Good day to all! It doesn’t matter whether it’s day or night, whether you’re working or relaxing, but know that somewhere right now freelancers are hard at work. You probably have a question: who is a freelancer and what does he do? This is exactly what we will talk about.
The term freelancer literally means “free spear” and dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries, when hired knights fought for those lands where they were paid more. They did not delve into who was right and who was wrong and went where they were invited if this option suited them. However, there is more in their defense interesting fact, after concluding such an agreement, they no longer went over to the enemy’s side, even if he promised them more gold.
Nowadays, freelancers are quite peace-loving people and fight if only for a tasty order, and then virtually. These include specialists who carry out orders for clients without being their full-time employees. They can be located anywhere in the world, just like their clients.
Their interaction with each other occurs thanks to the power and power of the Internet. Accordingly, professions that may be suitable for such remote work are mainly creative nature(copywriters, advertising specialists, photographers, web designers, illustrators, translators, screenwriters, etc.).
In addition to the above, the majority of the freelance services market is occupied by IT specialists: layout designers, programmers, web analysts, etc. They can also be lawyers, teachers, etc., who perform their work via the Internet.
I hope this has become clearer to you. Let me give you a real-life example: if a painter comes to you to hang wallpaper, and at the same time he does not officially work anywhere, this does not classify him as a freelancer. Even if he, having picked up a fashionable word, proudly calls himself that.
By the way, regarding modern terms, I remembered a case where one company beautifully called a cleaning lady’s vacancy “cleaning manager.” This was 7-9 years ago, when only a few knew this term.
How is freelancing different from remote work?
Not everyone who works remotely is a freelancer. Typically, remote work includes employees who are part of the company’s staff, or who are not part of it, but who make up its team, and who work at a distance.
These could be girls from a call center or remote sales department who call clients and answer their questions while being at home all day, rather than in the office. Or accountants who prepare reports, but are not physically present at the place of work.
It is profitable for companies to hire such employees, because it cuts production costs and does not require the provision of a workplace. And employees benefit from the fact that they have a stable job, and they can do it in a comfortable environment.
Whether in pajamas, even in curlers, even in the Maldives, even in a hut in Bali, the main thing is that there is Internet and the work is done.
Freelancers also have complete freedom in what form and place they work, but their orders are usually one-time in nature (although there are also large large projects). They often work with several clients at the same time.
To make it even clearer for you, I will continue with an example. Let's say you wanted to open an online store. You have a product, you have an understanding of its business processes, but you need people who will come up with a cool name for the store and website, then develop its design and make it work so that it works, and then make good description goods, promote it on the Internet, etc.
It is not advisable to immediately create a whole staff of such specialists; even more so, look among your neighbors for someone who can develop a website design. But it is beneficial to register on a special freelance exchange on the Internet, where those who offer their services of a similar nature and those who need them meet.
There you will entrust one specialist with developing a logo and how your website will look, another with texts and a tasty description of your products for customers, a third with setting up advertising, a fourth with maintaining an account in in social networks…
Pros of freelancing
Freelancing is not for everyone. It is clear that a doctor cannot be a freelancer and diagnose and treat a patient from the other side of the world. However, there are many other features. But I’ll start with the advantages of this work:
- There is no need to be present at the workplace, “working” a standard working day.
- You adjust your work schedule yourself, freeing up time for work or rest when you need it.
- You are your own boss, how many clients you find, how many projects you complete, and how much you earn. There is no income ceiling. The higher your qualifications, the stronger your experience and the more active you are, the more customers you have for your services and the higher your earnings.
- There are no office intrigues and prying (by the way, what to do if your boss kicks you out of work, read in). If a client is terribly unpleasant to you, you may not work with him.
- You set yourself goals, both short-term and long-term, and move towards them yourself. Although for some this is a big minus.
- Based on the previous point, freelancing can be considered as the first step to starting your own business. There are many cases when a freelancer could no longer cope with the flow of orders and opened his own design studio or copywriting agency, etc., recruiting other specialists to join his team.
- There are no age restrictions, you can be a school student or a pensioner. The main thing is not age, but whether you know how to do what is required.
- Allows you to try yourself in a different role or get a part-time job, combining freelancing with your main job (for example, a doctor writes articles on medical topics).
- And also use it to “keep your pants up” while there is no permanent job - for mothers on maternity leave, students, the unemployed...
- Self-development in the chosen field. You simply cannot stand still, you need to be aware of new products, constantly hone your skills in order to be competitive.
Perhaps there are others interesting advantages, which I forgot about. Then write them in the comments.
Cons of freelancing
This job is not suitable for everyone, since for some, even one minus can cancel out all the pluses. Really evaluate your strengths, knowledge and experience, and most importantly, your character! And now you will understand why:
- There is no stability. Today you are inundated with orders, and the next week is empty. The periods may span several months depending on the complexity of the work you perform.
- There is no length of service, no tax or pension contributions, unless you create an individual entrepreneur for yourself.
- A high level of discipline is required, the ability to structure your work day in such a way as to get everything done. No one will adjust except you.
- The responsibility is yours alone; it cannot be “shared” with the entire department, as in a company, or pushed onto another.
- Constant activity is required, because the search for clients in freelancing does not stop until you have a stable client base and word of mouth. For some, it takes several years of daily work before this time.
- It follows from the previous point that you need to work a lot in order to provide yourself with a constant normal income! Especially at the beginning of your journey, when there are no clients or regular orders.
- Lack of teamwork and face-to-face communication with colleagues.
- Some lose their tone, being at home all day, relax, begin to give up on finding clients and interacting with them, postponing it “to tomorrow.”
- There may be a complete misunderstanding of such work on the part of loved ones. Like, if you are sitting at home, then cook borscht, make dumplings, walk for a couple of hours with your child, put things in order and clean, do laundry, iron, go to the store... And when to work? Well, after all this you can work).
Your family should be taught that this is a full-time job, and there is no need to distract you for a minute every 5 minutes, which lasts for a couple of hours.
- At first, you may run into scammers, or clients who place an order, and then spend several months making endless edits and blowing their minds. With the advent of freelancing experience, such cases will be extremely rare.
- A romantic visual image of this profession. As a rule, this is a picture of a beach in the style of a bounty advertisement, palm trees, ocean, sun, sand and somewhere in the background of all this a small laptop. I repeat once again, you can earn a living for such a life, but not at all quickly, and you need to work a lot for it. Many times more than in the office.
How to become a freelancer from scratch
I have already written that you can become a freelancer at any age; you can do this even without experience. The most important thing is to decide what your abilities and talents are, what area you want to improve and earn money in it. Be prepared that you will have to learn a lot and quickly.
But the most important thing is desire. If you love writing texts, start small. Learn the basics of copywriting, writing with keywords and off we go! Don't delay the learning curve, otherwise you won't get started. Take the simplest and cheapest orders first.
If you just need a temporary part-time job, but you don’t know how to do anything and don’t want to learn, look for options like transcribing audio or video recordings, etc.
If you are good at drawing and want to develop in this direction, take a closer look at web design. Again, start small, don’t immediately start developing a corporate identity or website design, but at least make a layout of business cards. Gradually increase your level and complexity of the work performed.
If you are a mom on maternity leave and you need a part-time job, then take a closer look at the profession of group administrators on social networks, managing Instagram accounts.
In general, there are many options, start from your needs and interests!
If you don’t know what might suit you, watch videos and webinars on YouTube on this topic. Exist online courses who are for a short time They offer you to try several options and then choose your direction.
I don't know if you need them. Maybe it will be easier to find this kind of information on your own, and take courses in your chosen field, for example, web design.
Now you know what a freelancer is and how to become one. I wish you professional and creative success!
And finally, I want to offer you a cool video about a video blogger! Watch it and you won’t regret it)
Until we meet again, Smolynets Anastasia
The article was updated on March 30, 2014 and is relevant for the entire 2014 year.
IN Lately All more people they want to live freely and not depend on a permanent job. Freedom means, first of all, living according to your own convenient schedule, and not according to the established “work-home-work” scheme. It’s worth noting right away that not many people decide to leave their office jobs and go freelance, but those who do take this serious step have only one option - freelancing! So who is a freelancer and what does he do? What he lives on, where he works, we will talk about all this in this article! 
Definition
Let's start with the definition of Freelance. It is understood as work for hire, when the employer looks for a performer and gives him tasks. The customer sets deadlines, and the contractor must complete the order within the allotted time and send it for verification. If everything is fine and the work is completed efficiently and on time, the customer transfers the previously agreed amount to the employee. In this case, the Contractor does not have to meet the employer face to face. All negotiations can take place over the phone or online. Most often, there are no intermediaries in freelancing, but sometimes this happens, we’ll talk about this a little later. For now, let's summarize.
Freelancer- This is a person who performs work to order. At the same time, he chooses his own place of work and time. He has no fixed salary, no schedule, but only orders and deadlines for their implementation. Of course, this activity is not suitable for everyone. To be a freelancer you need to be able to adapt to changes in the service market, as well as have good self-discipline and self-organization.
Let's figure out what's good and what's bad about this kind of work? 
Pros and cons of freelancing
What's good?
For starters, there is no need to travel from home to work and back. In big cities this takes more than one hour. There is also no need to get up early, you create your own work schedule: if you want, work at night, if you want, early in the morning or late in the evening. You can work in the morning and evening, and spend the whole day with your family, it’s up to you. You can arrange your own workplace the way it suits you. You can work at home, or rent an office. Freelance remotely from some warm country. You cannot be fired, you can only do what you like and what you know how to do best. 
What's wrong then?
If everything was so good and simple, then no one would work in offices and factories, would you agree? This means there are some pitfalls. Let's start from the very beginning. When you don’t have an established base of regular customers, it’s quite difficult for you to find an order and you can sit without money for more than one month.
Let's say you have clients, and you are not in danger of starving, then other dangers arise. Many freelancers who cannot properly organize their work process completely forget about their health and do not go outside for months. They don’t visit doctors or do physical exercise.
The next disadvantage is the instability and seasonality of work. Unstable income can unsettle anyone. Imagine, in one month you can earn 2 or more salary average office worker, and the next month you will be left without any money at all. It is necessary to constantly monitor financial flows. Again, self-discipline and self-organization are very important.
You need to constantly be in trend and study new technologies. If you work with old version program, and the customer needs new features, then he will most likely choose another freelancer. Remember, freelance does not tolerate the weak. Only those who constantly develop and control absolutely everything can achieve success here.
Is a freelancer a loner or an intermediary?
Many people, having worked in this area, develop large client bases and no longer have time to fulfill such a volume of orders on their own. They have high ratings on exchanges, there are many offers from which they can already choose the best. They are trusted. This kind of success can be achieved in just a few years of working as a freelancer.
And here the opportunity arises to gather under your leadership several young but promising performers who will help you in fulfilling your orders. You will be able to take large amounts of work and distribute them among your team, and thus become an intermediary between the customer and other freelancers. Many successful performers follow this path. It’s even appropriate here, because if things go well, then it’s better that everything be legal. 
Some people have the impression that mediation is bad. But if you think about it, everything becomes obvious: mediation is everywhere around us. You don’t complain that stores are intermediaries between you and the bakery that bakes bread. After all, it’s good for everyone: the bakery gets profit, the store gets profit from interest, and you get fresh bread, for which you don’t need to go across the whole city, but just walk to the nearest store. Everyone gets their own benefit, and there is nothing wrong with that!
That's all, now you know what freelance is and who a freelancer is. We discussed the pros and cons of such work, and also talked about mediation.
Who is a freelancer and what does he do? Which freelance exchanges should a freelancer look for to earn money? Where can I find vacancies for working from home?
Do you enjoy getting up early in the morning? Do you like crowded morning buses? Are you delighted by tyrant bosses? Then you don't need to read this article! You are lucky and everything seems to be going well for you.
But if you don’t mind working at home and only on those projects that you like, you want to plan your income yourself, and you dream of managing your time, then freelancing is a direct path for you.
1. Who is a freelancer and what does he do?
Freelance spearman, “freelance artist”, remote worker - the name of the same way of earning money - freelancing.
A specialist who works for himself, outside the staff of any company.
According to various statistical sources, at the beginning of 2014 there were more than 2 million such workers in Russia. This figure is not exact, since it is difficult to count freelancers!
There are much more such specialists abroad (50 million people). This allows you to assess the immediate prospects for Russian freelancing.
This type of income has positive and negative sides.
The main pros and cons of freelancing:
| № | pros | Minuses |
| 1 | There are no more morning traffic jams, weather disasters, no need to rush to work in the morning | You need to organize your own workplace |
| 2 | Set prices for services at your own discretion | Lack of corporate events, preferential loans from the employer, and other social benefits |
| 3 | You can choose a job that gives you pleasure and is truly interesting. | Forced to independently search for orders, promote their services and products |
| 4 | From now on, the “office” becomes not only own apartment, but also a cozy coffee shop, a favorite public garden - the choice of workplace depends on personal preferences | Income inequality |
| 5 | You independently regulate your workload, deciding when and how much to work | Difficulties with motivation |
| 6 | You will no longer have to follow anyone’s instructions or endure a tyrant boss | Relatives and friends do not always objectively assess your status (for some, being a freelancer is almost the same as being unemployed) |
Freelancing is widespread in copywriting, website creation, translation activities, design, and accounting services. The scope of his “interests” is constantly expanding with new types of activities.
I am sure that now you can easily answer the question “Who is a freelancer” and will be able to determine whether this type of income is suitable for you.
2. Where to look for work as a freelancer - 4 main options
The decision has been made, you go freelance. Now we need to find customers. To do this, you need to know where they are found.
I will tell you about four of their most popular habitats.
Option 1. Freelance exchanges
Online exchanges are the main meeting place for performers and customers. Freelancers register on the chosen platform, post a portfolio, then look for suitable orders and respond to them. Customers also register on the site and post their projects there.
The exchange acts as an intermediary and regulator of these relationships. As a rule, its users pay a commission for each completed project. The size of the intermediary percentage is determined by the exchanges themselves.
Option 2. Forums
Forums are a place for freelancers to communicate. Customers also come here. Often this is where they find performers for their projects.
Option 3. Web studios
Web studios are the next way to find work for a “freelance artist.” There is almost always a need for specialists here. Similar companies willingly transfer some of the functionality to remote workers.
Feel free to offer your services to web studios and send links to your portfolio.
Option 4. Internet resources
I recommend that some categories of freelancers look for orders through online resources. Select specialized sites, analyze them, find problems that you can help solve. Then feel free to contact the administrators of these resources with your suggestions.
3. How to work as a freelancer online - 7 easy steps
You are no longer tormented by the question: “Who is this freelancer?” Have you decided to try yourself in this role?
Great! Then my step-by-step instruction couldn't come at a better time.
Step 1. Create an electronic wallet
Most monetary transactions between parties are carried out using electronic wallets.
Most Popular:
- Yandex money;
- Webmoney.
To create them, you need to visit the website of the selected system. In the “Registration” section, perform all the necessary steps step by step.
The algorithm for opening a wallet consists of the following steps:
- login to the registration section;
- entering your phone number;
- entering personal data;
- phone check;
- setting a password.
Step 2. Determine the type of activity
Perhaps the most important thing is to choose the area of activity in which you want to work as a freelancer.
My advice: don’t scatter yourself, focus first on what you know and can do best.
Otherwise, it may turn out as in the famous poem by Agnia Barto: “Drama club, photo club... But I also want to sing!”. Remember, the key to success for a beginner is gradualism.
Let's say you are fluent in Photoshop. Start freelancing in this area. This will allow you to confidently take orders, complete them efficiently, on time, receive positive feedback, and increase your rating.
With this approach, you will quickly get used to the new way of earning money, and you will gradually be able to expand the scope of your activities.
Step 3. Choose a freelance exchange
As I already wrote, there are plenty of freelance exchanges. Before choosing, read reviews about them. This will allow you to learn some of the operating features of a particular site, which only those who already work on it can tell you about. In addition, it is better to choose an exchange that suits your specialization.
There are universal exchanges (for example, Fl.ru). Freelancers working in a variety of fields can register on them.
There are specialized exchanges. For example, for copywriters (Textsale.ru), for photographers (Fotogazon.ru), for lawyers (pravoved.ru), designers (Russiancreators.ru), programmers (Freelansim.ru).
Great choice! Read carefully the terms and conditions of work on the exchange you like and register!
Step 4. Register and fill out the form
The work site has been determined. Now you need to register your profile there. It's very easy to do.
Example:
Let's look at the registration process using the example of the very popular Fl.ru exchange.
Registration steps:
1. Go to the Fl.ru website, find the registration button, click on it.
3. Then put your email address in the sign below and come up with a password. By the way, don't forget to keep it in a safe place. It is through this that you will then log into your personal account.
Most exchanges, along with the standard method, provide for quick registration through social networks. This method is suitable for those who have their own pages on Facebook, VKontakte or Odnoklassniki.
Step 5. Compiling a portfolio
Dear gentlemen, beginning freelancers, know that a good portfolio is half the success!
After all, this is what potential customers pay attention to first. You can write anything about yourself. But only samples finished works in the stated area, preferably already published somewhere, will convince the potential customer of your competence.
P orthofolio- a selection of freelancer’s work in the chosen specialization, prepared for review by customers, formatted accordingly. The purpose of the portfolio is to attract the attention of a potential customer and convince him of the professionalism of the performer.
For copywriters - these are samples of texts, for designers - design projects, for those who create websites - examples of finished sites.
Basic portfolio requirements:
- it must be neat and aesthetically designed;
- well structured by areas;
- works must be original and completely finished;
- the portfolio must be constantly updated.
Step 6. We look for orders and fulfill them
Now we have come to the most enjoyable stage - searching and fulfilling orders.
Each freelance platform has a section: “order feed”, “work” or something similar. This is where you will look for the order, send a response to it, and wait for the employer’s decision.
Having received an order for work, read the conditions again, pay attention to the customer’s special requirements (if any), and the deadlines for delivery of the finished work.
To ensure long and productive cooperation, doing the work:
- strictly adhere to the terms of reference (TOR);
- never violate the deadlines set by the customer;
- If problems arise with the order, immediately discuss them with the employer, do not remain silent.
And the most important thing, in my opinion, important rule for beginners: do not take many orders at once! Due to inexperience, it is easy to overestimate your capabilities. As a result, you will not be able to cope with volumes in deadlines, receive a negative review, thereby reducing the already low rating of the artist.
Step 7. Register an individual entrepreneur
You can often hear among freelancers that if orders are carried out occasionally (for example, once every six months), then there is no particular need to register an individual entrepreneur. In this case, income should be declared as an individual.
In addition, many believe that it is impossible to track the activities of “free spearmen”, which means that it is not necessary to legalize their work. They are used to relying on the Russian avos and proverb "Not caught, not a thief".
In practice this is not entirely true! If you want to track your income and prove the presence of illegal entrepreneurial activity Can. In this case, problems (fines) cannot be avoided.
Considering that an individual pays 13% on his income, and an individual entrepreneur pays 6% on his income (this is the most common form), it is easier and more correct to register his activities, rather than playing a deliberately losing game with the tax authorities “if he gets caught or if he doesn’t get caught.”
Registering an individual entrepreneur is easy.
To do this, you should perform a number of actions:
- choose a tax system;
- prepare the package necessary documents(application, passport, paid receipt for state duty);
- submit to the tax office or Multifunctional Center the whole package of documents.
If the documentation is in order, then in 3 days the USRIP entry sheet will be ready, and you will turn from a simple person into an entrepreneur.
4. Where to work as a freelancer - review of the TOP 3 freelance exchanges
There are many different exchanges for freelancers, both foreign and Russian.
I propose to get acquainted with the three most popular sites on the Russian Internet.
1) FL.ru
This freelance exchange is an old-timer among Russian platforms of this kind. It began its activities on May 14, 2005. At the end of 2016, more than 2 million users were registered on Fl.ru.
The exchange provides its clients with a number of paid services:
- PRO account;
- transaction without risk.
For efficient work you need a PRO account, because it gives you access to most orders, of which there are plenty here for a variety of specialties. There are about 50 specializations in total.
Unlike other exchanges, Fl.ru allows its clients (customer, contractor) to communicate outside the service, to enter into transactions directly, taking on possible risks.
For those who want to feel calm, the resource offers the possibility of a secure transaction. The exchange commission for such a service is about 12-14%. The customer pays for it.
On this site, perhaps, there is the highest competition among order fulfillers, so it is quite difficult for beginners to win their “place in the sun,” but for professional and responsible people nothing is impossible.
2) Kwork
Kwork.ru operates in the format of an online store, where freelance services are presented in 9 large categories. A special feature of the service is the fixed cost of services - 500 rubles. It doesn’t matter what kind of service it is: voice acting for a video, selling text, filling an online store with goods, or anything else.
To become a full-fledged user (customer, contractor), you need to go through a simple registration.
Services (products) are called quacks and are placed in the storefront completely free of charge, after passing moderation. The service takes a 20% commission from the seller only after the transaction is completed.
The customer pays for the selected work on a 100% prepayment basis. In this case, the money is “frozen” by the service and paid to the contractor only after the order is completed.
Weblancer.ru is an exchange for remote workers, operating in 13 specializations. The Internet project has been operating since 2003.
Advantages of the service:
- ease of access to services;
- account security by binding to the user’s IP address;
- Freelancers have the opportunity to post customer reviews;
- controversial issues are resolved by resource arbitration;
- presence of an active forum.
Setting out on a free voyage, every newly minted freelancer hopes for success.
To make your hopes come true, listen to the advice of experienced people.
"Study, study and study"- this is important for any profession, regardless of where you work - offline or online. If possible, take part in special training programs. This is the only way to maintain your professionalism at the proper level.
Nowadays it’s easy to find both paid and free courses on the Internet in any specialization. Choose those that will bring you maximum practical benefit. Don't study just to get another certificate. Customers value your practical skills!
If you are a beginner and don’t yet have work that can be included in your portfolio, I recommend starting to work on it immediately.
Offer your services for free or for a minimal fee. You can post such an ad on social networks and tell your friends and acquaintances about your services. There will definitely be a customer, which means that after completion you will have your first work in your portfolio.
Just remember, the work must be completed on high level, otherwise they will have the opposite effect.
Tip 3. Don’t immediately look for high-paying orders
Start freelancing with small, simple, inexpensive orders. Remember high paying job requires certain skills that beginners usually do not have.
Gain experience and then proceed to serious, expensive orders.
Having chosen your niche and started working, do not forget to constantly develop professionally. Read books in your area of interest, communicate with more experienced colleagues, attend webinars.
Only constant improvement will allow a freelancer to acquire competitive advantages and become successful.
In this video, a freelance practitioner shares his experience. Look. I think it will be useful.
6. Conclusion
The question “Who is this freelancer?” Now it won't take you by surprise. You know for sure that a freelancer is a specialist who works for himself, performs various tasks to order for a fee.
Good afternoon. Today we are opening another sub-section in the “” section called “ Freelancing" Specifically in this article you will learn what is freelancing And who is a freelancer.
Freelancer? Who is this anyway?
Everyone has heard the word freelancing. But not everyone can say exactly what it is. No, many of course have a modest idea of what it is, but I’m sure you would like to know more. If you think that freelancing is some kind of profession or some kind of website, then you are mistaken, although, of course, you are thinking in the right direction.
- Who is a freelancer and how to become one?
- What do freelancers do?
- Benefits of freelancing
- Cons of freelancing
- Freelancer earnings
So, what is freelancing? Or freelance, if you want to. Essentially, this is a way to earn money for a living by doing what you know and can do well. The difference from an ordinary job, which men and women go to all their lives, is that you don’t get a job anywhere and don’t owe anything to anyone. Of course, there are obligations in freelancing, but you are free to control them yourself.
If freelance translated into Russian, you get something like “free warrior” or “free worker”. If literally, then free– freedom/will, lance– spear/pike. Since ancient times, freelancers were called warriors who fought for the army that was willing to pay the most. So you get the point, right?
Who is a freelancer and how to become one?
From what is written above it becomes clear who is a freelancer. If in simple words, then a freelancer is a free worker who chooses who to work for, sets the price of his work and the conditions.
Let’s say you are an excellent specialist in your field, but your bosses don’t notice this and don’t increase your salary. Or you simply don't like to comply with all the whims and wishes of your management. Or do you feel that circumstances at your job are against your advancement? career ladder. It's time to become a freelancer!
By becoming a freelancer, your income will directly depend only on you. There is no boss, there is only you and the customer, and the customer often treats you with more respect than you were treated before in a permanent job. Professional growth is unlimited. You are free to prove to yourself what you are capable of.
You will only have to look for work for the first time, until you acquire regular clients and fame. This is exactly what usually happens. First you look for a job, and then the job finds you.
To find a job, you can use both the Internet and real acquaintances and connections. You can at least post notices on the fence offering your services. But I am sure that using the Internet for these purposes is much more convenient and comfortable.
On the Internet you also have a large variety of tools for finding customers.
- Regular job search sites. For example hh.ru or worka.ru. Yes, you can find one-time projects for yourself on them.
- Social media. VKontakte, Facebook, Twitter. Create public pages with your services. Subscribe to job search groups, as well as communities on topics close to your specialty. Leave an ad on your page after all.
- Specialized forums.
- Special exchanges for freelancing. Freelance exchanges can be both general-purpose (for example, to plant potatoes) and specialized (for example, for or for programmers).
As you can see, there are many more ways and opportunities to find a job on the Internet.
What do freelancers do?
Freelancers can do absolutely any kind of work, but most often freelancers are attracted to work on the Internet. Examples of freelance work: write an article, translate an article, draw a logo, create a website, draw a drawing, process an image in Photoshop, process a video, type text from an audio file, PR, promotion... The list goes on and on. When you start digging in this direction, everything will immediately become clear to you.
Benefits of freelancing
And, of course, there are many advantages. Almost any freelancer will tell you that being a freelancer is better than being an employee. So, advantages of freelancing:
- The biggest plus is undoubtedly flexible work schedule. You can wake up at whatever time your heart desires. And you don’t need to go to bed early to get up early for work in the morning.
- You you can save a lot of time, because you don't have to commute to and from work. Wait public transport. You can also save some money by doing this.
- Since you will likely have many customers, it won't hurt if you lose one or more. And in a permanent job, you may lose your job if your business suffers losses. Therefore, the 3rd point is relative stability.
- You can live anywhere. You are not tied to work. You can live in a village and work for large customers from big cities. You can live in the mountains, by the sea. The main thing is the presence of the Internet.
- You can work while traveling. Your family will no longer have to wait for your boss to deign to let you go on your next vacation.
- Freelancer potentially you can earn more. Theoretically, when working for yourself, you can earn 1.5-2 times more than your office colleagues.
- Yet again absolute freedom. After all, this is the only reason why many people become freelancers. Because they are uncomfortable working in the office.
- It is likely that your Freelancing can develop into big business . Everything here is according to your rules and everything depends on your ambitions.
Cons of freelancing
Let's add a fly in the ointment. There is no way without this. That's life, guys. So, cons of working as a freelancer:
- Competition. You will have to read a single book about how to present yourself correctly to the customer so that he chooses you among the countless number of your competitors.
- Sick leave and vacations Now you pay yourself. This is the price for freedom and mobility.
- When you work from home, it's not always your family members understand that you are at work and not at home. They distract you and constantly tug at you.
- Taxes. Yes, it's your job now to deal with taxes. Or hire a freelance accountant.
Freelancer earnings
Freelancer earnings or how much do freelancers earn. The question is inherently meaningless. Because freelancing, as we said above, is not a profession. It's the same as asking how much they earn on industrial enterprises? We need specifics.
A freelancer’s earnings directly depend on his specialization, his experience, his desire to work and develop, and so on and so forth. Keep in mind that on average freelancers earn more than wage-earners. How much more depends on many factors. And sometimes even less =)).
Well, I'll give you some examples. An experienced copywriter can earn up to 60,000 rubles (and simply must master the touch typing method, or in short -). Programmers can earn up to 200,000 rubles and more. Website developers earn on average about 100,000 rubles, but they can earn more or less.
I think the approximate picture is clear.
Do you like new technologies? Subscribe to our channel on Zen!
We always have something to read and something to surprise you with. Read us on Zene
Did you read to the very end?
Was this article helpful?
Not really
What exactly did you not like? Was the article incomplete or false?
Write in comments and we promise to improve!
Everyone has heard stories about how someone's friend quit his job, went freelance, and now travels a lot, earns good money and is completely satisfied with life. It is possible that you are familiar with other stories - a person quits in search of freedom, but after some time he again looks for a place in the company. Daily trips to the office are tiring, but this way you can count on a guaranteed salary. Why do some travel around the world with a laptop in a backpack, while others are forced to huddle in small offices? How to avoid the pitfalls that new freelancers encounter, where is the “real” freelance hidden? There are many questions that arise, so let’s try to understand each one separately.
A relatively new concept for modern people is freelancing. The term became widely known after the large-scale spread of the Internet and widespread computerization of the population.
Translated from English, “freelance” literally means freelance. Roughly speaking, any employee of a company who is not registered under the Labor Code and who provides services under a temporary employment contract can be considered a freelancer. However, the most common concept is freelancing in a virtual environment.
Based on the principle of interaction, the “employee-employer” system on the Internet is practically no different from freelance work in real world. However, there are still differences:
- on virtual platforms, the employer and the contractor can find each other much faster;
- verification and payment for work occurs in a short time (instant results);
- there is no need to waste time on personal meetings and interviews.
The employer places an advertisement (technical specification) on one of the thematic platforms, selects a contractor, and gives him the task. Within a strictly specified time frame, the contractor sends the completed work for inspection. Work completed in accordance with the requirements, satisfying the wishes of the employer, is reviewed quickly, and monetary reward(agreed in advance) is immediately sent to the contractor.
Freelancing involves direct interaction between the employer and the contractor. But recently, the mediation system has become increasingly popular. We will talk about how intermediaries work, as well as the pros and cons of this cooperation below. For now, let’s formulate the concept of freelancer.
Based on the above, a freelancer is a person who carries out orders from employers. Each freelancer determines the number of orders, location, and working hours independently, guided by personal capabilities. This is what “freedom” is all about. However, a free schedule also means a free salary. No one gives fixed salaries, advances, or bonuses to freelancers. There are orders - there is income. The faster the work is completed, the sooner the employer will transfer the funds.
Such a condensed definition characterizes freelancing only partly. You can understand the intricacies of the profession by examining it in more detail.
What does a freelancer do?
The world first learned the term “freelancer” after the release of Walter Scott’s work “Ivanhoe.” The writer used it when describing soldiers fighting for hire. In the Middle Ages, this practice was quite common. True, only warriors could be mercenaries.
Today, people are “fighting” on the Internet different professions. Anyone who considers himself a professional can offer his services on the global network. A freelancer is free in almost everything. From choosing a schedule to choosing an employer. The customer is not at all interested in whether the performer sits on the work for the required 8 hours or completes the task in a couple of minutes. The main conditions are quality and adherence to deadlines.
In fact, freelancing is not a profession, but a type of employment available to modern man. Representatives of almost all specialties can provide services via the Internet. Anyone can become a freelancer.
Freelancing can be done in different ways. Conventionally, all interactions between an employee and an employer can be divided into two types:
- The Internet is a means of communication with the employer. IN in this case, the order does not necessarily come from the virtual space. The customer and the contractor are not always separated by hundreds of kilometers. It’s just that in the vast majority of cases, electronic means of communication are used for more efficient communication. For example, you need to send a sketch for approval or send a completed report. This type of work involves specialists providing accounting, legal services, photographers, translators and even teachers.
- The Internet is a place of work. Unlike the first type, people in this category do not earn extra money, but earn money online. It's no secret that today the site is the main driving force. Without electronic platform Not a single store is spared. Websites are used to promote their own brands, collections and, of course, thoughts. Some need a website for prestige, others need it to make money. But in modern world Everyone needs a website! Consequently, professions that contribute to the creation and promotion of this product are in great demand: programmers, designers, copywriters, etc.
The main difference between freelancing is remote collaboration. A freelancer can collaborate in several ways:
- Remote worker. A truncated form of freelancing. In this case, the freelancer officially has the status of an employee of the company, is signed under an employment contract, and receives the right to vacation, bonuses and other benefits of office work. He is accrued seniority, the employer pays contributions in Pension Fund, but the employee does not occupy an additional chair. However, working from home remotely, a freelancer has certain responsibilities. For example, staying in touch during the workday or attending general meetings. In this option, you can work while sitting in a robe and slippers, have an extraordinary appearance, or work while immersed in a warm bath, but you won’t be able to soak up the Cote d’Azur at the height of the work week.
- Individual. The most common version of online earnings. As a rule, these are one-time projects. True, in some cases you can get a large amount of work, which will provide a freelancer for a long time constant income. Previously, the customer and the contractor signed an agreement on the provision of services for a certain fee. But today this practice is more like a relic of the past. The majority of platforms for freelancers clearly regulate the relationship between both parties. The customer is insured against poor-quality work, and the contractor, if the order is completed correctly, does not have to worry about monetary compensation.
- Individual (private) entrepreneur. It is immediately worth noting that this type cooperation is most preferable. Firstly, according to the law Russian state Any activity that generates income is taxed and must be registered. Secondly, the presence of official documents, a personal bank account - all this indicates a serious approach and reliability. Large corporations or companies primarily prefer to work with such people.
If you intend to move to the virtual network seriously and for a long time, then private entrepreneurship is the most preferable type. But the final decision remains with the freelancer.
What are the advantages of freelancing?
When comparing freelancing with office work, it’s hard not to notice whole line benefits. The main ones are the following:
- Working hours are up to you. It's not about the number of working hours. Remember how much real time in the office you spend doing work? Most people spend no more than a third of their working day on work duties. The rest of the time is gossip, greetings, exchange of opinions, searching for third-party information on the Internet, etc. But don’t think that we are quitters. All people live according to their biological clock. Not everyone can get into a working mood at a strictly set time. When working at home, it is possible to regulate work hours and leisure hours, as a result, time is used most efficiently and correctly.
- You earn as much as you want. Freelance earnings are not regulated employment contract. It all depends only on desire or possibilities. The better and faster you complete orders, the more money will be credited to your account. If you feel strong enough, collaborate with several customers at the same time. But make sure that the quantity does not affect the quality of the work. In addition, earnings will increase in proportion to experience.
- "I'm the boss". This statement is very common, but not entirely true. During the execution of the order, your boss is the customer. He can always demand to demonstrate the work done, show a sketch, make adjustments, etc. But whether to take an order or not depends only on the freelancer. A “free worker” has the right to choose with whom to cooperate.
- Wide range of possibilities. In reality, in order not to waste their lives commuting to work and back, many try to choose a place of work as close to home as possible. And this often affects the quality of the vacancies being considered. There are no such restrictions on the Internet. The main guideline is an interesting, decently paid job. And your customer may be in another city or country.
- Workplace mobility. You can work anywhere: on the beach, in the forest, in the mountains, in Brazil or Mallorca. As long as you have access to the Internet, you can stay connected and take new orders. The employer cares about the quality of workmanship, not the place where the work was done.
- No limits. Anyone can become a freelancer. Schoolchildren, students, housewives, pensioners. Do you have extraordinary skills or outstanding talents? Why not make money from it?
A freelancer must be able to adapt to the constantly changing service market. Self-learning and self-development are indispensable attributes successful work, which, of course, is an undeniable advantage. Freelancer strives to constantly learn new information, keep abreast of new products, provide the customer with the most complete “package of services”. Large amount of knowledge high professionalism directly affect the cost of services provided.
The main disadvantages of remote work
Speaking about the benefits of freelancing, the main thing is not to fall into youthful maximalism. The words “freedom” or “unlimited opportunities” should not overshadow a sober view of things. Except positive aspects, such work has serious disadvantages:
- Stability. You can't count on that. When you work individually, you calculate your salary yourself. Completed the order and received a reward. No orders - no salary. Prices for services are constantly changing, which means the amount of money earned changes. To be a freelancer, especially at the beginning of your career, you should always have some money for a rainy day and take a more responsible approach to budget planning.
- Lone wolf. Group gatherings, birthday gifts, New Year's corporate parties no longer exist. But there will be more time for walks, reading, sports, and family events. For those who cannot imagine their life without a team, freelancing is not suitable. But introverts will find this job ideal.
- Stereotype. Freelancing is often equated to unemployment. Working from home is a reason for gossip from neighbors or reproaches from relatives. However, regular and good earnings may well compensate for this small drawback. The most difficult time will be at the very beginning of the career of a “free” worker. Customers are distrustful of newcomers and are in no hurry to place orders.
- Responsibility. When working from home, this component increases greatly. You are responsible for what you do. And not only in front of the customer, but also in front of the family, in front of myself.
- Future. It is entirely in your hands. It is impossible to say with certainty whether your services will be in demand in 20 years. With timely registration of an individual entrepreneur, payment of taxes and contributions to the pension fund, there is hope that in old age you will not have to live on a minimum pension. However, whether pension payments will be relevant by then is unknown. But when making money as a freelancer, you need to be able to see and plan your future.
- Self-control. There is no one else to control you, now the reins of power have passed into your hands. And to manage own desires very difficult.
The most important misconception of beginning freelancers is that I work as much as I want.
You may not want to work, but you need to do it every day. Especially at the beginning creative path. In terms of tension and workload, work at home is no different, and in some cases exceeds that of office work. In fact, by joining the ranks of freelancers, you are freed only from the boring office, but not from everyday work.
However, with the right approach, most of the described disadvantages can easily be turned into advantages. Are you not afraid of the unknown, are you ready for change, are you eager to get to work? It's time to figure out what's best to start with.
First steps
It doesn't matter what profession is listed on your diploma. Working remotely is notable for the fact that it equalizes the opportunities for all beginners. A turner and a lawyer can equally succeed in the vastness of the global network. The main thing is to be patient.
The bulk of professions in demand online have appeared quite recently. Therefore, anyone can master promising directions, using feature articles, online webinars or trainings. Of course, not all information will be useful. But you will have to filter it yourself, selecting valuable advice bit by bit.
If you have a profession in demand, you need to immediately start looking for a customer. You can search for an employer on various platforms designed specifically for freelancers.
Some of these sites are ideal for new freelancers, while others have limited access and can only be used by true professionals. You can find out which category of workers you belong to by trying each resource yourself. Advice is inappropriate here; everyone’s preparation and degree of luck are different. Try everything, over time you will determine the most comfortable platform for yourself.
The requirements for freelancers can be very different from those for full-time employees.
Finding a suitable website and registering your candidacy is half the battle. And the easiest one. It is much more difficult to get an order, especially one that pays well. At first you will have to be content with a rather symbolic payment. How long this period will last depends only on you. The more productive you are, the sooner you will gain experience. And with experience, the cost of your services will rise.
“Working for reputation” or First stage Freelancing is the most difficult. At this time, most beginning “freelance” workers become disillusioned with free income and return to their usual offices. But those who managed to hold on during the transition remain online forever.
Video - 5 mistakes beginner freelancers make
How not to lose self-confidence?
Any undertaking is not easy. Without experience, without understanding the specifics, it’s more like swimming in the open ocean without a life preserver. But there is no need to be afraid of temporary uncertainty. All successful freelancers once went through the rigors of online hiring. Their success is due to their unbending will and diligent, systematic work.
The main problem is the large number of applicants on freelance exchanges. But, believe me, there is enough work on the Internet for everyone. You just need to wait for your customer. True, the more actively you wait for it, the greater the chances of success:
- leave more responses to orders that you are able to fulfill;
- feel free to describe your advantages;
- fill out your personal profile in more detail. Detailed information always inspires more confidence.
The main thing is not to lose faith in yourself and understand why you came to online platforms. When you know exactly what you want, it will be much easier not to lose your bearings. And even if you are moving towards your goal too slowly (in your opinion), the important thing is that you are moving forward.
Mediation and freelancing
It so happened that the word “intermediary” began to have a negative connotation. But, in fact, there is nothing wrong with this. After all, when buying products in a store, you are not outraged that you were not given the opportunity to buy the product directly at the factory. It’s the same with orders for freelancers. However, there is a difference between mediator and mediator.
The first type of intermediaries are successful freelancers who have accumulated a large client base. Orders from such performers are received regularly. To refuse them means to lose the customer. But there is not always enough time to complete it. Therefore, the most logical solution would be mediation. Search for beginners but competent performers. The price of the order in this case, as a rule, is quite adequate, and the conditions are loyal.
There is another option for intermediaries - the so-called outbids. People who collect orders on third-party sites and offer them for execution on freelance sites. The cost of work in this case can be extremely low, and the requirements for the order very often border on recklessness. It is better to avoid such customers. A beginner freelancer has no experience, but self-respect must be present.
To sum it up, we can say the following: freelancing is not honey gingerbread. No one anywhere pays big money for minimum labor costs. The “free cheese” rule has not been canceled. Internet resources are no exception.
A free schedule allows you to push the usual boundaries, to be a sculptor of your own own life. But only a person who is purposeful, focused, hardworking and efficient can become a real freelancer.