4 Lessons I’ve Learned as a Freelancer

If I had to describe 2020 in one word….I don’t think I could. Unexpected, unparalleled, trying, turbulent, the list goes on and on. 

Regardless of what the year brought us, we were all forced to adapt, accommodate and challenge societal norms for conducting business. As the class of 2020 entered the job market, a lot of us did not know what our futures would hold. 

Narrow-mindedly, I only envisioned myself working at a PR agency or on the communications team for an existing firm after graduation. This past year taught me how I needed to broaden my scope and more importantly... how I needed to throw that plan in the trash.

I began my freelance journey in January 2020. Being a freelancer is a job that constantly tests my ability to be persistent.  I want to share a few lessons that I've learned this past year:

1. Patience is a virtue. 

   1. Learning to work for yourself is an ongoing process. Over time, you will learn about your bandwidth and capabilities, discover your schedule preferences and improve your time management skills. Give yourself grace. After working in structured environments such as school, sports, and other extracurricular activities, you have to make significant lifestyle adjustments to efficiently work alone. Be patient in your process. With consistency and effort (even if it's just a little bit a day) progress will be made over time.

   2. My Advice: Track your growth! Acknowledge your improvements! Any accomplishment is progress and deserves to be recognized. Set small-term goals on Sunday, and assess your progress on Friday. Even if you have not fully accomplished a goal, some progress is better than none.

2. Ask for help. Seek guidance.

   1. Although you are working alone, you do not have to face this journey by yourself. Talk to professionals in your industry! Professionals are often more than willing to share their experiences and provide advice. 

   2. Research, research, research! 

      1. One of the hardest aspects of freelancing is determining your value. Finding the balance between choosing an adequate price while avoiding undervaluing yourself is difficult. Research what the market rates are for the services that you are providing!

      2. Research trends. The type of trends you research will be informed by the type of work that you do. It is crucial that you are up-to-date with the latest trends within your industry.

   3. My Advice: Reach out to professionals on Linkedin! Some of the best advice that I have received, has come from people I connected with on Linkedin. A personal message/note goes a long way! Introduce yourself and be honest about your intentions. 

      1. Do not expect a response, you are not entitled to one!

      2. Respect others’ schedules

      3. Do not exceed more than one follow-up message

3. Use your network.

   1. Tell whoever you come in contact with about what you do. This doesn't have to be with the intention to book a new client. When more people are aware about your services, they will often keep you in mind for the future! You never know who will need your expertise at a later date.

   2. Seek collaboration. You can start a mutually beneficial project with a colleague that broadens both of your audiences. This can be a learning experience for both parties!

   3. My Advice: Create a digital portfolio of your work. Something concise that people can reference when inquiring more about your services. 

4. Develop a (Realistic) Schedule 

   1. Align your schedule with your priorities! Include time for reasonable breaks and meals. Creating a schedule helps you to be more intentional about accomplishing your goals. It also gives you a better sense on how long it takes for you to finish tasks. 

   2. My Advice: Use different tools to create a schedule until you find the one that is right for you. My favorite to use is a combination of Google Calendar, Google Tasks, and handwritten notes. 

Honestly, I am still learning how to incorporate these lessons into my practice. Understanding that a career is a journey and not a destination has been my biggest takeaway this past year. For 2021, I want to be consistent, balanced and intentional. I will likely make future posts that target some of these areas!

Be sure to comment on any lessons you’ve learned this past year! I would love to hear from you.

Let’s grow together :)

-Ken