Things you need to know before entering into freelancing. Being a student it’s always good to start a part job or have some sources to earn some pocket money. Students in foreign countries follow this tendency but unfortunately in Pakistan the trend is not so high. However, the recent inclination of Pakistani youth toward freelancing is a good sign.
But the fact is that freelancing is not for everyone. This is more demanding and challenging job then you have been told. The purpose here is not to discourage anyone but give you alert of some of the top challenges you should be prepared for as this is not easy money. The ever-changing world of budding technologies makes it even hard.
First of all forget the difference between day and night; you have to deliver your work on time. It can’t be automated and requires a lot of groundwork. In short, it’s not for lazy people.
The more you work the more you will get as your income is directly proportional to the number of hours you’re working. The number of hours is fixed, unfortunately, so you have to raise the amount (making sure the best quality) per hour but that also comes with a limit.
One thing kept in mind that you are not your own boss but of course you are going to get multiple clients.
In order to get better results, be consistent and have some patience with strong communication skills
The pro tip is, always be willing to learn as it will augment your experience and will save you in worst situations.
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You have to run a one-man army show and are supposed to handle anything and everything counting Business Development, Client Relationship, Invoicing & Signing Contracts, Keeping track of taxes, and of course personal branding. Always get ready to wear a lot of hats and be much disciplined.
The irony is there will be no job security, no paid vacations, no health insurance, no unemployment benefits, no paternity leave, no employer benefits and no paid time off. You have to earn enough to pay for everything yourself.
ROI (return on investment) which rises and falls “like a bipolar”. The bucks stop with you and you have to get move on 24/7 to get new gigs at times.
Freelancing demands discipline to keep the balance of business development and working on different projects.
If you’re a full-time freelancer then you need to keep an eye on emerging and ongoing trends and should have the aptitude and skills to swiftly figure out which trends would be best for your freelance business the most.
Payment issues
Paypal is the most extensively used payment gateway and it has no substitute. Unfortunately, Paypal doesn’t support Pakistan and Government seems less concerned to find out what it takes to build a good case. This is a necessity for Freelancers who want to up their work and come out of Freelancing portals.
