With the Pandemic and everything going on, I noticed that there are quite a lot of people who turn to online jobs to try their hand at freelancing. I am what you would normally call a “silent reader”; I’m part of some freelancing groups on Facebook—most of the time reading some entries but would seldom respond or post things myself. As a responsible citizen of the freelance community, I would like to change that in my own little way by being active and starting something like a blog series on freelancing.

I don’t proclaim to be an expert in the digital freelancing sphere, nor do I claim authority on being a master over anything. However, being in it for over ten years made me see several kinds of ups and downs that could hit you. That would take forever to discuss, so as the first entry for this digital freelancing series, let’s begin with discussing some newbie queries. I can’t answer everything; but I hope this entry can help even a little bit.

Where should I apply?

There are several digital freelance platforms available over the internet; Upwork, Freelancer, Rarejob, Fiverr —- literally a lot. However, not everything fits your profile. I would suggest you do 2 things when you scout for a potential platform to offer your freelance work; business model review and scam check.

When you do a business model review, you basically investigate the platform; what do they do, who are their clients, and how does the platform work. Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr offer their clients the chance to post whatever job they need, and freelancers can search for the jobs that fit their skills. Rarejob on the other hand, offers exclusive English teaching services. You would want to look for a site where you can showcase your skills and expertise. If you feel you will work well as an English teacher, then you may want to try with Rarejob. On the other hand, if you have other skills—- maybe as a Virtual Assistant, a Business Consultant, or a Website Developer, you may want to go to platforms that cater these like Upwork.

The second part of your investigation would be to do a scam check. The World Wide Web is the epitomy of all things that could go wrong (although it is also our salvation for things to go right.) Scam is everywhere; so make sure you do a thorough review and investigation of the platform you intend to work with. There was a platform which was selling itself as an online English teaching service platform for freelancers. But when I did an investigation, it turns out it doesn’t have a very nice feedback from female freelancers, as some “students” are using it as an opportunity to virtually harass female teachers. That, and salary always come in late (we NEVER want that!) I don’t think that would be a good start for anybody’s online journey. So make sure you review!!!!

My Application keeps on getting rejected. What should I do?

If your application is rejected, then revise and resend. Chances are, there are a few terms and skills that are not fit for the platform you are applying to. You may want to work on either acquiring such skills, or perhaps editing your cover letter and application to make sure it is acceptable. Online Freelancing Platforms definitely wants you; but it has a set of standards that it adheres to. Why don’t you try ready about the platform again, understand its principles and needs, then edit your application to cater to these needs (without overselling yourself!) then apply again? Don’t be discouraged when you receive rejection. You lost nothing; instead, you gained an opportunity to have someone with authority to basically review your profile and point out what is wrong or what you are lacking, so use it as an opportunity to fix it accordingly.

It’s taking forever to get a job.

I know. It’s discouraging when you keep on getting rejections after rejections after rejections. But be patient. Remember your first hurdle when you were applying and you keep getting rejected? The same principle applies. There must be something you need to change. Maybe you can work on improving your portfolio or creating a more catchy cover letter. But be patient; it could take months to get your first job. But that doesn’t mean you are not worth it; maybe the right one isn’t out there for you. Remember that there are thousand other people vying for the project as you do. Competition is fierce, and your best may be someone’s “good”, but that doesn’t mean you are bad. Instead of losing hope, keep on trying for more, and you will definitely get there.

What should I offer?

This is something that you should already have in your portfolio and CV even before you think about creating an account for freelancing. Granted that there are people who are jack of all trades, and that could be a good thing; you can do anything. There are clients who would prefer getting for just one person who can manage their day to day business needs. This way, there would be no need for them to go back and forth with several people just to get things done.

Or you could focus on one thing. From my experience, I always bid on the premise that a particular skill they need is my area of expertise. That means I can work more efficiently, more accurately, and deliver a higher quality deliverable as a niche expert. I always use this as my selling point in trying to win a bid. Most of the time, a client doesn’t need a full package; they would hire you for a specific task, so they would choose someone for that specific task instead.

How much should I bid as a newbie?

Now, this part could be subjective. In all honesty, why would you want to offer your services in a barely there rate? But as a person working in a digital platform, you should consider your credibility. In this digital business world, credibility is everything, and to do that, you need to create a proper portfolio to show your clients. You may want to start small first for the sake of gaining good reviews and feedback, ensuring that people know who you are, and you have something to show the world. That way, you would be able to offer a more reasonable price and haggle your way through with the proper files, reviews, and sample works to show as proof.

I’m pretty sure you’ve got a thousand more questions. Why don’t we discuss? Let me know your thoughts, you can email me at joana@jccrservices.com, or just message me here at any time, and I’ll try to respond as much as I can!

Welcome to the online business world, and happy job hunting!

Love,

Joana