Becoming a #artfreelancer became a prevalent wish for many employees in the last few months.
But let's start from scratch.
What is a freelancer?
A #freelancer is a professional who does his #workindependently and provides services to several employers with whom he does not have a permanent relationship — the main objective of those who choose to work independently is to become more independent.
The advantages
Undoubtedly, the main advantage is managing your schedule and choosing the jobs you want to do. You can work wherever you want: at home or in a shared space, in a big city, or in the countryside. If you choose to work from home, you can even see your daily expenses reduced, as you don't make the usual trips to work.
The disadvantages
The main thing is perhaps the fact that you don't have a secure salary every month. There will be times when you will have a lot of work, others when you don't have any. Knowing how to balance this will be THE big challenge. Another less-favorable point is working alone. Some like this "loneliness," but working without someone to discuss issues or even have a coffee break is sometimes lacking. Adding to this, you will have to do everything: from the job itself, organizing your finances, and promoting your activities.
If, on the one hand, there are no fixed hours or singular paycheck, on the other hand, it requires a lot of focus and organization. 🙃 Are you ready for this kind of work system and a significant change in your life, by the way?
How should you organize yourself?
A freelancer has to have discipline, and this is not an easy task.
When #workingathome, the distractions are more than many: going to the fridge, starting to read a book/magazine, checking the emails (and remaining there for some hours ), or even cleaning the drawers. You will find all reasons to procrastinate.
Baby steps: first, you have to establish a fixed place, even at home, to work and have the essential tools close. It's not worth working on the couch.
Afterward, organize the day, preferably establishing schedules so that you don't "drag" more work than you should.
Where to find the first customers?
It would help if you prepare and organize yourself in advance: have a portfolio, updated social networks, have a price list, and a way to pass a receipt or invoice to a potential customer.
Then search locally, among the network of friends and acquaintances, for someone who needs your services.
From there, start contacting the companies, setting up meetings, and presenting the portfolio. There are also several platforms dedicated to remote work that act as a supply and demand bank.
Networking is essential, whether participating in conferences with professionals from the same area, working in coworking spaces, or participating in exclusive digital communities.
A quality digital presence is essential for a freelancer: exhibiting your services, communicating your brand, and even giving your opinion on a specific subject can generate contacts and work.
Start preparing this step even before you quit your job.
How can you know your hourly value?
This is the question, the one, for a big majority of us, artists!
One of the main difficulties for self-employed people is knowing how much they will charge for a given project:
How much is an hour of work worth?
What should be included in a budget?
Should it be billed by the task or by the hour?
There are many questions to ask to be able to establish a price that is considered fair. Be aware of your new reality, my friend.
Start by sorting out all the expenses inherent to work, such as electricity, computer, rent, travel, and don't forget about the accountant, taxes, and discounts. (Yes, do not forget any detail, or you will pay dearly for it. I mean, literally.) Plus, since you are self-employed, you have to remember that you will have to pay the VAT for the services you charge.
It is also necessary to make the appropriate contribution to Social Security, calculated considering the volume of earnings. These are the significant expenses that can make a difference when you want to safeguard the value of the work.
Searching for some professional help, here can look expensive at first, but it will pay along the way. I mean, literally. Again.
What tools are there to help you?
To make this task easier, you have to start to make a list of your needs and, after that, research the available app or digital tools.
For example, the first should be a calendar where you can make and control your schedule.
A project management app is also a significant asset.
Choose carefully the social media that you are going to use to advertise your work.
The "famous" calculator where you can find your price/hour.
This point deserves a more detailed post. Soon, I will share my opinion about this.
And what about you? What do you think about all of this big change on becoming a freelancer? Share your thoughts with us.
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