.: How to Pick Out Your Freelancing Career

Thursday, May 28, 2009

How to Pick Out Your Freelancing Career

Freelancers work in a wide range of professions. If you are thinking about leaving the traditional job market and becoming a freelancer, find out first what types of freelance jobs would be best for you.

How many times in the last three months have you cursed your boss for telling you off about the time you get in, the work you do, or the long coffee breaks you take? If it’s more than a dozen, then maybe its time for you to get out and do it on your own. While the concept of not having a full-time job to pay the bills may seem daunting at first, the rewards can more than make up for it. In fact, freelancing is actually simpler and more lucrative than a full-time job. Ask anyone.

The first thing you need to do is to figure out what kind of freelancer you want to be. A writer, photographer, software programmer, product reviewer, survey taker; are all examples of what you can be as a freelancer. How do you decide about your career? These are the basic steps that matter:

Find your niche

You need to find out where you fit into the scheme of things. Are you more comfortable with a career that doesn’t require you to go out there and interact with people? Then you can simply rule out a career as a wedding planner. As an internet buff, you can sit in and have a really lucrative career online. Where do your talents lie? Write down a list of all the things you love doing and the skills you’ve gathered over the years. And then, you can make an informed decision.

Anticipate the market

There are many freelancing careers out there that are currently flagging, because the demand for these services has reduced, while supply has increased. The trick to having a lucrative career is to do research, and go for a career that is relatively unknown, and yet has high dividends.

Is it right for you?

After completing the first two steps, you need to think out your choice of career. Is it viable in all circumstances? The work at home mother may fit categorically into the writer’s niche, but can she fuel her creativity while her kids need attention? The freelance wedding planner needs to be able to travel at a moment’s notice. Can this create tensions at home? All in all, the career you decide to opt for should be socially, and financially viable for you.