How to start freelancing with no experience?

We have to start off this post by being honest. There is very little chance that you can start freelancing with no experience. This is simply because there are few freelance jobs with no experience required. But…

The good news is that you don’t have to enter a university or enroll in costly courses. There are a number of things you can do on your own and for free to be able to work as a freelancer.

Today, over 54 million Americans are working as freelancers in order to create and live the lifestyle they love. And there are thousands of companies seeking freelance workers as well.

So what makes freelancing such a tidbit for more and more individuals as well as businesses and how to get a job as a freelancer?

The benefits of working freelance

It’s all about freedom

First of all, working freelance gives you the freedom to choose your clients and projects. No more tedious repetitive tasks from your boss. Well, they may remain but only if you choose a project that includes these types of tasks. You can take assignments based on your interests and only those that benefit you the most.

Moreover, you gain control over your time and space. You still have to stick to deadlines, of course. But in the freelance world, it’s all discussed before you take part in a project, which means no unpleasant surprises.

Location independence

Bring your laptop and headphones, and go work wherever you want – in any part of your hometown, or any city or country. You choose your perfect location because the only thing that really matters when working freelance is whether the job is done well and on time.

Earn more

Gaining access to clients all over the world helps freelancers work on what rewards their skills the most. You can choose highly paid jobs as well as take part in several projects simultaneously. You can also choose what currency you want to receive your salary in, discuss salary terms, and whether you receive your salary all at once or in parts.

Freelancing opens up a whole world of opportunities in the global workforce.

New opportunities for professional growth

Working freelance may bring faster growth opportunities since it exposes you to various kinds of companies and domains. Each time you deal with a new client directly, you are required to start from scratch and figure out their processes. Constantly having to do means always learning something new from different people and situations.

As a freelancer, you will get the connections you need, which you can later use to build more connections and create new opportunities.

Ways to experiment with your skills

Working as a freelancer allows you to expand your skillset. You won’t be limited to what your boss thinks you should do. Even if you lack some skills – you can always learn new skills via online platforms and then practice them on the project you’re working on. Broaden your own horizons in terms of versatility and reaching new goals.

Become a better version of yourself

Working freelance helps individuals focus not only on their career but also helps them understand what interests them, how to prioritize it, and not get stuck in a routine. This means you can finally set aside more time to take care of your health, both physical and mental, find time for your family and friends, and devote days off to hobbies and traveling.

There are many benefits to hiring freelancers for companies. These benefits include fewer taxes, no health insurance, less office space, lower employee-related expenses, and so on. Moreover, in this way companies can hire a professional for a single project and not waste company resources for a full-time employee who will have nothing to do when the project is finished.

So, how can I start freelancing with no experience?

1. Define your interests and goals

Without clearly defined and easily measurable goals, you’re going to have a very difficult time getting where you want to be.

Here are some examples of the questions you can ask yourself before searching for online jobs with no experience:

• Is freelancing a way for you to earn extra money on the side?
• Or maybe you want to become a full-time freelancer?
• Or perhaps working freelance for you is just a transfer point to another regular full-time job?

Once you’ve defined your main priority, it’s critically important to figure out the field you want to occupy in freelancing.

Freelancing business analyst? Writer? Designer? Developer? You’d better be consistent, because a freelancing job, like any other job, is part of your career. Think about your CV. Your chances of occupying a quality position decrease significantly when employers see a long list of completely unrelated jobs on your resume.

2. Find a profitable niche

For the first time, you won’t be able to compete on pricing as a freelancer. Regardless of what field you decide to occupy, it will be saturated full of competitors with experience in your industry.

Remember one thing: successful freelancers compete on value, not price.That’s why it’s important not to take any project that comes your way, rather concentrate on a narrow niche in your industry. This may range from creating an infographic design for startup blogs to writing eBooks for enterprise tech companies.

Or, you can dive deeper into business automation and become a pioneer in no-code automation, citizen development, and so on.

The future of work is automation, and we highly recommend finding your freelance niche somewhere in the business automation industry. This way, you will be protected from losing your job due to it simply becoming irrelevant.

Figuring out business automation and no-code automation processes will help you become both a professional in these trends and a knowledgable expert in knowing how to apply automation at your business.

Once you’ve gained the necessary skills to be called a specialist in this narrow niche, you will be able to rate your work higher along with demanding a higher wage for the services you render.

3. Learn new skills with online courses

How can I start freelance with no experience?

Learning new skills takes time, but in almost all cases these new skills will help you better adapt to freelancing and online work. To become a successful freelancer, you will need to possess a proficiency in a wide variety of online skills such as website development, digital security, workflow analytics, digital document management, and many other skills.

You start with the airSlate Academy courses which are free and provide a lot of useful information for those looking to learn automation, start a new career, demonstrate career growth, or implement a new high-tech solution in their workplace.

We educate our new customers, partners and freelancers (as well as anyone who wants to understand) on not only WHAT workflow automation is, but also HOW it all applies to your industry and business.

Today, the airSlate Academy consists of 23 courses. You can complete each of them separately and get a verified certificate for each one.

In addition, there are also two certification programs consisting of several courses: the Automation Architect Program and the Business Process Analyst Program.

These days, anyone working in Information Technology, whether they’re a full-time office worker or a freelancer, needs to possess a minimal knowledgebase of digital skills. The airSlate Academy gives you that real knowledge which you can use to change your job or accelerate your career.

Enhance your freelance career

Start learning business automation for free

Enroll today!

 

4. Find your ideal clients

Sounds like very abstract advice, right? Well, no. After choosing your niche for working freelance, you will be able to dive deeper into what specific customers you’ll be serving. You may not be able to get these people right away, but you will have a clear idea in your mind of who you’re trying to target.

You will find plenty of advice encouraging you to jump on to freelance gig sites. The most popular of these are Upwork, Fiverr, and Toptal. Despite this seeming like the easiest way to find work, we recommend not starting with large global marketplaces.

Instead of competing with an international market, try to be local. Local connections ensure greater trust, easier communication, and of course, less competition.

Ask your family, friends, school connections, previous employers and colleagues, if they know anyone who is seeking a freelancer with no experience in your niche.

Your main objective is to gain experience. Making money — although it is always important — is a secondary concern for the long-term health of your freelance business. Remember that more experience and expertise ultimately results in more money.

So, the best way is to research local businesses in your community and connect with them. There will be clients nearby who are seeking your skills, especially when you’re offering them cheaply while you gain experience.

If you choose to become a freelance data analyst, for example, local businesses may come to know you as the go-to expert for helping them enhance and automate their processes.

Inevitably, the money question always arises:

“Should I work for free to get exposure when starting freelance with no experience?”

The answer is a resounding ‘No’. The only work you might do for free are simply tasks such as writing texts or creating designs for your portfolio.

But you should never consider working for free. You will despise this job as well as your employer and maybe even yourself.

However, you should start out working for cheap. Consider the following: many small businesses simply don’t have the budget to pay a professional for freelance work. They have to hire freelancers with no experience, perhaps university students, recent graduates or career-switchers.

We recommend researching how much other freelancers in your niche and local area get for their services. Once you’ve passed the relevant courses and prepared your portfolio – you can start charging more than other low-experience freelancers.

Always remind yourself that how you price your services has a huge psychological impact on how your clients perceive your value.

5. Make money using affiliate and partner programs

Simply put, affiliate programs allow you to earn a commission from a company by promoting or selling their products. You find a product you like, promote it to others and earn a piece of the profit for each sale you make.

Here is how it works with the airSlate Academy:

• You apply to the Partner Program.
• Depending on your business interests, our team will identify the best partnership option for you.
• Once approved, you can explore the portal with all the materials you need to get started.

Before applying to the Partner Program we recommend getting certified by the airSlate Academy to stay in the loop on all the latest insights and trends for business automation. Certifications and specializations help communicate your expertise in a wide variety of no-code business automation tasks. You will gain the necessary knowledge to enhance your competitive edge and provide the best experience to your customers.

After getting certified, you can start building your list of clients, set up accounts for them, and receive commission. Once everything is set up, you’ll can start earning passive income without limits.

Establishing a successful freelance business is about playing the long game. Every client and every project is another step towards building the freelance career you want.

Although there aren’t too many great freelance jobs with no experience required, you have no other option but to start searching for one. Then use this time to build your portfolio while passing courses. After, you can focus on finding your first ideal clients and projects, and then finally consolidate your position on the market – this is not a quick and easy journey. But the pros of successfully working freelance often outweigh the cons.

No matter if you choose to have a business analyst freelance job or any other occupation, working freelance may become your future success story. So if you ever wonder how to start freelancing with no experience, just remember the Rule of Three B’s

Be patient.

Be consistent.

Be persistent.