{"id":25088,"date":"2022-05-31T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/blog\/?p=25088"},"modified":"2023-10-25T12:49:08","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T10:49:08","slug":"should-you-call-yourself-freelancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/blog\/should-you-call-yourself-freelancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Call Yourself a Freelancer? Why Your Title Might Be Holding You Back"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
\"Should<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The words you use to describe yourself matter. Words affect your personal brand. They influence people’s perception of you, especially when a few words is all they know about you. If you want to be a successful freelancer, you need to be thoughtful with the words you use to describe yourself and your work.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The words we speak aloud can even affect our own brains<\/a>. Simply introducing yourself to a client can change the way you view yourself.<\/em> If you refer to yourself as an experienced professional, eventually, you will start to think of yourself as such. But if you refer to yourself as an amateur or newbie, that\u2019s exactly what you\u2019ll be.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Self-perception is important because words can influence your own mood and behavior<\/a>. Having repetitive negative thoughts can activate the brain\u2019s fear center<\/a>. If you think of yourself as an imposter who lacks control over their work and career, you\u2019ll present that message to clients and prospects through your behavior and language.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Your title is one of the first pieces of information that prospective clients learn about you. It should tell clients who you are and how you can help them. This begs the question: Are you introducing yourself properly? Does it make sense to call yourself a \u201cfreelancer,\u201d or is there a different way to set the stage for client relationships?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In this article, we help you understand whether it makes sense to call yourself a freelancer or if a different term is more suitable for your career.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\nThe words you use to describe yourself matter. Words affect your personal brand. They influence people's perception of you, especially when words are all they know about you. <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n\r\n

What is a Freelancer?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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A \u201cfreelancer\u201d is a self-employed professional hired to work for different companies on particular assignments. You may call yourself a designer, a consultant, a copywriter, or a voice artist, but these careers can all fall under the umbrella of freelancing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The term “freelancing” refers to the mechanics of your work. That is, it explains how you work<\/em>, not what you do. It\u2019s the same as using words like entrepreneur, small-business owner, or startup founder. They give others an idea of your day-to-day and business structure, but they don\u2019t provide any information about how you add value to the world.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Without that information, it becomes vital that you aren’t just a freelancer; you’re a freelance developer<\/em>, a freelance marketer<\/em>, or a freelance architect.<\/em> If you only say, \u201cI\u2019m a freelancer,\u201d no one will know what you mean. They need a little more information to understand what you do.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So why does anyone use the term \u201cfreelancer\u201d at all? Freelancers tend to describe themselves as such because freelancing is not the traditional employment format. If you tell someone, “I’m a web designer,” they will assume you work full-time for a design company. If you want them to understand that you are self-employed and serve many clients at once, you must add the “freelance” part.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

But while you may be a freelancer, that doesn\u2019t mean you have to call yourself one. When it comes to giving yourself a title, you\u2019ll need to decide if using the term \u201cfreelancer\u201d is suitable or if there\u2019s an alternative that suits your needs.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

(Undecided about becoming a freelancer? Learn if freelancing is right for you in our complete guide: Is a Freelance Career Right For You? How to Determine if Freelancing is Viable<\/a>.)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Using the Right Terms in Your Title<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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While some people harbor negative connotations about freelancers, that sentiment has largely faded as freelancing has become more common. According to Upwork<\/a>, there are currently 58 million freelancers in the U.S. who contribute $1.4 trillion to the national economy. Freelancing is poised to become the U.S. majority workforce by 2027.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Furthermore, a LinkedIn report<\/a> found that freelancers provide a cost-effective and flexible solution to small- and medium-sized businesses. 70% of SMBs in the U.S. have worked with freelancers at least once, 81% of these companies plan to hire freelancers again, and 83% believe that freelancers have greatly helped their business. Clearly freelancing is seen as a legitimate mode of work and a valuable resource for clients.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

So should you call yourself a freelancer? Well, it depends. In some cases, using the term \u201cfreelancer\u201d can give yourself a significant advantage. In other cases, it would be smarter to use a title that aligns with what your clients expect. The term \u201cfreelance\u201d is neither good nor bad. It\u2019s a tool you can use to grow your career.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Consider that many people are technically freelancers but don\u2019t refer to themselves as such. Some real estate agents, for example, work entirely freelance, but they don\u2019t call themselves freelancers. They title themselves \u201creal estate agents\u201d because that\u2019s what someone looks for when they need to buy or sell a house.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Substitute teachers, private drivers, event planners, and house cleaners are all examples of freelancers who don\u2019t use \u201cfreelance\u201d in their title because it wouldn\u2019t make sense. Imagine a substitute calling themselves a \u201cfreelance teacher.\u201d That feels odd, doesn\u2019t it?\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This same phenomenon applies to all kinds of different freelancers, especially the digital freelance roles<\/a> that have become increasingly common, such as WordPress developers, email marketers, search engine optimizers, graphic designers, API specialists, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

For this reason, it\u2019s essential to use the terminology that your clients expect. That is, you want to use the words they find valuable. In some scenarios, \u201cfreelance\u201d is inappropriate, but several clients want<\/em> to hire freelancers. Let\u2019s walk through some examples.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The fledgling startup<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A young startup is ready to start marketing its product and needs to bring someone on board who will build a marketing program and kick off campaigns. They want someone with years of experience who will invest themselves completely in the company. The role may turn into a full-time position with a significant salary and equity. Which title best suits this role?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n