Freelancing Q&A
By Winton Churchill
Q. What do I need to get started as a freelancer?
A. You need to create an account on a major, online freelance network. That gives you access to a global pool of hundreds of thousands of potential clients.
Once you’ve joined a network, you can create a profile. A profile is a little like a resume in that it tells your prospective clients about you and your background. But it diverges from a resume in that it focuses primarily on your skills, rather than the chronology of your work history.
Q. Can I find freelance work if I don’t have any past experience?
A. I hear this all the time from baby boomers and I laugh. “After three or four decades of work, you don’t have any experience?”
What industry are you in, what skills do you use in your job every day? Are you a good communicator? Do you read and respond to email? Do you help your peers solve problems? Do you collaborate with others? What software do you know how to use?
You have been solving problems great and small for longer than half of all freelancers have been alive. You have a vast array of skills and experience when you break it down.
Q. Can I work from anywhere?
A. A qualified yes. Most freelance work requires relatively modest internet speeds. Thankfully, today the internet wraps around the world and gives you the luxury of letting others tap your brain (for a fee) no matter where you are.
One of the few exceptions to this is video editing. If your chosen field has to do with editing and producing videos—which require fast download speeds—you’ll want to stick near the major metropolitan areas. The good news is that most all of them have great internet.
Q. Where do I find clients?
A. If you do it right, clients look for and find you.
Tapping into the over 150 project networks around the world, you have the opportunity to respond to requests for your services in a very organized way.
The big benefit to you, regarding these networks, is that your prospective clients have posted very specific work they want done right now.
You don’t have to go out and beat the pavement, looking for work. You don’t have to waste time with prospective clients who are unsure about what they want to do.
Q. How do I get paid?
A. Most of these major networks give you several options. The most frequently used options are direct deposit to your bank account or direct deposit to your PayPal account.
Usually, these deposits are made once per month. If you want more frequent deposits you can pay a modest fee of a few dollars.
It will vary from network to network but your options to receive money are flexible.
Note: Whether you’re close to retirement or it’s still a decade away, the idea of having a little cushion, an extra income you control, is a smart one.
