Mislav Jakovac, Author at Freelancelifemagazine https://freelancelifemagazine.com/author/mislav/ News and resources for freelancers Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:24:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-favicon-32x32.jpg Mislav Jakovac, Author at Freelancelifemagazine https://freelancelifemagazine.com/author/mislav/ 32 32 What is Like to Be a Freelancer and How to Become One? https://freelancelifemagazine.com/what-is-like-to-be-a-freelancer-and-how-to-become-one/ Sat, 09 Apr 2022 16:58:00 +0000 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/?p=16324 Is freelancing really a smart option on which you should base your career? If you are a passionate, hardworking and honest, it can be.

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Freelancing As a Career Option?

Freelancing has certainly become a word that we hear more and more in modern society. More and more people are choosing to freelance to earn some extra cash, and some people are thinking about taking it to the next step. They want to become full-time freelancers. But is freelancing really a smart option on which you should base your career?

More importantly, was it a good idea for me, the one who is writing this article. Is freelancing a smart choice on which I should base my future professional career? What I’ve learned by now from working over two years as a freelancer is that it can be a serious career option. Especially if you are a passionate, hardworking, honest, and moral person. With those qualities, you can really go far, further than you could ever imagine. I have written hundreds and hundreds of articles through those two years. The number is now probably closer to a thousand.

Well, how does it feel to work from home, to be independent, to be a freelancer? It is exciting, full of opportunities, joy and sometimes a little bit of fear. So, should you give it a try? I will tell you from the first hand in this article. So let us begin.

How can I start to work as a freelancer?

This is the first step, and probably the hardest one. The first, and most important thing is that you have a skill that you can monetize, and you should be pretty good at it. There are hundreds and hundreds of professions from which you can choose from. You will probably find one in which you are already good at.

Next thing that you need to know is how to advertise your skills to a potential employer. Nobody will employ you by just seeing your name and what kind of service you are offering. You need to write a well thought out introduction, what you do exactly and how good are you at that skillset.

 Where should I look for freelance jobs?

This is probably the easiest part when you are starting your freelancing career. Finding the platform on which you can offer your services and get in contact with potential employers. You should write “Freelancing site” or something similar in Google search engine and viola, you will find numerous freelancing websites. The one that I gladly recommend is Upwork, they are offering the best and fairest service.

Accept every job and be ready to do a sample project

When you are just starting as a freelancer you should accept every single job. I know that with first jobs you will only earn enough money to buy yourself a cup of coffee in the bar. But with those first jobs, you are building your portfolio, showing your skill to the employers, and building some future business relationships. Also, many employers will ask you to provide them with a sample of your work or to write the sample so they can see what kind of skill you have. As a new freelancer you probably don’t have examples of your previous work, so you should accept the sample projects for the first few freelancing gigs. 

Accept jobs only from confirmed employers on the site

I got scammed more than once, probably at least 10 times at the start of mine freelancing career. Be wary of people who are offering jobs that sound too good to be true. Sure, they might be legit, but if the employer is not confirmed as a reputable employer and they don’t have any reviews, then they are probably just a scammer. They will only eat out your nerves and waste your time. Believe me, I’ve been there…

Don’t give up

At times it might seem that your freelancing career is going nowhere, but one smart thing I can say is don’t give up. With time it will become better, believe me. Maybe at first, you didn’t find a niche that is suited for you, then try another one. Maybe you are not making the amount of money that you thought you would. Look for offers that offer bigger payments, but you should be ready to work more or to provide content of exceptional quality for that amount of money. In freelancing business sphere quitting is not an option because if you establish yourself as a hard-working, reputable, and skillful freelancer your career can only improve. And then you will reach the place where you saw yourself all those years ago.

Is this what you expect what would be like to start a freelancing career? Do you maybe have more questions? If so, write them in the comment section below so we can continue this conversation. Until the next time.

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]]> How To Do Your First Freelance Job Successfully with These Five Tips https://freelancelifemagazine.com/how-to-do-your-first-freelance-job-successfully-with-these-five-tips/ https://freelancelifemagazine.com/how-to-do-your-first-freelance-job-successfully-with-these-five-tips/#comments Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:21:17 +0000 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/?p=13517 At the start of your career, everything is in your hands. Follow these 5 steps and you will succeed!

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The pressure of messing up your first freelancing gig

Finally, you got your first freelance gig. You are ready to take on a new challenge, but then reality struck you. You have never done this kind of job. And now you are wondering. How can I do mine first freelance job successfully? The idea that your first job as a freelancer could go badly certainly can be frightening. Your whole career could come in a question even before it really started.

But luckily there are some people who are willing to help you and give you much-needed advice. People like us. We will give you all the information that you might need to finish your first freelancing job successfully. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the meat of the problem.

How To Do Your First Freelance Job Successfully With These Five Tips

1. You should never give promises that you can’t keep

Your dream is slowly becoming a reality. You got your first gig. And that is great. But one of the biggest mistakes that first-time freelancers do is giving promises that they just can’t keep.

You should first see how fast you can produce the final product for your client. Then you should see if the quality of your work is on par or better than other freelancers. And the best way to do that is by getting a sample gig from the employer. You should always first show them your skill and what you can do. Especially if you are new in the freelance business sphere. Also, you need to be clear about what your employer expects from you.

2. Do the proper research and take your time

Another big mistake that many freelancers make is taking task without doing the proper research. That is one of the most common complaints by the employers next to the jobs that are not completed on time. Before every job that you take you need to ask yourself. “Can I do the proper research and am I knowledgeable enough to finish the task that is given to me?” Then if you are sure that you can do it, the first thing you should do is to do the proper research on a given subject. That way you will be sure that you give your all.

3.Use freelance tools and apps that can help you do your job more efficient

Nowadays, you can find hundreds and hundreds of desktop applications that can help you with finishing your work. Some of them have free versions like Grammarly. Which is a really useful app, and every freelancer should use it. Even I use it. You should never think that you are capable of finishing every single job without a single mistake. Sooner or later, you will make a mistake. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Explore some resources that can help you. And with this, we are entering the domain of the next point. So, let’s keep going.

4. Check your work before sending it to your employer

Checking your work before delivering it to your employer is the last and most important thing you need to do. Everything might seem good and dandy on a firsthand, but believe me, when you go over your work two or three times, you will find a lot of mistakes that you didn’t notice at the first fly. So be sure that you are always checking your work thought and thought.

5. Don’t overwork yourself

Getting your first freelancing gig is exciting and motivating. Some are ready to give their all, even little too much. Overworking can be really detrimental to your freelancing career. As overworking can make you more prone to making more and more mistakes as time passes by. Give yourself at least two to three breaks during your working hours so you are 100% focused on the task in front of you during your work time. Learning to manage your time can help you not overload yourself with work.

Your freelance future is in your hands

And those are the 5 most important tips that every new freelancer should follow. At the start of your career, everything is in your hands. How you will present yourself to the potential employer. What kind of work ethic will you follow? And if you will do your best every single time.

And that would be all. Did we get something wrong? Do you think we missed something? If you think so, then leave the comment and tell us what you think. Until the next time.

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]]> https://freelancelifemagazine.com/how-to-do-your-first-freelance-job-successfully-with-these-five-tips/feed/ 4 Pros and cons of using UpWork mobile app https://freelancelifemagazine.com/pros-and-cons-of-using-upwork-mobile-app/ https://freelancelifemagazine.com/pros-and-cons-of-using-upwork-mobile-app/#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:34:25 +0000 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/?p=13417 Is UpWork mobile app something that you need to use as a freelancer? Check out the pros and cons of using the UpWork app.

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Introduction:

The world is changing. Technology has entered our lives through big doors. Nowadays we can’t even start the day without looking at our smartphones or any other smart device. Technology is also changing the workplace. It improves it in every single way. And most importantly, technology has created many new professions that in the past were just part of our imagination.

One of the most prominent new jobs, or better to say a new way of employment is freelancing. But as a freelancer, where would you look for possible job opportunities? Luckily It is easy to find a freelance job online. There are many websites that offer jobs for potential freelancers, one of the most popular freelancing sites is UpWork.

UpWork offers pretty much everything that you need as a new or veteran freelancer. One of potentially most appealing features that UpWork offers its clients is a mobile app that allows you to check up your account and job offers on a go. But here is the question. Is UpWork mobile app something that you need to use as a freelancer? Is it beneficial to you as a freelancer? Or is it just yet another app that will just become a bloatware on your smartphone? Well, let’s find out.

Pros of using the UpWork mobile app:

So, what are the benefits of using the UpWork mobile app? Well, first one, and most obvious one is that you can receive messages from potential customers, also you will be able to receive notifications about job offers, invitations etc.

The messaging component works great, it looks sleek and simply. You will never feel lost inside the inbox. Messages are set up in chronological order. You can also select the favorite clients in the separate window so you can always find messages from your favorite and most loyal customers.

There are also rooms in which you can add more than just two people in the same conversation. This can be really useful if you are working on a big project with multiple freelancers.

The starting page of the UpWork mobile application is a pretty much simplified version of the browser version. There is a job feed, history of saved searches and saved jobs offers that might interest you.

You can also see the submitted proposals that you have sent to the potential client, and you can see offers that you got from potential clients.

And that is pretty much the whole app. Simple and useful. But there are definitely some features that UpWork app is lacking. And what are those lacking segments? Well, let’s find out.

UpWork Mobile App Screen
UpWork Mobile App Screen

Cons of using the Upwork mobile app

So, what are the cons of using the UpWork mobile app? One big missing feature is the capability to update your profile information. There is pretty much nothing that you can do to update your profile in the app itself.

Another big con of using the UpWork mobile app is that you can’t request the payment through the app. There is not even the option to see your earnings in the app. Which can be annoying.

Also, you can’t see the list of the active jobs that you are working on. Those are simple information that could be incorporated in the app with just a little bit of work. Unfortunately, they still didn’t add those features. But hopefully, they will fix that soon.

Is it worth it?

Is the UpWork mobile app useful tool for freelancers? Does it offer enough? Or is it just not worth it because it lacks some important features? Well, the answer lays somewhere in between.

If you are looking for the app that will provide you with all the information and features that you need to run and monitor your freelance endeavor. Then this app is not for you.

But if you need an app that will allow you to receive only important notifications and messages, then maybe the UpWork mobile app is something that could help you as a freelancer.

It all comes to what features are most useful to you personally as a freelancer.

Do you have experience with using the UpWork app? Do you agree with us? Or do you think that we got something wrong? You can share your experience with us by posting comments down below. Until the next time.

You can download the UpWork app on Google Play and the App Store.

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]]> https://freelancelifemagazine.com/pros-and-cons-of-using-upwork-mobile-app/feed/ 3 5 Freelance Job Types That Will Be Replaced By Artificial intelligence (AI) https://freelancelifemagazine.com/5-freelance-job-types-that-will-be-replaced-by-artificial-intelligence-ai/ https://freelancelifemagazine.com/5-freelance-job-types-that-will-be-replaced-by-artificial-intelligence-ai/#comments Wed, 28 Apr 2021 19:18:38 +0000 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/?p=2224 Freelancing does offer a wide array of job opportunities on many platforms, but in the same way in which some standard jobs will be replaced by AI, the same will happen to some freelancing jobs.

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Artificial intelligence is the future

Technology is changing rapidly. Every single year we see some unique, game-changing innovations. Many of them will change the way we do our day to day tasks. Some will change the way in which we do our jobs. Some software and applications that use AI make the work easier for freelancers. But some of those technologies will remove the need for human employees.

Most of us have already heard about the dangers of humans being replaced by the robots and AI as the alternative workforce. Simple and low-paying jobs will disappear with time.

This presents the biggest problem for people with higher education who are working as bookkeepers, virtual assistants and etc.

You would presume that all freelancing jobs are safe from this change, but is that really a case? Freelancing does offer a wide array of job opportunities on many platforms, but in the same way in which some standard jobs will be replaced by AI, the same will happen to some freelancing jobs.

So, which freelancing jobs are in the biggest danger of being replaced with the  AI? Well, let’s find out together.

1. Bookkeeping

Nowadays, more and more big and small companies are outsourcing their bookkeeping jobs to freelancers. It is much cheaper than employing the full-time employee for which you need to pay taxes, health insurance and etc. But in a few years, bookkeepers will become a thing of a past. Bookkeeping is a relatively simple job that can be done even by the simplest AI. Even nowadays a lot of bookkeeping is done automatically. So, if you are thinking about basing your freelancing career on bookkeeping, think again and try to learn some other freelancing skill that will be futureproofed for a long period of time. 

2. Data Entry

Data entry is a type of job that will soon be completely replaced by AI. Sure, nowadays you can still find a lot of data entry job on freelancing sites like Upwork and Freelancer. But in few years data entry will become completely automated with the use of AI. Even now some companies do all of their data entry tasks with the use of AI. So focusing on learning any program that is used for data entry (like Microsoft Excel) is almost pointless nowadays.

3. Proofreading

Proofreading is a freelancing job that is very common in the freelancing market. Every company that uses freelancers as writers in most cases also uses freelancers as proofreaders for the articles, blog posts and etc. that they receive from freelancers. But with the development of programs like Grammarly and advancements of AI technology, proofreading will become a job of the past.

When you think about it, you need to put in grammatical parameters inside and AI will learn by itself from that point on, and voila, you got your self a proofreading AI that can work 24/7 every day of the week. That is why grammatical correctness by freelance writers themselves won’t be such a mandatory skill like creativity and quality of the text. But that does not mean that you can write the content that is just a grammatical nightmare. You should always care about your integrity and quality of the work that will present you in the eyes of the employers and the readers.

4. Market Research Analysts

Market research analysts are ones of the most important employees for every company that deals with sales and market research. Many companies are outsourcing the market analysis tasks to the freelancers. You can still find a lot of freelancing job offers that are focused on market research and analysis. But with more and more the implementation of AI is making the Market research analysts are becoming unneeded. Like many jobs that can be done by a simple AI, Market research analysts will become a profession of a past. So don’t get your hopes up if you thinking on basing your freelancing career on this skill.

5. Translation

Oxford House defines Ai translator as digital tools that use advanced artificial intelligence to not only translate the words that are written or spoken, but also to translate the meaning (and sometimes sentiment) of the message. This results in greater accuracy and fewer misunderstandings than when using simple machine translation.

Many big companies these days have started using artificial intelligence in their language services – even Facebook has a function for translation. Digital translators are getting better and better. AI has advanced so much thanks to the creation of neural machine translation or NMT. This technology works really well because of its ability to manage large amounts of data, which means companies like Google can offer higher quality results.

Should you be afraid?

Now comes the most important question. Should you be afraid of losing potential jobs because of AI advancements and implementations? And the answer is not really. There are hundreds and headrests freelancing professions that will still continue to exist after the implementation of the AI in our society and workplace. Why is that? Because AI will create new jobs like AI programming, AI development, AI maintenance and etc. But you need to prepare yourself so you can grab that opportunity before other people realize the potential of those future professions.

John Rampton in his article “AI Is Disrupting Freelancing: Here’s How You Can Thrive” suggests that the best way to prepare is by building a personal brand. Some of the steps for a freelancer to build a personal brand are creating a website, presence on social networks, using AI as an advantage (AI software and app), and becoming part of the community. You can also check which jobs are in demand.

So don’t you worry, freelancing profession of the future, and it will just grow and grow with time, especially with a Development of an AI.

Do you agree with us?

Did we get something wrong? If we did, feel free to write it down in the comment section below. Until the next time.

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]]> https://freelancelifemagazine.com/5-freelance-job-types-that-will-be-replaced-by-artificial-intelligence-ai/feed/ 5 5 Advantages and 5 Disadvantages of Hiring Freelancer From The Other Timezone https://freelancelifemagazine.com/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-hiring-freelancer-from-the-other-timezone/ https://freelancelifemagazine.com/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-hiring-freelancer-from-the-other-timezone/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:42:02 +0000 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/?p=1740 The freelancing has allowed us to find employees from all sides of our globe. If you looking for someone special for the project, then you will find them, freelancers are the biggest and most diverse workforce on our planet.

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Workforce From all Around the World

The freelancing has allowed us to find employees from all sides of our globe. If you looking for someone special for the project, then you will find them, freelancers are the biggest and most diverse workforce on our planet. The internet has opened the doors to millions and millions of freelancers that can offer you high-quality services.

Times when your only option for finding an employee where people who live in your vicinity are far gone. Now the internet is your oyster with an endless amount of potential employees.

Most of us have a habit to work with our own work hours which are specifically tailored for us and our timezone. But now comes the question. When it comes to employing freelancers, should you consider someone who lives in the different time zone? And if you choose so, which are the advantages of employing a freelancer form the other timezone? And which are disadvantages of the same?

In this article, we will give you 5 advantages and 5 disadvantages of employing freelancers from different time zones. So, without further ado let us jump into it.

5 Advantages of employing freelancers from a different timezone.

We will start with beneficial sides of employing freelancers from other time zones and why you should do so.

1. You can find more freelancers with a higher level of expertise

Yes, you can find freelancers in your own time zone who have a high-level expertise on a given subject. But opening yourself to freelancers from all across the world you will get a higher number of capable and knowledgeable people who can finish the project in the way that you have to imagine it. Probably faster and more efficient than people from your company. And the way in which you can do that is by checking the expertise of every freelancer that you will potentially employ. So you know that you are getting a freelancer that is perfect for the task on hand.

2. Projects can get finished much faster

If you are working only with people from one timezone, then you and they have only approximately 8 to 9 hours of work time. But when you employ freelancers form other timezones, they are the workforce that can pretty much work 24/7 if you spread the work to freelancers who are all living in different time zones. Your projects will be done much faster. If the project is completed then you should probably employ more than one freelancer. That way you will get a project that is more refined and finished in much less time. And as we all know, time is money.

3. You can focus on your own expertise

Outsourcing projects to the freelancers all over the world will allow you to focus on the parts of your business that are closely connected to your own expertise. While freelancers will work on project or part of the project that are not really in your realm of expertise. Yet another benefit is that freelancers are usually more capable to do the project on their own than your employees. You should always look for a freelancer that is capable to work on a project in a professional matter, and that can do an exceptional job.

4. Saving the money

In most cases, when you employ the freelancers to do some tasks for your company you will do it because of two reasons. First one is that you probably don`t have enough hands on deck to finish the job in time. And another one is that you want to save some money. By employing the freelancer to do the task on hand, you will definitely save some money, And if you are employing freelancers that are from some other time zone, there is a chance that they will ask the much lower amount of money than most other freelancers that live in your timezone. Because economical state in some parts of the world is quite different than in others. But cheap definitely is not always the best option. You should look for the freelancer with best price/quality ratio.

5. You can have a workforce that can work around the clock

We did mention this at some other point in this article, but now we will dive a little bit deeper in it. Employing freelancers from all around the world will allow you to get the work done every single day around the clock. Which will boost the productivity of your company and save you some extra change. The best way to incorporate this is by finding out in which time zones do freelancers work, and then spread the work equally to a freelancer from all different time zones.

5 Disadvantages of hiring the freelancers from other timezones

Nothing in the world is black or white, it is mostly grey. Same goes for employment of the freelancers that are working in different time zones. And what are those disadvantages of employing people from different time zones? Well, we will tell you now.

1. Communication

When you are considering to employ the freelancer from the other time zones you should ask yourself. “Could I have enough time to explain to them what I need? Think about it this way. You will probably spend at least 8 hours of your day in the company, then all the time that you spend on traveling back to your home, and on top all of that you will have to talk to a freelancer who is living in a time-zone that is 8 hours behind or in front of your own. This can cause some serious problems when you are trying to have a swift and productive conversation. It could take a few hours until you receive the message from them, and that could go on for days on end until you finally get your work done. The way in which you can fix that is by employing the freelancers that are at maximum 3 to 4 hours further away from your timezone. And they should be able to answer your emails in 12 to 24h max.

2. Language barrier

When you are considering to employ the freelancer form different time zone, there might be much more problems then you anticipated. One of them is low knowledge of written and spoken English. Yes, there are many freelancers that are not native English speakers who can produce really amazing content. But, as you go further and further away from your own time zone in a search for that perfect freelancer. You will also realize that many of those freelancers are not fluent in English, some are not even capable to write a meaningful sentence in English. That way you will lose your precious time and money. You should always look up what kind of language knowledge they have. Luckily, that kind info can be easily found on freelancing websites like Upwork and etc. And by yourself if you speak fluent English.

3. Deadlines

Getting a fixed deadline is quite easy when you are working with a freelancer who is in the same timezone as you. But when someone’s clock is showing 2 pm, and yours 4 am, that could cause some potential problems, Yes, they might do the project exactly as you wanted it, but if you have a strict deadline and they can`t deliver the finished project on time due to differences in time zones. Then this type of work should be only left for a freelancer who is in the same timezone as you, as the chances that they will meet that strict deadline is much higher. The way you can fix this is by setting fixed deadlines to the freelancer, and by looking the reviews that this particular freelancer has. How fast is his turn-around and etc.

4. Cultural differences

You could say that every time zone in the world has its own culture. That is why when you are choosing a freelancer, you should always look for one that is not only closer to you timewise, but also culturally. It may happen that freelancers from far away countries might see your project as immoral by their own cultural standards, or they will just have a different work ethic. Which is in many cases is not beneficial for the companies who are caring about the quality of their service and profit. Explain the project in full detail to the freelancer so there would be no confusion later.

5. Quality of the project

As the time zone changes, so do the type of people who are able to work on them, and who are willing to give their all to do the job as perfectly as they can. We all already know that some employers won`t even consider employing freelancer who is not from same timezone or cultural and lingual background. We all have seen many freelancing gigs that are only for people who are native English speakers, or who are living in the same time zone as the employer. And who could blame them? Some of them had had negative experiences with freelancers from other countries and those who are not native English speakers, mostly with freelancers from India or Pakistan. Luckily, on the platforms such as Upwork, you can see what exactly expertise do they have, how good is their knowledge of English and how good are they as a freelancer.

Globe of opportunities and troubles

Freelancing is still pretty new profession which needs to put roots in the ground and establish itself as a real titan in the business industry. We all have a lot to learn about what does work, what doesn`t. Why you should employ some freelancer and why you should avoid some as a plaque.

Don`t get us wrong, employing freelancer from different timezone has definitely some interesting benefits. But it also holds some dangers that in best case could cost you just a few bucks, but in worst it might cost you the future of your company.

If you will ever consider employing a freelancer from different timezone you should always evaluate how many benefits you will receive and how many potential problems you might face. It all comes to is the risk level, is it low and if potential return is high and beneficial for you and your company.

The best way to go with it is to give them simple tasks first, which are not of big importance to your company. And then, if the all goes well. with time, you can continue to give them more demanding projects which will, in the end, allow you to reap all the benefits of the employing the freelancers from another time zone.

Give it a try and then you can find out why some companies are employing those freelancers and why some are avoiding them as the deadly disease.

Would you like to add your opinion on this topic?

If so, feel free to write what you think about this subject in the comment section below. Until the next time.

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]]> https://freelancelifemagazine.com/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-hiring-freelancer-from-the-other-timezone/feed/ 2 3 Books That Every Freelancer Should Read https://freelancelifemagazine.com/3-books-that-every-freelancer-should-read/ https://freelancelifemagazine.com/3-books-that-every-freelancer-should-read/#comments Sun, 11 Apr 2021 13:07:47 +0000 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/?p=1613 Freelancing has become one of the most interesting business professions in today’s job market. More and more people are hopping on the freelancing train, trying to push themselves to the top of the food chain.

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Learning something new

Freelancing has become one of the most interesting business professions in today’s job market. More and more people are hopping on the freelancing train, trying to push themselves to the top of the food chain. But what most people who want to become freelancers don`t know that freelancing isn`t a profession where you can just jump in one day and already earn a formidable amount of money. They don`t know how much of work you need to put in. Or more importantly, educate yourself on a topic of freelancing.

So which is the best way to learn about freelancing and all of its benefits and negatives? Most of the people will tell you this, on the same platform on which you are working on, the internet itself. And sure, that might be the case, but there is a lot of misinformation on the internet, you can never know 100%  if the information that you are getting is legit or not.

So where can you then find the most useful information about freelancing and online businesses? From the same old item from which most of humanity did for thousands of years, from the good old books.

There are so many books with a great information about freelancing and online businesses, but how can you choose the one which will work for you in such a crowded niche? Luckily I’m here to help you. I will tell you which three books should every freelancer read to improve their career. Shall we begin?

1. Tools of Titans by Tim Ferris

This book by Tim Ferris is interesting to read for every freelancer who wants to know how to stay productive and how to find motivation even when everything feels like is turning back on you. Tim Ferris is an entrepreneur and professional strategist, so he definitely knows what he is talking about. But don`t just take his word on it. There are more than 200 world-class performers who share their way on how to stay productive in this interesting book.

We are just humans who make mistakes, who lose the will for things they loved, who become burnout by doing the same thing over and over again. But with Tools of Titans, you will learn how to handle yourself in your worst moments and how to stay motivated even when all seems desperate or without a point.

Unfortunately, we freelancers are prone to this problems. One of the reasons is because we are working from the comfort of our homes and we usually don`t have set working hours. Comfort leads to laziness and laziness leads to loss of motivation. Do you see yourself in this description? Did you? Then you should definitely pick up Tools of Titans and get yourself back on a horse.

2. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

Our human nature is fascinating. Our brains are always trying to find something that will keep them occupied. But this need for occupation and finding something interesting can cause some problems with concentration in your workplace. This is especially true for us freelancers. Even more for people whose brains get scattered easily. This can be a recipe for a disaster because with time it leads to stress, and stress leads to an unfinished product or missing the deadlines. Those emotions are killers of the freelancing careers. If you feel like you have this kind of problem then Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen is a perfect read for you.

With this book, you will learn how to prioritize your workflow and tackle them in a logical and manageable manner. You will learn how you can finish every single job in the shortest amount of time and stress-free. We all got stressed sometimes. And that is normal. But we should never allow it to take over our careers.

That is why Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen is a perfect read if you are dealing with stress while working and improving your freelancing career.

3. The Freelancer’s Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Have the Career of Your Dreams– On Your Terms by Sara Horowitz

The road to becoming a successful freelancer can be full of obstacles. You never know what problems will get in your way. That is why The Freelancer’s Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Have the Career of Your Dreams by Sara Horowitz is a must-read book for every freelancer who is worried what problems could get in their way. Sara Horowitz is the founder of the Freelance Union and she has been through everything that freelancing life could throw your way.

As a new freelancer or freelancer who wants to get more organized, you need the information that will allow you to accomplish this change. A lot of people will claim that they have the solution to this problem, but only a a few really have. One of those is definitely Sara Horowitz. With her book, your freelancing career can only go forward and become more successful.

You will never find a perfect book that will change your career for 180 degrees. But The Freelancer’s Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Have the Career of Your Dreams is the closest that you will come to the perfect advice which will help you overcome all roadblocks that are standing in your way.

What is your experience?

Did you like our picks? Did you think we got something wrong? Feel free to leave comments down below. Until the next time.

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]]> https://freelancelifemagazine.com/3-books-that-every-freelancer-should-read/feed/ 1 Is Freelancing Viable Career Path? https://freelancelifemagazine.com/is-freelancing-viable-career-path/ Sun, 11 Apr 2021 12:33:55 +0000 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/?p=1589 If somebody had asked you a few years ago if freelancing is a viable career path you would probably say that they are out of their mind. Maybe at that time you wouldn`t even know what freelancing is.

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The job of the future?

If somebody had asked you a few years ago if freelancing is a viable career path you would probably say that they are out of their mind. Maybe at that time you wouldn`t even know what freelancing is. And I would not blame you. In the past freelancing was pretty much just a small niche career option that only a few people have chosen.

But all of that changed with the exponential growth of internet networks and users. The COVID-19 pandemic only contributed to the increase in the number of people working from home and accelerated the trend of increasing the number of freelancers. The Intuit 2020 Report, published in 2011, predicted that more than 40 percent of the U.S. workforce would-be freelancers, contractors, and temp workers by 2020. According to them  80 percent of large corporations plan to significantly increase the use of flexible workforce.

Becoming a freelancer can be challenging for some, especially if you don`t have any experience. So experience is a must, especially in the field that you are interested to work in as a freelancer. Other two things that you need is a computer and internet connection. All of that probably sounds appealing if you have some experience in this area. Working from home, having your own working hours, working when and where you want. Heck, you can work from anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection. But now comes the important question. Is freelancing a viable career path? Can you really make a living by just working as a freelancer? And should you try your luck by starting your own freelancing career? And is it really the job of the future? Well, let`s find out.

Should you be worried?

Freelancing on the paper sounds all nice and dandy, but is that really a case?  Naturally, there are really a lot of benefits that come with being a freelancer. But there are also some negatives that could impact your freelancing career.  And of the most common is not getting paid by the employer.

If you know somebody that works or had worked as a freelancer, then you have probably heard stories about how they got scammed by their employers. There are some shady people in the freelancing job sphere, but luckily they are just a minority. Most of them will promise you a big payment for just a little bit of work. And if you are a novice in this field, then you will probably accept the job and feel happy that you need to do the only a small amount of work for a decent payment. Bust more often than not, job offers that sound too good to be true are just that. Too good to be true, or on the other hand, it is a scam that is just waiting for a poor novice freelancer to get caught on it.

Another problem is that there is a high chance that you probably won’t get a steady and long-lasting job. More often you will get the one-time-jobs or ones that will last few months or so.

After all of this, you might think that freelancing career is just too risky to get into. But I can say with big confidence that that is just not the case. And this is why.

Freelancing is a viable career path

And why is that? Well first, there are more and more freelance jobs on the market. More than ever before. There are also a lot of respectable freelancing websites that connect freelancers with the potential employers. Also, those sites provide the safest way to get paid for the work that you have done. And they usually have a scoring system in which you can give a grade to your employer, and they can do the same to you.

Does that sound appealing to you? Yes? Then listen up. If you get a lot of good grades for the work that you have done for your employers, then your freelancing career can only move forward in upworth direction. Not only that you will get a lot of work, but people send you offers for your services because they will know that they will get only the finest quality of work by employing you. And the best thing is that you will be able to choose what jobs you should accept and which are just not a good choice for you. Probably because of the low payment or uninteresting topics. In a way, you will become your own boss. If you reach that point in your freelancing career then only sky is the limit.

You should give it a go

If you are still not sold on an idea then listen up. You can just try it, it is free. There is nothing that you could lose. Even if you don`t end up making it in the freelancing job scene at least you have tried. But if freelancing just clicks for you, then you have a viable job opportunity that could change your life as you know it. And if you have any of the skills in demand, you should definitely try a freelance career.

Here are 5 questions to help you discover whether a freelancing career is for you:

1. Can you work independently?
2. Do you have self-confidence?
3. Are you a good communicator?
4. Are you good at time management?
5. Do you have a required skill?

If the answer to these questions is “yes,” freelancing can be a career for you.

What is your experience?

Do you agree with us? Did we get something wrong? Write it down in the comments below. We would love to hear your thoughts. Until the next time.

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]]> 5 Apps That Every Freelancer Should Use https://freelancelifemagazine.com/5-apps-that-every-freelancer-should-use/ https://freelancelifemagazine.com/5-apps-that-every-freelancer-should-use/#comments Sat, 10 Apr 2021 07:16:31 +0000 https://freelancelifemagazine.com/?p=1422 Freelancing has become one of the most popular ways to earn some additional income, but also a viable way to earn enough to sustain yourself and your loved ones. Freelancing offers you so many different benefits that are non-existent in the traditional workspace.

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Organization Is A Key

Freelancing has become one of the most popular ways to earn some additional income, but also a viable way to earn enough to sustain yourself and your loved ones. Freelancing offers you so many different benefits that are non-existent in the traditional workspace. One of most appealing aspects is working from the comfort of your home, which is something that most of us could agree is a perfect workspace option. Also, the capability to manage your own work hours and to work when and where you want. That kind of comfort you can only achieve by working at home as a freelancer.

It seems so appealing, to put everything down a notch and to work exactly as you want. But then comes the question. How can you keep yourself in check that you will do every job on time? Or how to keep in check all the jobs that you are working on?

Well, there is a simple solution to this problem, and the solution is…installation of the apps that will allow you to keep every single part of your freelance career in check. Now you probably thinking, ” Thats all great, but how can I know which apps are worth installing? ” That is where this article comes into play. I will give you info about 5 best apps that will make your freelancing career easier.

1. BOOMERANG

When you work as a freelancer communication is everything. Keeping track of all emails can become an impossible job. Luckily, there are apps that can make the agony of finding important emails a thing of the past. And that app is Boomerang. This app will allow you to schedule sending of your emails, it also features automate follow-ups which will allow you to check in with clients who still didn’t message you back.

This app will mitigate your need to remember when, and to whom you should send an email. Boomerang does everything for you. And best of all, it makes your freelance career a bit easier. Boomerang app is available on Gmail, Outlook, and Android.

2. EVERNOTE

Being organized can save you a lot of time, and also it can save your nerves and reduce stress. But it can be hard, especially if you are working from home as your own boss. But you should keep yourself in check because nobody else will, and that is where Evernote comes in.

Evernote is one of the best task managers out there which will boost your productivity to whole new level. It is a multi-purpose task manager that has a lot to offer. On the app itself, you can jot down notes, write and brainstorm potential business ideas, you can also add photos, share documents with your clients and colleagues if you have any. You can also set reminders and check on your tasks on hand. Evernote will become the center point of your freelance career around which everything revolves around. Evernote is definitely a must-have app for every freelancer.

3. FOCUS BOOSTER

One problem that every freelancer will run into is time management. Traditional jobs have set up working hours each day, you don`t have to think about it. But as a freelancer, that kind of accommodation is gone. You need to take care of your working hours and set them up as you want. But time management can be hard, especially when you are the one who sets up the work hours. Luckily there is an app that will remove those problems from your life.

Focus Booster is the simple app that uses promodo technique. You should always work in powerful and short intervals.  By using promodo technique you will overcome distractions that come with timing your work cycle. Working intervals are very beneficial for your focus on the job on-hand, quality of work, and for your overall satisfaction.

4. WAVE

Freelancing is definitely the job of the future. But there are still some areas on which people should work on and improve. An area that suffers the most is payment system. There are many instances in which freelancers won’t get paid for the work that they have done. Heck, that even happened to me a few times. The Internet is full of scammers and people that want to use you only for their own benefit.

But luckily, Wave is the app that will resolve that problem for you. Wave is a beautifully designed accounting app that will probably use from now, and probably as long as your freelancing career lasts. Wave allows you to send invoices, receipts and estimates. One awesome feature that you can accept credit card payments. Wave provides you with everything you need for managing your finances. all in one place.

5. LASTPASS

As a freelancer, you will probably have a lot of accounts on many different websites and apps. Managing so many passwords can be a total nightmare. Next step that you would probably take would be having two to three different passwords for all of your accounts. But here lies a problem. If somebody finds out or hacks one of your accounts, then they will have an access to pretty much all of your other accounts.

That definitely sounds scary. But there is a solution, and that solution is LastPass. This app will save all of your brainpower that you are waisting on remembering all the passwords that you have by putting all the passwords in one place. For accessing them you will need only one master password. The browser extension then automatically fills in the username and password on any website on which you have an active account. LastPass is definitely a must-have app for every serious freelancer.

Future Is Here

And there you have it, 5 apps that every freelancer should use. Freelancing is the future, more and more people will start to work as a freelancer, and maybe one day freelancing will be the number one employment option in the world. Only time will tell.

Do you agree with us? Did we get something wrong? If we did then talk to us down in comments section below so we could discuss. We would love to hear your opinion. Until the next time.

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