Starting Out

Find some freelance work for yourself - and do it.

Hi Steph,

Welcome to the forum!

Just found this in the main forum:


I really do think this is how most Freelancers start out. Your freelancing passion may not be related to your current job, lots of journo's and photographers start out as hobbyists and as the work comes in gradually slip into full time freelancing and dump their bosses. That is the best feeling and can still remember making the jump about 6 years ago. I was a customer services representative (call centre slave) and dumped it to go into web design and have never looked back!

Get some leads, friends and family are often good sources or register with those god-awful freelancing sites where the Indians always under-bid you :o( If your freelancing work is related to your current proper job then leads can also come in from there too.

Build it up slowly and when you feel confident you can pay the bills with the work coming in take the plunge! God favours the brave!

Hi!

I'm currently working full time at the moment but have been approached to do some freelance work on the side. The link to advice about this was very helpful. The problem I have is that my client would like me to design a range of cards with an illustration that I did when I was at college. I was wondering if anyone could offer me any advice as to how much I should charge for this?

thanks 🙂

Dee,

Decide on an hourly rate that you feel confident your services are worth, multiply this by the number of hours you expect the job to take, add expected cost of materials, then add 15% [of this sub-total] as a contingency for being 'mucked about' and there's your ballpark cost...............Get the brief agreed in writing, especially if you're doing it for a fixed price........clients sometimes like to get 'added value' by tagging extra things onto a job so make sure you price has caveats for off-brief additions etc.

Good luck. 🙂