When I started as a freelancer, I used to read many such articles and was quite fascinated by many of them. But little did I think if freelancing was for me. In my opinion, not everybody can sustain as a freelancer for long unless they have a few qualities. Every day hundreds of freelancers enter this very competitive market. There is at least one person to bid for a price lower than you and at least one person who has more experience than you. In such a scenario one should understand that bidding low and having a good portfolio alone can not help you sustain.
I second that freelancing is a money minting business, but is it suitable for everybody? How can you know that freelancing should be your primary hustle? A few qualities that you need to have to sustain the freelancing world.
1.If you are excellent at Time management
In order to be successful in any field, time management is essential; but in freelancing it is primal. Most of us take up freelancing for the benefit of having quality family time and to get out of the 9–5 time slot. In order to accomplish this as well as earn a decent income, you have to manage your time efficiently. Most of the freelancing jobs need a continuous 3- 4 hours of daily work. If one finds it difficult to get this stretch of time, then freelancing could be stressful. Most freelancers tend to sit late at night to complete their work, which might affect their health in long run. Unless you have a defined schedule it could be difficult to pursue as a freelancer.
2.If you take deadlines very seriously
Success in freelancing starts with getting the right client. For a good relationship with the client, quality work and meeting deadlines are the key. If you are a person who does not take deadlines seriously, you can never sustain yourself in this job. You might get your first client because of your good portfolio or a low bid, but to earn trust- sticking to deadlines is a must. Most copywriting and web development freelancers operate on strict deadlines, if you cannot handle tight schedules then freelancing is not for you.
3.If you are quick at your work
There are millions of freelancers in today’s world. Sites like Freelancer.com updates job every minute, and one can see 10–20 proposals for every job. It is that crazy. One nice thing about freelancing is that it is not necessary that you always bid for a high-paying project, if you are quick you can work on many small projects and keep earning. It is for this reason that people are constantly on these freelancing websites and bid for as many projects as they can. But once you get a long-term client, you do not have to go through this craziness.
4.If your interest span on a project is short
If you are a person who wants to be done and dusted on a project soon and move on with a new project every few months, then freelancing is your choice. You can work on different types of projects as long as you have the skill. This might help you to enhance your profile too.
5. If you need regular breaks from your job
Regular day jobs do not provide you the liberty in taking breaks every now and then though you might be entitled to on many occasions. Freelancing does not need such commitments as long as you have not signed any long-term contracts. Many of us get burned out very soon on a monotonous schedule and would want to stay out of work for a brief period which freelancing allows. So, if you are a person who needs such short breaks every now and then, freelancing should be your choice.
6.If you just want to earn money without any career goals
Freelancing has its own pros and cons. As everyone knows, with the right client and regular work, freelancing is a cash cow but the downside is that you cannot have any career goals. You could definitely up the pay of your work based on your experience, but there is not much recognition in most cases. You must be willing to accept this and just earn money. For people who have different ambitions in life and use freelancing just for income, this could be perfect, but for others, it could be no motivation at times because there is not much recognition.
7.If you already have a good social circle and do not expect friends out of freelancing
One big advantage of a day job is having a good social circle. Freelancing does not provide you that opportunity unless you are lucky to develop a friendship with many of your clients. Initially, freelancing could keep you motivated for the quick money but over a period of time, you might not have the motivation to continue. If you already have a good social circle and take regular breaks from work then freelancing would be your perfect hustle.
8.If you are a good salesperson
Freelancing is all about pitching yourself. Many of us might be talented but if you are unable to pitch yourself for a client’s requirement then this field might be a struggle. A regular day job does not require everybody to be a salesperson but in the freelancing world, everybody must be a good salesperson. Excellent pitches bring in great projects.
9.If you are an independent worker
Regular jobs have teams and there is always somebody to mentor or help you with. In freelancing, it is mostly you and the project is dependent on just your skillset. So be prepared to work independently.
Finally
Freelancing can be a successful career if chosen with the right mindset. There are many freelancers who have made it big and are successful. For many, it might take time and for a few, it might be an instant click. It is better to have your day job while trying on freelancing so you could always choose what works for you the best.
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