How to Become a Freelancer: A Guide for Beginners

With a worldwide shift to remote working and more importance being placed on a good work-life balance, freelancing is more popular than ever. In fact, World Bank data shows that nearly 47% of workers around the world are now freelancers!

So, whether you want to break away from a traditional nine-to-five job, or simply make some extra income on the side, freelancing could be the answer. 

But what exactly does freelancing involve? And how can you get started? In this guide, we’ll explain:

• What freelancing is – including the fascinating origin of the term
• The benefits and drawbacks of freelance life
• How freelancing works
• How you can begin your own freelancing journey

Read on to discover everything you need to know about becoming a freelancer.

The Origin of the Word Freelance

Have you ever wondered where the term freelance comes from? A popular theory is that it was first used by Sir Walter Scott in his 1819 novel Ivanhoe. But historical evidence suggests the term appeared even earlier, in an 1809 text called The Life and Times of Hugh Miller.

Originally, freelance (or free lance) referred to medieval mercenaries whose lances were free to be hired by anyone who could afford them. Over time, people began using freelance to describe those who were not bound by a single employer – first for politicians without party affiliation, and later for journalists selling articles to various publications. Today, the term refers to anyone who sets their own schedule, negotiates their own contracts, and essentially hires out their skills to different clients on a flexible basis.

From an etymological perspective, free is derived from a Germanic word meaning to love, and lance from the French lancer, meaning to launch or to start an activity involving many people. 

The Google Ngram Viewer indicates that the term originally appeared as two separate words (free lance) in the early 1800s, was hyphenated (free-lance) by the 1920s, and had merged into one word (freelance) by the 1970s.

What Is Freelancing?

Freelancing is a form of self-employed work. A freelancer is someone who provides a service for a client on a flexible, contractual basis. As a freelancer, you’re not a full-time employee for a single company. Instead, you act as your own boss, choosing the projects you work on and setting your own rates and schedule.

Freelancers usually work independently on short-term projects with a defined scope. They can work with any number of clients simultaneously, and their commitment to their client only lasts until their contract is completed (although freelancers who impress their clients will often secure repeat work).

Freelancers can work in a variety of areas, including:

• Administrative assistance 
• Web development
• Graphic design
• Marketing
• Photography
• Illustration
• Content writing and copywriting
• Proofreading and editing
• Translation 
• Accounting and bookkeeping

Freelance work tends to be short term, with freelancers looking for new clients once they have completed a particular task. However, longer-term projects may be available depending on the specific industry. 

Freelancers may work from home, while traveling, or at shared coworking spaces. Some work full time, while others view freelancing as a side hustle alongside their regular job. It’s this flexibility and autonomy that makes freelancing an appealing choice for many people, including students, parents, travelers, and retirees.

How Does Freelancing Work?

Here’s a basic overview of how freelancing typically works:

1. Identify your niche and build your skillset: Your niche can be anything from writing and editing to coding, design, or bookkeeping.
2. Market yourself: Many freelancers set up a website or portfolio, join social media groups or online communities, sign up for freelance marketplaces, or cold email potential clients.
3. Negotiate a rate: You get to decide how much you’ll be paid based on your skill level and how much work you’ll need to do. How you decide to charge for your services is up to you. You could charge a flat fee, per hour, per task, per project, etc.
4. Set a deadline and complete the job: You and your client will need to agree on when the work needs to be completed. Then, organize yourself so you can finish the job on time. You must be able to meet deadlines and know how to manage situations when a deadline is missed.
5. Collect your payment: Once the job has been completed, you collect the money you’re owed. There are several ways to collect payment, although online payment tools are the easiest. You’ll also need to complete admin tasks, like managing your taxes.

Some freelancers like to juggle multiple clients and projects at once, while others prefer to focus on one client at a time. The beauty of freelancing is that you have the freedom to structure your workload in the way that suits you best.

What Are the Benefits of Freelancing?

One of the biggest benefits of being a freelancer is mentioned right there in the name. It involves the feeling of being free – there’s a lot of freedom associated with freelancing. Here are some of the other benefits:

A Flexible Schedule

Many freelancers cite the ability to set their own hours as a top benefit of moving away from traditional employment. As long as you finish your work on time, you can choose when and how long you work each day. You can also work when you’re most productive, rather than being tied to a set schedule. Plus, it’s much easier to make time for friends, family, hobbies, and other work opportunities – freelancing is ideal for anyone seeking a better work-life balance.

Work from Anywhere

According to data from Payoneer, more than 8 out of 10 freelancers work from home. As a freelancer, you’re not tied to a single office or location. You’re free to work from wherever you want – you could even travel the world while you work!

Freedom of Choice

With traditional forms of employment, you generally have to do what your boss tells you to do. As a freelancer, you get to decide exactly who you work with. If a client is difficult to deal with, you can choose not to work with them again.

You also get to decide exactly what type of projects you’ll take on. Your services can be as specialized or as general as you want. This freedom allows you to work on gaining new skills or strengthening the ones you feel are the most valuable.

Set Your Own Rates

Because you can set your rates, you have greater control over how much money you can make as a freelancer. You’re not limited to the set salary an employer will pay you. Instead, you can make sure you are paid what you deserve and what your abilities are worth.

There’s no need to wait for performance reviews or periodical raises. If you feel the quality of your work has improved, or if you have undergone additional training, you can adjust what you charge to reflect your enhanced skills.

Potential to Save Money

Working from home can save you money on travel, meals, and other daily expenses. You also have control over how and when you invest in things like new equipment and further education. 

What Are the Drawbacks of Freelancing?

While freelancing has plenty of perks, it’s not for everyone. There are also a lot of responsibilities associated with freelancing. Here are some things to be aware of when considering if freelancing is right for you:

Irregular Income

Freelancers need to constantly search for new clients, and freelance work can fluctuate from month to month. One week might bring more work than you can handle, while another might yield very few opportunities. This means your income isn’t always stable, and some freelancers need additional jobs or savings to ensure financial security.

Job Security

You also need to ensure that you’re staying current in your chosen profession. You won’t have an employer to offer you training, so if your skills need updating, you must take care of that yourself. Freelancing is competitive, and staying up to date is essential if you want to keep up with – or even secure an advantage over – your competitors. 

Administrative Responsibilities

Freelancers are responsible for tracking their income, paying taxes, and handling expenses such as health insurance. You’ll need to put money into savings for things like taxes, emergencies, and other expenses. 

You’ll also be solely responsible for making sure you get paid properly. Some clients might pay late (or in rare cases, refuse to pay altogether), so you must handle invoicing and follow-ups yourself.

Lack of Benefits

Freelancers don’t have employers who will pay for health insurance, retirement savings, sick days, or vacations. You’ll need to organize all of this yourself or pay someone to help you.

Feelings of Isolation

Some people thrive around other people, and venturing out to the same workplace at a given time every week provides a set routine and social opportunities. It can be uplifting to chat with coworkers and be mentored by experienced employers.

Working alone can make you feel isolated. If you’re not a self-motivated person, you might have difficulty freelancing. Being able to work from anywhere is great, but it also requires you to be more active in finding people to network or socialize with. Common ways to combat loneliness include using a coworking space and joining an online freelance community.

How to Become a Freelancer

If you like the idea of calling the shots in your career, becoming a freelancer could be the perfect move. Here are the key steps to get started:

1. Consider Your Reasons for Freelancing

Before jumping in, think about your motivation. 

Are you planning to work while you travel? Do you want a more flexible schedule? Will you carry on with your current job part time, or are you looking to change careers completely?

Understanding your goals will help you chart the right path and choose an industry or niche that fits your ambitions.

2. Review Your Skills and Experience

It’s possible to start freelancing with little to no experience, but you’ll still want to take stock of your current skills and background and think about how they can help you pursue the freelance lifestyle.

Identify your soft skills, then think about the more specific skills, qualifications, or experience you possess. This is for two reasons:

• It will help you identify any skill gaps
• It can help narrow down the potential industry you work in

For example, if you have a degree in English, this would be a benefit if you planned to start a freelance proofreading business.

In summary, identify any skill gaps you might need to fill and think about how your strengths might help you stand out.

3. Research Potential Freelance Careers

You may already have an idea of the type of freelance career you’d like to pursue. If this is the case, research that career by:

• Identifying financial details such as potential earnings and startup costs
• Looking up the entry requirements for the industry (e.g., do you need a specific qualification?)
• Reviewing job postings
• Contacting freelance professionals in the same line of work

If you’re not sure what industry you would like to work in, use the skills and experience you identified above to help narrow down your options. 

4. Take Additional Training

You should now have a list of your current skills, and an idea of the skill set your chosen freelance career requires. If there are any noticeable gaps, you should be able to fill these by undergoing additional training in the form of:

• Online courses
• Registered qualifications
• Training materials such as books and videos
• Internship or mentorship programs

5. Set SMART Goals

If you’ve identified your reasons for becoming a freelancer, what industry you want to specialize in, and what training you need to take to do so, it’s time to set some concrete goals.

SMART goals are goals that are:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound

In the context of becoming a freelancer, your goals might relate to how much work experience you plan on gaining, how much you intend to be earning by a certain date, or when you intend to move to freelancing full time.

6. Update Your Resume

A freelance resume might be slightly different from a more traditional resume, particularly if you don’t yet have much experience. Consider building a skills-based resume that highlights your skills, or a combination resume that includes any relevant experience, including volunteer work or tasks you have performed in other roles.

If you’ve already undertaken some training in preparation for your freelance career, make sure this is included too.

And don’t forget to make it clear that you’re looking for freelance work. You might put the word freelance somewhere in your job title (e.g., Freelance Graphic Designer) or include it in your personal statement.

7. Network and Market Yourself

Finally, it’s time to start finding clients. Working freelance means it’s up to you to find work, but luckily networking and marketing can make this easier.

Get started by:

• Joining social media groups, forums, or professional societies in your industry or niche
• Connecting with other freelancers for support and recommendations
• Using freelance marketplaces to pitch your services
• Cold emailing potential clients 
• Setting up a simple professional website to showcase your portfolio and testimonials

Building a strong network and professional presence increases your chances of finding and retaining clients, helping you establish a stable, rewarding freelance career.

Becoming A Freelancer

By now, you should have a good understanding of what freelancing is, how it works, and how to get started. If you’re eager to begin, we have great news: Knowadays offers CPD-accredited online courses designed to help you master the skills you need for a new freelance career, whether you’re interested in proofreading, editing, content writing, or copywriting.

Or, check out our Becoming A Freelancer course, which is the ultimate step-by-step guide to freelancing for beginners.

Get started by trying some free lessons today!

Updated on March 25, 2025

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