Freelancing has truly become the number one option for people who want a decent income minus the hassle of having to go through the intense traffic jam and the equally distressing demands of office life. But while many opted to freelance, ditching their regular jobs in the process, many found out the hard way that this industry is not all rainbows and butterflies, that success in freelancing is not offered on a silver platter. And so to help prepare would be freelancers for the rough road ahead (and to cushion new freelancers from when the bubble that surrounds them breaks) here are some tips that will definitely be of help. 1. Have a Clear Vision Vision is very important not only in freelancing but in every aspect of life. Vision is what keep yourself directed to where you are heading. It is a mental picture of what you want to achieve. It helps in creating plans, goals and materializing them to be put into reality. However, a vision should not only be a picture of what could be, but it also requires action and effort to translate them to reality. 2. Provide Quality Nothing beats an excellent freelancer who provides quality outputs to their clients. Providing quality outputs should be the priority of your day-day schedule because it retains the client’s loyalty and trust. The more you care about them, the more they likely do business with you. 3. Manage Time Wisely One of the many struggles of a freelancer is time management and it is one of the things we have to master to become successful in the field. Everyone is given the same time to use but not everyone is able to maximize it. With loads of work piling up, deadlines to beat, and some family and personal affairs, it’s quite hard to juggle things at the same time. Effective time management allows you to create a healthy and balanced lifestyle and career. 4. Goal-Driven Having a clear goal allows you to focus on where you are heading and what you want to accomplish. It helps you measure your progress and keep you on track of your tasks. Setting your goals also keeps you motivated to go further despite being confronted with many challenges as you go your way to the towards achieving your dream of becoming a successful freelancer 5. Meet Deadlines and Client’s Needs Constantly meeting client’s deadline is an act of professionalism which satisfies the client’s needs and build a strong reputation online. This can increase the client’s confidence and might hire you for a long term opportunity with them. 6. Strive for Growth and Excellence Strive for excellence, not perfection. It is not about simply doing your best or having the task perfectly done but it is about delivering quality service to your clients. Being excellent in what you do is not born. It is a process of continually cultivating yourself and improving your craft to become a better version of what you used to be. When you strive for excellence, you are opening doors of opportunity outside from your comfort zone. Strive for excellence, success will just follow 7. Willing to Learn New Things Many freelancers especially those who have just started freelancing had also difficulty adjusting to the new environment, work and set-up. Others are not even tech-savvy and had to start from scratch to really get through in the industry. Sometimes, there are tasks which you have just encountered for the first time and your only source how to get things done is Mr. Google himself. In this kind of industry, it is not a problem of having no skill at all, but it is a problem or are you willing to learn and go through the process. Skills can be learned but how to learn such skill requires the willingness to learn hard work and perseverance. 8. Persistent I get it that others get hired right away and there are some who don’t. However, when things don’t go according to plan and expectation, they give up too soon. Other expect it to be easy but when they get to see that it’s opposite in reality, they lose enthusiasm and determination. Sometimes, they lose confidence and self-esteem that makes them feel bad about themselves. You have to understand that success takes time and it requires so much effort and persistence to get to where you want to go. The value of your persistence should be proportional to the value of your vision. When you have a vision, it motivates you to keep going and persevere no matter how hard, how long you have to go through. 9. Right Character Skill will get you the top but character will let you stay at the top. A good professional skill without the right character will not last. A right character is an innate behavior which reflects on yourself and even in the productivity of your work. If you display a right character, there is a great chance of promotion or a raise and might acknowledge you as a role model of the team. 10. Know Their Deepest Why Once you understand why you are doing what you are doing, you will find the sole purpose to strive and pursue what you have started. It could be earning more than what your 5-8 job offers so you can be with your family, building your dream house for your family, or perhaps you want to have time and financial freedom. Know your deepest why. It will help you be motivated to keep going when you feel like giving up. If you are struggling with your freelancing career and want to learn more skills to become a successful freelancer visit Filipino Virtual Assistance and let’s bring your career to the next level.
Top 10 Qualities of a Successful Freelancer
Updated: Jul 2, 2020