Tag: Freelance

22 Jan

When To Say No To Freelance Projects

by TBSCategories: News

A lot of feel-good life advice encourages us to say yes to new things whenever we can. This philosophy of openness can sound pretty enticing when you’re a freelancer or consultant just beginning to stand tall on your own — or riding a high of a string of good projects.

And it’s true that saying yes can help you grow! Saying yes to new clients, projects, and partners helps you make connections, build your portfolio, and evolve professionally. Saying yes can also lead to paying jobs, which lead to even more paying jobs.

But saying no — at the right times — can be just as critical to the success of our self-employment. Building up the ability and skill to say no is part of a career evolution and, in my opinion, one of the ultimate goals for successful freelancing.

It’s not always easy to decline work, though. We can feel reluctant to turn things down because we want to make clients happy. We also need to feel secure with our income and prospects, and saying no can certainly feel risky when we want to be sure our bills will get paid.

In this article, I’ll share with you what I’ve learned about the importance of recognizing when it’s better to say no to a freelance opportunity. It can feel scary to pass work to someone else, but it will be okay and you will garner a solid sense of self-understanding in the process. The information in this article is mostly about saying no to new projects, but can also apply to saying no when a current client asks for more work than you’ve already agreed to do.

The Importance Of Saying No

Saying yes often leads to surprising, exciting outcomes, but so does saying no.

Before we get deeper into details of when and how to say no to freelance opportunities, think about how this kind of selectivity may impact your wellbeing. Imagine only working on things you love? Committing to lackluster projects or unpleasant clients means you might find yourself unavailable when a perfect project shows up in your inbox. When you say no to projects that just aren’t right, you save time and headspace for things that you will want to say yes to.

Saying no also helps you avoid or recover from burnout. Most freelancers will experience burnout at times. Burnout happens when we work too hard and run out of steam — often because a client is bad for us, or because we take on too much, or both. Taking breaks and being deliberate about taking time off (meaning, saying no sometimes) is a valuable pursuit for your personal wellbeing, not to mention your long-term professional output. It’s okay to say no to something when you don’t have the passion or energy for it. Be kind to yourself.

How To Decide Whether To Take On A Project

Is The Project A Match For Your Expertise?

One of the first things to think about when considering a freelance opportunity is whether it’s a good match for your skills and your level of experience.

I’m a UX consultant and I like doing a lot of different things, but my core expertise is user research. If a potential project is not an exact fit for my skills, or if it’s not something I enjoy, I will typically decline. For example, if somebody asks me to do an accessibility review for their website, I know there are a lot of skilled freelancers who can do a much quicker job with it than I would. I might refer somebody if I know they are interested.

Similarly, an ideal project should match your level of experience. If the work is too far below your experience level, it might be boring and likely not pay enough. If it’s too far above, you might find yourself too stressed out and in over your head. For me, if a company is looking for a UX freelancer to “make wireframes” without digging into research or design strategy, I know that’s probably a job for somebody more junior or with different interests.

Think of it this way. If you say yes to a request that isn’t a good match, you may feel resentful about it. You might spend too much time on it. You might even deliver results that aren’t great. So although saying yes can be a strategy for developing skills or learning new things, it only works if the project is in line with your goals and doesn’t stretch too far beyond what you know you can do well. Otherwise, it might be a bad experience for you (and maybe the client, too).

Is The Budget Enough?

If a project doesn’t pay enough, ask for more or say no. Simple!

Well, okay, I know it’s not that simple. Sometimes we need the money. But it becomes easier to say no to low-paying jobs when you 1.) are knowledgeable about your worth and 2.) have a financial cushion. Either of these things may take time, but the goal is to say no to projects that are below a minimum amount that you will consider. Along those lines, you don’t want to devalue your worth by saying yes to too many out-of-scope extras.

Pricing is its own beast that I won’t get into here, but once you know your worth, stand strongly with it! Over time, the prices you charge can increase with your value, and eventually, you may pass work down to more junior freelancers. Also, remember that you are a professional who represents your industry, and when freelancers continuously say yes to very low prices for our services, it can impact everyone else in that specialty by devaluing our skills or expertise overall.

So, don’t make it a habit to accept projects that pay below your value unless you are purposely working pro bono for a good cause. Of course, again, sometimes we might need to take on low-paying work just to “keep the lights on” with our business, and that’s okay. Having a financial cushion eventually helps us say no to these gigs and hold out for better-paying opportunities. For me, it helps to keep my living expenses low so I feel more confident letting work opportunities pass by.

Does The Project Fit Your Schedule?

When your schedule is busy, it’s easy to decline an unwanted project. But what if you aren’t currently busy with work? Consider your pipeline, upcoming schedule, and financial cushion to decide whether a mediocre project is worth doing. If you have plenty of time, it might make sense to say yes to something even if it’s not a great fit.

And alternatively, what if the project is something you actually really want to do, but time is tight? Think carefully about your current commitments and deadlines and whether a new project is doable. If not, you may need to regretfully decline or ask for an alternative timeline. Saying yes to a project you don’t actually have time or energy to do well — as much as you may wish you did — is unfortunately a recipe for late nights or disappointed clients. And remember, having the time and energy to say yes to good projects is another reason to say no to bad projects!

Sometimes whether a project fits in your schedule depends on whether you can work something out with the client. A clear project scope (knowing specifically when you are needed, and for what) will help you plan your time and make decisions about taking on new things. When it comes to scope, also consider whether the client’s proposed timeline is too short for the amount of work required — this is super common, and it’s okay to offer to do the same project on a longer timeline, or a smaller version of the project within the proposed timeline, so that it becomes more manageable to fit into your schedule.

The reality of freelancing is that it’s often a guessing game when it comes to pipelines, scheduling, and balancing your workload. But if you know a project doesn’t fit into your schedule, make sure you say no quickly. You can always let the requester know when you expect that your schedule will free up, and maybe another project will work out later.

Does The Opportunity Align With Your Values?

In addition to the expertise needed, budget offered, and time required, check in on whether the project is in line with your values and goals. Think about your gut feelings here. What are some industries or companies you want to avoid? What kind of projects make you happy? Turn those gut feelings into a concrete list.

Here are a few factors to think about:

  • Does this project help move you toward a bigger goal?
  • Do you find the project personally interesting?
  • Do you believe your work on the project will help people in a meaningful way, or do some kind of social or environmental good?
  • Is this project supporting an industry or company that you consider unethical? (Kelly Small talks about seeking ethical work and saying no to unethical work in their book The Conscious Creative!)
  • Do you prefer working with startups or established companies?
  • Do you prefer working in small teams or big ones?
  • Do you prefer remote or in-person work?
  • Do you prefer subcontracting with other agencies or do you prefer direct clients?
  • Have you worked with this client before and what was that like?
  • Will having a good relationship with this client potentially lead to other good work?
  • Does it seem like the client will respect you?

You can create a personalized checklist or rating sheet to help you identify whether a project is worth doing. Burnout happens a lot quicker when our work is emotionally taxing, so take into account your personal values and preferences when deciding whether to say yes or no to opportunities. After all, working for yourself ideally means you get to call the shots.

Decline Assertively (But Kindly)

When you’ve decided a “no thank you” is in order, it’s important to be clear that you are declining while still keeping the mood light and productive (unless they have egregiously offended you, I suppose).

First, I recommend expressing gratitude for the opportunity. Thank the requester for thinking of you, going through the interview process with you, or whatever they have done. It takes time and effort on their end to hire freelancers or consultants.

Second is the important part: saying no. Be clear that you are declining. You can briefly explain why if you’d like, but you don’t have to explain your reasoning if you don’t want to. Just respond in a timely way so the client can move on.

If you worry about offending someone, please don’t! Be assertive so that when you say no, the answer is firm. If you think about the three main communication styles — assertive, passive, and aggressive — the idea is to be clear (assertive) while avoiding coming across as too passive or aggressive.

Most people will respect a clear and honest answer. I’ve only once had someone respond rudely to an email in which I politely declined to meet, but that aggressive response cemented that I likely saved myself a lot of aggravation by not working with them.

Third, once you’ve said no, you might offer some next steps or alternatives if you think it’s appropriate. If you are open to discussing future work, let them know. Be clear about the conditions under which you might be more likely to say yes — such as after a certain date, or if they have a need for a different area of your expertise.

You also might suggest other freelancers if you know anyone who may like to take on the project, or who might be a better fit than you are. If you don’t have specific names to offer, you can suggest resources to find freelancers, like listings for professional organization members. You might also offer to share the opportunity with other freelancers in your network, such as on social media or in Slack groups.

Here’s an example of how an email declining a project opportunity might look:

Hi [name],

Thank you so much for thinking of me for [project description]. This project does not seem to be a great match for [my experience level / my current interests / my schedule / etc.] so I am declining, but I can [share it on LinkedIn / connect you with another freelancer I trust / etc.], if you’d like.

Also, if you have future opportunities for [something else you’d like to do / something after a certain date / etc.], I’d love to hear about it. Keep in touch!

Conclusion

Saying no is a skill. Saying yes to the wrong freelance opportunities can lead you toward misery and burnout, and we could all probably improve how mindful we are about our work, partners, and clients.

Remember, if you’re not sure whether to accept a project, think through:

  • General Fit
    Is the project a match for your skills and your level of expertise?
  • Budget
    Would you be selling yourself or your field short by taking on the project for a low price?
  • Timeline
    Would the project conflict with your existing commitments? Is the client wanting too much in too short a timeframe?
  • Values
    How good would you feel about this project? Is it in line with your values, goals, and preferences?

Consider everything together. A low-paying job might still be a good fit if it’s for a good cause, or if it gets you critical experience to move toward a bigger goal. Consider making your own personalized checklist or rating sheet to help you rate past, present, and future projects and get a better understanding of which opportunities should be left on the table.

Articles on Smashing Magazine — For Web Designers And Developers

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05 Oct

11 Personality Traits of a Successful Freelance Designer

by TBSCategories: News
Personality Traits of a Successful Designer

This article was contributed by Vincent Burkhead, aka Your Creative Junkie.

What type of person does it take to thrive as a successful Freelance Graphic Designer?

It’s an interesting personality mix: fiercely independent, yet collaborative, extremely confident, yet vulnerable and open-minded, firm, but flexible.

After over 20 years in the design industry and 15 years running my own design studio as a solo freelancer, I’ve learned firsthand which personality traits and practices are essential to becoming a successful freelancer, and not merely survive in this business but to thrive in it.

In this article I focus on which personality traits are required to achieve Freelance Design Success. Everyone who is creative and motivated to land their own clients (rookies or veterans alike) should find value from this content.

1. Are You a Ninja at Multi-Tasking?

Do you have the coveted multi-tasking gene? Can you envision yourself juggling 10 different projects for 8 different clients at various stages of completion?

Be prepared for the every present voices in your head:

Don’t forget to resend those T&M invoices or you won’t get paid…

Also make sure that important email from Jenifer didn’t get pushed to your spam filter… 

Don’t forget to follow up on those 3 proposals you sent out last week… 

And you haven’t posted a new blog article this week, get on that before noon… 

What’s this blocked number calling me? Great, it’s “Sharon, my local google specialist” trying to sell me an SEO package again?

Give me a break!! All of this and more before 9:25 am? Mr. Ninja, please use your razor sharp blade and cut through this *&^#!.

Yes a bit dramatic. But you get the picture. Yes you have to wear many hats when you’re flying solo, and yes things can get a little hairy at times. But the truth is that most jobs in the design industry with any responsibility at all can be stressful.

Reduce the potential for a multi-tasking nightmare to unfold. Do not over-extend yourself.

If you can’t commit to delivering when the client asks, then be honest with yourself and the client about any limitations that may exist. Either get the client to accept the work later, or pass on the job and refer the project out to a trusted associate.

2. Deadline Driven. 

Deadline Driven

You must know how to PRIORITIZE your projects and commitments so let’s talk about deadlines. This is the heart of effective multi-tasking. Keeping projects on schedule is critical.

You need to be great (not merely just good) at managing deadlines. Clients do not forget when you’ve left them twisting in the wind by blowing a deadline.

Here’s a key point to remember: If you blow a deadline, the only thing to do is to own it 110%. That said, let me be very clear, do not over apologize. Recognize it and do not blame others, or concoct excuses which will only show a lack of character. Own it, apologize once and move on and don’t bring it up again.

If you blow a deadline, the only thing to do is to own it 110%. Tweet this.

Use the same approach if it was your team member that blew a deadline and not you specifically. Own it and move on and never do it again. One breached deadline and the client relationship can suffer, sometimes marking the beginning of the end for that relationship and that stream of work. No more referrals from that client, either. So just don’t miss deadlines. It’s unprofessional, costly and makes us all look bad.

The Solution? It’s simple; pad your deadlines by as much as 25%. So when you deliver on time, it’s actually arriving early to the client. Then you look like a rockstar.

This is another thing clients don’t forget, when you deliver ahead of schedule. They appreciate it as much or more than high quality design work. And it makes them look great to their own bosses.

Making your client look good is a bonus so try to make a habit of it, and they’ll make a habit out of hiring you for future work.

3. Decisive to a Fault.

The key to getting work done on time is being decisive.

Don’t hem & haw about every little pixel or shade of green you are choosing for a logo. Perfection is a myth, anyway. Go with your gut. Do not second guess yourself. Get it done and make a decision. Then move onto the next item on your list, or on to the next project.

Being decisive is better than being right. Tweet this.

This is true because it trains you to deliver on time (or better yet, even ahead of schedule).

The faster you make decisions in general, the better at it you will get. Success begets success. Your confidence will grow, and you’ll get more done in your day. True story.

TIP: Check out FLINCH, a must-read eBook. If you adopt the strategies in this ebook, it will help you be more decisive, and your life will change forever.

4. Money Management Expertise. 

Money Management Expertise

You need to manage your money, honey! Do you need to buy a brand new computer every 24 months? No. Do you need to plan ahead for lean months? YES.

Have a decent percentage (33%) of your monthly income rerouted to a savings account on the same day each month so you cannot easily spend it. Open a Roth IRA and max it out, so you’ll be penalized for cashing it out. You’ll make money on the interest while you sleep.

You have to prepare for lean times, and for your eventual retirement. It’s inevitable. The sooner you start saving, the more you’ll have later.

The recession made 2008 difficult for many people and hit freelancers particularly hard. Fortunately I had money saved to weather the recession storm. You need to do the same moving forward.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. It’s not about how much money you make, it’s about how much you keep of the money you earn. Think about it, and plan for lean times as a freelancer.

5. Master of Collaboration.

Being well versed in collaborations with both clients and other independent consultants is critical. On larger engagements, you’ll need to bring others into the project. For instance, when I land a very large Brand Strategy gig with a new client, at a minimum I’ll need to bring in a copywriter, website developers (both front end and backend), but also sometimes a photographer, videographer, and SEO specialist.

I provide overall strategy and creative direction while being the day to day client partner. Surround yourself with other freelancers that make you look good, and that compliment your set of skills.

Trust your team. Show overt respect for the good work they do. For the best collaborators, pay them 10% more than they ask for; take it out of your cut of the total budget. Forge bonds with great people and never let them go.

Forge bonds with great people and never let them go. Tweet this.

6. Proposal Writing Wizard. 

Proposal Writing Wizard

One of the keys to knowing how to write proposals that sell is setting the budget. You have to select that magic number that is not too small (or you’ll leave money on the table), and not too large (or you will not be awarded the contract). It’s a fine art to make this determination.

Offering a range of price points can be helpful, too. I rarely do it, but sometimes it helps give a client a reason to hire you because you are competing with yourself instead of others by offering different tier levels of your creative consulting.

7. Persuasive in Selling Your Design Work.

Professional designers sell their design work. Do you simply send your logo concepts to a client via email, or do you take the time to meet face to face, Skype or create an online document to explain the work?

First and foremost, NEVER deliver any work that you cannot live with. Only deliver the best work that inspires you, because invariably clients will choose your worst concept. It’s just how it goes sometimes. This is another reason to sell your work as you present it.

Designers: only deliver the best work that inspires you, because invariably clients will choose your worst concept.  Tweet this.

You have to get clients excited about your creative deliverables. You need to share your passion. You have to walk them through your thought processes – WHY it works, WHO it speaks to, HOW it fits their brand message, WHY it’s going to move the needle, and why it will provide them a return on their investment (ROI).

It’s very important to have a process or methodology you follow and believe in. Walk the client through it, and share your work in progress to get early buy in. Clients feel more invested in the final product if they feel they were heard and respected.

Sell your work. Don’t call it in, don’t simply email it over. “But Vince, good work sells itself” You may say. No it doesn’t. Good designers pitch good work. The effort and passion you show while presenting and selling your work will pay for itself 10x over in the future. Professionals of every class will appreciate the understanding you provide and respect you for it.

8. A Master at Generating Recurring Revenue.

The goal is to convert projects into clients – #clientsnotprojects. It’s all about recurring revenue, selling blocks of time & monthly retainers (the agency model). BAM! If you are living project to project, you are doing something wrong. Go for consistent revenue, it’s the holy grail of freelancing. Look for my upcoming post on selling TimeBlocks™.

The goal for freelance designers is to convert projects into clients. #clientsnotprojects Tweet this.

Another aspect to this is client diversification. Do not place all of your eggs in one basket. You’ll need to have several VIP clients that feed you consistent work. If 2 clients make up over 70% of your income, you’re asking for trouble.

9. Excessively Communicative. 

Excessively Communicative

Over communicate everything! With everyone: your associates and collaborators, your vendors and especially your clients. They all love communication.

You’ll be able to manage client expectations by improving your communication skills. This is actually the heart of freelancing. Be overly responsive to your client’s needs, calls and emails. You must be a good listener and communicator so that you can interpret what you hear and translate that into visual solutions the clients will drool over.

10. Infinitely Patient. 

Infinitely Patient.

Some creative people have very little patience. If this is you, then you need to cultivate patience in your life so others do not end up resenting you. This too may sound a bit dramatic, but it’s true. The less respect you have for others, the less likely you are to making it as a successful freelance designer or successful in any profession for that matter.

You must be a good people person. You must have basic respect for the other homo sapiens with which you share the planet. If you’re impatient with people and you know it you may as well give up the dream of freelancing. Sorry, but this is a prerequisite.

11. Know When to Say No. 

Know When to Say No

Some clients and projects are simply not a good fit. Know when to pass on projects that raise the hair on the back of your neck. Your body is giving you a warning. Please take heed.

Know that when it feels wrong, it is wrong. There will be pain and heartache if you decide to dismiss the signs. Look for the telltale signs when a client tells you they will a pain to work with.

Be firm. Know your limits. Sniff out bad clients. Prequalify your prospects.

I vow to run screaming away from low paying gigs and ill-conceived projects, no matter how desperate I am for money.
Tweet this. 

I’d rather be homeless living under an overpass in a refrigerator box than to work for an excessively irritable client that does not respect my expertise or the creative process. I’m not kidding; you have to know when to say NO. Listen to that little voice in your head.

And of course never do work on Spec. It’s just a bad idea. Listen to my friend James Victorie on this subject. Your work has value, don’t ever forget that.

BONUS: Prima Donnas Need Not Apply. 

Prima Donnas Need Not Apply

You’re in for a wild ride of frustration and pain if you think your opinion is infallible. You must be able to manage unpleasant client feedback with grace, respect and professionalism.

Even if you are a total freaking rockstar designer, there will inevitably be subjectivity in the minds of some clients as they review your gorgeous concepts, and who knows what lies in the hearts and minds of other humans?

Let me be candid. Some ‘not so open minded’ clients already have a preconceived idea of what they want to see. Even with the best selling job on your part, explaining precisely WHY you recommend an approach and HOW it will speak to their target audience doesn’t always reach some clients.

Some people will want what they want and not everyone has an open mind. Witnessing this stubbornness can be very frustrating, and this is especially true for egomaniacal designers.

Prepare for this scenario by first realizing what you do is not fine art. It’s not intended for framing and hanging in the New York Metropolitan Museum. This is commercial graphic design, an altogether different animal. You’re role is to collaborate with the client to produce something that works for their business.

See below in order of priority:

  1. It needs to work for their customers.
  2. It needs to work for them, the client.
  3. Then it It needs to work for You, the designer. But you’re last on that list. Don’t get confused.

Leave your ego at the door. Don’t be a jerk face. Get to work earning the trust of your clients. Tweet this.

The power to lead the client (and the brand) is the benefit of this earned trust.

You can profoundly impact the trajectory of the work once you gain a client’s trust. But first you need to earn that trust.

Believe it or not some clients prefer literal vs conceptual. They want ‘in your face’, not subtle and sophisticated regardless of what their targeted demographic wants. It can be mind numbing.

This does not mean that you must continue working with this client (if you’re independent, you decide who you work with and that’s part of the beauty of freelancing), but it can also mean added frustration if you’re not equipped to handle it.

I’m not saying become a ‘yes-man’ for the client. In fact, the opposite is true. I try to be as painfully honest to clients as possible when they offer up their own creative solutions.

As a rule, always saying yes to clients is doing them a disservice. Tweet this. 

You’re the expert and you’re a professional, (not a wanna-be hack) so you need to honestly analyze the ideas clients present to you. Otherwise, why are they paying you?

Freelancing is Not for Everyone.

Are You a Ninja at Multi-Tasking

Freelancing is not for everyone. That’s why it takes a specific mix of traits to be successful.

I hope this article helps you become a better and more ninja-like freelancer.

  • Go forth and take no prisoners.
  • Produce work that matters.
  • Be authentic and professional.
  • Dig deep to create visual communications that clients cannot live without.

Remember not every project is going to send shivers up your spine, and some gigs will just be bread and butter to pay the bills. It’s reality and that’s ok.

This helps make those unique projects with the perfect client that much more rewarding. So not everything will be puppy dogs and ice cream. Get used to it, you’re on your own now and there’s a price to pay for independence.

The best perk is that when you’re freelancing you’re building something for yourself and doing it all on your own schedule, instead of managing someone else’s work.

Your work, not theirs, people. That’s a big distinction.

When the pain of not freelancing outweighs the pain of freelancing, that’s when you’re ready to take the plunge and fly solo. Tweet this.

All feedback is welcome. Do not hesitate to share what has worked for you by adding your comments below. Give something back to the universe. Evolve or perish.

Your Creative Junkie out.

–

Article by Vincent Burkhead who publishes Your Creative Junkie, a graphic design blog. He can’t transform you into a Milton Glaser, but he will teach you how to suck less at Graphic Design. You can follow him on Twitter.

JUST™ Creative

laptop-freelance
07 Sep

How To Travel & Freelance – Secrets for Successfully Freelancing Abroad

by TBSCategories: News

This article has been contributed by Laura Callisen.

A huge chunk of society is just not “programmed” for a traditional work life. The thought of adapting to the routine and stress of structured work environments, in fact, is so distasteful, that these individuals will do whatever necessary to avoid the 9-5 work and typical urban/suburban lifestyle that we have dubbed “normal.”

Fortunately, normal is now far more blurry – people choose to work from home; they choose to become entrepreneurs or freelancers; and they often choose a lifestyle of living abroad while they pursue their skills, talents, and passions remotely (and feed, house, and clothe themselves along the way). The dream of becoming an expat freelancer, such as Jacob, has become a reality for many, but success takes careful planning and execution.

Pre-Planning

Freelancing Laptop

There are some really important considerations before selling off your possessions and buying that one-way ticket. Without good pre-planning, things can go haywire very quickly.

Marketable Skills

Do you have a marketable skill? Is it in demand? The only way to know is to test it while still in-country, because knowing how to freelance takes study, practice, and persistence. For more detailed information you can see freelance employment research report. Most successful freelancers have spent time building their businesses and clientele before taking off for the faraway places of their dreams.

Settle in One Place or be a Nomad?

City Searching

Do you plan to settle in one place or will you be a nomad? Do the research. You may have a region of the world in mind, but you may be pretty naïve about the challenges of living there. A “test run” in the form of a good long trip is always a solid idea. If this is out of the question, get on some of the great sites, like Expat Finder, Expat Focus, or Expat Exchange, read all that you can and start up conversations with other expats living there.

You need to understand both the wonders and the challenges and be certain they are a “fit” for your priorities. One of the biggest factors in your decision will be the cost of living compared to what you are currently earning and what you project your future earnings to be. There is an online resource providing information about living cost worldwide I strongly recommend making a deep research of financial issues before moving. Also see how to pack for a world trip.

Health Care & Taxes

Other important considerations will be health care and taxes. While many countries have free or low cost health care, you cannot expect the quality you may have had, if you are outside of major cities. Check to be certain that the U.S. has tax agreements with countries you are considering for a “permanent” stay. In this way you only have to pay U.S. taxes on earnings over $ 97,000. You will, however, always be liable for self-employment tax, and you do have to report any bank accounts or funds that hold more than $ 10,000. On the other hand, if you plan never to return to live in the United States again, you have other options, of course.

Work Ethic

How’s your work ethic? Are you passionate about the freelancing you currently do? Freelancing from abroad is as much about your work as it is about amazing experiences and adventures. You do have to support yourself, and you do have to figure out how many hours a week you will need to work in order to live decently in your chosen locale. Southeast Asia and Central America are good options for lower paying work, for example, while any plan to live in a major European city, like Munich or Paris, will require work that is going to bring in substantial income.

Freelance Work that Lends Itself to Living Abroad

Freelancer Freedom

A large concern for working and living abroad freelancers is how to find freelance work. The answer should be obvious – it is found in the same way that it is found in the States – networking, getting referrals from current clients, etc. And it can all be done online. Even interviews can be conducted via Skype!

While anything related to IT, e-commerce and marketing, SEO, and web and/or graphic design are the first thoughts that come to mind relative to freelancing from abroad, there are also lots of other opportunities that can be pursued, just have a look on the full skills directory on Elance.

Here are some more online business ideas that you can run at home.

1. Writing of any kind

A great deal of freelance writing is web based and includes such things as managing business blogs for companies, writing articles and blog posts and managing social media accounts for a huge variety of clients. And there are no lack of opportunities to build a business remotely, so long as the freelancer has an established reputation and clients willing to refer. And when regular work is slow, they can always pick up “gigs” via freelancer websites. Nomads might also try travel writing and selling their articles to related websites, blogs, and online magazines. Successful authors often choose to live abroad while they write, as do journalists. And fortunately, writing is one of those fields with many facets.

2. E-Commerce

You can become an Etsy shop owner, and, as you travel, expand your inventory with an international “flavor.” Or set up your own online store. If you already have a moderately successful e-commerce business, taking it abroad should be exciting!

3. Photography

Camera

The opportunities for nomad photographers are really exploding. If you are good, there will always be a market for your photos – travel and other websites, online magazines and news publications, etc. Even selling to consumers on the web.

4. Teaching

Again, the opportunities abound and are expanding for freelancers. You can sign up with any number of American and foreign tutoring companies and engage in online teaching; if you earn a TEFL certificate, you can market yourself almost anywhere as an English teacher/tutor. One especially entrepreneurial soul even traveled throughout Europe offering speed reading courses to Americans connected to U.S. corporations. He expanded his business into offering online speed reading coursework to students back in the states, as well as to children of Americans living abroad. In fact speed reading skills are worthy to be achieved especially for freelancers.

5. Freelance Combinations

Freelancers tend to be people with more than one marketable talent or skill. If this is you, blend those abilities to expand opportunities. Designers and writers might also teach or tutor; programmers may develop online training for novices and market it; an Etsy shop owner might develop his/her photography skills. Learning how to be a freelancer means thinking “outside the box.”

Freelance Discovery

Freelance discovery has been a God-send to those who cannot abide the traditional employment “scene.” In some cases, the utter inability to conform to a set schedule, to overbearing bosses, and to the stressors of heavy workloads, along with the societal pressures to live a “normal” life, have been so great, that panic attacks, depression, and other emotional illnesses become a constant. More than one successful freelancer living abroad has credited his/her new lifestyle with restoration of mental health.

More Freelancing Resources

Have any tips for how to be coming a traveling freelancer?

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Author Bio: Laura Callisen is passionate traveler, blogger and cultural explorer. Now she is working as an editor at GrabMyEssay writing service. Her interests are graphic design mostly inspired by people she meets around the world and philosophy study. Find her on web: Google+, Facebook, Twitter.

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