Being a Freelancer as a Start of Career

Victoria Klochkova

Freelancing is perhaps the easiest way to get working experience and money right away after graduation. It’s funny, though: if you sit for 8 hours at a computer in the office, designing a website, no one will deny that you are simply doing your job. However, if you spend the same amount of time at home, accomplishing the same task, most of your friends and relatives will think of you as of a slacker.

Despite of all of the above, if you are a student or a graduate, who tries to find a decent job, I would recommend you to find out first, if your profession allows you to work as a freelancer. During your first freelance working experience you will most likely be faced with displeasure of your relatives and requests like “Go find yourself a normal job”, but there are several significant advantages only a short-sighted person would neglect.

Work Itself

Freelancer can choose projects from various fields, starting with SEO projects and ending with language tutorials. If you do not feel yourself satisfied with the knowledge and specialty you got at college, freelance work could give you a rare opportunity of trying something absolutely different. You can choose any field you want and work in it, adding new projects in your portfolio. Even if you decide to switch to office work someday, there will be something to put to your resume.

Free to Go

Choosing a freelance career means total freedom from office. You could work at home or in a cozy café. Or, if you are adventurous (and hardworking) enough, you could travel all over the world, from New York City to Harare – as long as you could ensure qualitative Internet connection for yourself. Perhaps you will be surprised to find it out, but even if you will receive not as much money as you wish at the very beginning of your freelance career, such income could be sufficient in order to travel and live comfortably in developing countries. And what is youth for if not to see the world, anyways?

You are the Boss

No one will loom over you – well, except your mother, who will desperately try to make you change the chosen career path, but you can always escape this pressure by working in a cozy place outside your apartment. You will be in charge of yourself, choosing the projects according to their components, price and deadlines. If you wish to become entrepreneur someday, freelance experience will serve as a good lesson on time management and self-control. Besides, by being a freelancer you might get yourself returning clients, no matter whether you choose to communicate with your customers directly or through a certain online work platform.

There are certain flaws in freelance work, but for a student to be a freelancer is the best way to gain some professional experience, contribute to his own personal development and find out what is it that he really wants to do in his life. So if you are looking for a job – join the freelancers’ side!

Victoria is a passionate entrepreneur: she has founded online marketing agency recently and is fond of writing about marketing, business and technology. She always seeks for aspiration and new ideas!