How to become a freelancer: a guide in 7 steps and useful links

Step 1. Choose your field

First, decide which area you want to work in: web design, programming, copywriting, graphic design, or marketing. A narrow specialization will help you navigate your field better and become an expert faster.

Step 2. Develop your skills

To meet market demands, you need to develop your skills. Take online courses, read professional literature, and study new technologies and trends. 

Popular educational platforms can help with this:

— Coursera: free and paid courses from universities and companies on a wide range of topics

— Udemy: diverse courses, often at discounted prices

— LinkedIn Learning: courses on business, technology, and creative skills

— My Great Learning: over 1,000 free courses from experts in various fields.

Step 3. Education

Education in the field of freelancing includes various courses and opportunities aimed at developing the skills necessary for successful work as an independent specialist. Here are some useful resources on education:

— IT sectors

— online courses

— free courses from international universities

Step 4. Create a portfolio

A portfolio is your main tool. It should clearly demonstrate your skills and experience. Gather your best work examples, write informative project descriptions, specify the tasks, and explain the results. If you have no experience, create a few projects on your own. Platforms where you can build a portfolio:

— Behance: a platform for showcasing creative work

— Dribbble: a community of designers for sharing and displaying work

— GitHub: for developers to showcase their projects and code.

Step 5. Choose a freelance platform

Freelance platforms help you find clients, close deals, and ensure payment security. Popular platforms:

Upwork — one of the largest platforms for freelancers of all specialties.

Pros: 
— wide selection of projects in various fields
— user-friendly interface for communicating with clients and managing projects
— rating and review system that helps attract clients
— payment protection via escrow accounts.

Cons: 
— high commission, starting at 20% 
— competition with freelancers from countries with lower labor costs
— many low-quality projects.

Freelancer — a platform for finding projects in various fields.

Pros: 
— large number of available projects
— opportunity to participate in contests to demonstrate your skills
— variety of project categories.

Cons:
— high commission
— low barrier to entry, leading to high competition
— fewer large and long-term projects compared to other platforms.

Fiverr — a platform where you can offer your services at a fixed price.

Pros:
— services are offered at a fixed price, which is convenient for clients
— ability to create service packages and expand them
— well-suited for short-term and small projects.

Cons:
— high commission, up to 20%
— restrictions on service prices may reduce income
— competition with freelancers offering services at minimal prices.

Toptal — a platform for qualified specialists.

Pros:
— high level of clients and projects
— rigorous selection of specialists ensures high-quality work
— higher pay rates compared to other platforms.

Cons:
— complex and lengthy selection process
— limited access only for highly qualified specialists
— fewer projects compared to mass-market platforms.

Hired — a specialized platform for IT professionals.

Pros:
— specialization in IT professionals, attracting relevant clients
— transparency of salaries and conditions
— job matching based on the candidate's profile.

Cons:
— limited scope of activity, primarily IT
— competition with other highly qualified specialists
— fewer projects compared to more mass-market platforms.

Step 6. Set up your workflow

Effective project management and proper time management are key to successful freelancing. Here are a few platforms that will help you track time:

— Trello: for task and project management, with convenient visual boards

— Asana: for project management and teamwork

— Toggl: for tracking work time.

Step 7. Price your services

Research the market and set competitive prices for your services. Consider taxes and other expenses. All of this can be done using online tools: 

— FreshBooks: a platform for accounting and invoicing for freelancers

— Wave: a free tool for accounting, invoicing, and expense tracking

— PayPal: suitable for receiving payments from clients worldwide.