How to start as a freelancer - Overview

If you want to venture into the adventure of working as a freelance, leaving your stable income, vacation, hours of 8 hours in the comfort of your home, scheduling flexibility and freedom but still do not know where to start despite having taken the decision I will share some factors to consider to start.


A couple of weeks ago at a meeting they asked me how I start working as a freelancer? My answer was simple: take the decision to do so. But surely there are more factors to consider to start. I think the most important thing is to be clear what the significance of being freelance, so you lose things like that win.


10 challenges of being freelance


You have to be aware not only a freelance job or lifestyle, it is also an attitude to the profession. When you work for a company and do bad work is responsible to the customer is the company they work when you freelance is your reputation that is always at stake.


Publicize your work: you must work hard to publicize your work and find customers interested in doing projects.


Portfolio of work: if you do not have one, because it will be necessary to design your letter to your customers.


Revenue: are not safe or stable each month, you get used to be months of much income and others who may not receive anything under the projects you get. Optimize your resources and organize your finances.


Organization of time: you must have discipline to work, organize to meet the proposed dates and optimize it to guarantee more projects.


Billing / taxes: you must resolve all legal matters in your country in relation to self-employment to avoid problems with the client or legal matters.


No work no pay: your mindset must change, now working for an income guarantee based on your effort, you can not kill time as you did in the office and receive your pay, not working freelance is unpaid.


Price just: put a price just work you do and negotiate with the customer will always be a challenge, study your market, learn how to sell your knowledge and ability at the right price.


Confidence: you must earn the trust of your customers to ensure more jobs or recommendations for the future. Your reputation will build confidence in the people with whom you work.


Proof: if there are months where you do not lose hope projects will not be freelance is a challenge that only people can do with consistency and perseverance.


Holidays: spend a long time without having them, to achieve a balance of income, learning to risk some other things to achieve.


10 steps to start as a freelance


Make it clear that there are no formulas to begin with, there are people who have never had a boss who are accustomed to working independently. On the other hand, I know people who have been working for the same company and they want change but do not know how. So if you start working your independence here are some tips to evaluate:


Evaluate your skills: do not try to sell something you're not, are very aware of your skills and Expertise to offer your customers safely.


Plan your portfolio: you can not sell websites if you do not have a well designed, if you have many designs and developments at least that is itself worthy of admiration.


Create support stationery: business cards are never more whenever you take a good all your data to contact you.


Choose an area of work: it is important because it is the place where you will spend much of your time, try to be comfortable and have the basics to work.


Optimize your resources: the beginning is always a bit difficult, so try to optimize everything you have: money, clothes, budget, energy, connection and so on.


For clients: any meeting, dinner or event may be time to find customers, try to be prepared.


Fulfill Your time: do not be enthusiastic about wanting to impress offering less time than traditional, remember your reputation is at stake.


Set goals for short, medium and long term: this will give an overview of what you want to achieve and not lose heart.


Evaluate your budget: if you want to start this process, there are some software applications that can do that, for example PROCUP.


Do not miss the drive: if it takes several months and things do not go as expected, be aware that this is indeed part of the challenge, failing to assess how these and try again.


Here is one of the popular sites to start from I can recommend LimeExchange