Freelancing: A beginner's guide

Freelancing has become more popular nowadays because of the people's wish to earn more from home. Some want to be their own boss and some just wants a flexible schedule. If you're looking for a part time work, this is a great and flexible way to make more money. If you are considering of looking for a career online though, this may or may not the one for you. It's no easy job to be working online because you give up many advantages of working from the office. I have been a freelancer for a year and lucky enough to have found great employers and exciting projects. However, not all have the same experience. Others don't get paid at all because the employer doesn't like the quality of labor. Some others get paid in a very cheap rate. It's always a risk to be working from home so before you join the rest of the freelance providers, consider the downside and upside of this new approach to making money.

CONS:

1.) No contract. Working online is not a stable job. You can get fired easily because you don't have a contract with your employer. You cannot complain either so the security of your work is not assured. Most of the work available work are project based so when the project is completed, you're out of job again.

2.) Benefits. You don't have any. There are no vacation, sick, or maternity leave for mothers. Holiday pay or holiday leave isn't applicable too. You either work per hour or per project and that's all you get.

3.) Health Insurance. You don't get one either since you work online. So if you are sickly or you cannot live without this, you either have to get one for yourself or you forget about freelancing.

4.) No fixed Pay. Since most of the projects are on a fixed rate and short term, you are job less again after the assignment. Hourly work is better because you are assured of the payment but you are also pressured to finish the task at a given time. If you need more time, you have to work on it offline free of charge. You don't receive a fixed amount of salary like when you are on a regular 9-5 job because you will only get paid for the amount of the project you completed.

5.) Unsecured pay. If the service buyer runs away and stops communicating, you won't get paid which is a big risk when working on the virtual world.

6.) Online Dependence. Since the work is from home or online, internet connection is a must. If your internet is down, power is out, or computer is broken you cannot work and will not get paid. So a fast and stable internet, a decent machine, and an uninterrupted power is a must.


PROS:

1) Flexibility. You are your own boss. Work schedule is more flexible and is perfect for those looking for a part time job.

2.) Work Availability. There are plenty of projects available and you can work as much as you can. You also have the option to choose which kind of assignments to work on because you can choose a specific category you are good at.

3.) Skills based. Freelancers can apply for work outside their major and can earn more than what they get from working on the office. You can work on any assignment that you are qualified for and the possibilities of learning new things are huge.

4.) No discrimination. Work are available for everyone including those that are disabled. Even if you are not physically fit but can work with quality, there is a good future for you in freelancing. Employers hire providers based on their capacity to deliver excellent output and not on other unbiased factors.

5.) Convenience. Who wouldn't want to work from home when it's more convenient and less costly. You don't need to drive or take a bus to go to work anymore which is in advantage to mothers. No more worries about coming to work late anymore. Stress is lesser too when you work online because you get to choose a work that you like doing.

6.) Higher Pay Rate. If you are good at what you do, you can get paid higher than what you get on a regular desk job. You can change your rate at anytime you feel you are worth the money. The more experience you have, the higher your chance is of being sought after by service buyers. The more projects you get the more you can charge a higher hourly rate.

7.) Frequent Pay Check. You get paid after you get the job done on a fixed rate task and you get a pay check every week for an on going assignment. It's more convenient because you don't have to wait that long to get compensated for a great work.

8.) Mobility. Since you work online, you can finish the assignment wherever you are as long as you have a computer and internet. You can go out of town and be on vacation while working at the same time. You don't need to sacrifice one for the other which is a great advantage.


As mentioned previously, I have been on the online job for a year now and I am doing great so far. I am earning more than what I earned from my previous job with less stress and pressure. However, this is not a preference for others who likes a more secure and stable work. Consider these points which many of freelancers, not only I, have observed and experienced. Bottom line is whether you work online or on the office, you will be successful in your chosen field if you have a good work ethic and hardworking

I am planning to get into the business of earning from home but I was too afraid to try. My friends say that there are so many scams right now. Where do I begin?

You can google for freelance sites and you get a bunch of search results. You have so many options to choose from so just take your pick. Sign up for an account and setup your profile. That will be resume to get noticed by employers or service buyers.

This is a great guide for beginners admin. Thanks for laying out the possibilities. My friends also work online and they said that it pays good if you work hard and work on several projects. Is there a limit when it comes to working on a freelance site?

I don't think there is a limit. As long as you can support it and you can work on all of the projects you applied for without affecting the other assignments, you'll be okay. My cousin works online so I have a little knowledge about how it works. I may join her team soon too

I'm always curious about working online and how people earn money from it. Can you tell me what projects are available for a student like me? I want to earn and save more money to buy a new laptop and I want to find a way to be able to work in the most convenient way possible

There are plenty of opportunities for students Elena. You can work as a blogger, a writer, or you can get paid making quality posts on forums . If you are good at graphic designing, there are also plenty of work for you too. And like what babykoi said, there isn't any limit to how much projects you can take on. If you work hard, you'll get that laptop at sooner than you think

Can you give us some names of the trusted freelance sites for us beginners? I did google it and there are bunch of them to choose from. Some of the sites look intimidating. I don't know which one is the best and most trusted.

I will make a review of the top 5 freelance sites for you so you can choose which one is best for you. How's that?!

That is a great help admin. I really appreciate that. I'm sure that many of us here would like to know more about the top freelance sites. I don't want to be scammed and I want to work hard but I want to make sure that I will get paid for my effort.

I understand what you mean Belle . I have been through that before too. I had a regular work but wanted to earn more when I heard about freelancing. At first I was skeptic and didn't think that I could really earn online until I received my first pay check of $50 for 20hrs work. It wasn't much but it's a big help considering that I just work from home. And the rest is history!

That isn't bad at all admin. I can use that money to pay for other bills . I'd love to learn more and will wait for your reviews on the top 5 freelance sites to get started.

My cousin can earn $200/week for a part time work as a graphic designer. Graphic designs pays good money and more in demand because it is used for website customization. So if you are good with Photoshop, it's time to get into the field and earn more for yourself

Hello,

i am looking for a job that does not only fit my expertise but also gives me the flexibility on how i manage my time. and I think that there are more projects for me in freelancing

Oh definitely! There are so many job opportunities you can choose from and you can have 2 projects at the same time which will help you earn more. It's better than a desk or office job. The pay is higher and you can work at the comforts of your own home