What is Freelancing?
Freelancing is working for yourself, as opposed to working for someone else. Freelancers are self-employed professionals who work on a project-by-project basis.
If you are wondering what roles freelancers play, the answer is almost everything. You can choose any field as a freelancer from services like writing, editing, consultancy, marketing, designing, virtual administration, social media management, etc. Often freelancers are experts in their respective domains and work independently. However, they can also work in person.
How to start Freelancing as a Fresher?
The best way to start freelancing as a fresher may vary depending on your skills, experience, and category of industry. However, some tips on how to start freelancing as a fresher include:
1. Create a Portfolio
One of the best ways to start freelancing as a fresher is to build a strong portfolio of your work. This can include examples of your previous work, as well as case studies or testimonials from clients.
2. Get Involved in online communities and forums
There are many online communities and forums where freelancers can connect. This can be a great way to find work, get advice, and learn from others in the industry who have experience.
3. Use social media to market your services
Social media can be a great way to market your services as a freelancer. You can use platforms like Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook to share your work, connect with potential clients or businesses, and build your brand.
4. Start a blog or website
Another great way to market your services as a freelancer is to start a blog or website. This can be a great way to share your work, connect with potential clients, and build your brand.
5. Attend industry events
Attending industry events can be a great way to meet potential clients and learn more about the industry. It can also be a great way to network with other freelancers.
Skills needed to become a Freelancer
The various hard and soft skills you need to become a freelancer will vary depending on the type of freelancing you want to do. However, some skills that may be useful for freelancers are:
- Writing and communication skills
- Research skills
- Editing and proofreading skills
- Project management skills
- Computer literacy skills
- Web development skills
- Data analysis skills
10 Best Freelance Websites to Find Work
Here are our top 10 freelance websites to choose from:
1. Fiverr
- Freelancing type: digital marketing, web development, social media
- Pros: diverse category, free registration, online courses
- Cons: high commission charge, long payment process
Fiverr is a platform that connects freelancers with business owners looking for services in various digital projects, including website design, content writing, and voice-overs.
Instead of sending out bids, sellers can sign up for free, list their gigs, and set their prices. Meanwhile, buyers can simply browse through different categories to purchase.
Whenever a buyer purchases a gig, the system automatically charges their account and puts the money on hold. The system will then take a commission fee and send freelancers 80% of the offered price.
Fiverr opens up a world of potential sales with 3.42 million active buyers. There are no hourly rates, just project-based pricing that you get to decide.
Sellers are guaranteed protected payments with an SSL certificate that protects billing and personal information. As well as around-the-clock customer support always ready to help.
2. Toptal
- Freelancing type: software development, financial consulting, interim management
- Pros: top-tier companies and talent, free invoicing and payments
- Cons: extensive screening process, big projects only
Toptal is a freelance website that connects highly qualified freelance industry experts with companies. Toptal has a broad range of freelancers, from web developers and web designers to finance consultants and product managers.
After passing all of the steps, you’ll have access to various job postings from top clients and companies, such as Motorola and Airbnb. However, failing the test will put your application process on hold for up to a few months.
Toptal has a dedicated service for time tracking and invoicing called TopTracker. With this service, freelancers will get the total price they offer and receive payments via Payoneer, Paypal, or direct local bank transfer.
3. Jooble
- Freelancing type: writing, graphic design, data entry
- Pros: centralized job discovery, email alerts, no signup necessary
- Cons: no quick application – must apply from each job vacancy’s source
Jooble is a search engine for job vacancies and it aggregates from 140,000+ sources worldwide, including corporate websites, online job boards, freelancing platforms, social networks, and classifieds.
Jooble lets you find jobs within a particular region only. On the homepage, you can select a specific city in your country to discover jobs limited to that area.
You don’t have to create an account to find freelance jobs on Jooble. All you need to do is enter the keyword for the job you want into Jooble’s search engine. Apply different filters such as salary range, work experience, and post date to help find your preferred job match.
Since Jooble is an aggregator, selecting a search result will redirect you to the source of the job vacancy. There, you will find more details about the job and how to apply for it.
Sign up for Jooble’s email alerts if you wish to get notified whenever it finds a new job for the keyword you’re interested in.
4. Freelancer.com
- Freelancing type: content translation, web development, social media marketing
- Pros: progress tracker, live chat, 24/7 customer support
- Cons: complex interface, spam applicants, and fake clients
Freelancer.com is another freelance website where professionals and companies from around the world collaborate on various projects. Thanks to the wide range of expertise, clients can easily find an expert of any type.
In addition to projects, there are many contests, such as visual or design work. Freelancers can benefit from these contests by earning money along with reviews on their profiles.
Every freelancer will receive full payment after completing a job. However, the platform takes 10% of your total earnings for contests and fixed projects. Like most freelance sites, you can choose to use PayPal or wire transfer for withdrawal.
5. Upwork
- Freelancing type: brand marketing, programming, website design
- Pros: payment protection, credible clients, budget-based projects
- Cons: lengthy selection process, high service fee
Upwork is a freelancing website that connects clients and freelancers from across the globe.
The platform provides a wide range of categories, from web design and software development to customer service and accounting.
To get started as a freelancer with Upwork, begin by creating a profile. Ensure it includes details about yourself, your expertise, and your work experience. Keep in mind that clients will decide whether you’re qualified by scanning through your profile whenever you bid for jobs or pitch a project.
Upwork has a sliding scale, meaning the more you work, the less money you pay. For example, the commission fee starts from 20% for the first bill of $500 and gradually reduces as you receive more money.
There are several options for withdrawal, including direct transfer, PayPal, and wire transfer.
6. Flexjobs
- Freelancing type: writing, content marketing, transcription
- Pros: scam-free, 30-day money-back guarantee, reliable support
- Cons: some premium jobs can be found outside the platform
Flexjobs is a website that specializes in flexible and remote job opportunities, including freelance, part-time and full-time jobs. There are broad categories, from education and training to journalism and writing jobs.
To find freelance jobs, users need to sign up for a subscription. There are four plans available, starting from $6.95/week. Every subscription gives unlimited access to the job listings, along with a personalized work portfolio, career advice, and free skills testing.
Users can pay for their subscription with a prepaid card or PayPal. There is a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, meaning you can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the service.
7. SimplyHired
- Freelancing type: human resources, finance, data entry
- Pros: email alerts, helpful guides, free job tools
- Cons: spam from unreliable third-party websites
SimplyHired is a job board where companies can post job opportunities for free. It also collects job offers from all over the internet into one page. The site has a clean user interface, making it easy to browse jobs by category.
There are various freelance opportunities in different fields, including finance and marketing. To find a specific job, simply fill out the search box with related keywords. To have more relevant results, narrow it down by filling out your city, state, or ZIP code.
Job seekers can also access the company pages to learn more information such as a salary overview of a company, a list of benefits offered, and reviews submitted by its real employees.
People can browse through SimplyHired without a profile. However, signing up for an account will give you access to various job tools, such as a salary estimator and resume builder.
8. Guru
- Freelancing type: marketing, programming, administration
- Pros: secure payment, customized job listings, free membership
- Cons: potential fake clients
Guru is a place for freelancers and companies across the globe to work together. Companies can hire professionals with various skills, such as programmers, graphic designers, and product managers.
Freelancers can bid for long or short-term projects and give a fixed price for each project. There are multiple withdrawal methods to receive your earnings, including PayPal and wire transfer. More importantly, the site ensures freelancers get paid timely with SafePay protection.
Every freelancer that signs up on this freelance website gets a free basic membership. However, paid membership plans include more tools to make your profile stand out.
9. LinkedIn
- Freelancing type: copywriting, translation, graphic design
- Pros: networking opportunities, recent news updates, cost-effective
- Cons: spam content from malicious users
LinkedIn is one of the most popular job sites providing an easy way to find jobs in various fields. It’s also a social networking platform for professionals to connect and interact with each other.
Simply sign up and create a profile to get started. Include as much information as possible, such as your skills, education, and work experience. A comprehensive LinkedIn profile can open up more job opportunities.
Adding a new post can also give your profile more exposure. For example, if you’re a freelance writer, create a post describing your expertise and attach your work portfolio. Potential employers might discover your profile and make you an offer.
Browsing through LinkedIn job postings is also a great way to find freelance opportunities. To find your desired freelance job, make sure to use related keywords and sort the results from the latest.
10. Behance
- Freelancing type: illustration, photography, web design
- Pros: large audience, networking opportunities, personalized content
- Cons: competitive environment, limited image file size
Different from previous freelance sites on the list, Behance is a social network for creative talents. People worldwide use this website to build portfolios and share their creative work, ranging from animations and illustrations to website and graphic design.
As it’s a networking site, the more profiles you follow, the more posts will appear on your feed. It gives a chance to discover more freelance work opportunities.
Behance also provides a job list. Every freelancer will get a personalized job recommendation according to their skill-sets and category, making it easier to find freelance work that matches one’s expertise.