The employment landscape shifted drastically over just a few short years.
Its a surprisingly practical reality for many Americans believe me, I know.
Post-pandemic, I was dissatisfied with my job and career trajectory.
I had an advanced degree in finance, but my talents were underused.
At the same time, I worked under a series of bosses of questionable intellect and ability.
So, I pulled the trigger and left my job.
I had enough cash on hand to float.
So, I broke into freelancing.
It wasnt easy initially, but I learned many valuable lessons about getting started and building a freelance resume.
Here are a few notes I took during that process.
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Many markets are saturated with generalists with minimal experience or specific skill sets.
I freelance in content writing, and this field is particularly fraught with this key in of aspiring freelancer.
Dont have an Upwork or other profile advertising every possibility under the sun.
Set yourself apart and find a niche.
Looking into your academic and work history is the best way to find your expertise.
Did you do anything specific thats marketable to clients?
If you dont have a background, dont worry but itll take some extra work.
Think about your passion and get to work learning it.
You might have gotten really into epidemiology during the pandemic, for example.
Did you know?
The way to get around this is to build a portfolio.
If you have less experience, youll need to build a portfolio from scratch.
This is invaluable because its a tool to land jobs and hone your burgeoning craft.
Much like the jobs themselves, portfolios compound over time.
In addition to your profiles on the manyfreelancing platforms, you should also have your own digital space.
Having that custom domain and discrete space protects you from unpredictable platform politics and demonstrates professionalism.
Sell Benefits to Clients Based on Skill
This should be a no-brainer, but it isnt.
Many freelancers cold contact potential clients with a list of things about the freelancer.
I was able to do this because of my finance degree.
I sold this benefit before talking about myself exclusively.
As I said, its a fine line, but an important one to follow.
Job prospects compound as you gain experience in your niche and in managing freelancing activities overall.
New York-based contributor Kiara Taylor specializes in financial literacy and financial technology subjects.
She is a corporate financial analyst.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
