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How To Get Better Freelance Jobs

If you learn how to get better freelance jobs, you will need to step away from the gig economy and look deeper in.

By Ossiana TepfenhartPublished 6 years ago 8 min read
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Being a freelancer isn't easy. And if we were honest about it, it can be downright brutal. You're always on the hunt for a new gig, you may have clients that just like to tear you down, and at times, there's no real way to figure out if your work will be accepted.

Everyone who's been a freelancer can tell you that it's difficult finding good clients. Part of being able to survive in a freelancing world is knowing how to get better freelance jobs.

Looking for new ways to find more gigs? Here are the best ways to increase your chances of landing a new gig that you've always dreamed of—or that'll just pay the bills.

Good news—you're already doing one of the most important things you can do in order to better your scope of the freelance world.

Reading up on how to get better freelance jobs is always a good idea. In fact, that puts you ahead of all the freelancers who don't try to learn new techniques, tricks, and tips involving finding freelance gigs.

By learning new routes, you're improving your odds at getting better freelance work and reaching better clients.

Start going on sites that hire freelancers, especially those specific to your field.

The internet is your friend, here, and that means that you will need to make sure that you have as many places to find your new gigs as possible. Places like Upwork and Odesk are great for generic freelance gigs; but there's only so much you can do on there.

A better option is to look at job boards that are specific to your niche. So, models may want to look at ModelMayhem. Photographers would want to go to ModelMayhem or TheKnot. Writers might want to check out Problogger, et cetera.

Have a good online presentation.

It's true, you can't have a guide on how to get better freelance jobs without talking about first impressions. People will always gravitate to the company or person who gives the biggest impression of competence, quality, and confidence.

This is doubly true in an age where everyone is competing for jobs online. So, this means that you need to polish yourself and the way you present your services to get better jobs.

Some good places to start include...

  • Having a resume and website that are copyedited and spellchecked. Your English teacher was right—spelling and grammar do count! Having a badly written resume, cover letter, or portfolio will disqualify you from most jobs, right off the bat. If you're not a good writer, make a point to hire someone who is to do your resume, cover letters, social media, and website material.
  • Working to clean up your social media. You know what potential clients want to see in your social media? Your work. You know what potential clients do not want to see when they look at your social media profile? You partying it up in Cancun. Clean up your social media presence, and you'll get a lot better work than before.
  • Have a professional website for your services. If you want to get a lot of clients, getting a personal website is a good way to go about it. It allows your clients to find you, see your portfolio, and also learn about your work philosophy with ease.
  • Avoid making commentaries online that could get you fired at a normal job. Racism, sexism, and other forms of ignorance can and will get you blacklisted from clients. So, don't be the fool who ruins their career by being ignorant online.

You might also want to learn how to ace a job interview better, too.

Network, network, network.

You're probably wondering how some of the biggest names in your industry get the glamorous contracts you've been wanting. That may even be why you're reading up on how to get better freelance jobs.

It'd be really nice if we could say that it's due to their skill—but it's not. As much as it may hurt to say this, it's often not a matter of what you know, but who you know.

Make a point to network with other professionals in your field, both online and in-person. Polish up your LinkedIn, go to events, and always have business cards on hand. You never know who will be the link you need to get your foot in the door.

Speaking of networking, it pays to always be nice to those you work with.

Part of learning how to get better freelance jobs is knowing how to avoid burning bridges with people. Even if you don't like your coworkers, you need to keep things professional when dealing with them.

It can be very tempting to be an office bully, but don't do it. Though we've all daydreamed about quitting a job in an epic way, or wanted to tell off the boss from hell, doing so is often a very unwise idea.

Once again, it's all about connections. You never know who that boss will be connected to. And if you end up going nuclear on that connection, it could lead you to be unhirable in certain companies.

When meeting in person, pay attention to presentation.

If you haven't noticed from this guide's gentle hints, first impressions count. Once you've made a first impression, there's not going to be a second chance to make one. So, if you want to know how to get better freelance jobs, take a look at how you present yourself.

Getting polished and interview-ready doesn't have to be a hassle, either. These quick tips will help:

  • Keep a wardrobe with interview staples. Job interview wardrobe staples can and will come in handy, even if you're not the typical freelancer.
  • Invest in business cards. Business cards are not just a formality, you know. They work as advertising and show people that you're legitimate.
  • Watch your body language. A lot of what you say doesn't come out of your mouth. Boosting your body language skills will do wonders for your chance at boosting the chances of landing a gig.
  • Consider losing weight or getting your teeth whitened. Believe it or not, this actually does make a big impression.

Get more credentials and expand your portfolio.

Great gigs typically will not go to people who have no experience to speak of. Nor will they go to people who have shown no signs of evolving in years. If you want to get better gigs, you will need to improve your resume on a regular basis.

Knowledge can and will go stale if you let it, even when it comes to learning how to get better freelance jobs. So, keep learning and keep reading. It's the best way to ensure your own success, and make yourself more attractive to potential hirers.

Cultivate the right attitude when you're searching for work.

Perhaps one of the hardest things to do when you're trying to learn how to get better freelance jobs is learning how to have the right attitude. In many ways, the freelance marketplace is a lot like the dating scene—having the right attitude and "vibe" will make a huge difference in your potential.

Now, this doesn't mean that you should pick up a copy of The Secret and try to wish your way into a dream job. Rather, it means that you should go into every gig interview with the assumption that you'll get the job once they meet you—and if you don't, that you will find something better.

Nothing scares away employers like desperation. And if you go towards them too aggressively, they will not hire you. Additionally, asking an employer why they didn't hire you also will not help you out. If anything, it'll make you look unstable.

By acting confident, you make hiring managers feel like they can trust you with bigger freelance projects—and that means you'll get better gigs at better wages, too.

Avoid working with bad customers at all costs.

This is one of those tips that most people never think of when they talk about improving their freelancing profit margins. Bad customers can easily kill your freelancing life, and they won't feel the least bit bad about it.

So, what makes a bad customer? It's someone who doesn't want to pay you for your work, pays you weeks too late, keeps changing the rules, or constantly complains about your work. Bad customers suck time, energy, and joy out of your life—so don't put up with it.

Freelancing business contracts are a two-way street. If one party isn't good to the other, it won't work.

Part of understanding how to get better gigs is knowing when it's time to fire a bad customer. If you notice that the customer has not been doing right by you, or if you notice that they keep trying to barter prices down, tell them that you're too busy to take on more work.

Another way to handle bad customers? Simply give them a price they won't want to pay, and watch them back away. This way, you get more money, better customers, and less hassle.

Apply for jobs you don't think you'll get.

Believe it or not, there's no harm in giving things a shot. At worst, they won't call back. At best? You might just land an interview at a freelance gig that you never thought you'd get.

Sometimes, learning how to get better freelance jobs isn't about your skills. Rather, it's about learning to trust yourself enough to handle applying for gigs that will seriously launch your freelance career.

Lastly, don't stop applying for gigs—even when you have steady work.

Yes, it's true. The biggest aspect of learning how to get better freelance jobs involves stick-to-itiveness. Keep applying, and you'll find better and better jobs around the corner.

It's important to remember that freelancing is all about avoiding putting all your eggs in one basket. So, the more you have under your belt, the better it'll be for your career. Such is the freelance life, right?

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About the Creator

Ossiana Tepfenhart

Ossiana Tepfenhart is a writer based out of New Jersey. This is her work account. She loves gifts and tips, so if you like something, tip her!

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