Can Freelancing Work for you?

 

Just this week I was speaking to my past student Stacy in Japan. I was quite pleasantly surprised to hear that she was going freelancing. Can freelancing work for you in Japan, I asked her. Sure it can work wherever in the world you are.

If you are pursuing a new path in your career, then you might want to consider freelancing. By freelancing, you can avoid the job market completely and stop showing up for countless interviews each year. I know this is one thing we have decided we will never do again!

Instead, you can use your skills, knowledge, or qualifications to work for yourself and make a profit on your own schedule. Before you jump at this idea, there are a few key factors to consider. 

 

How Are You Going To Find Work?

The first step to becoming a freelancer is finding work and there are a few ways to do this. For instance, you might want to freelance as a writer. If that’s the case, then you could choose to sign up for one of the many writing agencies that hire freelancers. Be aware that you will still be self-employed with this option but you will also get the comfort of knowing that another business is constantly going to send you clients who will be interested in investing in your services. 

 

Alternatively, you might want to consider using one of the many gig economy platforms. These platforms will allow you to bid on contracts and you can click here to see an example of this type of resource that exists in the world of logistics. 

 

How Much Can You Earn?

 

There’s no limit on what you can earn as a freelancer. This is going to depend on the work you put in and how many hours you work as well as your chosen industry. You can see the average pay levels for freelancers by researching online for specific sectors and jobs. You will also find more success if you build up your reputation as a provider of a service. You can do this by utilizing social media. Once clients get to know you you’ll be able to guarantee that they choose your service repeatedly. 

 

Don’t Forget About Taxes

 

Remember, when you become a freelancer, you will basically be running your own small business. This is how the government is going to view you and that means that you need to be prepared to take on the responsibilities of a small business owner. One of the key responsibilities often completely forgotten about is paying your taxes. You’ll need to handle this all yourself and depending on your business model, it can be quite difficult to know exactly how much you should be paying. The best way to deal with this is by hiring an accountant if you can afford the cost in your business model. They’ll handle all issues with taxes for you directly. 

What your day might look like

There will be quite a lot to sort out such as how much to charge, when to say no, when to take a break, and most importantly, what your day will look like. Here is our routine as freelancers and how we make it work for us. For each person it might be slightly different but for you it should be manageable and even enjoyable.

Save money

Most freelancers work from home and save money doing it too. I already shared this post about how to save money when you work from home.

Chances are that you want to reach some long term goals but also have a good quality of life. No one wants to work forever for someone else when they can’t even make ends meet.

Ensure that you have a good routine that actually works and helps to keep you productive.

We hope this helps you determine whether freelancing could be the right choice for you. Freelancing is always going to provide numerous benefits to you including a greater level of control over your career. But there are certainly downsides to keep in mind too. For instance, you will never get as much job security as you would on a full-time contract. That said, for many, the level of flexibility available may more than make up for this issue. 

Places to find Freelancing work

People per hour

Fiverr

Reed

Prospects

and even Gumtree

 

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