Remote work is getting popular among the young generation of Pakistan gradually. That’s why this country is in 4th position for being the most growing freelance market in the world by Payoneer’s Global Gig Economy Index. If you want to know how to start freelancing in Pakistan, I have put together a guide to start in 2022.
Many factors trigger this growth. However, the main factor was government initiatives and support for technically oriented education and 4G services availability. The majority of people try to take freelance as a full-time job due to 9-5 job exhaustion.
In this article, I will discuss some basic knowledge about this field for you to have a better understanding. And then I will elaborate on some necessary steps to start your career as a freelancer.
What is freelancing?
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Before you jump into what is freelancing in Pakistan and how you become one, first learn the meaning of the term in detail.
Freelancing means a remote job. However, it is not a casual type of job. It is more of self-employment where a person offers services to a different organization without having a permanent link with a specific one.
A freelancer is a person who offers service, completes projects, and gets paid by different companies. Now it depends on that individual if he or she wants to take it as part-time or full-time work.
The majority of freelancers work from home and contract projects for different agencies.
Benefits
There are several perks of taking this field as your future career. I have some major advantages of freelance;
Flexible working hours – You can decide the schedule on your own.
Control – You are in charge of a workflow according to your pace.
The comfort of home – There are no strict rules of office ethics and dress code.
Learning new things – A self-employer has endless opportunities for growth and learning new skills.
Boss – As a contractor, you are the CEO of your work, schedule, time, and projects.
Earning
You are probably because you have heard those success stories of various freelancers and the good amount of money they are making with it. Unfortunately, the reality is far from that.
I will be honest with you on this aspect. This field won’t make you rich in a few weeks or months. It is a constant thread struggle that will take you on success path for sure. But for that, you have to be consistent and patient.
The money you will make from it will not be fixed. In some months, it will be beyond your expectations. And on some days, you will not able to earn pocket money.
That’s the reason; beginners struggle to settle in this area because they have access to clients and connections at the start.
Best skills for freelancing
In my opinion, these days passion clashes with trends. So, web development, graphic designing, SEO, and content writing are some most In-demand skills in Pak.
There are several platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and Digiskills that are offering free courses on these specific skills.
Since you have a better idea now about this field and its requirements, let’s talk about how to start freelancing in Pakistan.
How to start freelancing in Pakistan?
1. Choose the niche
Forget everything you heard before about stepping into this area and tips. Before starting, you should have a question in your mind ” What skill I should choose for freelancing“. First, select your area of expertise that we also call Niche. It is important to know so that the process becomes easier to become an expert.
You can choose Fashion, technology, sports, health, and a thousand others as your niche. Next, you have to learn the related skill and practice it. Here are some broad ranges of services and niches you can choose from;
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Content Writing & Marketing
- Web Development & Designing
- Graphic Designing (Logo, Banner, and Video editing)
- Translation jobs
- Virtual Assistant
- Data Entry
- Social Media Management & Marketing
- Resume Writer
- Fine Arts
- Voice-over Artists
- Modeling
2. Learn the relevant skill
After choosing a suitable niche, try to learn all associative skills. The learning process should be continuing even after you start servicing clients.
Practice them on regular basis to polish them. Learn about new trends and developments in that area of expertise.
As I mentioned earlier, several platforms offer free courses. You can join them and teach yourself new things. Moreover, these platforms offer certificates after course compilation. YouTube is also the best source of learning.
3. Find clients
Try your best and stay patient, and eventually, you will find clients. Use email or inbox methods to reach out to potential clients. Showcase your expertise and discuss the ways you can solve their issue and serve them.
4. Build your portfolio
It is always a better idea to have your expertise work in some authentic place. For this, you can build a portfolio. Most of the time, clients ask for your work experience and samples of your job.
It makes you more authentic and reliable in front of them. Moreover, it increases the chances of you getting hired for the job.
5. Service on online websites
Finding jobs on online marketplaces and offering your service is the best spot for people who often ask how to become a freelancer in Pakistan.
You have to create your profile on one of these sites. After that, you can start selling your expertise there and can earn good money.
Best Freelance Websites in Pakistan
Moreover, these sites are authentic and pay for the service. Here are some best online websites for beginners;
Your Articleis very informative and really helpful for beginners.
Thanks for sharing with us.