FREELANCING AS A CAREER OPTION - A FAQ GUIDE

by
Rida Maheen

A freelance job is one in which a person works for himself or herself rather than for a corporation. The following guide will help you to launch your career as a proficient freelancer in Pakistan.

How can we use the internet to generate income?

Considering digitization and the current situation, most businesses have moved to digital platforms. A plethora of products are now available online and can be marketed through content writing, ad designing, website development etc.

These days, online sale and purchase are trending. What can we do with it to make money?

Self-made products (baking, crafting etc.) can be advertised and sold in a number of ways using multiple digital platforms. Likewise, soft skills like graphic designing, music composition, product photography can be offered to the owner of a certain other business or SME (Small and Mid-size Enterprise), who will then pay you for your services for marketing their product and bumping up sales in return.

What are the most common freelancing platforms?

Different social media and networking platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn can be used to showcase one’s digital skills. Moreover, there are platforms specially dedicated to freelancing, like Fiverr, Upwork, and People-Per-Hour.

Who is qualified to work as a freelancer? Any particular educational history or qualification requirement?

There are no such qualifications needed to work as a freelancer. One can develop above mentioned skillsets by either taking a specialized course or training, and even by watching videos on YouTube to learn a soft skill. All it takes is some effort!

How much money can I make from freelancing?

It all depends on how much time can one dedicate to freelancing. Some people who work full-time earn a minimum of Rs. 2-3 lac per month, while others have also established their own companies and hired their staff on the basis of freelancing. If working full-time is not desirable or feasible, one can also earn by the hour (rates range from 5-35 USD).

How can I get started as a freelancer?

By looking up different freelancing groups on above mentioned platforms and sending in your proposal to the people who post about a job in those groups. However, it is recommended to create a profile and find work through authorized digital platforms like Fiverr, Upwork and Freelancer since the payment method is secure and can be easily cashed out. Taking Fiverr for instance, companies or individuals post their projects and they can approach you if you invite them to look through your profile.

Are there any government schemes or programs that can assist Pakistani freelancers?

E-Rozgar was the pilot project launched by government of Punjab. The training lasted for 3.5 months. You can specialize in various fields related to online services such as graphic design, digital marketing, SEO etc. In addition to e-rozgar, there’s another new online free-of-cost government platform called DigiSkills.

Looking for More Inspiration?

Here is an inspiring success story of a Pakistani Freelancer, who managed to build a successful freelancing career from scratch.

This article was written by Rida Maheen, the official blog manager of WEmpower Pakistan and Masters student at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.