开启你的自由职业
自由职业是用自己的方式来工作
Becoming a freelancer is a great way to start working for yourself. You can work for multiple employers at a time, hone a variety of marketable skills, and work as much or as little as you want. Even if you’ve never worked freelance before, you may be able to land a project if you know how to market yourself and where to look!
Preparing to Freelance
1. Contemplate your marketable skills.
Whether you’re a writer, photographer, mathematician, web designer, marketing guru, illustrator, scientist, or underwater basket weaver, there is probably a freelance job out there for you. What do you enjoy doing? What are your strengths? Make a list of everything that you think you could possible monetize.[1]
Don’t write off any of your skills or passions. (不要放弃你的任何技能或激情). List everything that you think you’re good at, regardless if you’ve heard of freelancers doing it or not! Don’t limit yourself before you’ve started.
2. Consider the market.
While most skills can be effectively monetized, you probably want to consider early on who needs particular skills. If you want to make freelancing your full-time job, you may want to pick a skill that you think a lot of people would be willing to pay for, or at least broaden the scope of what you are willing to do. Conduct a little research on the marketplace before you get started.
For example, strong academic writers may find work easier than an expert on 15th century German footwear. Consider how many people will need what you’re selling, and decide if you can broaden your scope.
3 Gather the materials you’ll need. Be ready to hit the ground running. If you are going to search for freelance writing gigs, make sure you have a reliable computer and Internet connection. If you’re a photographer, make sure you’ve got a camera. If you’re striving to be a freelance statistician, make sure you have the common software used in the field. Don’t expect to get hired if you aren’t prepared to get to work immediately.
You should be willing to invest into your business. Don’t forget the saying, “You’ve gotta spend money to make money.”
4 Create a plan.
Figure out a reasonable hourly rate. What are your competitors charging? Remember, as you gain more experience, you will be able to raise your hourly rate. Decide how many hours you want (or need) to work. Of course, once you start freelancing you will get a better idea of how quickly you work, how many hours certain projects will take, and how many projects you can realistically take on at once. However, going into this new job with a plan will help ensure that you aren’t strained for money or time as you are beginning.[2]
5 Find a mentor. The best way to learn about a new industry is to talk with someone who has been a part of it for a while. You can find a mentor in various ways. You can ask family, friends, teachers, co-workers, etc. if they know anyone who freelances. You can view work online, and reaching out to someone who does something similar to what you want to do. You can find networking events in your area online. Regardless of your method, you just need to put yourself out there![3]
A mentor can help you determine your rate, give you some pointers, and, ideally, even give you a few contacts to get started.
You need to be able to show your mentor that you’re committed to this endeavor. Make sure you have done your research and gathered your supplies before you reach out to someone.
Remember that they’re doing you a favor by helping you out. Show them gratitude and respect. Work hard to show them that you’re a worthy mentee.
2 Selling Yourself
1
Develop your personal brand. Don’t forget that as a freelancer, you are your business, and you have to sell yourself to sell your product. Think about what makes you different from the competition. Are you witty? Are you particularly美 [pərˈtɪkjələrli] efficient? Do you have an impressive educational background? Whatever desirable traits you have, use them to your advantage.[4] [5]
Your personal brand should be clear on your résumé, your online presence, your business cards, and communications you have with potential and current clients.
2
Accept opportunities. When you’re first starting out, you probably won’t have a lot of previous work to show. In order to build a portfolio or a résumé, you should savor any chance you get to show your stuff. Volunteer to do freelance work for very cheap, or even for free. This experience can help you learn as well as give you future references. Beggars can’t be choosers, and most freelancers will typically begin as beggars.[6]
3.Spread the word of your business online. Create a webpage, a LinkedIn, a Twitter, a blog, a Facebook, an Instagram, whatever! The easier you are to find, the better. When you apply for jobs and submit résumés, you can add links to your various media platforms. This allows your employers to easily check out your previous work.[7]
This is why it’s important to take all the opportunities that come your way (at first). Even if you aren’t making the big bucks when you first start out, any work and experience can be used to fluff up your online presence.
4
Fight for jobs. In the freelance world, it pays to be resourceful, determined, and competitive. Just because you’ve created a website and a personal brand does not mean that employers are going to start flocking to you. Apply, apply, and apply some more to jobs. You have to go searching for jobs you want.
为工作而战。在自由职业者的世界里，足智多谋、有决心、有竞争力是值得的。仅仅因为你创建了一个网站和一个个人品牌，并不意味着雇主会开始蜂拥而至。申请，申请，再申请更多的工作。你得去找你想要的工作。
Putting in the Work
Find your first project locally or online. When you're working to get your very first client, don't get discouraged. It can take a few tries! Be creative in your search and be open to all sorts of projects, because you need work to build a portfolio, gain experience, and eventually get higher paying jobs. Contact local businesses and explain how your services could benefit them. Send your cover letter and resume to websites you frequent and admire. Use Google to find job posting for the particular service you're offering— you will be shocked at how many different job boards there are for various types of freelancers.
Upwork, Toptal, Elance, iFreelance, Craigslist, Project4hire, Demand Media, and dozens of other websites post new jobs daily. Never underestimate the power of the Internet! Check these websites daily to stay on top of available jobs.[8]
2
Understand the value of the smaller jobs. When you are beginning your freelance career, the smaller, lower-paying jobs can actually be your best bet. More experienced freelancers may overlook these jobs, so you can snag them. Send the employer a personalized cover letter, and show a sincere interest in the job they are offering, no matter how small. By completing your first projects, you can get start gathering positive references as well as more material for your portfolio.
了解小职位的价值。当你开始自由职业生涯时，小职位，低收入的工作实际上是你最好的选择。更有经验的自由职业者可能会忽略这些工作，所以你可以抓住他们。给雇主发一封个性化的求职信，并对他们提供的工作表现出真诚的兴趣，无论职位有多小。通过完成你的第一个项目，你可以开始收集积极的参考资料，以及更多的材料为您的投资组合
portfolio
英 [pɔːtˈfəʊliəʊ] 美 [pɔːrtˈfoʊlioʊ]
n.
文件夹;公事包;(求职时用以证明资历的)作品，整套照片;(个人或机构的)投资组合，有价证券组合
3
Make yourself work, even when you do not have a project. It can be tempting to relax when you are discouraged or between jobs, but this is a time to show off what you can do. Create things for your website, attend networking events, do pro bono work around your community, do anything! Just keep producing content, seeking clients, and marketing yourself. When you rest on your laurels, you may be missing potential clients or letting your skills get rusty.
即使你没有一个项目，也要让自己工作。当你感到沮丧或在工作间隙放松是很有诱惑力的，但这是一个展示你能做什么的时候。为你的网站创造东西，参加社交活动，在你的社区做公益工作，做任何事！只要继续制作内容，寻找客户，推销自己。当你固步自封时，你可能会错过潜在客户，或者让你的技能变得生疏。
4
Create a schedule. Working freelance jobs gives you the luxury of setting your own hours, but it can also become dangerously easy to procrastinate. Try to outline a schedule and stick to it! The good thing is that you can design a schedule tailored to your personal work style. Whether you work best in one hour increments with frequent breaks, or if you work best by sitting at a desk for ten hours straight and pounding out a project, you should still make a plan.[9]
Make sure you consider time that will be spent receiving feedback from the employer and making necessary edits.
It can be hard sticking to a schedule when you are your own boss, but it is even harder scrambling to finish a project with an impending deadline. Effectively managing your own time will help you produce quality results, which in turn will lead to more jobs.
制定一个时间表。做自由职业者的工作给了你自己设定时间的奢侈，但也可能变得危险地容易拖延。试着勾勒出一个时间表并坚持下去！好的是，你可以设计一个适合你个人工作风格的时间表。无论你是以一个小时为增量，频繁休息，还是连续十个小时坐在办公桌前完成一个项目，你都应该制定一个计划
•确保你考虑了从雇主那里获得反馈和进行必要编辑所花费的时间。
•当你是自己的老板时，坚持一个时间表是很困难的，但在迫在眉睫的最后期限内完成一个项目则更难。有效地管理自己的时间将有助于你产生高质量的结果，进而带来更多的工作。
5
Accept criticism gracefully. Freelancers typically work for many different employers, which means they constantly tweaking their style to fit a new job’s requirement. With that process comes some growing pains. When an employer gives you feedback, nod your head and take the feedback. They have hired you to complete a task as they see fit, so what they say goes.
优雅地接受批评。自由职业者通常为许多不同的雇主工作，这意味着他们不断调整自己的风格，以适应新工作的要求。在这个过程中，伴随着一些成长的烦恼。当雇主给你反馈时，点头接受反馈。他们雇佣你来完成一项他们认为合适的任务，所以他们说了算。
６．Preserve bridges. When you are self-employed, it is crucial to network successfully and have excellent references. No matter what, don’t burn bridges! While a perk of freelancing is that you are your own boss, you are also the face of your whole company. It will be hard to sell your work if you can’t sell yourself, and it will be difficult to sell yourself if you have a poor employment history.[10]
Keeping your employers happy will help keep work coming your way.
保护桥梁。当你是个体户，这是至关重要的网络成功和有良好的参考。不管怎样，不要过河拆桥！自由职业者的一个好处是你是自己的老板，你也是整个公司的代言人。如果你不能推销自己，就很难推销自己的工作；如果你的工作经历不好，就很难推销自己
让你的雇主高兴会有助于你的工作顺利进行。
Becoming a freelancer is a great way to start working for yourself. You can work for multiple employers at a time, hone a variety of marketable skills, and work as much or as little as you want. Even if you’ve never worked freelance before, you may be able to land a project if you know how to market yourself and where to look!
Preparing to Freelance
1. Contemplate your marketable skills.
Whether you’re a writer, photographer, mathematician, web designer, marketing guru, illustrator, scientist, or underwater basket weaver, there is probably a freelance job out there for you. What do you enjoy doing? What are your strengths? Make a list of everything that you think you could possible monetize.[1]
Don’t write off any of your skills or passions. (不要放弃你的任何技能或激情). List everything that you think you’re good at, regardless if you’ve heard of freelancers doing it or not! Don’t limit yourself before you’ve started.
2. Consider the market.
While most skills can be effectively monetized, you probably want to consider early on who needs particular skills. If you want to make freelancing your full-time job, you may want to pick a skill that you think a lot of people would be willing to pay for, or at least broaden the scope of what you are willing to do. Conduct a little research on the marketplace before you get started.
For example, strong academic writers may find work easier than an expert on 15th century German footwear. Consider how many people will need what you’re selling, and decide if you can broaden your scope.
3 Gather the materials you’ll need. Be ready to hit the ground running. If you are going to search for freelance writing gigs, make sure you have a reliable computer and Internet connection. If you’re a photographer, make sure you’ve got a camera. If you’re striving to be a freelance statistician, make sure you have the common software used in the field. Don’t expect to get hired if you aren’t prepared to get to work immediately.
You should be willing to invest into your business. Don’t forget the saying, “You’ve gotta spend money to make money.”
4 Create a plan.
Figure out a reasonable hourly rate. What are your competitors charging? Remember, as you gain more experience, you will be able to raise your hourly rate. Decide how many hours you want (or need) to work. Of course, once you start freelancing you will get a better idea of how quickly you work, how many hours certain projects will take, and how many projects you can realistically take on at once. However, going into this new job with a plan will help ensure that you aren’t strained for money or time as you are beginning.[2]
5 Find a mentor. The best way to learn about a new industry is to talk with someone who has been a part of it for a while. You can find a mentor in various ways. You can ask family, friends, teachers, co-workers, etc. if they know anyone who freelances. You can view work online, and reaching out to someone who does something similar to what you want to do. You can find networking events in your area online. Regardless of your method, you just need to put yourself out there![3]
A mentor can help you determine your rate, give you some pointers, and, ideally, even give you a few contacts to get started.
You need to be able to show your mentor that you’re committed to this endeavor. Make sure you have done your research and gathered your supplies before you reach out to someone.
Remember that they’re doing you a favor by helping you out. Show them gratitude and respect. Work hard to show them that you’re a worthy mentee.
2 Selling Yourself
1
Develop your personal brand. Don’t forget that as a freelancer, you are your business, and you have to sell yourself to sell your product. Think about what makes you different from the competition. Are you witty? Are you particularly美 [pərˈtɪkjələrli] efficient? Do you have an impressive educational background? Whatever desirable traits you have, use them to your advantage.[4] [5]
Your personal brand should be clear on your résumé, your online presence, your business cards, and communications you have with potential and current clients.
2
Accept opportunities. When you’re first starting out, you probably won’t have a lot of previous work to show. In order to build a portfolio or a résumé, you should savor any chance you get to show your stuff. Volunteer to do freelance work for very cheap, or even for free. This experience can help you learn as well as give you future references. Beggars can’t be choosers, and most freelancers will typically begin as beggars.[6]
3.Spread the word of your business online. Create a webpage, a LinkedIn, a Twitter, a blog, a Facebook, an Instagram, whatever! The easier you are to find, the better. When you apply for jobs and submit résumés, you can add links to your various media platforms. This allows your employers to easily check out your previous work.[7]
This is why it’s important to take all the opportunities that come your way (at first). Even if you aren’t making the big bucks when you first start out, any work and experience can be used to fluff up your online presence.
4
Fight for jobs. In the freelance world, it pays to be resourceful, determined, and competitive. Just because you’ve created a website and a personal brand does not mean that employers are going to start flocking to you. Apply, apply, and apply some more to jobs. You have to go searching for jobs you want.
为工作而战。在自由职业者的世界里，足智多谋、有决心、有竞争力是值得的。仅仅因为你创建了一个网站和一个个人品牌，并不意味着雇主会开始蜂拥而至。申请，申请，再申请更多的工作。你得去找你想要的工作。
Putting in the Work
Find your first project locally or online. When you're working to get your very first client, don't get discouraged. It can take a few tries! Be creative in your search and be open to all sorts of projects, because you need work to build a portfolio, gain experience, and eventually get higher paying jobs. Contact local businesses and explain how your services could benefit them. Send your cover letter and resume to websites you frequent and admire. Use Google to find job posting for the particular service you're offering— you will be shocked at how many different job boards there are for various types of freelancers.
Upwork, Toptal, Elance, iFreelance, Craigslist, Project4hire, Demand Media, and dozens of other websites post new jobs daily. Never underestimate the power of the Internet! Check these websites daily to stay on top of available jobs.[8]
2
Understand the value of the smaller jobs. When you are beginning your freelance career, the smaller, lower-paying jobs can actually be your best bet. More experienced freelancers may overlook these jobs, so you can snag them. Send the employer a personalized cover letter, and show a sincere interest in the job they are offering, no matter how small. By completing your first projects, you can get start gathering positive references as well as more material for your portfolio.
了解小职位的价值。当你开始自由职业生涯时，小职位，低收入的工作实际上是你最好的选择。更有经验的自由职业者可能会忽略这些工作，所以你可以抓住他们。给雇主发一封个性化的求职信，并对他们提供的工作表现出真诚的兴趣，无论职位有多小。通过完成你的第一个项目，你可以开始收集积极的参考资料，以及更多的材料为您的投资组合
portfolio
英 [pɔːtˈfəʊliəʊ] 美 [pɔːrtˈfoʊlioʊ]
n.
文件夹;公事包;(求职时用以证明资历的)作品，整套照片;(个人或机构的)投资组合，有价证券组合
3
Make yourself work, even when you do not have a project. It can be tempting to relax when you are discouraged or between jobs, but this is a time to show off what you can do. Create things for your website, attend networking events, do pro bono work around your community, do anything! Just keep producing content, seeking clients, and marketing yourself. When you rest on your laurels, you may be missing potential clients or letting your skills get rusty.
即使你没有一个项目，也要让自己工作。当你感到沮丧或在工作间隙放松是很有诱惑力的，但这是一个展示你能做什么的时候。为你的网站创造东西，参加社交活动，在你的社区做公益工作，做任何事！只要继续制作内容，寻找客户，推销自己。当你固步自封时，你可能会错过潜在客户，或者让你的技能变得生疏。
4
Create a schedule. Working freelance jobs gives you the luxury of setting your own hours, but it can also become dangerously easy to procrastinate. Try to outline a schedule and stick to it! The good thing is that you can design a schedule tailored to your personal work style. Whether you work best in one hour increments with frequent breaks, or if you work best by sitting at a desk for ten hours straight and pounding out a project, you should still make a plan.[9]
Make sure you consider time that will be spent receiving feedback from the employer and making necessary edits.
It can be hard sticking to a schedule when you are your own boss, but it is even harder scrambling to finish a project with an impending deadline. Effectively managing your own time will help you produce quality results, which in turn will lead to more jobs.
制定一个时间表。做自由职业者的工作给了你自己设定时间的奢侈，但也可能变得危险地容易拖延。试着勾勒出一个时间表并坚持下去！好的是，你可以设计一个适合你个人工作风格的时间表。无论你是以一个小时为增量，频繁休息，还是连续十个小时坐在办公桌前完成一个项目，你都应该制定一个计划
•确保你考虑了从雇主那里获得反馈和进行必要编辑所花费的时间。
•当你是自己的老板时，坚持一个时间表是很困难的，但在迫在眉睫的最后期限内完成一个项目则更难。有效地管理自己的时间将有助于你产生高质量的结果，进而带来更多的工作。
5
Accept criticism gracefully. Freelancers typically work for many different employers, which means they constantly tweaking their style to fit a new job’s requirement. With that process comes some growing pains. When an employer gives you feedback, nod your head and take the feedback. They have hired you to complete a task as they see fit, so what they say goes.
优雅地接受批评。自由职业者通常为许多不同的雇主工作，这意味着他们不断调整自己的风格，以适应新工作的要求。在这个过程中，伴随着一些成长的烦恼。当雇主给你反馈时，点头接受反馈。他们雇佣你来完成一项他们认为合适的任务，所以他们说了算。
６．Preserve bridges. When you are self-employed, it is crucial to network successfully and have excellent references. No matter what, don’t burn bridges! While a perk of freelancing is that you are your own boss, you are also the face of your whole company. It will be hard to sell your work if you can’t sell yourself, and it will be difficult to sell yourself if you have a poor employment history.[10]
Keeping your employers happy will help keep work coming your way.
保护桥梁。当你是个体户，这是至关重要的网络成功和有良好的参考。不管怎样，不要过河拆桥！自由职业者的一个好处是你是自己的老板，你也是整个公司的代言人。如果你不能推销自己，就很难推销自己的工作；如果你的工作经历不好，就很难推销自己
让你的雇主高兴会有助于你的工作顺利进行。
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