Freelancing offers the opportunity to work from home, set your own hours, and take on projects that interest you. It also provides an opportunity to make a living wage or even more.
In order for freelancing to be successful, it is important to have a plan in place. This means figuring out what you want your focus to be and what skills you will need. You also need a way to get clients, which you can do through networking or by using freelance marketplace platforms like Upwork or Freelancer.com.
Freelancing can also involve some risks. For instance, if you don’t have any clients, it may be difficult to support yourself. Or if you work for a drastically demanding client, it can be your stress trigger that might make you easily burn out of your freelancing work.
Working as a freelancer isn’t all great, in fact. But many still want to start a freelancing career online because it has many benefits they are seeking.
In this article, you will learn about why people want to begin a freelancing career and what are the most typical freelancing jobs people want to try out.
Let’s begin to dive into it!
Table of Contents
Why choose to freelance?
Freelancing is a great way to be your own boss and enjoy the freedom of working from home.
We are all busy and life is limited. We want to focus on what we love to do in the limited life span. However, our busy schedules can stand in the way and against our wishes. Freelancing is a great option for people who want to work on their own terms and at their own pace.
Below are some statistics about freelancing, including some surprising facts:
- 1.1 billion people in the world are approximately working as a freelancer, either part-time or full-time. (Ref: thrivemyway.com/freelance-stats)
- The average income of US-based freelancers is $45,045/year and $23.10/hour. (Ref: talent.com/salary)
- About 700 thousand gig workers in the US are unfairly paid below the minimum hourly wage. (Ref: The Guardian)
- There are a lot more “male freelancers” than females — 65% of males and 35% of females freelancing. (Ref: thrivemyway.com/freelance-stats)
Most Popular Freelance Jobs
Freelance Marketers:
A digital marketer is a person who promotes products or services of his/her clients through the internet. They specialize in online marketing and social media.
Digital marketers use different tactics to promote their products and services. Some of these include email outreach, SEO, paid advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, influencer marketing, and more.
Freelance digital marketing job is one of the most highly demanded freelance jobs. They help companies to reach their target audience by using different digital marketing channels and strategies. The salary of a freelance digital marketer depends on their skillset, experience, and geolocation. But the average income for a digital marketer based in the US is $60,729 in 2022.
Freelance writers
A freelance writer is a creator who writes content for clients but does not work on the company’s premises. Freelance writers can work independently and work from their homes or other locations in a flexible setting.
Freelance writers have a wide variety of writing assignments to choose from. They can write articles, blogs, copywriting, marketing content, and if they work in long-form writing, their work can be fiction or nonfiction book writing.
Freelance writers can choose their favorite work type as well, One way to work as a freelance writer is to be hired by specific companies or organizations to take on a series of long-term projects. Or some writers prefer to work on a one-off project with multiple or random clients which can be more flexible and less obligated.
The average hourly pay for freelance writers in the US is $23.25 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It’s the average for full-time, part-time, or project-based writers all combined.
Freelance Software Developers
A freelance software developer can work independently, in a self-employed capacity. This is often done on a contract basis with different companies.
The skills required for a freelance software developer can vary depending on the type of work required. Some may need knowledge of a specific programming language and experience with object-oriented programming, while others may specialize in web development and design. Freelance developers often use a variety of different tools, including Node.js, UltraEdit, Bootstrap, AngularJS, Quixy, etc.
Basically, a software development job is a highly regarded position. In the line with it, a freelancing software developer can be one of high paying work from home jobs.
The average income of freelance software developers in the US is $70,000.That said, the variations play a role, such as location, experience, and the skillset the developer possesses.
Freelance Web Design & Graphic Design
Freelance web designers and graphic designers are professionals who cover the design of a website or create artworks for the needs of clients.
The 2 freelance jobs have some common space in their job scopes. However, they have slightly different areas to cover and different purposes for what they do.
– Freelance Web Designer: Freelance web designers are responsible for the creation of websites and their designs. They usually have skills in designing on the web, HTML/CSS coding, and the entire workflow of the frontend.
– Graphic Designers: Graphic Designers are responsible for creating logos, illustrations, posters, and all sorts of visual content that is used to represent businesses or brands online or offline.
The average income of Freelance Web Designers and Graphic Designers in the US is around $50,000 per year.
Freelance photographers:
A freelance photographer is someone who works in a flexible work setting and makes a living by selling photographs and earning from loyalties.
Freelance photographers usually have a specialty in a particular type of photography, such as weddings, fashion, family portraits, food photography, etc.
They often specialize in one type of photography so that they can offer their services to companies that need the specific expertise or niche based on what they offer.
The earnings of photographers are highly variable and the gap between the highest earners and the lowest is somewhat huge. Despite that, the average annual salary of a freelance photographer is $47,000 in the United States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Conclusion
There are lots behind the bright sides of freelancing and freelance jobs. It involves high risk and takes abundant bravery to put a career on the line. Not everyone succeeds in the competitive space, but those who beat the odds are living a life of their own choice.
Freelancing offers Independence, entertaining working procedures, and wholesome earning sources to those who demonstrate resilience and have a go-getter mindset. In other words, freelance jobs can be full of opportunities if done right, in addition to the joy of freedom, flexibility, and great work & life balance.
