Digitalization opens up doors of opportunities for freelancers. Be it web development, content writing, SEO, Data entry, teaching, graphic designing, or any other services, freelancing opportunities are growing rapidly.
Freedom of working hours, work-life balance, and earning potential are some of the benefits that freelancers enjoy but at the same time, there are some common mistakes that every freelancer makes to derail their success.
Though committing mistakes is ok, when you are setting your freelance journey, understanding how to tackle these hurdles and steer clear of typical errors can contribute to the sustainability of your position.
So, if you are a freelancer or you are going to be one, read this article highlighting some of the common mistakes new freelancers make.
Common Mistakes New Freelancers Make and How to Avoid Them
Without a traditional employer-employee structure, freelancers must be their own managers but some common lapses can hinder success and lead to failure. But by recognizing these mistakes and taking proactive steps to avoid them, freelancers can set themselves up for long-term success and build a thriving business. Explore some of the most common mistakes freelancers make and provide practical tips on how to avoid them.
Applying For Every Job
Newbies are usually very excited to start their freelancing journey and so they apply to every freelancing work that comes in front of their eyes. In this haste, people often forget to even read the job description and project T&C. This may lead you to sacrifice some really good projects just because you selected a few quick ones before and now you have no time.
To escape from such a situation, all the new freelancers are suggested to go through the reviews first of all. This helps you understand the type of project, payment assurance, and whether it is truly worthwhile. It is highly recommended to read the job description carefully and then take a call. Sometimes it also happens that a tempting project is paying you well but you can’t reflect it in your portfolio.
Not Meeting The Deadlines
No matter how much effort you put into your work, punctuality is a must. If you consistently miss your deadlines, gradually you may lose your clients. It is ok sometimes but clients will not always tolerate delays in the completion of work. This is because clients also have to follow a trail of work.
To avoid this mistake, the key is to plan your schedule in advance and strictly stick to it. Avoid taking extra work, if you are already having enough work in hand. In case, the money is quite appealing, you may ask for an extension of deadlines but be clear with your words to avoid any misunderstanding later on. While you make a plan, consider external and uncontrollable factors that being said, you may fall sick. So take a day or two as a buffer.
Missing Freelancing Contract
Working without a contract leaves space for misunderstandings and deliberate avoidance. Mentioning everything in black and white is always a safe move. Decide and write everything on a piece of paper e.g. how much you will be paid, client expectations, and your terms, etc.
Doing this, you will realize that you save a lot of productive working hours and unforeseen costs. Hence it is always wise to draft a contract beforehand. Nowadays, the internet is full of detailed contract templates, which are legitimate enough. You may use these templates free of cost.
Inadequate Planning
Freelancers, especially the new ones, often work aimlessly. They just take up any job without setting clear goals, work rates, and boundaries. Lack of proper planning may end up in you doing more work and less pay. This is because in the absence of planning you will not be able to plan your working hours efficiently and focus on premium projects.
To get over this, the best thing you can do is set a business plan and explain the same to potential clients you work with. Along with that, make yourself and your clients clear about the payment terms. All in all, set clear work boundaries between you and your clients.
Ineffective Communication
No matter how well you plan, it all goes in vain, if you fail to communicate the same effectively to your clients. Never set false expectations for your clients just to engage in the work. If you have any questions, do not hesitate. Do not feel complex just because you are a beginner in the field. Get a clear understanding of the project scope and what expectations your client keeps with you.
To enable effective communication, make sure you listen actively, and confirm twice before initiating any step based on assumptions.
Insufficient Self-Care
Sometimes newbies are over-excited and pour over-dedication into their work, which is good, but this will not work in the long run. Always keep in mind that self-care is a must. Avoiding your choices and preferences in freelancing work will result in frustration rather than achieving desired success.
So, if you want to pursue freelancing in the long run, and focus on quality work rather than quantifying work, practicing self-care is a must. By self-care, we mean taking regular breaks while you are working, do not exhaust yourself just to earn some extra penny because health is more important than wealth.
However it is ok to work hard overnight on special and important projects but if you make it a routine, you can’t stay in the freelancing work race for long. The best you can do is, prepare a schedule wherein you add work, sleep, food, personal time, and sometimes for your passion as well. Pause for a while when you are working, and try to keep a happy work-life balance.
Lack of Continuous Learning
Usually, it is seen in the freelancing sector that people stop learning over some time. This might be because they are already earning well using the skill set they have. However, staying up-to-date with industry trends or skills is very important for your future endeavours. The world is getting better with every passing day and if you don’t update yourself to keep pace with the rest of the world, you will be left behind.
Kindly invest in yourself before you invest for yourself. Investing in professional development and skill sets is the best investment because you will get never-ending returns. To update your knowledge, skills, and professional practices, you should attend regular seminars, indulge in online courses, be part of conferences and stay updated with industry blogs. This could be the best way to stay updated.
Inadequate Financial Management
Freelancers often do not prioritize their finances because they are earning from multiple projects. Due to receiving revenue from multiple clients, managing finance could be difficult but it is important. Freelancers should keep track of their income and expenses so that they can better plan their future growth. Also, good financial management helps them better plan for taxes and benefits.
For effective financial management, there are a lot of resources available online as well as offline. You should invest in accounting or invoicing software tools to track expenses, savings, and income, ensuring long-term financial stability
Conclusion
People are ditching up regular 9 to 5 jobs and looking for a flexible working environment, as freelancing is the future. However, if you are a newbie, there are some unavoidable mistakes.
Going in armed with the information you need to avoid these common pitfalls will help you reduce some of that stress, and set yourself up for success. Remember, freelancing is a journey, and it’s okay to make mistakes – how you learn and grow from them matters!
