How To Start Your Freelance Career In India

HOW TO START YOUR FREELANCE CAREER IN INDIA

The Indian freelancing community is a growing community of talented professionals whose reach have become global. Now, many Indian freelancers are being hired by international clients for many reasons, and this has contributed to the increase in demand for Indian freelancers.

If you are willing to start a career in freelancing and are based in India, then you should know that there are many work opportunities waiting for you. However, there are a few things you need to observe before, during and after assignments.

In this article, we have listed down ways which can help you kick-start a freelance career in India. All you need to do is follow these tips and you will know your place in the industry.

Here are 10 tips to follow and ensure success as an Indian freelancer:

1. Deciding On The Skill Set

You will be stranded if you are not sure of the skills you are going to sell as a freelancer. Thus, the first and foremost thing to do is to determine the area in which you want to work.

Find out your areas of interest and prepare a skill set. For example, if you are interested in writing articles, you can offer services such as ghostwriting, story writing and product description among many others.

It is not necessary to stick to one type of skill set. You can be a web developer as well as a content writer—there is no limit to what you can offer as long as you are able to offer quality.

2. Creating Accounts

The freelance community has gone online, and this has made the competition even fiercer. In order to not lose out to competition, it is highly recommended that you create profile accounts in several mainstream freelance websites to avail access to millions of work opportunities.

There are many freelance websites which offer varied services such as customized search; however, there are some which are known for their universality of services and greater authenticity. Such websites include worknhire.com, freelancer.com, guru.com and LinkedIn.com.

Once you create an account on these websites, you will establish a connection with the gigantic world of freelancers which operates through the virtual space. Just take advantage of the resources these websites provide and start building a career you’d love to be a part of.

3. Making A Portfolio

A portfolio is imperative without which you cannot sell your skills. It is like a resume, though a bit detailed, showcasing all your skills in the best possible way. No client would hire you unless he is certain that you have done something in the area of interest.

Upload all your creations, especially samples in case you are a newbie, and provide a description for each one of them. In case you offer freelance services in multiple fields, it is advised that you segregate creations under separate heads.

Various freelance websites offer diverse kinds of services relating to portfolio-making which, if intelligently used, can help a great deal.

4. Writing The Right Profile Description

It is very important to convince clients into choosing you for the job, and hence, the first impression counts a lot.

Upon the receipt of the application, the first thing the client checks is the profile description of the applicant. It is important you keep the description sufficiently formal and do not make big claims which might cause clients into imagining you to be an arrogant freelancer.

Keep the tone balanced and write down, briefly, who you are and why you are there on the platform. Also, and more importantly, do not mess with grammar. If you are not sure, have someone proofread your profile description.

5. Submitting Applications And Proposals

Generally, you are supposed to submit applications along with a proposal when applying for a job on any freelance website.

A proposal is a short description of what you are going to offer to the client who has posted the job. In the proposal, you should write down your pay rate, the number of hours you are willing to commit, and every other essential detail for conveying your intention to work.

Before submitting applications, do extensive research on the available job opportunities. Filter out the ones you think are not worth your time and then submit customized applications to each of the jobs shortlisted. Make sure you follow-up after submission.

6. Undertaking Obligations

Once you receive acceptance from the client, the tough part begins—negotiation.

The thumb rule for negotiating is to not lose out to the other side but at the time offer a reasonable deal to the other side. In the freelance industry, there is usually no face-to-face interaction on contractual obligations, but that should not stop you from negotiating what is right.

While negotiating, insist on a contract. While there are many clients who do not offer written contracts, but that does not mean you will not have any actionable claims in case they refuse or fail to fulfill their obligations.

Read the contract carefully; in fact, read it twice or thrice before signing. Do not hesitate in asking any queries regarding the provisions of the contract. Only after you have well-read the contract should you go ahead with the project.

7. Show Professionalism

Once you have signed up for a project, you are expected to show professionalism. All the promises you made in your profile and application should be carried out by you.

There are a few things you should remember to ensure this:

  • Take as many assignments as you can comfortably handle.
  • Complete assignments on time. In case there is an unexpected situation preventing you from submitting work on time, then inform the client beforehand.
  • Do not send informal e-mails to the clients. Mind your tone while asking queries regarding the work and avoid sending messages too frequently.
  • Be clear about payment. In case your payment has been delayed, send polite reminders to the client.
  • Maintain your projects on cloud such as dropbox, if possible, as this will ensure that you have access to work wherever you are.
  • Accept feedback constructively and do not let arrogance take over you.