Should a Beginner Freelancer Quit Their Main Job?
Freelancing is becoming more and more popular. The circumstances that led to the transition to work remotely gave many an impetus to move from a full-time job to a flexible freelance work format. However, is it worth it to dramatically change the style of your work and leave the office? What are consequences? This article will try to answer these and other questions.
Shift To Freelancing From Full-time Job
Without questioning your resolve to become freelancers, we would like to draw your attention to the following points in the life of beginner freelancers. Not all beginner freelancers manage to reach an acceptable level of income within the desired time frame. Frequently, the enthusiasm of a freelancer disappears after the first two or three months of professional lack of demand. This happens especially often if they start freelancing in a new field. For example, an accountant decided to become a freelance copywriter. The bank manager becomes a graphic designer. The school history teacher is a freelance translator.
Where To Begin
You choose your lifestyle
The best idea would be to start working in two modes at the same time in order to gain experience and a freelance portfolio at the same time. If you immediately plunge headlong into freelancing, you can easily find yourself failing, because at the very beginning your value in this market is low. Freelancing and on-staff job are two radically different lifestyles; freelancing requires a high degree of self-organization and readiness to fail.
Freelancer constantly has to learn
Technologies are getting more advanced and market trends are changing, therefore it means that a freelancer who has to constantly respond to the demands of the time needs to study consistently. Mastering new skills is part of the freelance lifestyle, because this factor greatly affects the demand.
Freelancing is about self time management
Competent time management allows freelancers to earn a lot by completing more orders than those who do not know how to keep track of their time. On freelancing, your superiors will not micromanage you, reminding you of responsibilities; here you bear full responsibility for the result yourself, unless, the customer wants to share it with you. In addition, the spare time can be spent on gaining new knowledge and helpful rest. A disciplined and punctual freelancer is always preferable, so learn to present yourself correctly using your strengths.
Build your network
Treat your choice and communication with clients responsibly, since your well-being directly depends on them. Try to understand and collaborate with your clients, then they can become your regular customers — this will significantly improve your position in the market. Moreover, they can recommend you to their friends, and then this snowball can wind up without limits for your growth! Connections, along with experience and skills, make freelancers confident in the future.
Rest is a Key Component
And rest (good rest) is especially difficult to organize at the very beginning. After all, you are immersed in work, and it is not so easy to get out. In addition, unlike official work, vacation here, like sick leave, is not paid by anyone but you. Still, rest is essential. Moreover, it is desirable that the type of rest is not connected in any way with your professional activity. Thus, you will simply receive a boost of energy and strength to move on.
Main Stages of Shifting To Freelance
- Prepare a portfolio,
- Create a profiel on a freelance platform,
- Search for projects and sign a contract with a client,
- Complete projects successfully,
- Collect good reviews and connections.
We hope this article was useful for you and helped you decide whom you want to become, how approach your decision and succeed in the end!
