{"id":58697,"date":"2024-04-12T12:13:37","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T19:13:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/?p=58697"},"modified":"2024-04-12T12:13:37","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T19:13:37","slug":"how-to-thrive-as-a-full-time-freelancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/blog\/how-to-thrive-as-a-full-time-freelancer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Thrive as a Full-Time Freelancer\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Freelancing isn\u2019t just a side hustle anymore \u2014 it can be your full-time job (and a lucrative one, too!). As of January 2024, <\/span>there are an estimated 76.4 million freelancers in the United States<\/span><\/a>, and ~40% of them freelance full-time. To back that up, <\/span>we asked our creative community how many freelance hours they log each week<\/span><\/a>. The response? 36% are leveraging freelance work as their main income stream.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s clear that creatives are consciously opting for the freelance path, and for good reason. We asked <\/span>two of our seasoned recruiters<\/span><\/a>, Elizabeth Calabrese and Jayce Reyes, how to thrive as a full-time freelancer. Here\u2019s what they had to say: <\/span><\/p>\n

Freedom, Flexibility, and Self-Management<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Being a freelancer means you\u2019re the captain of your own ship, the CEO of your freelance business. \u201cYou can decide when and where you work. Your freelance hours can flex around your personal needs, plus, there\u2019s a lot of opportunities to work remote<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d says Elizabeth.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Picture this: You\u2019re putting the finishing touches on your latest design project, sipping hot coffee in your work-from-home attire (we\u2019ll let you decide what that looks like) while the rest of the 9\u20135ers are still stuck in rush hour traffic just to get to the office.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And can you do this full-time? Yep! But you\u2019ll likely need to pick up multiple part-time gigs. And doing this well requires organization, clear communication, and time management. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Elizabeth stresses the importance of project management. \u201cWhen juggling part-time gigs, find a method that works for you. It could be splitting up your days per client, or creating time blocks for each client each day.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> Elizabeth suggests looking into project management tools to help manage your workload across clients. If you need somewhere to start, our Creative Circle favorite is <\/span>Asana.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Diverse Portfolio and Higher Pay <\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Freelancing full-time <\/span>enables you<\/span> to diversify your portfolio relatively quickly.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When hiring managers see your comprehensive range<\/span> \u2014<\/span> from web design to content writing to social media management<\/span> \u2014<\/span> they\u2019ll perceive greater value, making you a highly sought after candidate.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jayce Reyes shares that the most in-demand skills he\u2019s seeing at the moment are \u201ctechnical skills related to digital platforms, coding, and specialized software.\u201d He reminds us to <\/span>never undervalue soft skills<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u201cEffective communication, time management, and adaptability are universally valued across industries,\u201d says Jayce. Freelancers should consider gigs in fields with growing demand, such as digital marketing, data analysis, or user experience design.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But don\u2019t just diversify your skills \u2014 explore different industries, too.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jayce explains how experience in multiple verticals can be particularly advantageous when trying to make more money. \u201cFreelancers can strategically seek out opportunities in specific verticals that have higher demand for their skills and offer greater compensation.\u201d\u00a0 He adds, \u201cFind the industry that calls to you and take on gigs there. Becoming an industry-specific expert can enable you to command higher rates due the specialized nature of your services.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When setting wage expectations, consider each project\u2019s scope, complexity, and the value you provide. Decide on a pricing structure (hourly, per-project, or retainer) that aligns with your work style and your financial goals. Jayce says<\/span>,<\/span> \u201cIt\u2019s crucial to periodically reassess your rates as your experience and market demand evolve.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To access detailed salary breakdowns for creative, marketing, and tech roles, <\/span>check out our salary guide<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Link Arms with a Recruiter <\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

One of the biggest challenges freelancers face is finding consistent work. And when you\u2019re freelancing full-time, the work <\/span>needs<\/span><\/b> to keep flowing. That\u2019s where a trusted recruiter comes in \u2014 they know you better than your favorite coffee shop barista!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recruiters do the heavy lifting to find relevant openings, make client intros, and negotiate the best rates on your behalf. At Creative Circle, our connections with top companies get your resume in front of the right people and provide you access to positions that aren\u2019t posted anywhere else. Plus, when you work with us, you\u2019re on our payroll. So, you can immediately cross \u201csend invoice\u201d off that to-do list in your new project management tool <\/span>\ud83d\ude09<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re Here to Help<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

With great freedom comes great responsibility. Managing every aspect of your freelance business<\/span> \u2014<\/span> setting schedules, constant communication, meeting deadlines, client satisfaction, invoicing<\/span> \u2014 <\/span>can be overwhelming<\/span>, but Creative Circle is here to help you. If you\u2019re interested in dipping your toes in the gig economy or <\/span>are ready<\/span> to dive into freelancing full-time, <\/span>connect with us here<\/span><\/a>! And don\u2019t forget to follow us on <\/span>Instagram<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>subscribe to our monthly newsletter<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Freelancing isn\u2019t just a side hustle anymore \u2014 it can be your full-time job (and a lucrative one, too!). As of January 2024, there are an estimated 76.4 million freelancers in the United States, and ~40% of them freelance full-time. To back that up, we asked our creative community how many freelance hours they log […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":58698,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[88,76,94],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-creative-insights","category-life-as-a-freelancer","category-lifestyle"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Thrive as a Full-Time Freelancer\u00a0 | Creative Circle<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Freelancing isn\u2019t just a side hustle anymore \u2014 it can be your full-time job (and a lucrative one, too!).\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.creativecircle.com\/blog\/how-to-thrive-as-a-full-time-freelancer\/\" \/>\n<meta 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