Recently I was interviewed for a radio show on NPR called Closing the Loop.

Closing the Loop is a series of mini-stories about people who changed careers within the last several years during the recession.

Most, if not all the guests, like me have been out working for 20 years or more—in fact many of them are in their 60’s.

The thing most of the interviewees have in common is that they transitioned to something they are very passionate about.  It wasn’t an impulse decision.  It’s something they were thinking about for quite a while.

As a person transitioning to freelancing, you most likely can relate.  Whether you’re a designer, developer, consultant or writer, you’ve been passionate about your chosen freelance career path for a while now and you’re eager to say goodbye to your current situation and start living “the freelancer’s life.’

Having successfully transitioned and transformed my life to a six-figure freelance lifestyle, here are nine tips for making your freelance transformation all you want it to be.

1.    Create a step-by-step plan. Whether you have a lot of time or a little, you need a detailed plan. Make sure you are specific about what you will do and assign deadlines to your plan. For example, if you are taking correspondence course to develop your skills, assign dates when you will complete the course by, such as 30 days from when you start. Other parts of your plan should include things such as how you will get clients, when you plan to have your first customer, and what needs to happen for you to transition full-time to your freelancer life.

If you’re not sure the steps you need to take, consider investing in a coach or a program that can provide you help with a plan. Be sure the coach or program has a proven track record for success in your chosen field. For instance, I initially invested in a copywriting program called the Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting to increase my skills. With a proven track record of success, I was given access to their forum where I could ask questions and consult with successful and working copywriters in regards to my plan.

While making a plan may seem like a daunting task, or hiring a coach to help you may seem like an expense, in the end, this will be a time-saving, money-saving activity well worth your investment. With every step mapped out for you, you won’t have to worry and can steadily move forward confident the steps you are taking are the ones that will lead you to success. Plus it will help you stay on track.

2.    Treat your freelance business like a business from day one. How family and friends view your freelance adventure is very much up to you. When you have dedicated hours that your family knows you will be working your plan and you stick to them, they will be much more likely to take you seriously and support you. Eliminate distractions during this time by doing things like silencing your phone, hanging a do not disturb sign up and making it a policy to never do household chores during your “work” hours.

3.    Let your spouse, significant other or persons supporting you know what to expect. To succeed, you will need support. It is extremely helpful to gain support from the people closest to you.  In this case, most people want to know how your plans will affect their lives.  Be truthful and realistic about how it’s going to affect them. Let them know how it will impact the family budget, when you’ll start making money, and your plan for how much you’ll make and how you’ll earn it.

For example, show proof that you can make money by sharing stories of other freelancers who are succeeding in your field or ask freelancers you know to speak with your family about the success they’ve had. You can also show ways it will positively impact your family by giving ideas about how it will save your family money (such as in not having to pay for daycare or saving on gas) or how it will allow you to role model positive business behaviors for character development in your children.

4.    Tell family and friends what this means to you. When family and friends see your passion and excitement, they’re more likely to encourage you. Tell them what you love about your chosen freelance career. Let them know how much this means to you and how much you appreciate their support.

5.    Invest in resources that allow you to ramp up your skills and business quickly. Like most people making a transition, you may have another job, family responsibilities and other time commitments that make it difficult to maintain a dual life for a long period of time. Invest in tools and resources that will help accelerate your transition. While it may seem like an expense, think of it as an investment in your future that will pay dividends in the long run.

For instance, I needed to accelerate my learning so I could understand the concepts of copywriting quickly to get my freelance business up and running as quickly as possible.
I was looking for visual, hands-on and audio learning combined.  And I wanted someone who knew what they were talking about to review my copy and give me constructive criticism so I could get better and feel confident about my writing FAST. I made an investment to join the Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting program I mentioned earlier. The program has paid off hundreds of times over already. I was able to quit my job in 5 months and replaced my income in the first year.

6.    Don’t have a back-up plan. Yes, you read that right. The mistake I see again and again is where someone is afraid of failing so they say things like, “I’ll give it six months and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll go back to XYZ.” Make a commitment to succeed no matter what—even if it takes you longer than you think. If you make a plan, implement and stick to it, you will succeed.

7.    Find outside support. Even if you have amazing, supportive and encouraging family and friends, chances are they won’t completely understand what you are trying to do.  For example, my family can’t review the sales copy I write and give me tips on how to make it better. Plus family and friends tend to let you off the hook too easily.  Network with other freelancers, or people in your field. I recommend you find both people who are in the same stage of their business as you as well as people who are more advanced in your chosen freelance field.

Mastermind groups, clubs or organizations with peers in the same or similar fields are worth investing your time to join and participate in because members relate to what you are going through and have real solutions proven to work for just about any challenge you face in your business. Plus, freelancing can sometimes be a lonely journey, by joining a club or organization, you won’t feel so alone and you are sure to gain colleagues and friends that will get excited about your successes too.

8.    Attend an event where you can hear and meet the most successful people in your industry. Industry events not only motivate you and get you seeing the big picture, they have the potential to connect you to others in your field while exposing you first-hand to what the top people in the industry are doing to be successful.  For instance, one of the events I attend every year is a copywriting bootcamp where the top copywriters in the world present. There is also a job fair there where companies attend in hopes of hiring freelance copywriters for their projects.

9.    Create a marketing plan. Even if you aren’t ready to get clients or customers or if you have all the business you can handle, it’s important to have a marketing plan in place. Decide what makes you unique, when and where you will market yourself and what media you will use to get the word out. And be sure to include a way to market yourself a little every day to keep your calendar full.

Marketing yourself may seem intimidating at first, however if you make a plan and do something each day, you’ll find it gets easier over time. Plus by creating a marketing system, you’ll know how to quickly attract customers whenever you need them.

Utilizing these tips will help you transition into your fulltime freelance career much more quickly and easily. Plus you’ll develop habits which will ensure a long, financially rewarding and successful business that will turn your dream into your reality.
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Ednote: This article appears courtesy of American Writers & Artists Inc.’s (AWAI) The Writer’s Life, a free newsletter that gives you opportunities to live the “freelance life.” Cindy Cyr, an AWAI-Trained Copywriter, Marketing Strategist and Consultant who specializes in Info-marketing and training is doing just that. Her client list includes internationally recognized greats such as Zig Ziglar and Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle. To learn more about the “freelance life” and how AWAI can teach you to make more money as a freelance copywriter, please visit www.awaionline.com.

And if you’ve been thinking about “testing the waters” and taking a step toward learning how to write copy, check out AWAI’s popular Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting.

photo credit: NicoNo

When you switch from working for a company to freelancing on your own, you are essentially putting yourself in charge of every aspect of your business – from the beginning to the finished product.  While this can be incredibly exciting, it can also be a little overwhelming, especially in the beginning.  The internet provides a wealth of resources to help you resolves issues that will inevitably come up and can also provide ideas and leads to keep your freelancing business successful.

Sites like freelanceswitch.com are essentially a treasure chest of information for freelancers. Freelance Switch can help you with everything from setting and achieving realistic goals in order to get your business started, assistance on how to set prices for your services and also how to interact with your clients.  The site has blogs, forums and resources from people who have been freelancing, so essentially it is like interacting with peers in similar situations as yourself in order to gain some knowledge on what to do and not to do with your business.  Considering that freelancing means you are on your own, taking advantages of these sites can help you feel as though you are still part of a business community with whom you can bounce ideas off of or even offer some tips of your own.

Another good internet resource are sites that post jobs or projects for freelancers. One of these sites is freelancer.com.   As a freelancer, you need to constantly get your name out there and bring clients to your business.  The key to your success is having a steady amount of work and enough clients to provide that.  By utilizing these sites, you can check out different projects that people post and then bid on the ones that you feel are a good fit for the services you provide.  A plus to this is that you can start the bid at your pre-established price so that you are not in danger of taking on a job that will not earn you enough money to be profitable.

With all of the information that the internet has to offer, it is in your best interest to find a few sites that you can work with in order to help you with your freelancing business.  A few clicks of your mouse and you can find information on running your business effectively and sites to secure the clients you need in order to make your business a success.

photo credit: stevendepolo

Maybe you’ve decided to ‘go green’ and reduce your carbon footprint. Maybe you’re tired of spending all of your income on day care and fuel. Maybe you’re a teacher or work in the education field and have a summer with no work (and no income). Whatever your reason, there is work to be found.

I was talking to my son’s elementary school secretary the other day, and she wanted to know what exactly it is I do when I’m working from home. Summer break is coming up and she was looking for a way to fill her days. Laying by the pool day after day can’t possibly get old, right?

I sent her an email with a few links and advised her to start her research and went on my merry way. When I had a chance to speak to her again a few days later, I asked her how her search was going. She hadn’t checked into any of the leads I had given her because she was nervous about where to start. With that in mind, here are my top tips on getting the ball rolling.

Talk to others

When I was laid off from my most recent office job, my youngest was nine months old. After doing the math, I was convinced I could make a reasonable living without having to pay for daycare and commuting costs. I hooked up with a friend who happened to be a VA and picked her brain for advice; I go to her every once in awhile if any new questions arise. Networking is important whether you work in a traditional office or not.

Do plenty of research

I have noticed that traditional job boards such as Monster and CareerBuilder have increasing numbers of listings for ‘remote’ or virtual positions. In addition to these outlets, there are several freelancer job boards available (check out Guru, oDesk and Elance).  In addition, you can register for email alerts from such non-traditional job boards like Virtual Vocations, among others.

Look into more training

My friend Shilonda Downing (Virtual Work Team, LLC) hosts a daily ‘Lunch and Listen’ interview – an easy way to pick up additional tips and expand your horizons. There are several ‘virtual classrooms’ and training programs out there, including  VirtualClassroom.org,   Slideshare.net (search for ‘virtual assistance’) and AssistU.  Check out The International Virtual Assistants Association’s website for a more thorough listing of online classes and certifications.

photo credit: mpclemens

Try and think of freelancing as selling a product (for example t-shirts) at a flea market versus selling them through a company like the Gap.  If you worked for the Gap everything from the cost to make the t-shirts, the price to sell them for as well as the price to market and advertise is all predetermined by the company.  You basically just complete the transaction of selling the item.  Selling at a flea market, all of the “behind the scenes” determinations mentioned are made by you.  That is essentially the case with freelancing.  Here are 5 Key Things to do in order to get started.

Consider your product - Just because you have the skills to do 10 different things, does not mean you should offer all of those services.  As a freelancer you want to build a reputation for being the best at what you do.  That being said you should realistically evaluate your skills and focus on the ones you execute well.  Down the line if you develop other skills, you can always reassess but starting out go with what you know.

Determine your cost – As a freelancer you are handling each project from soup to nuts so remember that when putting together pricing for your services.  Try to realistically walk through a project from start to finish and estimate how long it will take to complete each step.  Make sure to include everything starting from research to putting together the finished product.  This will give you an idea of how many hours you will likely spend on each project.  Then factor the cost of the materials that you will need to complete the project.  Taking the time spent and cost of materials you can determine the wage you need to charge your clients in order to be profitable.

Market yourself - Once you have your product and prices defined, start thinking about who would benefit from what you are offering.  Think about what you can say to show the benefit of you and your service.  Highlight key things that set you apart from competitors.  For example, maybe you offer work outside of normal business hours.  This could make you more attractive to clients looking for that.

Build your Client List - Research businesses and places that would be a good fit for what you have to offer and put together a list with their contact information.  Expand this list continuously with people you meet a well as friend and family recommendations.  Use this list to call and pitch your services with the hopes of either gaining a new client or securing a lead.

Grow – With freelancing, the objective is to grow.  Grow your skills, grow your client list, and grow your business.  Educate yourself on everything you can in order to make sure that your services stay relevant and your skills match the current times.  If you take the necessary steps to evolve, you can help make sure that your freelancing business has a long and successful future.

photo credit: matsuyuki

Getting a good daily routine as a freelancer can be a complex business. Along with the search for news stories and where to try and sell them, you also have to fight to get published and paid. It’s more time consuming than the actual writing. There are also too many ways to procrastinate whilst you’re online, and seeing as being on the Internet is the only real way to function as a freelance writer, this is a problem. The aimless distraction of your social media pages, along with household duties or even writer’s block, can lower your output to a non-existent point. So how do you rise over this slump and boost your productivity? Follow these five steps for a more productive future.

1. Be Active

The first thing you should try to do is find some places that you can rely on as a steady stream of income. This could be a local newspaper or an online content site such as textbroker. It might not be enough to live on just yet, but anything that will give you some money every month is a step in the right direction and will give you something to build on. You should make sure that you spend at least some time every day working on projects for this income stream if they are available.

Whilst you’re doing this it would be wise to start a blog – head over to wordpress and register. This could be about your writing activities, or it could be based around other hobbies. It is good exposure for your abilities and will link you to the blogging community, so keep it updated and make it interesting.

2. Plan Your Days

Once you’re confident you have a steady stream of websites etc. to contribute to it will be easier to set up a regular schedule for yourself. Buy a planner or even just a notebook so that you can begin to structure your days. Find a place that is comfortable for you to work and set up shop in there. Make sure that you are removing yourself from any major distractions. You should also make a point of having a regular sleep schedule so that you are well-rested and better able to regulate the time that you spend awake.

You will need to get an intelligent rhythm going and think of freelance writing just as you would any job. Set aside certain hours for writing and stick to them. Let people know that you are working during those hours and aren’t free for idle conversation. Focus on your writing and on looking up other possible jobs.

3. Market Yourself

You absolutely have to start a Twitter page! This is an excellent way to advertise your printed articles and connect to a vast community of people. It is brilliant free exposure and allows you to follow potential editors as they tend to have a personal Twitter page.

Whilst you’re at it link your new Twitter account to your Facebook page. Now all of your friends can be updated about what you’ve just had published. And why not go one step further and open a Pinterest account? If you have a camera you can market yourself with creative, humorous pictures. It’s all good, free exposure and would display your fun side.

4. Avoid Distractions

Activity in the street outside, hungry pets, the postman, or your social media pages can all lead you astray from work. How do you overcome this? The only way is to use willpower, train yourself with handy reminders that you should be working. Post-it notes are useful for this, or reminders on your computer screen. You could even set regular alarms on your mobile. When they go off it means you should be working!

5. Make Leisure Time Useful

If you simply can’t resist checking Facebook then go ahead once every hour. And take time out to enjoy a hearty, healthy lunch. Eating foods such as vegetables, fish, chicken, low salt and fat products, as well as limiting your sugar intake, will keep you focused on your writing. Drinking herbal teas (such as mint, nettle or cinnamon) and green tea instead of coffee will also be beneficial for your concentration. The latter brings with it a major comedown, so drink sparingly.

Use your leisure time as inspiration for potential articles. Read newspapers, head out into the local community, or search websites such as Pinterest for those sublime moments that could be the basis for your next story. As a freelance writer you must be aware that everything you see is a potential article! Always carry a notebook and pen with you, be disciplined and, above all else, enjoy your job.

Alex Morris works for Office Kitten in Manchester where he writes and researches about the business world. They can be found on Facebook and Twitter

The key is to set boundaries from the very beginning of your work from home journey.  This not only helps friends and family understand but also helps you to get a rhythm and schedule. Determine your schedule for each day of the week and stick to it. Once you have your set hours be sure to state this to friends and family over and over. Do not say I am working tomorrow. Instead state that tomorrow I am working from 9 AM to 2 PM and I will give you a call when I am finished with work for the day. The more you can state exact hours and exact days the more it will help others understand that you are truly and honestly “working” from home. The more general you are the less likely others are to understand that you have commitments and responsibilities just as if you were driving to an office setting each day.

In order to get others to understand that you are not available you have to commit to not being available. During your work hours keep your cell phone on vibrate and only answer important calls and texts. If you answer every single phone call and always have time to chat with friends and family, they will assume that you always have time for them. Try to refrain from sending or answering personal emails during this time also. The key is for people to not see that you are available during your working hours and just as if you were working in an office setting they will become use to the fact that you are working and are unavailable.

Debbie Echevarria, whose Ventura company Your Business Support specializes in Client Relationship Management, explains, “You need to have a schedule and stick to it.  You treat it like any job; you have to start and end the day as if you would a job away from your home.”  There are additional great tips from Debbie Echevarria and other consulants at examiner.com.

Creating the work from home habits and changes can be hard on you and those around you, creating the routine and habits and living by them will make your life much easier and with less stress in the long run.

photo credit: Will Merydith

If you’ve been freelancing for a while, you then likely understand all the wonderful plusses that come with being your own boss. You get to set your own schedule, you can make more time for the important things in life like being with your family, and you don’t have to sit all day in a cold, soulless office. At the same time, there is something less secure about being on your own, and if you are just getting started freelancing, it is important to know all the ins and outs of some basic financial questions that others deal with through work. Here are some tips.

You’ll have to make it a point to put away a certain percentage of your income every week
When you have a full-time job, it is typical to have a 401k and/or stock options that enable you to save for retirement without even having to think very much about it. As a freelancer, however, planning for the future and saving for retirement is entirely up to you. As such, you’ll have to look into different savings options that are available to you. One that can be difficult is setting aside money from each completed project and putting it in a savings account. Setting a percentage goal, like 10 to 20 percent every month, is the best way to go about this one. An easier option is setting up an individual 401k account, which you can easily do at your local bank. For other basic investment options, check out this Hub Pages article.

Doing taxes when you are self-employed is more complicated
When you are employed full-time, especially if you are just beginning your career, doing your taxes is a relatively painless task that can be completed individually without using a tax service. However, when you are a freelancer, you are eligible for far more deductions which you may not know about. Ideally, it’s best to hire an accountant who specializes in freelancing taxes, but if this is not a possibility, check out this freelance tax FAQ on the Anti 9-to-5 guide.

Do your research before buying health insurance
Getting your own insurance plan can be complicated if you are a freelancer, and there are several health care options available to you. If you recently left a full-time job with benefits, then you are eligible to continue receiving the same coverage through COBRA, a law passed in 1985. Still, most freelancers are unable to afford their employer’s premiums. The other options available to you are buying coverage through a private insurance company, going through your state if you have pre-existing conditions, or checking out group insurance. For more information, check out this All Freelance Writing blog article.

Join freelancing clubs and leagues to get the most up-to-date information
Freelancing can be a lonely world, and it’s easy to make mistakes, both with more practical matters described above as well as with your career. There are many freelancing clubs and unions that you can join so you can get insider information from seasoned freelancers. Some examples include Freelancers Union , Editorial Freelancers Association, and the International Association of Self-Employed Communication Professionals.

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

photo credit: kenteegardin

In February, Google’s Panda update began to rearrange the landscape on the internet.  Boilerplate copy got slapped.  Large percentages of duplicate content, or low quality irrelevant content got punished.  Major websites lost rankings across the board.  Some of them were content farms, some of them were legitimate companies, some of them were even industry leaders.

This is the way that the Panda update was explained on Google’s official blog:

This update is designed to reduce rankings for low-quality sites—sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high-quality sites—sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on.

In other words, when ‘Panda’ is mentioned, it describes Google’s new mandate: provide great quality, well-written, relevant content, or your site will fall in the rankings.

The response was rapid, and sweeping.  SEO’s—whether consultants or internal employees—shifted into a high-gear and began producing original, well-written content on a mass-scale.

A major winner during this shift has been the site Textbroker.  They are not a public company, so I don’t have access to their financials but I would imagine that they have been doing very well during the past six months.  Textbroker has been around for several years now, and when Panda hit they were poised to supply content at volumes and speeds that no one else could match.  Textbroker connects a distributed workforce with clients that are willing to pay by the word.

Suddenly, talented writers were in high demand and various operations sprouted up around the Web to take advantage.  Ideally most folks would prefer to be in a ‘publishing’ position: that is, we would prefer to have a steady income as a contractor ordering, editing and placing content, rather than working as a producer.  But as someone who did time in ‘the saltmines’ working for Textbroker, I can testify that it’s not that bad, and can be a great bridge to other freelance opportunities.   Once you’ve cut your teeth writing textborker articles all day for a little while, you will be more confident when pitching yourself as a writer or ‘content manager’ to web-firms and other freelance job prospects.

Textbroker uses a rating system for its price structure so that clients can choose the quality of the writer they’d like and pay accordingly. Similarly, writers can write specifically to the client’s needs and not have to spend extra time and energy on a piece that does not necessarily warrant it. The highest quality articles go for .067 USD per word, making an average 500-word article worth about $33.

The writer who can secure four or five of these assignments a day could be making a decent amount of money, but more often than not, opportunities will hover around the $.016 – $.022 range. Few people will get rich writing through Textbroker, but the astute scribe can fetch a handsome sum through hard work and a bit of luck!

It took me a few weeks to start getting a steady flow of 5-star articles in my queue when I was writing for Textbroker, but as soon as I got into a rhythm and developed a few key relationships, I got up to a speed where I was able to make $500 or $600 dollars a week working for Textbroker.  Not a princely sum, but it was enough for me to clear my bills at the end of the month and have some cash left over for recreation.

Getting into the flow involved doing a lot of research—obviously I was researching the articles that I was writing.  During this research I began to scent other opportunities, and within a few months I was starting freelance for some web firms in town who paid me real money, for less labor, on a regular schedule.  I am happy that Textbroker is now just a sideline that nets me some extra-cash, but there are some things that I miss about my time in the trenches.

Some of the advantages of working with Textbroker are a completely independent schedule, some mental exercise, a chance to use your writing skills, and of course the opportunity to make some extra money. Clients are often a pleasure to work with, though there are a few oddball requests that come over the transom. Writers who perform well enough and consistently enough may get approached by clients for a more lucrative “direct order”.

There are, of course, some pitfalls as well. Compared to other services, Textbroker generally pays lower and the work might not satisfy a writer’s muse. In this type of writing, words are a liquid commodity, but only as long as they serve a client’s needs. Most people I know who got tired of Textbroker were those who felt like their words were somehow reduced from “Art” to “product.” You can certainly be creative, but you’ll have to find another venue to write your “Great American Play.”

All said, Textbroker is a great way to make money during a shortfall, but it will not serve as a career. The best way to look at the service is as a paid internship where you’re paid for as much usable work as you turn out. When you feel you’re getting burned out on Textbroker, you may want to contact a resume service to prepare a curriculum vitae that highlights your strong writing skills, and then start shopping that CV around as you search for higher-paying writing opportunities.

Finding regular employment these days can be a difficult endeavor, but at least you’ll have some cash flow in the meantime.

Thomas Stone is a content-manager and a contributing author at Technected.

photo credit: kteneyck

Increasingly, finding a job has more to do with personal marketing and networking than filling an area of need in a company. If an applicant can show that they will bring something measurable and relevant to a company, they stand a good chance of finding work. Using a resume service can help an applicant properly format their resume, make it visually appealing, and focus its contents on a specific field or company, thereby increasing its effectiveness.

Lately, however, many of the availabloe positions end up being contracting or freelancing jobs, ones that offer less long-term stability but more flexibility than traditional positions. Here are five key reasons that freelancing is becoming more popular in the workforce.

1. An Increase in Available Freelancing Work

With the current state of the economy, many businesses find it more cost-effective to hire freelancers to perform specific jobs than bring someone on staff and try to find permanent tasks for them to perform. This freelance option allows them to spend less money providing benefits packages, paying taxes and training employees. Technology has also allowed many businesses to hire freelancers by increasing the visibility of the positions they offer and ensuring they don’t have to hire someone locally. Freelancers can easily take advantage of the wealth of available work by doing a simple web search for freelancing or contractor work in their field.

2. Less On-the-Job Stress

Because freelancers set their own routines, choose their own clients and often don’t have to work in a traditional office setting, the amount of stress they experience from “normal” job worries is reduced. They aren’t required to sit through daily meetings or worry about getting to work late. Also, it’s difficult to be interrupted by a boss when there isn’t one around. Though certain types of stress are reduced, others can easily take their place. Freelancers don’t typically have steady paychecks and must take full control of their finances if they want to be successful.

3. Workplace Flexibility

Most freelancing jobs allow for immense freedom when it comes to choosing a workplace. Freelancers often work from home, where they will have no commute and don’t need to worry about being dressed a certain way or forgetting to bring an important document. Coffee shops and libraries are also popular choices for freelancers, because they provide free Wi-Fi, a fairly quiet atmosphere and enough activity to provide stimulation, if desired. Many entrepreneurs and freelancers are turning to co-working workspaces, where they can rent desk space that includes internet and other traditional office amenities. Co-working also allows them to network with people in other fields who are also renting workspace.

4. Scheduling Freedom

One of the biggest draws toward freelancing work today is the flexibility it provides for working hours. Clients will provide information on the work they desire, including deadlines, and it’s up to the contractor to complete it in the time allotted. This is a major benefit for people who don’t like getting up in the morning or are more productive at night. It also allows freelancers to take trips, business or personal, and continue working, meaning they won’t have to worry about not making any money during vacations or conferences. Writers, especially, can take advantage of this by writing during flights or while waiting at the airport. Those who require use of the internet should be able to find flights that offer Wi-Fi and take advantage of free Wi-Fi at hotels or restaurants at their destination.

5. Job Choice

The freedom and flexibility of freelancing extends to choosing which jobs to take and which to refuse. Unless a freelancer is desperate for work, they can afford to be choosy and only take on jobs that they find interesting. They can also choose to develop a wider skillset by branching out into different aspects of their field. For instance, someone who normally writes blog articles could start picking up a job writing copy for a corporate website or performing technical writing for a software company.

With an increasingly large amount of freelance positions available, many people are turning to the freelance working culture to reduce their job-related stress and allow them more freedom when it comes to where, when and for whom to work. Marketing themselves properly, whether by actively engaging in social media or perfecting their resume, is one of the best ways they can increase their visibility and find the types of jobs that will make them happy.

Thomas Stone is a content author for SmallBox Web Design, an Indianapolis Internet Marketing Company.

photo credit: me and the sysop

Some friends of mine over at Policy Expert in the UK sent me this infographic and I just had to share it. It lays out in one page a huge amount of information you would want to know about becoming a freelancer. I recommend that anyone interested in this profession giving it a good read, and passing it on to anyone else who might be interested, or asks you questions about being a freelancer:

The Guide to Becoming a Freelancer Infographic

photo credit: bm.iphone