Before the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic, very few people comparatively worked in a freelancing career. After and during the pandemic, however, levels of freelancing went up massively. The reason for this, quite simply, is that freelancing gives you the opportunity to work at your own pace. It also gives you flexibility and command of your own life. However, becoming a freelancer is not easy and does require preparation and planning. You should aim to prepare at least a few things before you dive in headfirst and commit yourself to freelancing for the first time.
In this article, we are going to tell you about a few important steps that you should take before embarking on a career as a freelancer. Some of these are incredibly important and if you do not do them, you may find yourself in hot water much later down the line. Here are some important steps to take before starting your freelancing career.
If you do not register as self-employed, then you will not be able to pay tax. And, if you do not pay tax you will be in trouble for tax evasion. This can potentially lead to a term of imprisonment. The first thing you should do, the moment you begin freelancing, is to register as self-employed. Then let the tax agency know that you will be working independently and get your own unique taxpayer number. Registering is very important – please do not overlook how important it is.
When you work freelance, you will not receive the same entitlements for insurance policies that you would if you were working for a company. You may need to sign up for insurance if you want the insurance benefits that you would usually get if you were an employee. Insurance is a very beneficial thing to have, for it can help you to ensure coverage in the event of any disaster. Insurance can be inexpensive, as long as you find the best agencies and best policies available, rather than just blindly going into the first policy that you find.
When you want to begin freelancing, you need to pick up on your talents and choose your field of expertise wisely. You will need to find an area of expertise that you are certain that you can monopolize on. You want to make a name for yourself in your chosen field. The area of work that you choose is something to take very seriously. One of the most popular, at the moment, is writing. To become a freelance writer, however, you must take writing very seriously and treat it as a trade. Your pen is your chisel, so treat it as such.
When you begin freelancing, it is very unlikely that you will be paid directly to your bank account. Instead, you will likely be paid through a third-party payment service or potentially PayPal. Ask the person hiring you what their method of payment is so that you can ensure you register an account. You will also want to find out how your employer pays – will they pay you after completion, or will they pay you half before and a half after? Take great care to arrange payment so that everything goes seamlessly when the time comes.
For a freelance writer, all that you need is a laptop and an internet connection. For other types of freelancing, however, may need more equipment and software, such as cameras and photo editing software. Ensure that you have the best of the best so that you can deliver a high-quality service to those who employ you. The equipment that you have will define the quality of your work. Therefore you should avoid shortcuts, and ensure that you always use the best of the best. Do not overlook the equipment that you use, heed our advice and use only the best.
Freelancing allows you to work according to your own schedule, though you must still commit and make time for your work. When people begin freelancing, they tend to get carried away with all of the free time and begin delivering their services late. This is not a habit you want to get into nor something you should encourage. Take your work very seriously and deliver your work on time every single time. Your schedule needs to accommodate your work in a way that you can commit yourself to it without distraction.
A freelancing career presents a great opportunity for people who are looking to change from working for a big business. This can give them command of their own life, but with great opportunity comes great responsibility! We hope that you have enjoyed this article and that you will come back and join us again soon. Thank you for reading.
