I’m Living My Freelance Writing Dream
You don’t need any fancy tools to land your first client.
My Experience
Just three months ago, I was a broke polytechnic student living an average student life. I didn’t know Medium exist, and I didn’t even know freelance exists.
Fast-forward to three months later in June, and I’ve made a name for myself in the online world. I’m proud to call myself a blogger and freelance writer. During this past month, I’ve been applying to internships and freelance jobs like crazy. To date, I’ve applied to a total of 30 jobs, and I have a response rate of 13.3%, which is four responses, which is not too bad considering I don’t have a writing portfolio.
Contrary to popular belief, there’s no secret formula to the perfect pitch. What I find works for me is simply being authentic, stating what you can do, and being confident of doing. I’m honest when I pitch to clients that I’m not a freelancer with years of experience, I’m merely a newbie freelancer, but I will do my best to serve their business. I know nothing about SEO, content marketing, or any marketing strategies, yet, clients want to work with me.
Don’t over-promise just to get that dream job. The client will see you through; it’s just a matter of time.
Out of the 30 jobs I’ve applied for, I scored interviews for a resume writer position and a Digital Marketing Internship. One out of the other two responses I received, I have successfully become a content writer for a hair blog. And for the last reply, the employer sent a request for my full resume.
Based on my experience, employers who are interested are most likely to get back to you within 2 to 3 days, even if they didn’t state a response time frame, it’s an unspoken rule. If you’ve waited for more than 5 days, chances are, they’ve rejected you without you knowing. When this happens, I would suggest that you continue applying for more jobs, and eventually, you’ll be able to get at least one offer.
Content Mills Actually Work
I’ve been using Fiverr for three months now, and it was surprising to get three clients, with two being re-curring work. I tried applying for Upwork, but I’ve failed 10 times so I gave up. Although 5 USD for a 1000-word article is definitely not what I should be starting with as a newbie freelancer, but I’ve decided to sacrifice my earnings for experience and to build up a portfolio. With a writing portfolio to showcase, I’m confident of getting higher-paying clients in the future. But for now, low-paying jobs work well for me, taking one step at a time in my writing career.
Are Online Courses Worth Your Time?
Yes, they’re worth investing your time in.
I find taking online courses and getting certifications a great way to showcase in your resume; it shows that you’re willing to learn and pick up new skills, which’s something valuable to employers. One thing to note, please do your research on the credibility and recognition of the online course you intend to take. Coursera and Edx are great places to start. I didn’t do my research before enrolling in a blogging course at Shaw Academy, only to realize it’s not Singapore-recognized. But a “Diploma in Blogging” always sounds better than a certificate in blogging, right?
As a broke student, I didn’t enroll in any writing masterclasses by famous bloggers like Jorden Roper, Elna Cain, Tom Kuegler, and others. As much as I want to enroll in those courses, and start my freelance business, or making it big on Medium, I’m a student who can’t afford those courses. Instead, every day I read one or two blog posts on how freelancers can find gigs, tips, and tricks on freelance writing. I mean, blog posts are free-of-charge right, why not use them to your advantage?
You Don’t Need Fancy Tools to Land Your First Client
I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to empty your pockets and burn a hole in them for those writing masterclasses. Yes, you might be able to save some time and effort in exchange for what you’ve paid for, but I find that everyone operates differently, and there’s no cut and paste method when it comes to freelancing. What works for them didn’t work for me, and it might not work for you too.
Learning and equipping yourself with the knowledge of freelancing might seems like a lot of work; it is a lot of work, but I enjoy exploring things on my own. I love to create my unique journey in everything I do because I believe there should be no spoilers in life.
You don’t need any fancy tools to help you land that first freelance gig or high-paying client. Take the time to explore the world of freelancing, and figure out what works best for you. Armed with determination and perseverance, you’ll land your first gig in no time.
