Getting Jobs
If you’re just starting out or thinking about working as an online freelancer, than I suggest you check out the following articles first:
15+ Ways to Profit Online As A Freelancer: Part 1
15+ Ways to Profit As An Online Freelancer: Part 2
Freelancing: Your Most Valuable Tools
Freelancing: Other Sites for Finding Work
Now, assuming that you’ve established the basics that are required to get started as a freelancer, let’s start landing some jobs and making some money! As simple as it sounds, this is tough for a lot of freelancers. How do you convince people that you’re not only qualified but you’re the most uniquely qualified freelancer for their job?
It takes practice but that’s something you’re bound to get when you spend about 25% of each week – in those first crucial months — just looking for new projects. The good news is that if you really get good at what you do, you’ll never need to look for work – you’ll get plenty from repeat clients and ongoing projects. This is ideal because it will allow you to focus on growing your business beyond freelancing into other areas of the online biz.
What Your Clients Are Looking For
Before you get started, you should know who your potential clients are. Every client is unique, but they all have certain expectations from you in terms of what you’ll provide. While you can learn a lot about them from the job descriptions they post, you can learn even more by the way they interact with you on the message boards.
- Searching for Projects – When searching for projects on the freelancing sites, always check for key indicators of what your client might expect from you. Review their timeline, budgetary constraints, feedback they seek and any other requirements they have. Keep in mind that while you can convince many people to go above the budget they’ve set, you can rarely convince them to accept someone with lower feedback or a longer timeline. The cost of a project is directly related to the quality of the finished product, so if you can convince them that you provide highly valuable content, they may accept the higher cost.
- Other Bids – Most sites don’t allow you to see the other bids on a project. However, you can see the average bid on some sites by mousing over the project and budget in the search panel. If you can see the maximum, minimum, and average bids, simply adjust yours accordingly. But only do this if there are a lot of bids on a project. Ideally, you should be able to sell yourself and your rates regardless of what other people bid.
- History – Check the feedback history of any potential clients. Try to avoid anyone who has no history, as they rarely have a good idea of how these sites work or what to expect from you. You’ll spend more time explaining escrow and freelancing than you will actually working. Also avoid anyone who has repeated negative comments for unrealistic expectations or rudeness. Eventually, as you grow, you may need to take on such clients, but as a new freelancer trying to build your confidence, try to find people who will offer constructive criticism and be realistic about what you can offer.
- Communication and Details – Always review communications methods that are offered by a potential client. If they don’t offer enough ways to contact them, you may need to ask for it later on. You’ll want to get immediate feedback whenever you have a question or need a review of your work.
A good client is just as important as a good job. Not only do they make it easier to go above and beyond in what you produce, they will appreciate your talents and often hire you again. Nothing is more valuable than a recurring client, as they cut out the time needed to find new clients and generate new work.
