Finding Flexibility: A Guide to Freelancing While in College

Make money as you study and on your own hours.

I became a freelancer when I left home for college, before that I had started my journey as a designer managing the social media accounts for my aunt's business. In this article, I discuss steps to go about it.

1. Identify a Paying Skill You May Have

These days you can get paid for nearly anything, it's now up to you to identify what it is you enjoy and are good at. I should point out that based on the skill you choose, the competition may be greater or less than average. For example, graphic design is a very competitive skill to offer and you need to be well experienced to get noticed however, it remains a skill in high demand and with several areas to specialise in.

Here's a list of skills you could get paid for:

• Video Editor

• Content Writer

• Photographer

• Fitness Trainer

• Language Teacher

2. Sign Up On Skill-Hiring Platforms

Skill recruitment sites are where I started as a freelancer, they're not the best but they give some perspective as to how challenging the pursuit is.

Joining skill-hiring sites is an okay way to start to build your portfolio as well as better your client management skills but long term, I'd not recommend it as there's the risk of scammers and the time-to-pay ratio is not sustainable. It helps people starting which is why I've mentioned it in this article. Here is a list of reputable sites you could try:

1. Fiverr

2. Upwork

3. Freelancer

4. Rev

3. Learn From Experts

On top of developing the skill you're offering, you also need to learn how to freelance if it's going to be fruitful for you. How do I do that you may ask - learn from those already doing it.

Youtube is your best friend when it comes to learning how to freelance in general and when you've chosen a specific skill to offer you can identify individuals on the platform in the same field you can learn from to perfect your craft. Here are some individuals I'd recommend:

1. Peter McKinnon - Photography/Video Editing

2. Jorden Makelle - Writing/Blogging

3. Chris Do/The futur - Design

4. Jake Frew - Videography

4. Build Your Brand & Portfolio

Because freelancing is very result-oriented, you will need to provide evidence of your skills through previous work you've done which you'll present in the form of a portfolio of some sort. Now, I know you may not have prior work to show to land your first job so I'd encourage you to pick up some projects for friends and family or take part in a challenge like I did (check it out here).

Having work to show is just as important as how you present that work to your prospective client but I may cover that in-depth in future articles, for now, we'll focus on mediums that can help put your name out there. Here are some ways you could present your work and market yourself:

1. Build a website portfolio.

2. Have social media accounts for your services.

3. Provide value - a product beyond your service.

5. Put Yourself Out There

Being your own boss is scary especially if you haven't done it before since you have to make all the big decisions relating to your business. But I'm a stronger believer in learning by doing so put yourself out there.

Don't be too afraid to say "I'm not sure" or "I haven't done this" to a client because the last thing you want as a freelancer is a bad reputation caused by overpromising and underdelivering. Work to your strengths and take on opportunities that have the possibility of growing your skills and business.