According to a survey conducted by Upwork and Freelance Forward, 59 million Americans worked freelance in 2019, 36 percent of the total US workforce. More and more people are increasingly turning to freelance work with the demand for a healthy work-life balance and the rise in the recruitment of tech and media-related jobs.
Whether you plan to work freelance full-time or part-time for some extra cash, it is crucial to examine your options and choose a specific niche. You should choose a job that pays well and is enjoyable as freelancing requires extra motivation and discipline to deliver and complete tasks from the comfort of your home. Consider the following tips when looking for freelance jobs that pay well.
How Much Does a Freelance Job Pay?
According to Glassdoor, the national average salary for a freelancer in the United States is $52,417 per year. Skilled professionals can make as much money as they like doing the right freelance jobs in 2021, with the flexibility to choose their income based on their work-life balance.
The demand for competent freelancers has risen over time, and as a result, many freelancers can determine their payment rates and work on projects that genuinely interest them. Whether you’re a novice or experienced freelancer, 2021 and the coming years hold high promise for the freelance economy.
Millions of people worldwide are currently using their skills to work as freelancers and earn money. As more businesses turn to freelancers to provide solutions to their problems, freelancers will have more opportunities for work and greater flexibility in choosing who they work with and how much they charge.
How to Get a High-Paying Freelance Job
Many experienced freelancers have figured out ways to get high-paying remote freelance jobs consistently. But, it can be a struggle for a beginner or a part-time newbie to find even low-paying work sometimes. To be frank, developing a successful career as a freelancer working from home takes time; there is no quick solution.
While you have a good chance at getting high-paying jobs, it takes some time to build a good network of clients who trust you and know the ropes of the freelancing industry. You need to create a solid portfolio based on your professional experience before applying to high-paying freelance gigs. Here are a few helpful career tips for starting your freelance career.
Step 1: Define Your Niche
It’s easy to get sucked into the “take what you get” mindset when you’re desperately hunting for new freelance gigs online. Unfortunately, this usually means working long hours for low-to-medium pay. As a self-employed professional, every minute counts toward making or losing money. So, you should devise a strategy for finding specific higher-paying jobs that will lead to a long-term client network, enhanced skills, and experience.
Limiting your skillset to a more specific field reduces your competition, separates you from the thousands of freelancers competing for the same generic positions, and provides you with expertise that high-paying clients value. However, avoid making your specialty too narrow. While jobs in your selected niche may pay well, you may not be able to locate enough work to make it profitable.
Step 2: Create an Excellent Pitch
Applying for remote employment is not the same as bidding on freelancing jobs. At the very least, you don’t want to emphasize who you are and what you have to give. Instead, craft a pitch that demonstrates how effectively you can meet the client’s requirements.
Clients want to know what you can offer their project, so write about how your experience and skills can solve their problem. Don’t just tell the client you’re a good fit; show them you are. If possible, include a sample from a similar work to demonstrate that your experience is relevant. If not, describe how your previous accomplishments met the same goal or your expertise is related to the client’s project.
Step 3: Think Big
Once you’re sure you’re ready for bigger gigs and clientele, you should target more prominent organizations with larger budgets. Freelance gigs from start-ups and small businesses may be simple and easy to come by, but they are often low-paying. Instead, go after clients who aren’t going to nickel and dime you on every project. You, your skills, and your time are all valuable assets, so make sure to price them fairly.
What Freelance Jobs Pay the Most? The Highest-Paying Freelance Jobs You Should Consider
There’s a wide range of payments for freelance jobs, which ultimately depend on the client and your experience level. If you’re interested in freelancing or working as a self-employed professional, the following job roles are examples of some of the highest-paying freelance jobs available online.
Graphic Designer
Professional graphic designers work in various industries and are often in charge of all aspects of a company’s design process or specialize in a specific field such as advertising, illustration, digital design, or branding.
Companies may require you to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design or a related subject to apply for a position. Some potential employers simply want to test your abilities before hiring you, so creativity and familiarity with industry-standard tools are essential.
Virtual Assistant
- Average salary: $67,115
- Job growth: 7 percent
- Companies hiring: Belay and Zirtual
A virtual assistant is assigned to support a particular employee within a company. Your responsibilities could include answering phone calls, recording notes and messages, organizing meetings, renting venues, or making travel arrangements. These tasks will vary depending on the employer’s needs.
Although a high school diploma or equivalent is required to work as a virtual assistant, experience, computer technology competency, excellent communication skills, great multitasking, and organizational skills are essential for any potential candidate.
Copywriting
Copywriters are involved in content writing, technical writing, email marketing and campaigns, white papers, blog writing, and more. They may also create marketing materials for a wide range of products and services.
Freelance copywriters may be required to have a Bachelor’s Degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, or Communications. Copywriters can work in various roles, such as technical writer, SEO specialist, content marketer, and content strategist. While having writing skills is a no-brainer, SEO skills are also highly valued.
Business Consultant
- Average salary: $87,660
- Job growth: 14 percent
- Companies hiring: Blue Cross Blue Shield, IBM, GIRAH
A business consultant’s primary responsibility is to assist other businesses in optimizing and improving their overall business strategy. They use the data provided by that company to improve and optimize the company’s day-to-day activities.
Consultants typically have a strong understanding of the particular matter or industry they’re consulting in, and often a bachelor’s degree related to the field is required. Further expertise like certifications and experience working in the industry are also important.
Web Designer
- Average salary: $77,200
- Job growth: 13 percent
- Companies hiring: Amazon and AT&T
Web designers design and test a website’s appearance, layout, and functionality for their clients. Depending on the company’s target audience and fiscal goals, you’ll use various graphic design elements and computer programming to achieve a professional and straightforward website.
As a freelance designer, you need to learn programming skills like HTML, CSS, and Adobe Suite software to start a career as a web designer.
Tutor
A tutor works with pupils to help them improve their academic performance and supervise the completion of school work individually or in a group setting. They’re there to help pupils and encourage a more profound comprehension of topics.
Tutors should have a college education or a thorough understanding of the topic they will be teaching to students. Notably, a good tutor will have a positive attitude toward learning and good interpersonal skills.
Social Media Manager
- Average salary: $55,117
- Job growth: 10 percent
- Companies hiring: Windstream, Docler Holding, GoGuardian
Social media managers are in charge of various social media campaigns’ development, execution, and deployment tasks. They are involved in the content development processes such as writing, content strategy, search engine optimization, and social media marketing. They also deploy media campaigns, monitor online presence, and manage the brands’ social media accounts that they represent.
An education in marketing will help make your resume and pitch more attractive to potential employers or clients.
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Software Developer
- Average salary: $110,140
- Job growth: 22 percent
- Companies hiring: Andela, KPMG, Google, Amazon
A software developer is responsible for the technical and design aspects of software development initiatives. A degree in computer science or computer engineering is typically required of a software developer. Employers may also look for a freelance developer who has certifications in computer languages like Java or PHP.
Customer Support
- Average salary: $43,070
- Job growth: -1 percent
- Companies hiring: Bolt, Uber, Crossover for Work
Customer service support works in organizations to help consumers address product issues, answer account and billing inquiries, and, in some cases, create new sales. A good customer service representative requires strong communication skills, knowledge of customer service systems, and time management and interpersonal skills.
Transcribing
- Average salary: $42,500
- Job growth: -7 percent
- Companies hiring: Gotranscript, AlphaSights, Acusis
Transcribing is a significant job that allows deaf and hard-of-hearing people access to various forms of media online. Transcribing simply involves converting sounds and speech from video or audio platforms into written material. You need good listening skills, proficiency in English and good attention to detail to do the job.
Best Freelance Jobs: Top Companies that Hire for Freelance Jobs
While people love the freedom, flexibility, and control that comes with freelancing, it may be a struggle to find companies that hire freelancers. We have compiled below some companies that hire freelance workers.
- Robert Half International: Robert Half International is a global staffing firm that specializes in different areas such as administrative, accounting, IT, and legal. They offer remote freelance positions in a wide range of job roles.
- Kforce: Kforce is a professional solutions company that connects remote freelance workers to potential clients in industries, financial services, and technology.
- Randstad: Randstad is one of the world’s best freelance employers. They work with clients in different areas ranging from engineering to manufacturing.
- Aquent: Aquent is a global staffing and recruiting agency for marketing and design professionals. They help connect freelancers to freelance opportunities with employers and clients.
- K12: K12 offers educational programs to children in all classes from kindergarten to 12th grade. They provide remote freelance positions for tutors of various subjects.
Where to Find a Freelance Job
As a freelancer, you can’t sit around and wait for a client to approach you and offer you a job on a silver platter. You should get down to business and hunt for a new freelance job. The nature of freelancing means you have to put in the effort to find employment to earn a steady income. Here are a few places to look.
Join a Freelance Job Board
Sign up on popular freelance websites, complete your profile, upload an online portfolio, and start looking for work. It’s relatively easy to find job postings on one of these sites because clients continuously flock to freelancing websites. However, most job boards include millions of freelancers competing for the same task.
If you’re new to freelancing, the secret to success is to find a niche that suits you, present your skill set like a pro, and captivate your clients with a killer pitch. Some of the top sites for freelancers are Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr.
Always Check the ‘Join Us’ Section
Browse company websites for a link that says “We’re Hiring,” “Careers,” or “Work With Us.” These pages describe the current job openings of a company and mean you can apply for these positions. Check out websites in your niche to see if they are hiring.
For instance, If you’re a marketer or designer, you can check out a website like Canva to see if they have any employment openings. Canva is well known for hiring remote workers.
Social Media Advanced Search
Nearly every company in the world has a social media account. The first thing these companies do when they seek new talent is to publish it on their social media. All you have to do is know where to look for these posts.
With Twitter’s Advanced Search function, you can effortlessly search for specific job titles. To narrow down your search, add a few keywords like “hiring” or “wanted.” Also, use some hashtags, such as #gig #work #freelancer.
Skills Required to Land Your First Freelance Job
If you’re ready to start your freelancing career and you’re wondering how to improve your chances of landing your first job, you should know that becoming a freelancer transforms you into a jack of all trades. You’ll be running a business entirely on your own. Therefore you’ll need certain personality traits and skills to succeed.
Depending on the niche, freelancers require specific complex or technical skills which vary across fields. However, some of the critical freelance skills to improve your chances of landing desired jobs are described in more detail below.
Sales and Negotiation Skills
As you are now your own employer and solely responsible for your monthly income, convincing clients that they require your services is important. You must be able to do so quickly, whether through a written pitch on a website or over email or in face-to-face meetings. You must be able to make an impression in a short time to keep their attention on you and your services.
It is also critical to learn negotiation skills to set a fair price and hourly rate that appeal to clients and duly compensate you for your services.
Business Management Skills
Freelancers must possess business and management skills. Planning is what separates good freelancers from great freelancers. Freelancers must not only be able to manage their own time and workload weekly, but they must also be able to envision a long-term vision for the path they want their business to take.
You must minimize procrastination and find the motivation to multitask daily activities like working on the project, running meetings with different clients, dealing with invoices, and following up with potential clients.
Marketing Skills
Getting exposure is one of the most challenging things to do at first, so learn how to give yourself every advantage you can by marketing your services using tools like SEO, Google Ads, and LinkedIn. Client testimonials, especially when freelancing on platforms like Upwork, as well as social media, should be part of your marketing approach.
Can a Coding Bootcamp Help Me Get a Freelance Job?
Yes, coding bootcamps can teach you crucial skills to begin your freelance career and provide job assistance services to land a job after graduation. But we recommend that you still learn how to source for your own gigs on your own.
Is a Freelance Job For Me?
Freelancing may be for you. The majority of the people freelancing today opted for it for freedom and the desire to work on their own terms. But only people who devote their utmost time and energy succeed in the industry. If you have multitasking, time management, and marketing skills, a curiosity to learn, and a friendly, patient demeanor, then yes, you would excel in a freelance work environment.
Freelance Jobs that Pay Well FAQ
The best-paying freelance jobs in 2021 are social media manager, content creator, and software programmer.
Anyone can work as a freelancer. You can offer your skills as a freelancer as long as you have a talent or service that a company or individual requires. All you need is a stable internet connection and a workspace.
There is no perfect answer to this question. Whether you’re a beginner or not, it’s best to work in a niche that you’re interested in and love to enable you to deliver efficient services to your clients.
There are several ways to get paid for a delivered project. For example, when signing up, freelance websites often require your bank details, and clients pay directly to your account. You could also receive your payments straight to the account on its own.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
