Freelancer International University.

 
Learn. Grow. Earn.

 
Freelancing 201 – Becoming a Certified Standard Freelancer.

 
Brought to you by Founder, CEO, and Award-winning Chief Digital
Officer: Evans Munyuki

Copyright Freelancing International University, 2021

 

Freelancing 201 – Becoming a Certified Standard Freelancer

Hello and welcome to Freelance 201. Did you know that we would never have had
the opportunity to enjoy the magical world of Walt Disney if he had given up after only
302 attempts to get funds to build Disneyland? And then, people say that success
comes overnight.

Review of 101 Course

Do you recognize yourself in the sentences, “I can’t stand my 9 to 5 job anymore!” “I
have to change something in my life!” “I wish I could do what I love, and love what I
do for a living”. If that’s the case, you are in the right place. 

If you are a person whose working hours are not fixed, don’t have to go to the office
to get the work done, but instead, you work from home, and usually on contract
bases using freelancing platforms to find clients, well, guess what - you are a
freelancer! 

The popularity of the 9-to-5 jobs slowly declines, and instead of that, freelancing is
something that draws a lot of attention lately. Being your own boss and working on a
contract basis became common, especially among the young generation. When
freelancing, you use your skills, education, and experience to work for multiple clients
in your own pace. 

We hope you remembered that Remote work and Freelancing are not the same
things, despite being done remotely. 

We also hope you implied everything you have learned in the previous course and
that you have recognized the opportunity and discovered your skills match the top 20
from our list. And even if it’s not the case, if you have some extraordinary and not-so-
typical skills, we hope you’ve found the way to cash in it, using our tips regarding the
profile and avoiding the most common freelancer’s mistakes.
Now that we have settled this, let’s push the limits a bit more and start conquering
the Mid-level Freelancer Title - Freelancing 201 is waiting for you!

1. Freelancing Jobs

There is a lot of jobs that are considered as freelancing jobs. Typical freelancing jobs
include writing, copywriting, virtual assistance, graphics design, Voiceover, Video
editing, Marketing, translating, Editing/Proofreading, SEO, developing etc.

A freelance beginner should understand that some jobs are easy to get without any
prior experience, while some jobs will require practice and professionalism. The best-
recommended jobs for beginners are writing, virtual assistance and social media
management jobs.

Writing and Translating: Writing and translation jobs are the most accessible and
easy to start as a freelancer. Writing jobs vary and include writing various content for
a blog post, eBooks, product descriptions for online stores, or social media post. It
also covers freelance journalism, pitch writing, newspaper publications and academic
writing jobs. As for translation, there is a much higher demand for English translation
than for other languages. Still, you can find projects that don’t include English,
German, French or any other languages with high demand. Of course, one of the
conditions is to be a native speaker.

Graphics Design: Graphics design is a bit challenging for new designers as this will
require owning some industry-standard software and a top creative skill that will
enable you to meet clients' demands. Graphics design covers logo creation,
PowerPoint Presentations, adverts, covers, flyers, and banners.

Programming and IT: Programmers build and design websites and apps, build
software’s and well-designed and easy to use for a typical customer. The designer
has to write the codes that are needed for the design. A freelancer can also provide
virtual IT support to a client by improving the websites search engine optimization
(SEO). Knowledge of CSS, CSS, JavaScript is required here.

1.1. Freelance Marketing and Promotion

Freelancing is just like any other brand. You must engage in the marketing and
promotion of your brand in other to attract clients. It would be helpful if you, as a
freelancer, have a website to showcase your work and promote your products and
services. Create top-notch contents that will appeal to your clients and address the
specific needs of the audience. That’s how you put yourself on a higher level, closer
to professionals.

Create content that addresses your clients' immediate needs, and it will serve as a
guide in creating an awareness of your competences and skills.
 2. How Much Can You Make as a Freelancer?

Although there is no specific answer to this question, since the freedom in freelancing
also applies to earning capacity, we will try to set some range.

Earning capacity (generally speaking) is based on your skill type, position on the
freelancing ladder, determination, and the number of jobs you take. Junior Freelancer
may make from $10 to $1000 in a month. Mid-level from $300 to $5000 per month,
senior freelancers may bank $500 to $10,000 per month while professional
freelancers (with agencies) may go home with the amount that ranges from $1500 to
$20,000 per month (all things being equal). Do you see it? There are so many
varieties due to numerous factors that influence the price.

Some skills have a higher chance of drawing in funds than others. For instance, web
design and digital marketing will most likely bring in more funds than data entry. It all
boils down to demand and supply. Therefore, supply is directly related to fees. A low
supply of a particular skill that has a high demand means a higher price. An
increased supply of the skill means low price. So, the more people in your niche
offering services or product, the less you will be paid due to competition, except if
you’re highly proficient.

As you can see, there are no rules, and there are no guarantees you will earn a
fortune. But there is one thing for sure; if you invest in your skills, knowledge and
hard work, the results will be evident.

How much you will earn depends on the type of project, budget, skills type, level of
your skills, duration of the project etc.

3. Your Home is Your Office

One thing that is closely related to freelancing is that your home becomes your office
as well. Yes, yes, we know. The picture of you sitting on some exotic destination with
the cocktail in one hand, the laptop in front of you, and the beautiful sunset are really
tempting. But guess what? Most freelancers work from home.
Even though some freelancers really work from the beach or some exclusive
destination, most of them work from their living room, study room or bedroom. Yeah,
that’s the truth. Are you disappointed? Don’t be, because with professional work you
will be able to travel the world.
It doesn’t mean you can’t work in a café or at the beach, but until you decide to move
to some tropical place to live your dream, we will show you how to create your ideal
working space just until you buy that cabin in the Caribbean’s. Good home office
space can inspire your creativity and productivity. With your little piece of heaven,
that cocktail in Crabbiness doesn’t sound that far away, does it?
You know the system with freelancing – how much you work, that much you will earn;
and knowing that, with the fact you will probably work from home at the beginning of
your career, let’s see what you should know regarding your working space.

3.1. Find your favorite working space

That should be your first task. We all have different preferences regarding working
space and working environment, but one thing is for sure: You need to have space
where you will spend most of your time (especially at the beginning).
Where are you sitting now? Are you sitting or lying on your bed? If you are lying on
your bed, we advise you to move yourself to a chair and put your laptop on your
desk. Why? Why moving when it’s so comfortable here? Well, here’s why:
a) Your spine doesn’t appreciate it - And after a few years of freelancing, you
will find out that lying on the bed and working is not the best choice. Spine
pain can be pretty much annoying, and you don’t have to go through it. All you
have to do is to move across the room and sit on the chair.
b) Your brain doesn’t appreciate it. - Now, you are probably wondering what it
has to do with your brain. For a start, a bed is a place where you sleep, and
every time you lie on your bed, your brain goes, “Ooh, great, it’s time to rest!”
and then you surprise it with some tasks. Not a very grateful thing to do to
yourself, isn’t it? If you repeat this action long enough, your brain won’t
distinguish time to work and rest because everything happens on your bed.
The result of these actions can be insomnia and chronic tiredness.
So, if we agreed that a bed is not the best replacement for an office, despite the fact
it feels comfortable at the moment, let’s see what is.
The most important thing when it comes to a workspace is how functional it is. Does
it have everything needed for hours of work, and does it cut all (or at least the
majority) of distractions you might face while freelancing?
Let’s start with some requirements the working space should have:
a) It should have a chair – Yes, we are starting with the essential, the throne!
Since you will spend a lot of time sitting on it, it should be comfortable and with
a height adjusted to you.
b) It should have a desk – Whether you will use your computer desk, your
dining table, or a kitchen table it’s not important, as long as you don’t have to
move your computer or laptop every time some of your family members need
to eat, and as long as the height of it fits you.
c) It should have a door – Okay, now, let’s explain this one. It would be perfect
to have a working space as a separate room, where you can shut the door
and leave the private life outdoor. It would help you lower the noise, eliminate
some distractions etc. That’s why this is preferable but not essential.
d) It should have a window – No, you won’t jump from it. The window is here to
provide you with enough light and to be able to let the fresh air from time to
time (preferably every day) into your home office. That increases brain
activities and kills germs and viruses. So, whenever you can, open your
window and let the fresh air in.
- Knock, knock
- Who’s there?
- Fresh air
- Oh, do please come in!
As you can see, it’s not complicated at all. We all have it inside our homes, and all
you need to find out which corner of your house or apartment is the best match for
you. Experiment a bit, move around the house initially, because that’s the only way to
find out which one is best for you.
In addition to the things mentioned before, you can equip your working space with
some details that make you happy, like flowers or pictures, posters or anything that
will make your working space enjoyable to spend time there.

3.2. Living room office ideas

First, this is not the perfect choice, but it might function. If you choose to use your
living room as a workspace, here are some ideas on how to make the best of it, and
how to put your mind of housework and distractions and focus more on work. You
have decided to work from home; now what? You don’t have a home office, and you
don’t know what to do? Do you think you need considerable investment in office tools
just to be able to start working? Fear not; we are here to show you how can you
create your office space directly in your living room.
The first thing you need to consider is cleaning the area from all the extra furniture.
Yes, you heard right; you need to clean all the distractions from your home office.
Consider using the area behind the sofa for your office desk. If you have kids, it is a
perfect way to keep an eye on them while you are working. If they are playing,
studying, or watching the TV, you will always have an eye on them, which helps you
focus and think less about your kid’s safety.
Maybe you don’t have space in your living room for a desk behind the sofa. In that
case, you should consider a lift top table for a desk. You might feel you don’t need
the desk at all. In that case, even a café table will do the trick. But be careful
regarding the position of your body while working. (Remember the things we said at
the beginning!)

3.3. Set the rules!

Once you choose your office space, it is time for you to set up some grand rules for
yourself and your family members. Even if you live alone or only with your partner, it
is crucial that you set some rules to keep yourself productive. Because if you don’t
see your working space as a working space and don’t feel like you are at work, even
though you are in your living room, you will have a hard time focusing, and there is a
big chance you will procrastinate. In that case, you can forget about your dream
house by the beach. And to prevent that from happening, here are some valuable
tips on how to be productive, even when you are at home:
Work in space without a TV- This is pretty much self-explanatory. If you are in an
area with the TV, you will feel tempted to turn it on “just to see what is on” and forget
about your work. Do you know what is not on? That cabin you dream about.
Create a daily calendar – Write down all your tasks for that day and hang them in a
visible place. Once you have an eye on your daily tasks, there is a slight chance you
will miss them. It helps you to keep the focus on your work and the things you need
to do.
Talk with your family members – If you are working in your living room, sometimes
you don’t have the luxury of privacy. If you live with your partner or have kids, you
need to talk with them and ask for your privacy during your working hours.
Set your working hours- Even if you work at home, set yourself working hours. That
way, you will have that office feeling and a sense of responsibility. Sometimes we
procrastinate if we work from home. You need to set strict working hours for yourself
and stick to them. That way, your family members and friends will know that you are
busy working at a particular time of day and are less prone to create distractions for
you.
Dress like you are going to the office – One of the benefits of a home office is the
ability to work in your pajamas. But still, try to avoid that. Wake up at the same time
every day, as if you are going to the office, dress as if you are going to the office and
avoid wearing pajamas. That way, you will create a sense of real office work, and it
will do a lot for your productivity.
Your phone is off – Your phone might be one of the loudest disturbers. Social
networks are tempting you to check them; notifications are constantly buzzing,
making your working challenging as hell. If possible, put your phone in “do not
disturb” mode. Act the same as if you would while working in the office.
Sorry, but I’m working – Okay, these are magic words you should learn and use
every time a friend, a neighbor or a relative decides to call you or stop by for a cup of
coffee. You have your working hours, despite the fact you are a freelancer. That
doesn’t mean you should not have a social life, but it mustn’t be during your working
hours. Make it clear to everyone, because “staying at home” and “working from
home” is not the same.

4. I Have It All, But My Freelancing Career Is Still Not Moving Forward

It may surprise you, but there are some cases when you have everything you need,
but still, your career is not moving forward. And in those cases, questions like “What
am I doing wrong?” or the statement “Maybe I’m not for freelancing” might be
something that pops into your mind.
Okay, you have decided to start your freelancing career, you created an account on a
freelancing platform, you got a few projects, but you are still not satisfied with the
economic effects and the number of clients you have.
It doesn’t mean a freelancing career is not for you. It just means you haven’t used all
the means you have on disposal. Freelancing is just like every other profession or
business if you will. You can have a beautiful and fully equipped office or store on a
fabulous location, and still, you don’t have customers or clients entering your office or
store.
In that case, you should check whether you did everything right and is there
something you missed. Let’s see what we have on the list. Go through it and check
each and every one of them:
a) Profile on a freelancing marketplace platform – We suppose you have
created a profile on a freelancing platform and that it’s fully completed. It
should have your picture, your portfolio, a short but eye-catchy description of
your specialty, previous work experience and skills. You can always add small
detail regarding your personal interests.
b) Certificates – In order to stand out from all the other freelancers, your
competition, you will need to upgrade your profile with certificates. It gives the
potential clients insurance that you take your freelancing career seriously, that
you are willing to expand your knowledge, and follow the trends and
innovations in your industry.
c) Marketing is all around you – Yes, we live in a marketing era for a long time
now, almost a century, and if you haven’t realized that till now, it’s high time for
you to start learning something about it. There is no chance of avoiding it
because without a good marketing plan regarding your career, it will not move
forward. Remember that in freelancing, you are the product. You sell services
or products made by you, but at its core, you should be a brand; you’re the
one that attracts clients to cooperate with you. So, it’s time to learn something
about good old-fashioned marketing in a new digital age.

5. How to Use Social Media Marketing the Right Way

Some freelancers don’t know that they can attract hundreds of clients in a month
through social media. Social media platforms like Quora, YouTube, Facebook, etc.,
provide enormous potential to get hundreds or even thousands of clients. As we
mentioned in our previous course, you can use the power of social media to work in
your favor. It is always a good idea to create your professional social media links to
increase your hiring chance; It is also a free promotional tool. Here is a list of a few
social media you might consider using. May the odds be in your favor! 

 Instagram- Instagram is a potent tool, especially for designers. You can

create your professional profile where you post your work. It is also good to
follow companies and engage with potential clients in comments to increase
your visibility. 
 Facebook - If you plan to advertise your services on Facebook, you should
join groups specialized in hiring freelancers from your industry and post your
work daily. 
 LinkedIn- LinkedIn is a specialized professional network. It would be best to
showcase your work and connect with other professionals and potential clients
if you had your professional profile. Post regularly and let it be meaningful. 
 Twitter – Twitter is even more comfortable. Build a reputation for yourself by
sharing content and tips in your niche. Create a username related to your
 target market. For instance, an SEO freelancer can use a username like
FreeSEOTips, consistently share free tips about improving the SEO of a
website. Follow agencies and their followers; follow as many relevant people
as you can. Engage with them. Building a profile is a process, and you will
need time to make it perfect.

Don’t be afraid of social networks. They are here to help you. And there is a golden
rule applicable to all of them: Follow – Post – Like – Comment – Reply and watch
as the number of your followers grow.

Social media networking can help you tremendously for your freelancing career and
self-branding, but keep in mind that you don’t have any guarantees you will be
paid when you get a job offer through these networks. So, be very careful when it
comes to job requests through social networks. The best way to ensure yourself is to
use some freelancing platforms, like UpForJobs, for example.

5.1. Social Media Profiles

As we mentioned earlier, social media can play an essential part in your freelancing
career. Even though having Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles is a
must, there are a couple of more ways you may not think of, but will help you in your
self-branding:

 YouTube- YouTube is so popular that it is the second-largest search engine

after Google. Creating your YouTube profile doesn't take more than a few
minutes, yet it is an excellent self-promotion tool. You can do daily or weekly
vlogs, talk about yourself, work, showcase your work and portfolio, promote
your website and portfolio in YouTube description and many more.

 TikTok – You don’t have to dance in front of your phone to get the audience’s
attention if you are not such a great dancer. TikTok is not just a platform where
teens showcase their dancing skills. It gained global popularity, and it’s
incredibly dynamic. Many people use TikTok to promote their YouTube
content, portfolio, work, so why shouldn’t you? If you are a voice-over artist,
you can showcase your work; if you are a marketer or content writer, you can
talk about your work and create short 15,30 and 60-second videos that best
showcase your skills.

5.2. Blogs as a way of promotion

Blogging might sound like something that only older people who love cats do, but
believe it or not, a blog is still a potent self-promotional tool. You can create your
portfolio and post blog content. The best way to promote your blog is to advertise it
on your social profiles and engage with your readers. That way, you will get leads
and shares. You never know who can see and like your work. You may even get
hired based on your blog posts. Isn’t that a great way of self-promotion or what?
 6. Develop your personal brand

As a freelancer, you must understand that you are your own brand and need to
develop it, regardless of your skill-type, whether you are a website designer, finance
writer or marketer. In order to sell your service, you must first be able to sell yourself.
Bear in mind that everything you do, your ability to ensure that you meet the clients'
expectation, your professionalism, will reflect your personal brand. Personal branding
makes it easy for you to stand out from other freelancers.

6.1. Personal Brand Building

Build a Social Media Profile: Develop your social media profile by creating
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok profile. Post your work and share
your experiences.

LinkedIn Profile: Build your LinkedIn profile, detailing your experiences and every
relevant job. Share your previous work for potential clients to see and judge your
credibility.

Accessibility: Make yourself assessable to your clients and easy to find. Build a
brand and profile that is easy to remember. Develop your digital communication skills
and ensure that you stay active.

Website: Design a website that showcases your portfolio. Include a statement that
introduces you to your prospective clients, your education and qualifications, the
services you offer, work samples, contact details and references if you have one.

7. The importance of portfolio

Building your portfolio is essential, especially as a junior freelancer, because in the
absence of reviews, it's the only selling point you can hang on to. Try not to send bids
without links to relevant samples in your previous work. All freelance platforms have
tools for uploading your portfolio items. In the absence of this, you may use google
drive as your portfolio website. If you want to look professional, you can create your
own portfolio website or choose to be hosted by free portfolio sites like Carbonmade,
Behance, PortfolioBox, etc.

8. Working with your clients the right way

Many clients you’ll meet during your freelancing career will be challenging and
complicated; some will even refuse to pay for your services. It doesn't mean it is your
fault, nor it means you did something wrong. You just had a bit of bad luck with a
client, and that’s all. Now, let’s see what you can do to avoid this type of clients and
the traps that come with being a freelancer. Buckle up!

8.1. Communication

At every level of your freelancing journey, communication is essential. It helps you

build a relationship with the client, makes the job more comfortable, and enables you
to get it right.
Understand the Client’s Needs - If you're unsure about what a client wants, ask
questions, and if you get confused about how the client might want something done,
ask again. Don't just bid blindly. Understand the client's needs and find out if it's what
you can do. If it's not, do not bid for the job or accept the offer. Doing it right builds
your reputation, which means more job offers.

Learn to Reject Offers: Not All Jobs are for you. - Don't be greedy. There are
many reasons you may want to reject job offers. Some of the reasons include jobs
with budgets that are so low that they kill your motivation to do the job and make you
quit freelancing. One more type of job for avoiding is the 'magic freelancer' kind of
jobs. These are bulky jobs with unreasonable time limits. Like someone asking you to
create a website from scratch in two days. By accepting these kinds of jobs, you risk
losing your reputation. Some clients wish or think freelancers have magic wands to
wave with it, and things get done.

Give the Client Updates – Remember to feed your client with updates. Let the client
know what stage in the project you're in. Reply promptly to inquiries from your client.

When dealing with clients, it's best if you know when to stand firmly on your grounds
and when to be flexible. Sometimes an impossible budget for a difficult task should
require a firm price negotiation, or you may reject the job altogether because it is
better to refuse the job than to get a negative review.

8.2. Why you need to develop soft skills

Soft skills are what makes you - you. It is much harder to develop soft skills than hard
skills. Soft skills are your character, the way you connect with people, how you show
your professional attitude and teamwork, the way you develop a relationship with
clients and many more. You can always learn hard skills, but it takes months and
sometimes years to build soft skills. It is not something you can learn from books; you
gain it through experience and practice. Imagine you are an employer; what type of
personality traits you would want your employee to have? What is that you are
looking for with your co-workers, your peers... Those are the skills you need to
develop. Ask yourself, how can I become a better co-worker and better professional
and practice those skills daily.

8.3. Hooking Clients: The Surefire Strategy

Work Above and Beyond their expectations: Bring out the ‘wow factor’ in
everything you do. Go the extra mile. To do this, do not promise much at first job
briefing/discussion but work beyond what’s expected of you.

Give Updates and follow up with your Clients: Carrying the client along as your work
creates a connection. Some clients get apprehensive and panicky about the work
progress. Reassuring them puts their minds at rest. Remember: many freelancers
take the job and disappear only to reappear on the expected day of submission. And
clients would instead hire a freelancer that diminishes doubts with constant
communication than one that keeps the client guessing.
It’s also a good idea to send season’s greetings messages to your clients.

8.4. How to Handle Manipulative Clients Asking for Extra Jobs and
Request for Extra Fees Politely

Some clients have complex job offers but post a small simplistic part as bait. If the
extras are too much to ignore, ask for extra fees; otherwise, do the tiny extra to gain
one more repeat-hire client.

It's best to avoid this altogether, which is why you need to spend a lot of time with the
job briefing before you accept the offer. Ensure to end your discussion with a solid: IS
THAT ALL? A yes-answer is enough reason to ask for a new fee if they bring up
extra work.

Avoid disputes and arguments with your client before you take a job. When a
disagreement happens, try to resolve it with your client before contacting a dispute
center. All clients are beneficial. You never know what job or referral they might have
for you someday.

When you have exhausted all the means of settling with your client, ensure you have
handy screenshots of your conversations and the document or work that is the cause
of the dispute. The dispute center of your platform will need this.

The need for clear evidence is why the 'message delete' function is not available on
any freelance platform.

8.5. How to know when a Client is trying to Take Advantage of You

In a nutshell, you see a client is trying to take advantage of you when he does any of
the following:

 Send job snippets not discussed earlier (without fresh budgets)

 They try to avoid payment by attempting to cancel the project after
you've sent him or her the document for review.

And if you notice any of these signs, run from that client as fast as you can.

8.6. Steps to consider when working with Clients

Let’s be honest. Without clients, your freelance business won’t go anywhere. Dealing
with your clients is essential for the success of your freelancing career. And the best
way to work with your clients without issues is to implement some of the following
tips:

Have an Understanding: Working with your clients will mean both parties
understand and work on the same page. No one likes situations where you are
working on a project, only to be rejected by the client because you misunderstood the
client's brief. It’s best for you to ask questions than to be in the dark. Both you and
your client must agree on expectations, deadlines, and budget before starting the
work.

Put it in Writing: Writing down the terms of agreement ensures that both parties
understand what obligations are and their benefits from this professional relationship.
Writing down will help prevent any misunderstanding and protect both parties; the
client if you pull out of the project, and you in case the client refuses to pay. The
agreement usually contains both parties’ names, the project’s title, the project’s
starting date, the expected completion time, milestones, and payment terms. One
more benefit of freelancing platforms is that you don’t have to worry about these
kinds of things. A freelancing platform is a substitute for a contract.

Maintain Frequent Communication: Lack of communication can negatively impact

the project as both parties might feel cut off. Keep in touch with your clients and ask
for feedback and directions. Keep your clients updated on the work progress.
Effective communication strengthens relationships between both parties.

9. Repeat Hire Clients: The shortest Strategy to Increase your Reviews

When thinking of a way to increase their reviews, most freelancers believe they only
have to increase the number of times they bid for new jobs. They forget that old
clients can have new jobs and they’ll need to hire someone. But sometimes, they
have a lot on their minds that they may not differentiate what freelancers they have
worked with or even remember their existence.

Therefore, you need to remind clients about your availability. While doing this, please
remember that clients are naturally selfish. So, don’t send something like: “Hi, how
are you? Do you have any job I can do for you?” The most irresistible answer to this
question would be “No” depending on your history with the client.

But you could ask a question relating to the previous work, for instance, if you
designed a website for a client, you could ask: “Hi, I just wanted to know how your
website is faring, the loading speed, traffic etc., I was wondering if you need any help
from me.

In reply, the client may start a conversation about his website, and then he might ask
for advice on something or simply hire you on a problem since you came at the right
moment.

10. Credibility – A Must in a Freelancing World

What is credibility? Why do we need this to become successful in freelancing? Well,

your credibility score as a freelancer is a deal-breaker as it shows how much others
trust you. It shows how competent you are, and it will influence ratings and increase
your chances of getting noticed. A trustworthy freelancer can work with high profile
clients based on verification and stand higher chances of getting jobs.
.8.1 How to build your credibility?

Income sum- Most freelancing platforms have scores where potential clients can
see how much money the freelancers have earned so far, which usually tells them a
lot. Put yourself in their shoes, and be honest; would you rather hire a freelancer with
$0 on their score or someone who earned $100.000? There you go! If you don't have
a good score, a client may think you are not getting any jobs, so why would he hire
you?

Trust score – When working as a freelancer, a trust score is your currency. Higher
the trust score, better chances of getting good-quality, high-paying projects. How to
build a trust score? Respect deadlines, communicate with clients, work on your soft
skills, and always provide a bit more then you were expected to do. After every
project, ask the client to give you a review. More positive reviews will provide you
with a higher trust score and more income at the end.

11. Identifying Genuine Jobs: 5 Common Job Scams and How to Spot them.

I know what you are thinking: Are there still people who fall for scams and people
trying to scam others online in the 21st century? Yup! Sometimes it is tough to spot
the difference between a genuine job offer and a scam.

There are so many scams for online jobs going around. Especially now when most
people either work online or are looking for their next opportunity there. At the same
time, some are trying to take advantage of you. And since you are a smart cookie
and you are learning with us, we will show you what those scams are and how to
avoid them.

Scammers have several purposes. They either want to use you for identity theft,
money laundering, collecting your personal data or pay you just to use you for cash
fraud. You can never be too careful, especially online when you don’t know whom
you are dealing with in most cases.

Bait and switch scam – With this scam, you apply for a job, conduct the interview,
only to discover that the job you applied for doesn't even exist and that they need you
to do some tasks for them that are not even in the job description nor it has anything
to do with the job you applied for.

Career consulting scam- In this scam, you may get contacted by a “career
consultant “who likes your resume and skills and would like to represent you. It is one
of the most common scams because they offer you their marketing services, and in
the end, you end up paying them for promoting you.

Credit report scams- This scam may cost you a lot of money, so be aware! In this
scam, the “employer “could ask you for your credit report as a part of the hiring
process. What usually happens is that they take your personal information and create
identity theft. They can scam other people with your personal information to make
themselves more believable to other “victims “and can cost you a lot of money. So
please pay special attention to this type of scams.

Direct deposit scams- Never pay money to apply for a job or to get hired. If
someone asks you to pay a deposit or some small amount for paperwork or some
product license, it is 100% a scam. Don’t fall for that.

Money laundering jobs- It is self-explanatory. Never ever accept any direct

payments or take any transfers of funds on your personal account. This scam is
nothing but the “Prince sending you gold “work edition.

12. The Psychology of Bidding Right: Applying/ Bidding for Jobs the Right
Way

Before bidding or applying for any job, put yourself in the shoes of a client. Would
you hire yourself if you were a potential client? Show them you have read the job
description before bidding. In your bid, mention the employer's need, how you wish to
address the needs, related jobs you have done in the past and the outcome. Offer
snippets of solutions to the client. Ask relevant questions that will force a response.
Desperation is a major turn-off, so you better avoid it.

Here is a sample job offer: “I have a beauty hair salon website, and I need a writer
to help me write 10 blog posts about hair related contents”.
Applicant A: Dear client, my name is Joe. I have a PhD in Philosophy and several
years of writing different contents. I have written various content in the past, and I
can write high-quality content for you with no plagiarism and grammatical error.
Please contact me now for high quality. I promise you; you will never regret it.”
Applicant B: Dear Name (if the platform does not allow names to appear on job
boards, you may use client, hello or hi). My name is Brandon, a hairstyle enthusiast
with over ten years of writing experience. I have provided about 50 premium-quality
hairstyle blog contents for ABC salon in the past, and these generated lots of traffic
(Here is the link to a google doc sample).
I understand that you need ten blog posts for your website, and I have been seriously
brainstorming topics that I think would draw lots of traffic. I did a few keywords
research using Google planner and came up with these:
-Top 10 Summer Hair Coloring
-How to Treat Hair Breakage
- How to Maintain your Red Hair Dyeing
-and about 10 more topics you may want to check out. You can select your
favorite 10.
What do you think of those topics? To get the best result, I think you may want to
consider answering questions like, how many words you expect, do you want images
added and how soon you want them delivered?
What do you think of those topics? To get the best result, I think you may want to
consider answering questions like, how many words you expect, do you want images
added and how soon you want them delivered?
If you were the client, which of these applicants would you honestly choose? I'd go
for B. Why? He has started the job already, and as a client, I can see that we're on
the same page. Besides, I am compelled to answer his questions. As for the first
applicant, I cannot detect his competence from his bid. Anyone can claim to have a
PhD and claim to have written millions of contents. No proof.
Lesson: Go out of your way to try the job before you bid. It draws attention to you in
the right way. Add only qualifications that matter to the client or the job.

12.1. The Working-towards-the-door Strategy

The working-towards-the-door strategy is a selfless way of bidding that rules out

desperation and gives the client the impression that you're genuinely trying to help
and not just after the money. You must do your best to show that you have nothing to
benefit from the offer but everything to offer the client. Therefore, it's their loss if they
don't offer you the job.
Is that the truth? Well, not completely, but if we put aside your price for the service
you charge, you need to urge to help the client. Otherwise, your service will not be
authentic, and that’s what counts the most.
The working-towards-the-door strategy is offering solutions in your bid that MUST
require further clarification from the client. That means that you do not precisely show
disinterest but show that you care while closing with words that get the client
wondering what's next.
In the sample above, applicant A used the strategy.
 The use of the word ‘may’ is a powerful word that rules out desperation. “…
and about 10 more topics you may want to check out. You can select your
favorite 10.”
 Show the clients you have started the job already but leave room to keep them
wondering.
I did a few keywords research using Google planner and came up with these:
-Top 10 Summer Hair Coloring
-How to Treat Hair Breakage
- How to Maintain your Red Hair Dyeing
-and about 10 more topics you may want to check out.

12.2. The Dangers of Copy and Paste Applications: Why You Must
Personalize Bids

Clients know it when you are spamming their job page. When your bid doesn’t
mention the job or how you want to help, it will be ignored. Some clients specifically
state this in their job description. Copy and paste bids are only a way to waste your
time and your bid credits. It will never get you the job; you are smarter than that!

12.3. Is Specialization Important in Attracting Job Offers/ Winning Bids?

It’s good to be versatile, but if I were a client and need to hire a logo designer, I
would go for a freelancer specialized in logo design over the one that says he is a
web designer, a copywriter, a logo designer and an animator. Most clients think
specialization helps you get ample experience and enough expertise in the niche,
especially if you are a junior freelancer with few reviews.

Some platforms are designed so that your profile doesn’t appear while you bid. That
means it doesn’t count much. Not all client check profiles, but some do.

Also, freelancing allows you to be as free as the air, try out new niches and improve
your earning capacity. The more niches you can handle very well, the better your
chances of getting more jobs because even specialized freelancers face stiff
competition.

13. To Charge High or Low: The Freelance Pricing Strategy.

How much is the reasonable fee to charge? This response depends on several
determinants.

13.1. What level are you on the freelance ladder?

By level, we're talking of proof with reviews and samples. You may be a veteran
freelancer on one freelancing platform, but you are a beginner when you open a new
account on any other. That's because there has to be proof to back up your claim. If
a client's budget is between $100-$3000, a beginner (zero to 20 reviews) should aim
for $100. Midlevel freelancers (21 to 100 reviews) should aim at $500 to $600. Senior
freelancers (100 to 500 reviews) should aim at $700 to $1,500. At the same time,
veterans will go for $1,500 to $3000.

13.2. What’s your purpose in bidding for jobs as a junior freelancer?

If the purpose is merely to gather reviews and build a portfolio, that’s fine. You may
bid lower than the minimum price. But be careful here; some clients think cheap
freelancers are of poor quality. A client may award a job to the freelancer with the
highest price tag. It shows you know your worth. Gold is expensive. But if I need to
buy a gold wristwatch for an urgent and vital function, I would. If your purpose is to
foot your bills, please bid reasonably, or you will lose motivation and stop
freelancing altogether. In this case, do not let desperation make you accept job offers
with discouraging financial incentive.

13.3. Understanding Pricing Types: Time-based Versus Fixed Price.

There are two types of pricing on freelance platforms, time-based and fixed price.
Time-based are jobs in which payment is made hourly. You are expected to track
these payments with tools. Some freelance platforms provide tools that you could
use to track the hours spent on the job, such as Harvest, Toggl Track, etc.

13.4. Price Estimates

Pricing is probably the most critical factor in your whole freelance journey and the
hardest one to decide on.

Freelancers always have difficulties determining the rates they will charge for a
service. A lower price rate might pass you off as an amateur, and you may also not
be able to make a decent living, having to waste your time and end up walking away
with nothing.

Charging a higher rate might make you lose clients who may consider your rates too
high and overlook you. Higher rates might make you miss opportunities because
clients will always find someone willing to take the job at a lower rate or a fraction of
your price.

13.5. Job Estimates vs Quotes

It is a common practice for clients approaching you for a job to request price
estimates or rates. An estimate is considered the rough price you intend to charge
the client, and it can usually go 20% up or down of the final cost. On the other hand,
a quote is usually the final fixed amount you will charge your employer.

13.6. Determine the Price of Your Service

In determining the price for your service, it’s best if you take into considerations the
following.

Cost Plus Pricing involves adding the expense related to the job and then adding up
the rate you are charging for the service or producing a product. This approach is
used for freelancers skilled in photography, videography, artists who already know
how much it will cost for the materials and product development. They simply need to
add that up and determine their rate. Independent contractors such as writers,
freelance designers and their rates are determined by their monthly rents, food,
internet, and insurance, determining what they will charge.

Market Rate Pricing: Market rate pricing is an effective and convenient way of
determining your rates. It shows how much a particular skill is valued, giving you a
rough estimate of what and how to charge your clients. Compare the rates with other
freelancing platforms to know what the standard industry rates are.

Value-Driven Pricing: The rate should be determined by the value added to the job.
Your clients will always pay for the services they believe are worth it; it is now your
responsibility to live up to expectation. When using the value-driven pricing strategy,
you should start with a flag with extra add-ons dependent on the client’s request.

13.7. Pricing Structure

 It is crucial to determine how much your services will cost your clients. You must
settle on a pricing structure that will be beneficial to your freelancing career.

Hourly Rate: Hourly rate is the most popular billing structure being used by most
freelancers. It enables you to track the project and how many hours it will take to
complete a task. It is essential to know how much other clients charge per hour for
similar projects. How many hours will it take you to finish the project? What is the
maximum amount you can charge for the project, and what are the things you need
to execute a project?

Daily/Weekly Rates: This is effective for services required on a few days of a week.
It is entirely different from the hourly rate. Clients also prefer the weekly rate because
it means you will be solely focused on the work.

Fixed-Rate: This is a standard rate in which a client determines the price he wants to
pay for a particular job or set the project's total cost. It enables the client to have a
fair knowledge of the project cost upfront. You must be comfortable with the rates
rather than work and end up being paid an unreasonable amount.

14. Rejection Is Not the End of the World

Up to this point, you have probably been rejected many times. And you are mistaken
if you think it won’t happen again. Rejections are a part of our life, as well as our
career. So, don’t feel less worth it if you get rejected; there is always a good reason
for that.
The job was not for you – The first case is that the job was not for you. You thought
it was, but that job would probably leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth. Eighter
it has a lower budget than you asked for, or maybe they don’t have the working
culture which would fit you.
You were not for the job – Now, many will say it’s the same thing, but it’s not. That
means the job requires some skills you haven’t developed yet. But that’s the beauty
of freelancing; you have to grow continuously and build your skills simultaneously
with your career progress.
Every rejection sends us a message, and the key is to keep on going, growing, and
developing because surrender is not an option in the freelancing world.

15. Keep Your Eyes Wide Open

Opportunities are all around us. All we have to do is spot them on time. If you look
around, you will see successful people. They were not waiting for success to come to
them. They fought, they strive, they didn’t quit with the first stumbling block they
encountered; They had their eyes wide open!
How to do that? How to become aware of lucrative opportunities around us?
Research – Researching is always the best way to expand your knowledge, find out
some new things, and change your mindset.
Communicate – Communicate with other freelancers, talk about problems you are
facing, read about their problems, and where is an issue – there’s the opportunity.
Believe – Pinch yourself whenever the words “that’s impossible” cross your mind
because there is no such thing as impossible. There are only current constraints,
which you will pass if you stay focused and persistent.
Be open-minded – There is no place for a judgmental attitude if you want to keep
your eyes wide open. There is no room for judgement, restrictions, blocks, fears of
the unknown. Accept other people as they are, with all differences. And when you do
that, your mind will open, and you will be able to see further, more comprehensive to
seize the opportunity.