<p>For many Freelancers, it comes naturally, others give it up after few months of trying. Now a days, anybody could become a Freelancer. How hard can it be? All you need is a skill, a computer with Internet connection! Right? Wrong! One of my former employers actually believed that because his assistant had a computer, she could and should start helping us with designs in AutoCAD. She actually did, but she slowed us down so much that the boss admitted that it was perhaps a bad idea. Just having the right tools is not enough. Sometimes, even knowing how to use a tool or a software, doesn't guarantee you'd succeed. It takes more than knowing a few software in order to become a Freelancer.</p> <div> <p><strong>Endless working days</strong></p> <p>When you are working at a regular 9 to 5 job, you don't need to be concerned with where the money is coming from. At the end of your working day, you just shut down everything and go home. The Freelancing work day, doesn't end at 5 pm. There is always a blog you haven't read, and the Tutorial you promised yourself to do, or a proposal that is due the next day, the invoice you haven't sent for a week now. Don't get me wrong, not everyday ends at eleven p.m., but there are days where you don't have the time for coffee. There are also days and sometimes weeks when there is no work coming in. And so you'd like to go outside and relax....! Yes. tempting...:) And there are days that you should do that...just disconnect and enjoy the nice weather.</p> <p><strong>Work on your skills and procedures, day in &amp; day out.</strong></p> <p>No matter what do you do as a Freelancer, you must be aware of the trends, the latest news in your domain. For instance, if you are a web designer, perhaps designing table based web pages is not a common practice these days. So you should always work on yourself and improve your skills. Improving your skills or even your own procedures is very important. When you keep doing the same job over and over, you should consider improving your operations.&nbsp; This may sound silly, but you'll realize how much time you'd save by improving your procedures. For instance, if you use the same script or code for a web site, you should create a snippet or a library of your codes. That way you don't need to look for it all the time. Even better, build a special bookmark folder for all your favorites web sites. This will increase your productivity and reduce your stress. Over time you'd notice that the library is getting bigger and so you can get more done in less time, and you will be ready to get more clients.</p> <p><strong>Love what you do, it'll show in your work.</strong></p> <p>When you put your heart into your work, it will show. Your clients will notice it and the satisfaction of the job well done is priceless. If you don't love what you do, you will fail, and that is a promise. You have to also remember that many Freelancers are somewhat artists. If you want to become a Freelancer in order to make a lot of money and fast, maybe this is not for you. You will make money, but it will take time and hard work. It won't come easy, but perhaps when you enjoy doing what you do will ease the ride.</p> <p><strong>Clients, not everybody would want to deal with them.</strong></p> <p>As a employee, you may not have had a direct contact with clients. Life was simple: do your job, get paid for it. When you are working for yourself, you HAVE to deal with your clients. No matter how you feel, or what kind of the day you are having, your smile should be turned on when you pick up the phone. Your attitude toward your clients will make the difference of the return business or not. Most Freelancers are friendly people, because of the affinity we have for our work, we sometimes glow...:) and people around us notice that.</p> <p><strong>It may not be easy, but it's so much fun!</strong></p> <p>Yes, despite all the difficulties and challenges you may face on a daily basis, you'll have so much fun that you'll forget about all of them. You may want to give up at times, you may even be forced to get a part time job, because you're not established enough, but you'll notice that while on your part time job, all you think about is getting back to your Freelance office, Yes, it won't be easy, but the rewards outweighs the difficulties.</p> </div> 2009-08-18T01:22:11Z -3.707 514 5983 true 16 36373 freelancing-its-simple-but-its-not-easy 11 2009-08-19T08:59:01Z 2009-08-19T15:59:14Z

For many Freelancers, it comes naturally, others give it up after few months of trying. Now a days, anybody could become a Freelancer. How hard can it be?

1 2009-08-19T15:59:14Z