How to Start Freelancing in 2022

Once upon a time, working a virtual or remote job was practically unheard of. Now it's more sustainable than ever.

The pandemic caused a lot of disruption, but it did do one thing for us. It carved a path forward by opening doors for virtual work. Work-from-home, remote, and freelance jobs have been on the rise.

These jobs are giving people (like myself) their freedoms back. I can produce high-quality results on my time, on my terms, and at my own pace. At home, I can take care of the other duties I have (like being a mom) and still get my work done.

If you're new to freelancing, I want to share with you some of the things I've learned in the past year. I've got some helpful tricks and tips you'll want to implement right away. If you know someone that's looking to start their freelance journey, feel free to send this their way!

How do I start freelancing?

To start freelancing, one must simply begin.

I would advise you to look at what skills you already have (typing, designing, drawing, etc) and try to determine what kind of services you could provide based on those skills.

What are the different types of freelance work?

There are countless jobs for freelancers available. Here's a brief list of what's possible:

• writing (blogs, articles, newsletters)
• marketing (email, ads, on-page copy)
• social media (management, content creation, content calendars)
• editing (blogs, articles, books, websites)
• voice (YouTube, podcasts, cultural and accent studies)
• design (branding, logos, digital art)

The list goes on forever and there are an astounding number of clients out there waiting for you and your individual skill sets.

Where can I find freelance work?

There are freelance platforms out there that can get you started with some simple jobs so you can build up a portfolio. Those platforms include (but are not limited to):

• Fiverr
• Upwork (Insider Tip! Nearly all entry-level jobs posted are going to be low-paying. Use them for the experience and boost your rating. Remember when you're ready to move on to more advanced work-begin looking under intermediate+!)
• ProBlogger (This is best used for those who want to do writing jobs, and it's actually a great place to find blogs looking for writers!)
• ZipRecruiter
• LinkedIn (LinkedIn is full of potential, and as you'll learn your network is your net worth! Your clients are a connection away!)

Hot Tip! When you're looking for freelance positions on regular job boards, you'll likely be looking for contract positions rather than full or part-time positions.

Where do I start?

If you have any kind of digital skill, you can likely use it to get started. Freelancing is more about learning as you go, rather than coming into the business knowing what you're doing.

You just begin, find what you enjoy, and scale that into as many clients as you want or need.

Freelancing can be freeing, fulfilling, and fun. All you have to do is just start.