By Jonathan Prezman | December 15, 2022
Freelancing is a great way to earn money, either full-time or as a side hustle, and gain experience. But in 2023, there are a few things you must know before starting your freelancing journey.
Here we share some important things you need to have as you plan to enter the world of freelancing.
A reliable computer is an essential tool for freelancers. If you’re going to be spending long hours in front of a screen, it’s important that your machine is able to handle the tasks you need to do. Here are some things that should be checked into ensuring this:
Some clients would require you to have a minimum of Intel Core 3 or equivalent, 4-8 GB of RAM, and an SSD storage with a minimum of 256GB capacity plus an HDD.
So take into consideration these things if you plan to buy a computer or laptop.
The days of dial-up internet are officially behind us. A good internet connection is one of the most important things you should have when freelancing. If your internet connection is slow or prone to crashing, then you may have trouble uploading files and keeping up with client communication through Zoom or Skype. Make sure your computer has a reliable internet connection that doesn’t crash often so that you’ll have a smooth working flow. Some clients would also require you to have a speedtest to make sure you meet their internet requirements.
If high speed broadband service is available in your area, make sure you have one. Even if your budget is tight, this is probably one of the best investments you could make in your freelance career. Remember according to numerous studies, the most common concern that clients had with freelancers was their lack of communication.
If you’re going to be freelancing from home, it’s important that your workspace is a quiet place where you can get some work done without distractions. A good lighting scheme will help ensure that the room is not too dark or bright for your eyes during the day and night. You also want to make sure that the temperature of your office environment is comfortable for working long hours—you don’t want to be overheated or chilled by drafts when working on projects!
Investing on a good work table and chair, and an extra monitor is a good idea as well, but it can wait while you’re just starting out.
Also, it’s important to remember that as most of your meetings will be made through video calls such as Zoom, so you have to consider how you appear virtually. A clean background will make you look more professional. You may consider a virtual background too, but be mindful that a Harvard Business Review survey found that most people prefer a natural background (but clean) to a virtual one (https://hbr.org/2020/06/dress-for-the-remote-job-you-want).
Bonus tip: According to a Harvard Business Review survey, 44% of survey respondents prefer to see a wall with books or bookshelves behind the speaker in a Zoom call (50% vs 28% for women).
A daily routine is an essential part of freelancing. It can be as simple or complex as you like, but it’s something that should be flexible and enjoyable for you. The best times to create a new routine are when you’re feeling creative or when there’s no one else around to disturb with their own daily routines.
A daily routine is important for many reasons, including: bringing structure into your day, helping you avoid procrastinating, reduce stress, increase efficiency and finally and perhaps the most important – it helps with your Work-Life balance.
If this sounds like something that works for you: start by defining your working hours, it can be 9am to 5pm. Next, write down everything that gets done in your day (or week). Then, write down what the things you are doing in order and how they affect other tasks. Finally, try breaking each task into smaller chunks—five minutes here and there throughout the day—and see if those work better than long periods spent on one thing only to move onto another later on. And of course – don’t forget to take breaks, and make sure to incorporate them into your regular routine.
Having a routine will help you manage your day effectively and your time efficiently.
And if you can add some exercise in your daily routine (usually it’s a good idea to start your day with exercise) that’s a fab idea.
It’s important to be able to learn new things. As you grow, your skills will change and evolve. You’ll need to keep up with the latest software and technology, as well as learn new skills as you go along. We are in an ever changing generation so your willingness to learn new things will definitely help you thrive in the freelancing industry.
You’ll probably find yourself having to learn some new skills in order to perform your job more effectively—for example, if you’re a writer who wants every word on your site or blog post 100% correct (or even close), then it’s likely that learning grammar rules is something that would come in handy!
There are so many ways to learn new things nowadays: from youtube channels, through online courses (Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare to name a few) and finally attending meetups and local events.
The skills you can develop are wide as well, from learning programming, through B2B Sales, marketing, or a range of other skills that can contribute to growing your business and making a higher income.
So don’t be shy, go out and start learning new things.
You will need to be organized and prepared. If you are going to freelance successfully, you must have a routine. You will need to research your market, learn new things about the industry, find clients and create a marketing plan that works for you.
You will also want to set aside time each week (or month) in order to write articles or other content for yourself or others as well as keeping track of what’s coming up next on your calendar, so there isn’t any confusion about when assignments are due.
Freelancing can be a rewarding career choice for those who appreciate the freedom and flexibility it offers. However, it does require some planning, preparation and investing if you are keen to get into this industry.
Once you have all these and are ready to take on your first project, go to goopss.com and sign in as a freelancer. Your first client may be waiting for you in the platform!
