By: Merhawi Kidane
In the past years our world has evolved in plenty of ways.
Smartphones went from blackberries that were only seen in the palms of CEOs to 5 inch screens used by everyone from politicians to pre-teens.
Platforms like Uber and Lyft are changing the way we move with the rise of ride-sharing apps and the use of self-driving cars being just on the horizon.
With the advent of these technologies and the changes involved in how we get things done, why is it that people are failing to implement them into areas like their work lives?
I’m talking about the rise of the Gig Economy, which is where companies cut down on costs by hiring workers to fulfill projects when they are needed versus hiring them full-time.
You may be thinking, “Well that’s great for companies but doesn’t that mean normal workers are screwed?”
WRONG.
The gig economy saves employers money but also gives workers the ability to have more control over their income along with the freedom to work where and when they want.
The typical 9-to-5 is on the way out and you need to understand what it takes to thrive in this new landscape.
Here are 6 ways you can prepare for the Gig Economy.
1. Write down your most marketable skills
There are people who work as freelance writers, freelance graphic designers, freelance software developers, freelance videographers…you get where I’m going with this.
They figured out what skills were in demand and aligned them with what their professional experience had to offer.
You don’t become a successful freelancer by solely choosing which field has the most dollar signs, you need to take a serious look at what you can provide along with conducting the necessary research to understand the need for your talents.
With that said, you’d be surprised to learn how diverse the freelance market is.
I’ve seen markets for freelance positions ranging from Customer Service Representatives to Dog Groomers.
Look at it this way, let’s say you have been working in technical support for some time and are looking to break into the gig economy. You have experience in PC maintenance, upgrades and mobile device support, but you’re also an avid writer and would love to be able to combine these two talents. You could pursue a role as a freelance technical writer that writes manuals for companies that provide technical support.
Not sure on the stability?
Freelancing is on the rise and it’s only getting bigger.
You’d be surprised how much companies are willing to pay people who free up there time to do other tasks.
They’d be more than happy to give you their business (and pay you handsomely for it) but this isn’t as simple as it may seem.
Which leads to my next point…
2. Develop a Freelancer’s mindset
Most people have never worked without a boss breathing down their neck, most people have never had to set their own hours, most people haven’t had to constantly be in search of their own clients, etc.
These are all components of adopting a freelancer’s mindset.
Which is necessary if you want to see serious results in this field.
You must understand that YOU are your own boss and that YOU are the one that has to work your ass off to see the results that YOU want to see.
Being a freelancer comes with plenty of pros and cons and you’re the one that decides if being in charge of your income is either a pro or a con.
Now developing a Freelancer’s mindset may take some time but it’s possible with patience and practice.
This involves:
1. Getting into the habit of waking up early despite not having to clock in anywhere (people generally get more done when they wake up earlier).
2. Having a clear set of tasks and goals that you made beforehand that you will accomplish that day and be DAMNED sure you accomplish everything on that list.
3. Constantly marketing yourself and researching companies that would be interested in your services. You need to understand that every freelancer, no matter their field, is a salesperson.
4. Stick to a schedule and have everything planned out to the hour.
5. Lastly, you must get into the habit of thinking of yourself as a business, because that’s what you are, a freaking BUSINESS! Embrace it and live it.
I know this may seem daunting for those of you that have never been able to stick to a schedule (I still struggle with this).
Just take it one day at a time and understand that it is a process that takes a while to get used to.
3. Start pitching possible clients ASAP to get a head start!
By 2020, more than 40% of the US workforce will be freelancers. Which means that in three more years, your path to freelancing is going to get much more competitive.
That’s why you should be taking action NOW.
You’re going to want to have some experience under your belt before the market becomes flooded. This will make it much easier for you to stand out from the competition.
Now I’m by no means saying that you should go into work tomorrow and quit your job.
Just that you should try setting up a site and building a side business so you’re at least familiar with how marketable your skills are along with how to get clients.
This can be as simple as cold emailing some companies you’d be interested in working for and pitching your services.
Now some of you may be wondering about freelancer sites like Upwork, in general, I advise people to stay clear of these types of sites.
Although some have found some success using them, the majority of the companies on there are simply looking for the cheapest possible option and don’t really care about quality. This often means having your services undervalued.
By no means is that a good way of starting your journey into freelancing.
4. Get familiar with using Freelancer tools
Working in the Gig Economy means you are going to need some outside help to make sure your business runs smoothly. This means investing in software that is going to make your life easier, here are 3 of my favorites:
1. Sighted
What’s the one thing all freelancers have in common? No one knows what the hell they’re doing when it comes to making and sending invoices. This software tool makes the entire process incredibly simple while the invoices themselves have a crisp, clean design.
2. Squarespace
Hands down the easiest tool for making a website for people who have never made a website. There is no coding needed and it uses a simple drag and drop feature that you can master within a few days. They also offer domain and email hosting for a great price. If this is your first time making a website, I highly suggest you give Squarespace a try.
3. Dropbox
There comes times where I have to collaborate on projects with other freelancers or people who work in offices across the country. How do we stay on top of all of our tasks and make it easier to share files with each other? Dropbox is the answer! It makes working on team projects much simpler and does a great job of organizing all of your incoming assignments.
5. Network, network, then network some more!
Many freelancers will tell you that the best way of garnering clients is through cold-emailing and approaching clients directly…and they’re right. But that does not mean that should be your only avenue of attracting potential clientele.
I personally have gained invaluable information from attending workshops and networking events (as well as a good amount of clients!).
I’ve also noticed that receiving advice in person versus the internet usually means it’s much more personalized for your particular situation. Also, constantly putting myself out there in situations where I have to discuss my business with strangers has greatly improved my “elevator pitch”.
Now if you’re an anti-social introvert that can’t stand the idea of having to speak in front of actual people, I still advise you to join groups on Facebook and LinkedIn related to your freelancing profession.
These groups are golden for networking, getting advice, asking questions, etc. I’ve also found it to be very supportive whenever I’m feeling down.
6. Discover what it is that you want out of life.
“The workforce is changing, it’s time workers took their destiny in their own hands.”
– Beau Billington, Founder and General Manager, The Free Agent
If you want to get into freelancing so you can work your butt off and make a bunch of money, then go for it!
If you want to make just enough so that you can live comfortably and have more free time, then that’s awesome too!
If you want to work hard for half the year then spend the other half traveling the world, then I wish you safe travels!
The important thing is to really understand what you ultimately want out of life. The beauty of the Gig economy is that people are no longer being chained to a desk in an office for 40 hours a week.
Hell, you can get up and move to Thailand (a very popular destination for freelancers) and not have to worry about finding work or quitting your job. All you need is a laptop.
Or you could spend your days bouncing from company to company, never worrying about getting bored or having to stay in one place for too long.
Better yet, just spend your days at home not having to worry about lazy co-workers and Atlanta traffic.
Because being a freelancer means that you’re just that, FREE.
We only have one life to live, and I believe we should be living the hell out of it.
Merhawi Kidane, a guest blogger for the Free Agent, is the Founder and Lead Copywriter of Stankonian Ink, a copywriting business specializing in creating in-depth blogs focused on the B2B SaaS industry.
The Free agent was built with one goal; to become the trusted partner for small and medium sized businesses (SMB). Simply put, our objective is to become the connective tissue between high-value assets and the companies that need them. We noticed a void in the marketplace. Specifically, the majority of consulting companies exclusively cater to the needs of the Fortune 500, glossing over SMB’s entirely. We recognize the needs of those companies outside the ranks of the Fortune 500, and are intent on being a boutique consulting company and trusted partner of the SMB community.