Freelance Your Way to More Money

I was talking to my cousin just the other day and he was very discouraged by his current job. It wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life and there aren’t many other opportunities where he lives. He feels like he is wasting his life away doing menial work that he hates. I’m sure a lot of people are in the same boat. My suggestion for my cousin, who also happens to have a degree in computer science and actually wants to use it was to start doing freelance work.

Whether you’re looking for some extra cash on the side, or working towards a new career, freelance work is an excellent option. Freelancers work on a per project basis and bid on the projects that interest them. The person that is requesting the project chooses the best person for the project based on their bid and experience and pays them for the project.

Getting started in freelance work takes a little time, but it can pay very well. If you have skill that are in demand you can turn freelance work in to a full time job. Here are a few things that will help you get started.

List out your skills and interests- Think of the things you’re good at and could offer to someone that has a project that needs to be done. Making a list will help you know which categories to look for projects in.

Be honest- If you don’t know how to do a project, don’t bid on it. If you’re a programmer and don’t know off hand how to do something but could figure out, that is different than not knowing how to program at all and bidding on the same project.

Don’t bid too low- While it may seem like a good idea to bid far lower than your competitors, this is generally not a good idea. The person requesting the project can often times see these offers as coming from inexperienced or desperate freelancers.

Be persistent- Keep on bidding on projects, no matter how often you get rejected. There are new projects every day so just keep trying. It’ll get easier after you’ve done a few projects and proven yourself.

Get Reviews- If you get hired for a project, ask them to rate you when the project is completed. This will help you get more jobs as people see that you’re capable.

Look on multiple sites- There are many freelance sites out there, so be sure to check several so you’ll have access to many different projects. Check out Elance, oDesk, Guru, and Sologig to start. There are many more so search and see what others you can find