Becoming a Freelance Web Worker: Part 1, Why You Should Do It
SkellieIt’s becoming increasingly common for freelancers to have an online component to their work. You might find clients online, have an online portfolio or work for some clients completely through the web.
In this post, I want to go a step further and answer the question: what if all aspects of your freelancing work were done online?
In this Becoming a Freelance Web Worker series of posts I’ll be outlining a complete guide to becoming a web-only freelancer: how to find clients, how to work completely online and how to run your freelancing business from anywhere in the world.
Why I think you need this guide
At the end of January I’ll be a web worker in the purest sense of the term: my freelancing and income will be completely online based. I find clients online, I work online and I get paid online.
I’m still coming to terms with what this means for me. Working as an offline freelancer is already more flexible than almost any job you can name: you have the power to work for who you want, when you want.
Working as an online-only freelancer takes this flexibility to another level. You can work for who you want, when you want, in any state or country in the world (all you need is an internet connection and a computer).
Traveling — as wonderful as it is — no longer needs to be a money sink. You could be working from an internet cafe in London, a coffee shop in Tokyo or a library in New York and your clients wouldn’t know the difference.
Another advantage of web freelancing for non-US based freelancers is that the primary currency of web work is the US Dollar, which will almost always equate to more in your home currency.
If being paid in US dollars and having the freedom to work (and get paid) anywhere in the world appeals to you, this series will explain how you can make that dream a reality.
- From finding all your work online…
There are a number of strategies you can use to source-out future clients online. As long as you’re still getting clients through offline methods you’ll stay tethered to one particular location. In the next post in the series I’ll explain how you can attract a steady stream of potential clients through the web. - … to working through the web
Web work is a unique freelancing environment with a lot of opportunities (and some potential pitfalls you should avoid). Part 3 of the series will explain how to effectively do all your freelancing work (and get paid for it) online. - … anywhere in the world.
Part 4 of the series will outline what you need to do freelance work as you travel interstate or internationally.
Give some thought to your own situation and how becoming a web-only freelancer would (or wouldn’t) benefit you. Feel free to share your thoughts below. I’d also be interested to hear what you’d like included in the rest of the series, if you have any specific questions or requests. Stay tuned to learn how to source-out all your clients online.
Part 2 of the series will be online tomorrow, you can also read more from Skellie at her brand new blog Anywired
Scotty
January 11th, 2008
Excellent article!
I recently became a web only freelancer so I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
S:)
Jdawg
January 11th, 2008
Right on. I look forward to more articles in this series. I myself starting freelancing a few months ago. Even though my main market is my local area, I’m always interested in learning more on complete web-based work.
I’d like to hear the types of online work and how best to get good clients.
WAH(web)Mommy
January 11th, 2008
Thanks for this post! I too want to become a web only freelancer. I’d say I’m about 80% there right now.
None of my clients are local (some in the same state, but none in the same city). It seems to be an extra waste of time to have to attend meetings, for example. Something I can eliminate by focusing on getting clients through the web (rather than local resources such as yellow page ads, etc.)
I’m looking forward to the rest of the articles in this series! I’m sure it will give me the extra advice I need to make it to 100% web only freelancing.
Kristi Holl
January 11th, 2008
As my life changes–more kids and grandkids to visit, more places I’d like to travel–it’s a terrific advantage not to have to choose between those things and getting my work done. I can’t wait to read the rest of your series.
http://www.KristiHoll.com
Brian D.
January 11th, 2008
On the other hand, the most important reason you shouldn’t do it is that when you limit yourself to an online presence, it is incredibly difficult to engage your clients in a personal manner. You become just another number - often when customers are looking to online solutions (via elance, etc) they are looking only at the bottom line. Can you really compete that way? I’ve tried it before, and I believe it to be fruitless (at least in the software development world).
Dustin Brewer
January 11th, 2008
I like where this series is going, I’m more curious about what all the next one will talk about. Finding the actual work being the most important step.
Skellie
January 11th, 2008
@ Scotty: Congrats on becoming a web only freelancer! It’s a position that I think a lot of freelancers envy, actually ;).
@ WAH(web)Mom: I think the last 20% will probably be the easiest, too. Finding and liaising with clients online is great — so much less stressful than missed calls and meetings!
@ Kristi: I can relate, absolutely. Being able to structure my work around my life has been life-changing.
Skellie
January 11th, 2008
Whoops… left this window sitting open for too long and another comment had appeared after I posted my reply. I don’t mean to double-post, but otherwise it looks like I’ve chosen to ignore Dustin for some mysterious reason ;-).
@ Dustin: I think you’ll like the next post, then — it’s pretty comprehensive (from what I can remember, hehe).
German S.
January 11th, 2008
Totally exciting. I can’t wait to read the rest of this as I’m going to be making a big move come fall and I was wondering how I was going to make the transition.
Who Am I
January 11th, 2008
I’ve been a web only ‘freelancer’ for the past 9 months. Recently I’ve been having many more clients contact me asking for work to be done ‘however none have replied again after i sent pricing’. However in the past it has been quite challenging to hook and sink clients. I’d be very interested to see what you have to say in the next part of this series. Thanks Skellie, i read your post’s on multiple blogs that you participate at, and look forward to this series particularly.
Peter Robinett
January 11th, 2008
Sorry to nag, but paying paid in dollars is actually a disadvantage for most non-US freelancers these days, as the dollar has dropped in value against the rupee, the peso, the euro, and the pound, to name just a few, over the last year.
leese
January 11th, 2008
“Primacy of dollars”? Have you tried shopping in London recently?
I like the article but I know several Americans doing business abroad who ask to be paid in pounds and euros, not dollars.
palux
January 11th, 2008
Skellie!
Nice article, but you got it backwards… the US Dollar is the DISADVANTAGE if you are a non USA web-pro-freelancer… the dollar is much weaker than many currencies, and what used to be an acceptable amount in Dollars when converted to Euros (for example) only a year ago, is now worth about 30-40% less (in take home Euros).
The advantage would be to a US-based web-pro-freelancer who is paid in Euros, in that he/she’d get that much more, converted!
Marsha
January 11th, 2008
Can I do it? I want to think this is a possibility but I am uncertain of my skill. It’s a little scary. Will people really find what I have to say as interesting or even worth reading. I want to know more.
michael brito
January 11th, 2008
thank you!!!!!!!!! this is my ultimate goal. although i do love meeting new people and personally working with them what i would really love is being able to travel more with my family, surf in the mornings in mexico, visit family in portugal, or go to brazil to practice jui jitsu. having clients that i meet with regularly where i live makes this extremely hard to do. can’t wait for part two and anywired is my new favorite.
Andrew
January 11th, 2008
Some good points, but remember that the US dollar is at it’s weakest for years and is in danger of becoming a becoming a junk currency. Anyone converting US dollars into pounds sterling or euros for example is going to be very disappointed. Other than that I’m in love with the idea of being an online freelancer.
The other side of the coin is that earning money in sterling or euros converts well into dollars for US workers.
Sam Crockett
January 11th, 2008
I’m interested in freelance web development. This series looks like it will be a helpful guide that can push me in the right direction. And Skellie, I just checked out your new blog, Anywired, and I really liked the first three articles; especially the one on Workstreaming.
Yaili
January 11th, 2008
I wouldn’t say that getting paid in US dollars would benefit me only from the convertion point of view, like for most europeans, because if I charge a client for 100 dollars, I would actually get something like 68 euros. What happens in some cases is that the US market is open to higher prices and clients are used to paying more than, for example, in my country (Portugal) for the same service, and, in that way yes, it could be a bonus.
Thomas Allen
January 11th, 2008
I find all of my web design and development work online and through referrals, although the majority of it comes from clients that are within an hour drive. However, I have clients outside of the DC area, most notably in LA and New York. I wish I could find more clients that I work with on a completely remote basis, since that would allow me to live overseas and take advantage of the exchange rate, especially in the same time zone (think South America, for instance, in a world city like Buenos Aires). Working remotely is certainly viable, but finding clients is very difficult without the help of existing clients.
To anyone considering working freelance over the web exclusively, I believe that it would be very difficult to get started without existing clients or without already being well-known in the industry or on the web.
Oh, and for any freelancers who aren’t web designers or developers, contact me if you need any help getting started online. A small website is priced pretty reasonably through my design business.
revenue robot
January 11th, 2008
wow some awesome advice within the post… very useful for someone (like myself) who is venturing into the world of Freelancing..
Laura
January 11th, 2008
It looks like a good series. I look forward to seeing the rest of it. Unfortunately, I’m in the U.S., so being paid in U.S. dollars doesn’t equal more money for me. (Boy, I wish it did.) Otherwise, great points!
John Faulds
January 12th, 2008
“I’m in the U.S., so being paid in U.S. dollars doesn’t equal more money for me. (Boy, I wish it did.) Otherwise, great points!”
I used to have a rate in US dollars for overseas clients but with the Australian dollar getting stronger lately (sometimes over 90c to the US $) and what with so many fluctuations in exchange rate, I just invoice in AUD now.
Greg Corey
January 12th, 2008
Very timely post this!
Looking forward to the rest of this series.
I’m gearing up to start freelancing later this year. I’m based in Tokyo, but language wise I was thinking of trying to go mainly web-based. That and the ability to get work outside Tokyo and Japan sounds like a winner.
Skellie
January 12th, 2008
Hey all, thanks for the kind words and for the reality check re: the US dollar. It still converts relatively well against the Australian dollar but it was short-sighted of me to assume that’s consistent with the experiences of most people.
It’s a minor point though — the nice thing about web work is that you can ask to be paid in whatever currency you want ;-).
Mark H. Abucayon
January 12th, 2008
well done to this article its very nice.
Melissa Donovan
January 12th, 2008
Hi Skellie! I’m looking forward to the series, and I’m especially interested in learning some specific methods of finding work and clients online. Anything but bidding sites!
Melissa Donovan
Writing Forward
Web Content Freelance
January 12th, 2008
Really hope this series will give me the courage to do it. To start my own online workplace and drop the 8 to 17 offline one…
Chad
January 12th, 2008
Great article. I’d say about 30% of my current work is done online. I personally prefer having local clients, as the pay seems to be a bit better and there’s more loyalty because of the instant connection. Nonetheless, I don’t like the pressure of them feeling “abandoned” (seriously, they sometimes do) when I leave for a 2-week vacation…being totally online would obviously remove this problem.
Skellie
January 12th, 2008
@ Melissa: The article on finding work and clients should be dropping pretty soon — and as far I can remember, I don’t even acknowledge that bidding sites exist ;-).
Ko Phyo
January 12th, 2008
Thank you, Skellie. That’s a very good post for me. I am quited excited to read from you on this topic.
Being a Web Worker has been a dream job for me. I am sure your posts can be very useful for me.
Well done!
Tamara Durec
January 13th, 2008
Perfect timing Skellie! This too is my dream job - just not enough energy and hours in the day to keep the “day” job and grow this one… Information on the nuts and bolts of money, invoicing tips, etc would be useful. As in one of the other posts - give pricing and the potential client is gone…
Your posts are incredibly valuable to me.
Thank you!
komunigrafik
January 14th, 2008
Thanks guys,
absolutely great article, especially for me who just start to do some freelance jobs, btw you can check my portfolio here –> http://www.komunigrafik.com
vgndeveloper
January 14th, 2008
I think everyday about becoming a freelancer, and as you say, Intenert brings a big oportunity for us.
Thank you!!
Frank
January 18th, 2008
I personally think that this will be an eye opener for myself and many more to come since we are all moving into a new generation where we shall be required to be working from our own homes. Most of the software projects these days can be comfortably carried out by proxy cutting down on overheads and other costs.
I personally live in Kenya and can’t wait to read more about tapping into the global market. I do most of my freelance work from home, but would like to find out how I can cut down on wasting time in meetings. Don’t get me wrong here, meetings are good because they get to give the client a personal touch and feeling to the contractor, but do we really need to meet all the time?
Cheers
Umar Farooq
January 25th, 2008
Hi I am also a freelancer and i really like your article.Cheers!
Andi Eko
February 1st, 2008
Hey, great articles series you have. I do as freelance writer but I’m still work at the office and have work hours. I really want to be a fulltime freelance jobs as a blog writer and I can trip around the world with my laptop
موقع
April 26th, 2008
entirely safe and fun Very helpful!