![\"Freelance](\"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Timing_freelanceFT.png\")
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For a long, long time people have sidetracked from their primary jobs to do a little something extra. Whether for financial reasons, exploring a hobby, or personal fulfillment, it\u2019s not out of the ordinary to feel the itch to branch out on your own a bit.<\/p>\n
Thanks to more digitized communication, having a side hustle has become a lot more attainable. It\u2019s also made it so that tapping into a secondary source of income isn\u2019t confined to just having a store on Etsy (though that\u2019s cool, too). Nowadays, you can take almost any talent\u2014especially one that translates across digital properties\u2014and use it to your advantage by becoming a freelancer.<\/p>\n
Though freelancing may sound attractive (we mean, who doesn\u2019t dream of ditching the 9-to-5 grind), we understand\u2014and recommend\u2014the need to dip your toe into the water before diving in headfirst.<\/p>\n
Keep in mind that being a freelancer requires a certain kind of personality\u2014one that is driven, organized, and realistic. But we know that has y-o-u written all over it, so let us share insider tips on how to get rolling. A study found<\/a> that one-third of companies were using freelancers in 2016, and that 55 percent of those expected to use more in 2017.<\/p>\n It\u2019s likely that prediction rang true\u2014and then some\u2014considering that more and more people are choosing to freelance. According to Forbes<\/a>, \u201cA study commissioned by Upwork and Freelancers Union pegs their number at 57 million and predicts [freelancers] will make up a majority of the U.S. workforce by 2027.\u201d<\/p>\n This comes as no surprise; hiring a freelancer to perform specific tasks or pitch in on projects is appealing to companies for a number of reasons.<\/p>\n For one, employers don\u2019t have as many overhead costs\u2014very few, actually\u2014when using a freelancer. They don\u2019t have to pay for the worker\u2019s benefits (health coverage, paid time off, sick days, maternity leave), set annual salary or bonuses, workspace (if working remotely), parking, etc. Though they may still be on the hook for specific software or services, they also aren\u2019t ponying up for a desktop, laptop, or work phone.<\/p>\n All of these things are expenses that freelancers take responsibility for once they essentially become a small business owner.<\/p>\n Aside from just the financials, using a freelancer means that a manager can really hone in on a specialized skillset since they don\u2019t need a more well-rounded employee to fill 40-plus hours a week.<\/p>\n Though when you break it down hourly, they may find themselves paying a premium rate, the time it takes to complete the task or project\u2014or the higher level of work itself\u2014will probably make it worth it.<\/p>\n It also gives the employer the freedom to choose to have a freelancer dive in when the workload gets heavy, but they don\u2019t have to worry about paying out when budgets are tight or assignments are light. (This obviously is dependent on the contract you have with the employer; i.e. if you are on retainer or not.)<\/p>\n Even if a company is in need of a whole team (like a creative one, perhaps) to carry out a project, assembling a mishmash of experts may end up being more economical than hiring a full-service agency\u2014after all, firms have their own overhead to worry about. Though this process may be more tedious and require more coordinating, over time companies tend to build out a healthy Rolodex of freelancers to call upon.<\/p>\n Though it\u2019s likely that the thought of freelancing came to you because you realized you could outsource some of your skills, you may also be feeling that you want to start freelancing, but don\u2019t quite know where to set your focus.<\/p>\n We are more than sure that you have talents across the board, but it is smart to really zoom in on one or two specialties. For example, if you are a marketing professional, dial in to the programs and situations you understand best. Is it graphic design? Website development? Writing? Project management? Email marketing?<\/p>\n Choose the area where you have experience and work on both amplifying your skillset and learning how to articulate it in order to make yourself appealing to a potential employer.<\/p>\nChoose the area where you have experience and work on both amplifying your skillset and learning how to articulate it in order to make yourself appealing to a potential employer. <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n Remember, we can\u2019t be everything to everyone, and if you are supplementing a full-time job with a freelance role, you won\u2019t have the time or energy to exert yourself in multiple directions anyway.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Because you are a dedicated time tracker (right?!) then you should already know if you have the capacity to take on additional projects. Though you should never be doing freelance work during regular work hours, you\u2019ll have the opportunity to see where you\u2019re spending your time outside the office thanks to Timing automatically tracking all time spent on your Mac.<\/p>\n Plus, once you start to pick up assignments, diligent time tracking will be one of the essential elements of balancing work with more work. Plus, like any good freelancer, having a detailed and organized overview of all your time will help you to bill freelance clients appropriately and even back you up in a situation where an employer accuses you of freelancing on the clock.<\/p>\n We\u2019re going to bet that before you have a meaningful conversation with a hiring manager for a freelance gig, chances are they are going to ask about your rate. After all, successful companies have to keep their bottom line in mind.<\/p>\n So, how do you even go about quantifying what you do into a numerical value?<\/p>\n If you\u2019re just starting out, you probably feel the pressure to be on the company\u2019s lower end of possibilities when it comes to cost. And while it\u2019s understandable to want to the chance to show your chops, there is a fine line between getting your foot in the door and putting yourself into undervalued purgatory.<\/p>\n Our advice? Don\u2019t fall over yourself for any opportunity, but rather think critically about the worth of your work and choose projects accordingly.<\/p>\n Decide if you prefer hourly, project-based, or monthly retainer work. If you were a career freelancer, you\u2019d likely be leaning toward the retainer option (after all, one of the biggest downsides to freelancing is unreliable income).<\/p>\n However, if you are adding on top of a full-time job, you may feel that having a \u201ctrial period\u201d of sorts with an agreed-upon hourly rate is best. This way you get paid for the work you put in and there aren\u2019t really any other strings attached.<\/p>\n
\n[content_upgrade_scripts]
\n[content_upgrade cu_id=”454″ preload=”1″]Free Download: Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts of Freelancing<\/strong>[content_upgrade_button]Click Here[\/content_upgrade_button][\/content_upgrade]<\/p>\nWhy Freelancing?<\/h2>\n
![\"Freelance](\"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Timing_piggybank.png\")
<\/p>\nAssess Your Abilities<\/h2>\n
Make Sure You Have the Time<\/h2>\n
![\"Freelance](\"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/01b_overview_30days_desktop.jpg\")
<\/p>\nValue Yourself<\/h2>\n