The reliance on contingent workers by businesses of all shapes and sizes has grown substantially over the past several years, leading to a rise in freelancing among professionals from all types of industry sectors.
Indeed, the way many people choose to work today is changing, thanks in part to the proliferation of new technology, changing business demands, growing specialisation and new expectations around work flexibility. So it should come as little surprise that an increasing number of skilled professionals are viewing freelancing as a viable option for ongoing work.
For businesses, the ready availability of professional freelancers means they can immediately tap into additional skills or capacity they may not have the resources to keep internally on a full-time basis.
The acceptance and growing desirability of this new way of working is evident in the number of large enterprises getting work done via online freelancing marketplaces. For example, more than 70 percent of Fortune 500 companies now use Freelancer.com to get work done.
This is great news for skilled professionals who decide to work in a more flexible way by freelancing online. Here are some ways freelancers can make the most of their decision to freelance and win more work with potential employers:
1) Show you know the job
Make it easy for potential clients to choose you for the job by showing that you actually understand what they are after. Unique projects need unique proposals. So, when pitching for a job, freelancers should take the time to work out precisely what the employer wants and tailor your response accordingly.
2) Polish your pitch
When it comes time to pitch for a job, it should not be a one-size-fits all approach. Freelancers should take the time to craft a personalised submission that speaks directly to the needs and requirements of the potential client, establishes credibility by demonstrated past successes and shows an innate understanding of the skills field within which the job sits
3) Display your talent
Freelancers are often judged on the strength of their existing body of work. Creating a strong and complete online freelancingprofile with an easily accessible showcase of existing work is an essential factor in winning over potential clients. Additionally, a prominent history of positive reviews and ratings by previous employers can encourage potential clients to hire a particular freelancer.
4) Know your market
One of the best ways to build up a strong freelancing practice is to branch out into other areas that may overlap with an existing skill-set. Doing some research to work out precisely what it is that clients in particular segments of the market are looking for can greatly improve the chances of a bid hitting the spot.
5) Build new skills
Strategic upskilling can be another effective and targeted way to branch out into different areas that may be underserviced and improve the chances of winning new work with new clients. A good way to begin this process is to look at new skills that may be tangentially related to an existing skill-set and area of work.
Leon Spencer is Director of Communications at Freelancer.com, the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplaces by total number of users and jobs posted.
