What Is Freelancing?
Freelancing is the art of offering your services or skills to clients or buyers on a contract basis or per-project basis. This means that you have a freedom to choose to work for another client after each project, or service, and you are not obliged to continue working for the same client or buyer.
Who Is A Freelancer?
A freelancer is the one who works on a client or buyers project by rendering his service or skills for a client or buyer.
Advantages of Freelancing Over Regular 9 to 5 Jobs
- Freelancers are not tired to a permanent contract or project. They have a freedom to choose what type of project they want to work on next, or gig they want to do, or client/buyer they want to work for.
On the other side, a 9 to 5 job employment is full time. - Freelancers can choose to take break for themselves and return to work whenever they want. In other words, they can give themselves holiday, and decide when the holiday ends.
Most 9 to 5 job workers have to take permission from their employer or company manager before they can give themselves a break or holiday. - Freelancers don't have to wait for salary, they can get their earnings as soon as they finish the gig order requested from a buyer.
A 9 to 5 job employee has to wait for the end of the month to receive their salary. - Freelancing gives freelancers the opportunity or freedom to work from anywhere, place and work in any outfit of their choice. They can work from their home, or choose a private or public office for work. They can work even while travelling.
A 9 to 5 job employee cannot work outside their company office, unless with the permission of his company manager, and if that is possible. - Freelancers cannot be fired by a boss, they are self-employed independent contractors (SEIC) and work on per project basis.
A 9 to 5 job employee can easily be fired by his boss. - Freelancing does not require freelancers to graduate from college or university and own a certificate from them before getting employed. As long as a freelancer posseses the skill required by his client, he can be employed for work.
Although having certificates are a plus, a portfolio is more preferable for a buyer when looking to work with a freelancer.
Most 9 to 5 jobs require you to graduate from a university or college and posses a first class certificate or similar. - A freelancer decides when to retire, or he can decide to freelance as long as he wants.
The company manager decides when a 9 to 5 job worker retires.
Almost everything points to more freedom, hence the word "Freelancing".
Can Freelancing Turn Into A Permanent Career?
Whether freelancing might turn into a permanent career or not depends on the freelancer. Most professional freelancers with good star ratings keep getting consistent pending orders from the same advertisers or buyers who hired them before, and even more buyers/clients who are viewing their profile, so they never run out of jobs.
So yes, it is possible for freelancing to turn into a permanent career or job for a freelancer if he treats it like one.
What Is The Job Of A Freelancer?
Lets take a look at the Job or Responsibilities of a freelancer.
Creating a Top-Notch Profile
As a freelancer, it's your responsibility to create a top notch profile that is capable of attracting buyers or clients who look at your profile, and making them want to hire you from your gigs to work for them.
Creating an Outstanding Portfolio
As a freelancer, it is your responsibility to create outstanding portfolios that prove to buyers that you are really knowledgeable in the skill which you have advertised on your gig.
There is nothing more convincing to a buyer than an outstanding professional portfolio, or proof of work.
Seegig gives you a field to add your links for potential buyers/advertisers/clients to see your work.
Creating Outstanding Gigs
Even though you are sure and convinced that you have the skill, or you are an expert in it, as a freelancer it is still very necessary that you ensure to treat every single gig you post like it is your best. This includes the the gig thumbnails, and the gig description.
Take time to create outstanding thumbnails that stops the buyer/advertiser/client from scrolling, to take a look at your gig.
Take time to write a proper and detailed description of your gig. Include everything, and don't leave anything out.
Let the buyer/advertiser/client know why you are the best man for the job and why he should hire you for the job.
Outline the pros of hiring you for the job. What are the benefits he can get from you, and what makes you better than others.
Ensure to include links to your sample works, or portfolio where possible.
Self Promotion
After creating a top notch profile and gigs, a serious freelancer should also toot his own horn. It is not just enough to create profiles and gigs and let the freelancing website promote you. Freelancing is a real business and a serious freelancer who treats it as one will succeed.
Accepting and Taking Orders From Buyers
As a freelancer, it's your job to ensure that orders are accepted from buyers promptly to not keep them waiting for long. A buyer who waits for a very long time before his order was accepted might not want to work with that freelancer next time. You can also choose to not accept an order.
Additionally, after accepting an order from a buyer, it is the job of a freelancer to ask the buyer if he should start working on the order, and if there are extra instructions or extra information on how the work should be done.
As a freelancer you have to keep in mind that some buyers may not know exactly what they want or have much experience, so in this case, it's your responsibility to use your experience to deliver a professional and satisfactory work for them.
Prompt and Effective Communication With Buyers
After you have accepted an order and start working on it. It is your job as a freelancer to let your buyer know that you have started working on the job. You can easily do this on Seegig by switching the order status to "Working".
You have to make sure that you respond to your buyers questions promptly and effectively in the chat section. You also have to make sure that you respond in a friendly manner and follow the chat rules/instructions.
Prompt Order Delivery and Good Reviews
It is also the freelancers job to ensure that the buyers order is delivered promptly as specified in the gig post. This will enable the buyer to leave good reviews on the freelancer's profile, making his profile and gigs more appealing to more buyers.
The freelancer is also obliged in turn to leave a review that will appear on the buyers profile after finishing and delivering a gig order.
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