How To Start Freelancing With A Job

Income from your regular work may not be enough to accommodate your living expenses. As you discover more responsibilities in the adulthood period, you tend to have higher bills to pay. Aside from the things you need to settle at home, you also have other personal agendas that will require you to spend more money. With this, you might need a sideline aside from your regular job. 

Freelancing is one of the most suggested platforms for you if you want to keep your regular work and still earn on the side. It is an avenue for you to have more income than your monthly salary. Also, you might find yourself working on projects that pay higher than your job. With this, you must not hesitate to enter this field. 

However, a part of the working sector, you might worry if you can do both your regular job and the freelancing projects. You do not have to dwell much about it because many people are already doing it. They juggle their work and freelancing. If you are determined to gain extra money, you have to commit and show your perseverance. 

 

Here's how to start freelancing while keeping your regular job:

Set your availability schedule

As a working person, you have to be clear about your availability. Be straightforward with your clients and explain that you a full-time job. Tell them that you do freelance on the side, and you are capable of delivering services and outputs on your given availability schedule. 

Do not make any promises that you can submit at any time of the day. Make sure to tell your clients that you are not available on the working hours (9 am to 5 pm). You will have to inform them what time best works for you. It will help you to set expectations for your clients and not get demands of anything beyond it. 

 

Expect to work mornings, nights, and weekends

Since you are trying to juggle up work and freelancing, expect that your free hours from the office will be for your freelancing projects. You have to normalize waking up early in the morning or staying up late during the night to fulfill your duties as a freelancer. 

It may be hard at first, but once you become familiarized with the system, you will get used to this set-up. You need to exert effort if you are firm enough to pursue this path. 

 

Build a Portfolio

The two mentioned above are just fundamental reminders for you if you are sure enough in the path you are taking. Now, you also have to be familiarized with how to get more projects offered to you. If you are working, you probably have built a portfolio already. You might need to recycle that and create a new one for your freelancing portfolio. 

Building a portfolio will help you gain more clients. You can include here your experiences in working, which will make you more reliable as a freelancer. Having this is also an opportunity for you to brag about your achievements. You can include past works even before you started freelancing. 

 

Work for friends and relatives

To get you more experience, you can ask your friends or family to accept work from you if they need it. Since they probably want you to be successful, it is more likely that you get hired by them without competing with other freelancers. It will also acquire you more experience that will prepare you for clients that are not related to you. 

 

Look for a partner that complements your skills

Since you are working full-time, you might find it hectic to shoulder an entire project for yourself only. With this, you can look for a partner that complements your skills so you can have someone to help you finish your freelance work. You can also hire an assistant if you want and if you can with your budget. This method is one of the easiest ways to do both your regular work and freelancing projects. 

 

Working on your office full-time might be exhausting for you. You might also find yourself not contented with the salary you receive monthly. However, you might have to stick up with it for the benefits like health insurance and retirement funds. With the help of freelancing, you can keep your job for the benefits, and at the same, earn more money on the side.