This post was most recently updated on May 31st, 2022

[A collaboration post – all thoughts are my own.]

Skills Every Freelancer Must Have to Succeed

We live where technology allows us to change the way we look at our careers and break boundaries in our professional lives. For many people, work no longer means a traditional 9 to 5 job or an office job. As a freelancer, you get the freedom to choose the flexibility work at your comfort and time. However, you need to know the skills every freelancer must have because being a freelancer comes at the cost of uncertainty.

Most people use their freelance skills working at home while some choose to become traveling freelancers, working whenever and wherever they want. No matter where we work, it’s important for us to improve the skills we have by staying up to date with trends and focusing on our freelancer careers.

Let’s see which skills every freelancer must have in order to become a successful freelancer.

Good Time Management

Honestly, I’m still working on my time management skill. It’s really not easy to be a freelancer because work comes in unpredictable spurts. Being able to go from zero to 3 translation projects in a month is good. And when multiple projects all have tight deadlines, I definitely need to learn the secret of effective time management.

If you’re freelancing, you must know that there’s no official beginning or end to the workday and not much separation between work and personal life. We have to be smart enough to set up clear boundaries and shut things off, walk away, and get back to the business of living.

To manage your time, you should address your priorities. For example, if my priority is finding a new subtitling project, I put time aside for it and work on that. If you are a beginner freelancer, then you need to build your portfolio by developing your skills and working on samples.

Money Management

As you know, being a freelancer means that your income won’t be always the same every month. There will be a month when you received less income than other months. You will need to learn how to budget, save money, and spend wisely.

Good Communication Skills

One of the skills every freelancer must have is good communication skills. This means knowing how to write a clear email, respond quickly to messages, and keep track of deadlines. You also need to understand that every client has different communication requirements.

Some of my clients prefer a daily update, while others stick to only receiving work and paying for it. You should explore which application is suitable for which communication style.

Self Discipline

Every freelancer must have this self-discipline skill. Being self-disciplined means sticking to your goals and following through on tasks. This is something that I’m struggling with even after being a freelancer for years.

While you can enjoy your independence to a great level, you have to understand that this freedom comes with its responsibility. You also have to be self-motivated about the work you do.

Ability to Handle Stress

I consider my career as a translator and a blogger as freelance jobs. Means I have to deal with stress every day. I have to deal with difficult clients, tight translation deadlines, and unexpected blogging expenses. Unlike traditional jobs, freelancing has not yet set its way in our lives. People around me still underestimate a freelancing career because of its unstable income and uncertain future.

After a pandemic, remote worker or freelancer is sought after by IT professionals, journalists, and various other professionals. I was even contacted by a local company to work as a remote blogger for their company in Bali. Besides this, there are several other changes in freelancers’ lives, that are building your adaptability. Stress is inevitable, but if you’re not able to manage it effectively, you won’t last long as a freelancer. Make sure you learn how to cope with stress before starting a freelance career.

The above are some skills every freelancer must-have. We all know people who were overlooked by an individual or the world first but went ahead to prove their critics wrong with their success. No one is perfect. Freelancing requires skills but it also requires a lot of trial and error before becoming proficient.

By learning these skills, you will prove to the world that success comes through ability, not sheer experience.