3 Strategies to Secure Freelance Work
/I hope you enjoyed the Easter and Passover holiday!
Doesn’t it seem like so many people are doing their own side gig right now? You might call it a side hustle. And, some of those side hustles take the form of freelance work. I can relate as I’m part of the gig economy too through my Charisse Says platform.
I’m not alone.
According to a 2021 survey by Upwork, the popular freelance platform, and reported in the Wall Street Journal, the share of U.S. workers categorized as a freelance, which includes all types of gig workers, remained steady at 36% in 2021. The survey found, however, that “the number of skilled freelancers within that group—those providing services in high demand like computer programming, writing, business consulting, marketing and information technology—expanded,” even as temp workers declined.
I offer you three strategies to prepare yourself for freelance work:
Hone in on your unique skill set.
One of the best ways to position yourself for contract work is to refine the skill set that is uniquely yours. What makes your work special, and why do you stand out from others? I like to call this “working your craft,” because you must have a willingness to expand your toolkit as needed, change with market dynamics, and stay competitive amongst other individuals who might have a similar skill set. Honing your skillset is a process, so if you need additional training or experience to round out that skill set, you should be willing to invest the time or money.
Find small-to-medium-sized companies in growth mode.
While larger companies surely hire contractors, smaller companies do not always want to carry full salaried workers because of the cost basis. As such, these smaller companies, particularly those expanding, maybe looking for a specialized skill set that they do not want to bring on full time. Whether you're posting your services on Linkedin, Upwork, Fiverr, or some other platform, look for the companies that might be looking to expand.
Determine the number that values you bring to the table.
Companies typically have a budget in mind before looking for contract work. While their budget may be fixed, do not let that deter you from stating the price you need to charge to make the contract work for you. And, even if their budget is fixed, you may be able to offer a shorter duration or a limited scope of services to accommodate your needs and implicitly value your time accordingly.
A Wealthy Girl Corner
As we approach the end of Financial Literacy Month, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes by Henry David Thoreau:
“Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.”
Whatever you do, including whether or not you pursue gig work, I want you to fully experience the life you have today. That is true wealth, and you deserve to have it every single day!
