Especially when you’re just starting out, finding work can be a difficult and intimidating process. You might not be sure where to look or exactly how to word that email. Fear not: I’m here to help. Today I’m going to talk about three ways to find work, what to look for, and how to keep it coming.

How to Find Work

There are three methods I use to find work: A ‘hot’, ‘warm’, and ‘cold’ method.

Job Boards: the Hot Method. These are people actively looking to hire a freelancer- hot leads. You know they need someone; you just need to convince them that you’re that someone. You’ll be conveying this via email most likely, so make sure your email is to the point and addresses everything they want addressed. I start out with a small intro about myself then take about what I can do specifically for their project. Then I link to my portfolio and encourage them to contact me with any questions. For tips on writing this sort of email, FreelanceSwitch has a nice article here. As for where to find job boards and listings, they also have a nice list compiled here.

Referrals: the Warm Method. Have your friends ask around. Maybe they know a small business owner or a decision maker in a company. Have them give out your card to people who might be interested. These are warm leads because they might need a little convincing, but they fact that they are willing to listen is a good sign. I also offer my friends 10% referral fee for anyone they can get me- a little incentive never hurts!

Cold Calling: the Cold Method. Cold calling might not be fun, but it could be fruitful if you hit up the right places. These are obviously cold leads because you’re soliciting yourself by asking for clients. Make sure you do it professionally. If it’s over the phone, write out what you want to say. If you’re going door-to-door, dress appropriately, have some cards and in both cases be polite and speak clearly. Also, don’t get discouraged. A cold lead can easily turn into a warm lead down the road. Make a good impression, and they will remember you.

Some Things to Remember in Your Search

Here are some hopefully helpful tips you should take into consideration:

• When responding to a job post, follow the instructions. If they ask for a resume in PDF, give it to them. Not following instructions is the easiest way to lose a job before even getting your foot in the door.
• Try to find relationships that could be long term; someone who is always looking for an extra freelancer at their disposal for instance. If you’re a designer, look for programmers that need designers. But also remember this is a 2-way street. If you can swing it, throw some work their way as well.
• With referrals, remember where it’s coming from. A friend might be going out a limb for you, so remember to take care of the potential client and do a good job. If you burn someone who got you work, they will be less inclined to refer you again.
• When cold calling, it might be helpful to group similar establishments together. Do some research on a particular niche and tell each one why you can help them with their business specifically. Float your name around in that group, and it could result in several projects within that niche.

Above all, don’t get discouraged. You might have to send out 10 emails before landing 1 client, but that’s just the nature of business. And even if these don’t result in immediate work, you might get a  call down the road- so keep that in mind too!

Tags: clients, Freelance Switch, gigs, networking, people, referrals, relationships, work | Posted in Advice |