FIELD ENGINEER
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Freelance
by
Syed Ali
|
August 1, 2019
Working as a freelancer can be a challenging and rewarding career in itself, but it can also be a great way to supplement your income and develop new skills. The tech industry, in particular, offers rewarding career development for individuals who choose to work on a freelance basis.
With constant advancements in the industry and the on-going need for IT maintenance and engineering support, freelance technicians and engineers have never been so in demand. For IT professionals who want to strike out on their own or launch their own business, the gig economy is providing ample opportunities for profitable freelancing.
Whilst people used to view freelancing as a way of making ends meet, the gig economy has changed the way we view subcontractors. Instead of being utilized as a way of earning some extra cash, freelancing is now a valid and viable career choice, with many successful entrepreneurs and business owners launching their own careers via freelancing.
Now the founder and CEO of Kiip, Brian Wong, kick-started his tech and gaming career by working as a freelancer, whilst app designer Sahil Lavingia gained crucial experience by working with numerous well-known brands as a freelancer. Similarly, web designer, Alex Mangini, and thesis framework designer, Chris Pearson, cut their teeth as freelancers before launching their own products on the market.
With many profitable freelancing tech professionals, it’s easy to see why it’s become such a popular career choice for aspiring entrepreneurs and engineers.
Although freelancing can be a great way to develop your skills and gain experience working with a range of clients, you’ll want to ensure you make a decent income while you’re operating as a subcontractor. Profitable freelancing is certainly possible, but you need to approach your freelance role in the right way in order to make money. Providing you do so, your freelancing career could actually be more rewarding than a full-time permanent position in the industry.
If you want to know how to make money freelancing and how you can build your career from the get-go, take a look at our top tips…
When you’re starting out as a freelancer, it can be tempting to undervalue your time and expertise in a bid to gain clients. However, pricing your services too low could make clients wary of hiring you, which could actually lead to a reduction in work. In addition to this, working for a minimal sum is unlikely to give you the income you need in order to pay your bills, which could lead to financial difficulties. Furthermore, working for less than the market value quickly becomes demoralizing and demotivating, which could have a negative impact on the quality of your work. Price your time and your services fairly, and ensure your pricing strategy is in keeping with your experience, expertise and on a par with other freelance professionals.
Clients are often willing to pay higher rates for specialist knowledge and skills, so take advantage of emerging tech and choose to specialize in a particular area. With in-depth knowledge of a niche area, you can corner the market and earn significantly above average as a freelance technician or engineer. Businesses are aware that technology has turned into a battleground for top talent and they’re willing to pay for it.
If you’re an IT freelancer, your core business may be setting up hardware, devising cybersecurity strategies or providing IT maintenance, but working for yourself means you’ll have other tasks too. As a subcontractor, you could spend an inordinate amount of time discussing projects with prospective clients and chasing invoices, neither of which will be billable.
By using an established platform, such as a Field Engineer, you can streamline your processes and focus on your core business functions instead. With a dedicated platform designed to manage everything, from project bids, job progress, and handling payment, you can spend your time on profitable freelancing work, rather than focusing on day-to-day business management tasks.
With this support in place, your working hours will be spent increasing your earnings and profits, rather than undertaking admin or accounting. As a result, you’ll find your income could increase, whilst your working hours are minimized!
For some workers, adapting to a freelance working style can be daunting. If you’re regularly working with different clients, for example, you may miss the familiarity of having your own team and regular colleagues. By joining an established freelance community, however, you can collaborate with other subcontractors, share industry news and learn from your peers.
To learn more about developing a profitable freelancing career, sign up with Field Engineer for free!
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