple clients from cold pitches via this group. If you’re into communications-focused work, you might consider the Creative Lady Collective, Female Freelance Writers, and The Freelance Content Marketing Writer groups. If you have some other skill set, there’s likely a group for you out there!
- I recently started writing for Clever Girl Finance and write for local magazines. If you can research and put thoughts to paper about the topics they assign, it might be worth seeing if any content site or publication you know is accepting new writers.
OTHER RESOURCES
The coaching industry is booming right now, so a quick Google search will send countless pieces of advice your way. Do a little digging if it will boost your confidence, but avoid getting too far into the weeds. The goal of a side gig is supplemental income, not business building.
For people who are just getting started freelancing, Jay Clouse has some great free resources and trainings.
For people who want to get into copywriting, Alex Cattoni’s YouTube channel has some useful insight.
For people who are wanting to get serious about their pricing game, definitely check out Jonathan Stark’s free bootcamp and email list.
There are tons of interesting podcasts about freelancing, some more tactical (like Deliberate Freelancer), others more focused on the freelancer’s journey (like Being Freelance).
GETTING STARTED
The best way to get started freelancing? Just start! You don’t need a fancy portfolio or website. (It is useful to have an updated CV and a few work samples though.) Think about what special skills you have that someone might need—that’s your freelance offer.
Reply to posts on any of the gig sites I shared above. Also, don’t underestimate your existing network. Post on your social media profiles that you’re looking to do some work on the side—and be specific about what you have to offer. People love to lend a helping hand, especially with all the uncertainty going on at the moment, so they’ll be eager to refer you.
Happy freelancing!
