2021 is a great year to be starting out as a freelancer. As many Americans are now fully versed in using technology such as Zoom, Slack, or Teams, the pandemic has proven that we no longer have to be together to work together.
If you’re interested in becoming a freelancer, then it’s very simple to get started.
Most roles require few or zero overheads – so long as you have an Internet connection and an online profile then customers will be able to connect with you.
Wondering which are the best freelance jobs for beginners? Of course, being a ‘freelancer’ is a really broad term, so if you haven’t yet picked the type of work you’d like to charge for, our guide will pick out the top 5 roles for you along with essential information to get started.
What are the easiest freelance jobs for beginners?
The easiest freelance work to take on uses the skills you already have. Are you an excellent wordsmith? Then perhaps being a freelance copywriter would be a great job for you.
Have you been building websites as a hobby for years? Then it wouldn’t be a huge leap to become a web or mobile developer.
Many freelancers are able to start out small and work around their full-time job.
The beauty of this pattern is that you would be able to work in the evenings, weekends, before work, or even during your lunch hour. Whatever suits you.
Flexibility is one of the major selling points of freelance work.
But it doesn’t always have to remain a side gig either. In fact, 60% of people who left full-time employment to pursue freelance work were able to make more money than they did in their previous roles.
Sounds pretty good, right?
How can I get a freelance job with no experience?
It’s a chicken and egg situation – you need the experience to prove to customers that you know what you’re doing. But you can’t show off your experience without having won a freelance gig. So, what do you do?
Many freelance platforms such as Upwork allow you to post a profile that displays examples of work you have already completed.
This means it doesn’t necessarily have to be work you have been paid for.
Anything you have done in college, as a hobby or to help out your friends and family can all be part of your profile.
Whether that’s an article you’ve written for your school paper, a blog you’ve set up for your bestie, or a logo for your dad’s business, these will all help to ‘sell’ your experience to potential customers.
Another way to gain business is to start out on a low fee. Annoying, but it won’t be forever.
Many customers looking for freelance projects can be swayed by an attractive price, so if you need to do a couple of low-paid jobs to bulk up your experience then this could be a shrewd move.
What are the best freelance jobs for beginners?
1. Freelance Copywriter
You don’t need to be an English major to become a freelance copywriter, although going to college helps to demonstrate your writing skills. In fact, if you have specialist knowledge such as technology, law, medicine, or business then this could help to establish you as an expert within your freelance writing niche.
Freelance writers get paid to create content for websites, magazines, adverts, social media platforms, and many other types of publications. Whether it’s articles, blog posts, web posts, or captions for a marketing campaign, if your written communication skills are strong, then this could be the perfect gig for you.
Beginner writers can sign up to content mills where there should be plenty of work available, but be aware that the pay can be quite low. For example, Textbroker fees start at 0.7 cents per word, which is quite little. However, once you’ve become established you could make as much as 5 cents per word which is far more lucrative. If you can manage 1000 words an hour at this rate, then you’re looking at $50 per hour.
If you’d like to swerve the world of content mills, then consider creating a free profile on a freelancing platform, and bidding for projects that are posted. Once you’ve settled in and built up a reputation, freelance writers can make between $30-40 dollars per hour.
2. Graphic design
One of the best freelance jobs with no experience necessary is to become a graphic designer. Companies have long realized that having an in-house graphics team is a luxury they can’t afford. This is why freelance graphics experts are in high demand.
So long as you have access to graphics software and can put together a small creative portfolio showcasing your talent, then this is all that’s required to get started in the role.
As a graphics expert, you can either register for free on a popular freelancing platform or else spread the word about your services on social media. Once established, you have the potential of earning $40-45 per hour.
Graphics jobs are also available on sites including:
- Design Crowd
- Art Wanted
- Coroflot
- Dribble
3. Website developer
Website skills in programs such as WordPress will enable you to help businesses establish or grow their online presence.
And the great thing about web programming is that anyone can learn. There is a multitude of free online courses and forums available to help you quickly grasp a new platform, whilst template themes are easy to adapt into the exact design your client is looking for.
If you’re advertising your services as a website developer, then it’s important to have your own website to promote. You can link to other sites that you’ve helped to create – or if your experience is thin on the ground, then spend a few hours setting up some dummy sites to link to in your portfolio. Remember to showcase a breadth of skills.
You might expect to earn $50-60 per hour as a web designer, which is a great wage for a side gig!
4. Virtual Assistant
Is organization your thing? This would make a virtual admin role one of the best freelance jobs for beginners like you.
A virtual assistant or PA completes tasks such as responding to emails, answering phone calls, booking tickets, and managing diaries. You can do this for a number of clients, based in a number of locations.
If you are taking on this type of work as a side gig, be clear about the hours you’ll be able to work. If you’re unable to take VA calls during the hours of your full-time role, then this might be something your client needs to know about.
Payscale calculates the median hourly rate of a Virtual Assistant as being $16.10.
5. Transcriptionist
If you are already a fast typist and have excellent listening skills, then a transcribing role could be perfect for you. You don’t necessarily need any previous experience as many hiring companies will ask you to take a quick test.
Lawyers, doctors, and corporate firms often have a need to turn audio files such as courtroom proceedings or business conferences into a text format. You will be sent an encrypted file and then type it out into meaningful text, making sure that the grammar and spelling are perfect. If you specialize in medical or legal transcription work, then you’ll need to be comfortable with the jargon and industry terms used.
Freelance transcribers typically earn around $20-25 per hour, according to Upwork.
Have you been inspired by any of our best freelance jobs for beginners? With little or zero startup costs, why not give one of them a go? It’s a great way to make some extra cash each month and could even motivate a new career direction.
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