How to become a freelance project manager

Becoming a freelance project manager is very rewarding as it comes with a number of benefits, from having variety in the projects you take on to the great pay packet that comes with this work. However, there are a number of things that you will have to take into consideration when deciding whether it’s right for you. Project management is hard work and ultimately the success or failure of a project will be the responsibility of the project manager.

So if you think project management is for you, or you're looking to switch from perm to freelance project management, here is how to become a freelance project manager, as told by Project Manager Jobs.

Do you have freelance project manager skills?

If you are thinking about becoming a freelance project manager you will need the right skills to be successful; this means having project management skills as well as freelancing skills.

Here are some of the skills that a freelance project manager will need to have:

• Leaderships skills

• Management skills

• Communication skills

• Organisation skills

• Budgeting skills

• Communication skills

• Marketing skills

• Networking skills

• Financial skills

Do you have project management qualifications?

If you are starting out as a freelance project manager, there are a number of project manager qualifications that you can take to get started. Qualifications give you a great starting point and give you the basic knowledge, which then can be improved by getting relevant experience and putting your learning into action. There are a number of project manager courses available for you to become a qualified project manager.

The pros of being a freelance project manager:

With every role and job there are a number of benefits, so here are the pros of being a freelance project manager:

• You can work on a variety of projects

• You are your own boss

• A rewarding salary - a freelance project manager can earn up to £82 per hour

• Project managers are one of the most in-demand job roles for this year

The cons of being a freelance project manager:

On the other side of the pros, there are some cons to take into consideration and they are:

• The whole project is dependent on you

• If you make a mistake, it can affect your reputation as a freelance project manager

• You may have to deal with and manage difficult people

• Depending on the involvement of stakeholders, it might affect your creative input

Going freelance in any job role can be a little daunting, however, there are many benefits of doing so. You just need to make sure that you are ready to make the leap before you do.

More on starting up as a freelancer.