Nowadays, Many People And Companies Are Turning To Freelancing. One Of The Reasons For This Approach Is Greater Freedom And Flexibility In This Work Method.

If you want to know how to become a successful freelancer, stay with us in this article.

In 2020, freelancers made up nearly 36% of the US workforce. No wonder this statistic is still growing. Freelancers have the freedom to choose their workload, project, and employer. During the outbreak of Covid-19, companies have increasingly hired freelancers to meet job needs.

Hence, the number of freelancing jobs available, from grocers to web developers, has expanded more than ever. If you also dream of independent work and more flexibility and want to choose this career path, stay with us in this article.

What is freelancing, and who is a freelancer?

Freelancing is a type of self-employment. Instead of being employed by a company, freelancers tend to work as self-employed and provide their services on a contract and project basis. All kinds of companies, big and small, hire freelancers to complete their projects or tasks.

There are different types of freelancers, but generally, these people have a high skill level and knowledge in a specific field. On the one hand, freelancers have to take on responsibilities such as paying taxes, health insurance, and pensions. On the other hand, they have benefits such as working in a non-traditional environment, having a flexible work schedule, and balancing work and life.

The best freelance jobs

Freelancing requires a marketable skill, a computer, a good internet connection, and the ability to manage your schedule. Many companies and organizations worldwide are looking to hire freelancers more than ever. Startups and independent entrepreneurs also use freelancers to access different skills.

Also, large companies hire freelancers to improve their team’s performance. In this list, we mention the best freelance jobs.

Web designer and developer

Every business needs a website, and good web designers are in high demand. Web designers work with companies and individuals to design and code various websites. One of the most popular and famous content management systems is WordPress. You can find good freelance jobs with WordPress skills. As a web designer, you must regularly communicate with the employer, develop new designs and update existing websites.

Web design and development is one of the best freelance jobs because it is in demand and pays well. Based on the US job standards, the average income of a freelance web developer and designer is between $60,000 and $100,000 per year. To be proficient in all kinds of projects, you must also be experienced in programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, or SQL.

Graphic Designer

Graphic design is a highly marketable skill used in various business areas, especially marketing, advertising, reports, catalogs, brochures, newsletters, business cards, websites, product packaging, and many other examples. In addition to the knowledge of graphic design, such as the basics of visual arts, you must also be proficient in software such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

Many graphic designers have degrees, but many also learn graphic design through hands-on experience. For freelance work in graphic design, you need an artistic portfolio or resume that includes a collection of your best results. A strong portfolio can guarantee success in the field of graphic design. The average freelance or contract graphic designer salary is between $56,500 and $79,500 per year.

illustrator

An illustrator is an artist who creates commercial designs and creative images. Some illustrators work with traditional tools such as watercolor or oil paint to produce their works. These people often work for children’s book publishers, newspapers, and magazines. Others use editing and imaging software to create digital images.

These illustrators working in various industries, including designing illustrations for clothing, toys, interior design, or architectural drawings. Manufacturers use illustrators to create product packaging, and advertising companies hire illustrators to produce marketing images. The average income of illustrators varies between 39 thousand and 70 thousand dollars per year.

copywriter

Copywriting is one of the best fields for people interested in freelance jobs. You don’t need a degree or investment in special equipment to get started as a copywriter. Copywriting is a field full of many opportunities. Copyrights are professional authors who produce content for advertising and marketing purposes.

The primary responsibility of copywriters is to produce text that informs the target audience about a product, service, or project. A freelance copywriter can work for multiple employers. Some successful copywriters work exclusively in their area of ​​expertise. For example, some of them are focused on the field of medicine or law. The average income of a copywriter ranges from $41,500 to $69,500 per year.

photographer

In general, digital media is a demanding field. Companies often need unique visual content. This is where photographers come in. They use their expertise to capture attractive images and attract the audience’s attention. To work as a freelance photographer, you need high skill; But the good news is that this job does not require a remarkable degree. Many photographers acquire their skills over time. Creativity is the key to freelance photography. The average annual income of a freelance photographer is between 38 thousand and 56 thousand dollars.

Videographer

Videographers spend their time producing video content for a wide variety of employers. Videographers, like copywriters, have a lot of flexibility in their field of work. Many videographers have experience in the field of content production. For example, many start their careers as filmmakers or social media creators.

It would be best if you had video composition, storytelling, and editing skills to progress in this job. Your task as a videographer is to produce video content for the employer. Contrary to popular belief, videos on social networks and commercial sites are usually not the results of the internal work of companies. Many companies and organizations hire freelancers to make videos. Some employers want to capture images of their products, and others are looking for creative storytelling and marketing content production. The annual income of videographers in the United States ranges from $25,000 to $105,000 per year.

Teacher

Even if you do not have a teaching degree, you will still have many options to work in this field. English Language (ESL) teachers are in high demand. The prerequisite for skills in this field is sufficient mastery of the English language and knowledge of working with online technology.

Also, you can put online teaching on your agenda if you have skills in other branches, such as math, science, history, and other academic departments. The income of a freelance teacher in the United States ranges from $16,000 to $126,000. The average is approximately 51 thousand dollars per year.

virtual assistant

Are you regular in your work? Can you complete tasks at high speed? Do you master all kinds of application software? In this case, the virtual assistant (VA) job is right for you. Most VAs charge an hourly wage ranging from $15 to $25 an hour based on their expertise and the employer’s needs.

A virtual assistant job is an excellent opportunity for freelancers. The duties of a virtual assistant include managing emails, phone calls, data entry, bookkeeping, research, working with social networks, creating content, and arranging travel appointments and meetings. The more work you do, the more valuable your services will be, and you don’t need much experience to get started. The income of a virtual assistant varies between 20,000 and 70,000 dollars per year.

Translator

Translators usually translate text, dialogue, speech, and other information from the source language into the target language. The main goal of the translator is to translate the text in a meaningful way that conveys the original text’s meaning. For example, translators must interpret or define a term that cannot be translated literally. To be proficient in this job, you must be fluent in both the source and destination languages ​​and understand cultural tours and the social effects of languages. The annual income of a translator in the United States is between $27,000 and $66,500.

the editor

The editor’s job is to improve writing. Editors work with all written formats, including books, articles, websites, training manuals, legal documents, corporate publications, and scholarly articles. The editor must have the background knowledge to organize the text and convey a clear message to the target audience. The specific duties of an editor include: correcting pronunciation, grammar, and punctuation errors and rewriting unclear sentences. The annual income of an editor in the United States ranges from $37,000 to $66,500.

Accountants

Accountants record and analyze the financial records of companies or individuals. The accountant’s job is to analyze and review all transactions. Accountants usually perform different tasks based on their type of expertise and responsibility. They typically perform tasks such as checking the reconciliation of transactions and documenting expenses. The accountant must calculate taxes during the tax season, prepare documents, and review payments. The annual income of a freelance accountant ranges from $43,500 to $62,500.

Manager of social networks

A social media manager oversees the content creation of social media accounts. Responsibilities of this job include social network marketing campaigns and product, brand, or service promotion. Also, a social media manager can provide strategies to encourage user transactions on social media platforms and develop methods to evaluate social media success based on user data. The annual income of a social media manager in the United States is between $35,000 and $61,500.

programmer

Programmers build computer software, websites, and mobile apps using programming languages ​​and coding. Some common programming languages ​​are C#, Python, and Java. Programmers also work as web developers, software developers, analysts, application developers, computer scientists, and firmware developers. Other programmer tasks include updating, maintaining, and debugging the software. The annual income of a programmer is between 50,000 and 82,500 dollars.

Content producer

Today, digital content takes many forms: blogs, articles, brochures, newsletters, magazines, videos, infographics, social media posts, email campaigns, and many more; But not all companies have the time or staff to produce the content they need.

A freelance content producer can work with different brands to produce content related to products, services, or people; Of course, not all content is about sales. Sometimes it can be associated with a specific topic, such as food, travel, and video games.

Companies usually seek freelance content producers and creative talent who can help their brand shine and convey its message. Content producers must be skilled in photography and videography. Also, content producers should learn to work with platforms like YouTube, live streaming, and professional editing software like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere. The content producer’s income is between 57 thousand and 75 thousand dollars annually.

SEO Specialist

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is used by many companies nowadays. SEO aims to adjust websites so that their ranking on search engine results pages is as high as possible. Every brand is looking for a relevant audience search. For this reason, the desire to hire an SEO specialist has increased.

SEO specialist job is one of the best freelance jobs. The task of an SEO expert is extensive research. Sometimes this task is complicated, and the SEO expert will need extensive knowledge of algorithms and keywords. Also, one must have a good understanding of an employer’s competitors. For example, SEO professionals work with copywriters to produce keyword-rich content that influences search engine algorithms. At the same time, they cooperate with videographers and photographers to improve social networks. According to US standards, the income of an SEO specialist ranges from $43,000 to $75,000 per year.

Advantages and disadvantages of freelancing

If you dream of working by your own rules, choose the freelance life. Of course, freelancing also has its advantages and disadvantages, based on which you should decide to enter the world of freelancing.

Advantages

• Flexible working hours: Although many people usually work 9 to 17 hours, some prefer other hours. Freelancers can choose their work schedule based on their plans and easily change it. You can do your work early in the morning or late at night. Even work weekends and don’t work the rest of the week.
• Choice of employers: In traditional jobs, you cannot freely choose your project or employer; Rather, you should listen to your manager; But as a freelancer, you can select the partners and projects you want.
• Better income: You may earn a good income in many traditional workspaces, But you still need someone else’s decision to generate revenue and promotion. You can choose the price and the employer for your work. Freelancers have unlimited earning potential.
• Work at the desired location: traditional employees are more or less limited to a workspace. In addition, some companies require address or proximity to the workplace for their employees. Freelancers can work from anywhere in the world, especially from their homes.
• Expansion of skills: Freelancing not only teaches you to specialize in a particular work, But with freelancing you can also learn other essential skills such as time management, financial literacy, and communication.

Disadvantages

• Less job security: One of the disadvantages of staying away from working hours as an employee is the lack of job security. Although employees may be fired or retrenched, most people don’t worry much about it.
• Working in an isolated environment: In traditional work environments, people usually communicate with their colleagues; But freelancers often work in a remote environment where they don’t have much contact with other people, and this issue can have many psychological consequences for them.
• Lack of employee benefits: People who work in traditional environments usually enjoy benefits such as health insurance, pension plans, etc.; But in your freelance life, you have to take responsibility for all these things yourself. Also, some countries offer good benefits and options to the self-employed.
• Accepting all responsibilities: In a traditional work environment, the responsibility for work is usually shared among all group members; But in freelancing, the entire responsibility of the work is on the freelancer.
• Not having paid leave: In the traditional work environment, employees can usually get paid on sick or vacation days. Still, as a freelancer, you need to plan your holiday carefully, so it does not harm your income.

The best foreign freelance websites

One of the ways to introduce freelancers’ resumes is to work on freelance websites. These websites display job offers based on skills. Next, we will look at some examples of the best and most visited foreign freelance websites.

1. Fiverr website

Fiver is a platform for connecting freelancers with business owners looking for services such as website design, content creation, etc. This freelancing website provides a simple and user-friendly way for freelancers and business owners to connect.

On this website, freelancers are called sellers, their services are called gigs, and business owners are called buyers. Sellers can register, list and price their services for free. On the other hand, buyers can search in different categories to buy services.

The system automatically keeps the money waiver, with nearly 42.3 million active users, a suitable environment for freelancers to earn money. Whenever a customer buys one of the services, also, some commission fee is reduced, and 80% of the suggested price is given to the freelancer. Based on the level of each freelancer, it takes up to 14 days to withdraw the earnings. Also, there are options like a debit card and PayPal to withdraw profits. There are no hourly wages on this website, and pricing is purely project-based.

2. Toptal website

Toptal is a freelancing website to connect professionals with companies. This website has a diverse selection of freelancers, from web developers and designers to financial advisors and product managers. To register on Toptal as a freelancer, you must pass five steps from comprehensive English assessment to project assessment. After going through all the steps, you will have access to all kinds of job postings from employers to companies like Motorola and Airbnb. The strict restrictions mean that this website is unsuitable for many job positions. However, if you are a global freelancer, this website provides excellent opportunities.

3. Guru website

Guru is the perfect website for collaboration between freelancers and companies worldwide. Companies can hire professionals such as programmers, graphic designers, and project managers. This freelancing website provides excellent features for searching for job listings. Work begins with registration and creating a freelancer profile. Then, the system includes job recommendations based on your skill level and work experience.

Freelancers can submit proposals for short-term or long-term projects. Also, there are different methods to withdraw earnings, such as PayPal and wire transfers. Above all, this website with SafePay feature ensures that freelancers get paid on time. Every freelancer who signs up on this website gets a free membership with basic features. However, paid membership plans provide users with more features and tools.

4. Freelancer.com website

Freelancer.com is a worldwide website for professionals and companies to collaborate on various projects. Thanks to the diverse specializations of this website, employers can easily find their desired options.

On this website, you can register as a freelancer or business owner. You should add detailed information in the registration form, especially skills, educational background, and work history. On this website, you can see many competitions in addition to projects.

Every freelancer gets paid in full after completing a task. However, the platform deducts 10% of the total revenue from contests and fixed projects; As with most freelancing websites, you can withdraw your salary via PayPal or wire transfer.

5. Upwork website

Upwork is a freelancing website to connect employers and freelancers around the world. The platform offers various jobs, from web design and software development to accounting and customer service. Employers and freelancers have different ways to connect, and employers can hire talent or buy predefined services from a catalog of projects. Similarly, freelancers can access a wide range of businesses and sell their services.

To start freelancing on Upwork, create a profile and enter your detailed information, such as expertise and work history. Remember that employers make decisions about hiring you by reviewing your profile. The more you work on Upwork, the less money you have to pay. For example, the fee starts at 20% per $500 of initial income and decreases as more revenue is generated. There are many withdrawal options, such as direct transfer, PayPal, and wire transfer.

6. People Per Hour website

People Per Hour, as its name suggests, seeks to hire professional freelancers on an hourly or project basis. Millions of freelancers from various fields, such as public relations, marketing, and journalism, are available for these projects.

Freelancers can create their accounts and profile for free. Of course, moderators review each request before accepting it. After approval, freelancers can search for their favorite jobs in different groups.

Freelancers submit bids and set prices while working on a project. After completing the project, they can easily send an invoice from their dashboard. People Per Hour, like most freelancing websites, require freelancers to pay per employer. For earnings of $350, the commission is reduced by 20%. Fortunately, this cost will decrease over time with more work.

7. FlexJobs website

Flexjobs is a website specializing in remote and flexible job opportunities, such as freelance, part-time and full-time jobs. This website has various categories, from teaching and learning to journalism and writing assignments.

Flexjobs guarantees that all jobs listed on the website are legitimate. Also, it filters out all fake companies. Unlike other online job platforms, this freelance website does not display ads. Users need to register to find freelance jobs. There are four plans available, starting at $6.95 per week. Each subscription includes unlimited access to job listings along with a personalized work portfolio, career recommendations, and a free skills test.

8. Behance website

Unlike the other websites on this list, Behance is a social network for creative talent. People around the world use this website to build portfolios and share their creative works, which range from animation to illustration and graphic design.

Whether you’re a freelance graphic designer, web designer, or animator, Behance is a great place to pitch and discover talent. Start by opening an account and creating a profile. Since Behance is a networking website, the more profiles you follow, the more posts you’ll be exposed to, and the more freelance opportunities you discover. Behance offers a job listing. Each freelancer can access customized jobs based on their skill set and job group, making freelancing easier to match people’s expertise.

9. Dribbble website

Dribbble is one of the most popular platforms for creative talents to connect. Designers and artists use this website to build their portfolios and promote their brands. Building a portfolio on this website can increase your chances of getting hired. Get started by creating an account and uploading your designs. Another way to find a job opportunity is to open a job board on the browser. This website has different jobs, such as UI/UX design and content creation. However, access to the freelance job listing is limited to premium users.

The premium version of Dribbble costs between $5 and $15 per month. Users can upload multishot videos and images to their portfolio in the pro version. The premium account raises the report’s priority in the recruitment search list.

10. DesignHill website

The Design Hill website is a creative marketplace where businesses like designers and professional artists operate. There is a wide range of design jobs such as logo, website, and brochure design. Registering an account allows you to access various freelance design jobs and design content. Also, there is an outstanding opportunity to develop a career portfolio and connect with employers.

The best Iranian freelance websites

This section discusses some examples of the best and most visited Iranian freelance websites.

1. Punisher

With 270,000 freelancers and more than 60,000 successful projects, Punisher is one of the largest and most successful Iranian freelance websites with a wide range of users. This website’s job categories include graphic design and web development, less and marketing, and virtual assistant.

Membership in Punisha is free, But to benefit from more facilities and improve your profile, and be seen more, you can use three paid upgrade plans: bronze, silver, and gold. This website has provided the possibility of charging the account from abroad through global money transfer services such as PayPal and Mastercard. Punisher also has a contest section where prizes are given to the winner based on each defined project.

To work as a freelancer on Poonisha, first, create an account. After completing the project, the employer and the freelancer can rate each other by registering votes. In Punisher, after the completion of the project, you can withdraw the money from your account with a 10% commission deduction.

2. Parskederz

Parscoders is another large Iranian freelancing website with more than 39 thousand freelancers and 122 thousand successful projects. Contrary to its name, Parscoders is not only limited to programmers and coders. The services of this website include web development and design, programming, graphics, translation and editing, typing, etc.

In Pars Coders, registration of the first three projects is free for everyone; But you have to pay for special services like index requests, project hiding, or urgent tasks. The payment system of Parscoders is based on depositing the cost. Thus, after accepting the freelancer’s offer, the employer must pledge an amount as a loan until the completion of the project in Parscoders. After the project’s approval and delivery, the deposit amount is deposited into the freelancer’s account. Also, on this website, employers can reward freelancers. Parscoders fee is 15% for regular freelancers and 10-15% of the project amount for exceptional freelancers based on the type of user account. In Parscoders, it is also possible to register votes and give points.

3. Carlson

Carlancer, with a simple and attractive user interface, is one of the Iranian freelance websites that provide different services such as programming, application and software development, website design, website, and social network content production, typing, translation, design, editing, and even various engineering, science, and art projects. It covers architecture and many other diverse services.

Carlancer membership is free, but you can get one of the bronze, silver, and gold designs to access more facilities. Like the two websites Parscoders and Poonisha, a list of projects based on the selected skills will be displayed to you, and you can send the terms and the proposed amount based on the project budget. Of course, the amount of the project can be more than the amount submitted by the employer, But to increase the chances of accepting the offer, it is better to add convincing explanations.

Carpenter has also considered features such as outstanding offers, special offers, and unprecedented offers to increase the chance of acceptance. One of the exciting and prominent features of Carlancer is professional skill tests. In this section, you can test yourself by answering a few test questions in your skill field. After completing the test, the skill medal of this test will be displayed on your profile, which will increase your credibility. You need to pay a fee to participate in these tests.

4. I’ll do

I do a freelance website based on outsourcing services. Employers act as service buyers, and freelancers act as service sellers on this website. Buyers can buy the desired services after checking the seller’s record, the description provided, and the comments of previous customers. Also, they can publish services needed to hire freelancers.

Freelancers or sellers on the I do website have different levels. They can promote themselves to higher levels and strive to increase their income by timely delivery of orders and quality services. Sellers can also offer their services for sale and receive work orders. The seller’s income varies between 81 and 89% of the order amount.

final word

Today, freelancing is more popular than ever. On the one hand, people are looking for flexibility in their schedule and the freedom to choose their desired job, and on the other hand, companies choose freelancers to outsource all or part of their services to reduce costs. Jobs such as web development and design, graphic design, illustration, virtual assistant, translation, writing, and content production are among the most popular and lucrative freelance jobs today. Also, many foreign and Iranian websites, such as Fiver, Flexjobs, Punisha, Parscaders, etc., for choosing employment and employers, each of which offers different facilities and conditions.