As a freelancer, a lot of my gigs come from referrals- friends, family, former clients. But, especially starting out, you can’t always rely on these. You should actively look for work on a regular basis. My first non-referral gig came when I responded to a gig board’s posting and the poster decided to go with me. Here is how I did it.

First, you have to actively look. Don’t just assume work will come to you.  What I did was make a list of several job/gig boards with work for freelacers. When I could, I added them to my RSS to make my job a little easier. Then once or twice I day I would check to see which postings were good for me. But use some discression. 

Don’t just go applying to everything. You’re wasting both your time, and the poster’s time. Actually read the listings and see which you’re a good fit for.  Generally I filter out any post that doesn’t ask for what’s in my skill set or what I can show case in my portfolio. The most important thing people seeking freelancers are looking for is past work because that’s how they can best gage you. I also look for overuse of buzz words and sentences like, “no pay but great experience,” and listing that ask for every possible skill a web developer/graphic and print designer/software engineer would have. I knowI would not work well with the people posting these jobs so I avoid them all together.  You need to define what you’re looking for before you start responding so you don’t overload yourself.

Then it’s time to respond to the listing. When responding, remember these things:

• Be Candid: Don’t give them a canned response. Add some personality to the response based on what they ask for. That will make you much more memorable.
• Be Honest: If you say you can do something, you better be able to deliver.
• Be Confident: They want to be assured you’re the man (or woman) for the job. Use definitive language and give them reasons why you’re that person.
• Include what they ask for: If they want a resume and portfolio link, include it. Read their listing carefully because if you don’t, you will be eliminated before you’re even out of the gate.

I followed these rules and I was able to land my first non-referral client this way. He liked my response and he was confident that I was the man for the job. Since then, he has referred me to several others and even hired me for another job, so it paid off.  Just remember to be yourself and show them your worth.

Tags: beginning, gigs, people, referrals, tips | Posted in Advice, Stories |