Continuing my interview series with successful freelancers (seeing as I have no time to write posts these days and am letting these cool interviewees take up my slack!), I am happy to present to you Saima Jamil Ashraf - journalist, writer, teacher extraordinaire! Saima is a fairly recent entrant to the world of freelancing and was a very keen participant in my Freelance with Elance course. I had high hopes from her and she hasn’t disappointed. I hope you’ll be able to take lessons from Saima’s story on how important it is to package your service right and market it well! Over to Saima.
1. When did you start freelancing?
December 2010
2. Why did you choose Elance as your freelance marketplace of choice?
I didn’t do a lot of research into other marketplaces, to be honest, but Elance has in its favour a huge employer base, and very easy-to-use system, a free membership option so you can try it out for size, and a system of escrow for guaranteeing payment.
3. How did you find the getting started process (making a profile, choosing membership, etc)? Was it intuitive or complicated?
It was fairly straightforward. I think the profile is something which evolves, so setting it up did not necessarily result in the finished product.
4. What kind of projects do you wish to do as a freelancer?
Writing projects – I plan to start small with blogs and articles, and then hopefully move on to bigger projects like e-books.
5. How do you differentiate yourself/your services in the competitive international market?
I try to draw on my qualifications and work experience and let employers know that they will get the benefit of a unique combination of skills.
6. How much are you currently earning in freelancing income?
I’m just starting out so I currently have on board projects for under $300. But I don’t plan to stop there!
7. How much do you expect to be earning/would prefer to earn in 6 months’ time?
I’d like to earn at least $500 a month and then see how much time I can devote to work and whether it is feasible to plan for more. I can only devote a limited amount of time to writing, so my earnings will reflect that of course.
8. Do you believe freelancers can earn just as much or more than a typical office job?
Yes – as long as they have a marketable skill and can show an above-average level of proficiency in it. You have to remember that in an office you will generally only be compared to your immediate colleagues, but in the virtual marketplace, you are pitted against peers from every corner of the earth, all looking to prove that they can do the work better than you. Sure, there are always going to be employers who are more concerned about provider fees than the standard of work, but at the end of the day the quality of your work is what will persuade employers to hire you – and pay you well.
9. What essential skills should any would-be freelancer bring to the global marketplace?
Aside from proficiency in their field (ie if you want work in Writing & Translation, can you actually write well??) it helps to know how to sell yourself and your skills, and how to figure out exactly what you are suited for.
When you first start on Elance, it’s tempting to bid left, right and centre on everything, but it quickly becomes clear that once you establish a niche you are more likely to convince employers that you are serious about writing.
Of course, when you are a little more established it’s easy to increase the scope and variety of the projects you pick up.
10. Your top 3 tips for freelancing success?
1. Be prepared to work extra hard in the beginning – work will not fall into your lap
2. Focus on your strengths and sell them well.
3. Develop a thick skin! Many, many rejections will come your way before the first acceptance.
Note from Salma: As you can see, Saima demonstrates that with the right approach, a niche focus and a game plan, its possible to run a successful freelance business. Your success depends on your ability to leverage your talent with your marketing skills. If you believe you have the skills needed to work on Elance, but want to learn how to market yourself better and get the best-paying projects and clients, then you may want to check out my Freelance with Elance course. Its a physical Karachi-based course for now, but I have plans to bring it online soon. If you’re interested, go ahead and register for it! Also check out the Facebook discussion on the course. Registrations are open for a limited time!
1. When did you start freelancing?
December 2010
2. Why did you choose Elance as your freelance marketplace of choice?
I didn’t do a lot of research into other marketplaces, to be honest, but Elance has in its favour a huge employer base, and very easy-to-use system, a free membership option so you can try it out for size, and a system of escrow for guaranteeing payment.
3. How did you find the getting started process (making a profile, choosing membership, etc)? Was it intuitive or complicated?
It was fairly straightforward. I think the profile is something which evolves, so setting it up did not necessarily result in the finished product.
4. What kind of projects do you wish to do as a freelancer?
Writing projects – I plan to start small with blogs and articles, and then hopefully move on to bigger projects like e-books.
5. How do you differentiate yourself/your services in the competitive international market?
I try to draw on my qualifications and work experience and let employers know that they will get the benefit of a unique combination of skills.
6. How much are you currently earning in freelancing income?
I’m just starting out so I currently have on board projects for under $300. But I don’t plan to stop there!
7. How much do you expect to be earning/would prefer to earn in 6 months’ time?
I’d like to earn at least $500 a month and then see how much time I can devote to work and whether it is feasible to plan for more. I can only devote a limited amount of time to writing, so my earnings will reflect that of course.
8. Do you believe freelancers can earn just as much or more than a typical office job?
Yes – as long as they have a marketable skill and can show an above-average level of proficiency in it. You have to remember that in an office you will generally only be compared to your immediate colleagues, but in the virtual marketplace, you are pitted against peers from every corner of the earth, all looking to prove that they can do the work better than you. Sure, there are always going to be employers who are more concerned about provider fees than the standard of work, but at the end of the day the quality of your work is what will persuade employers to hire you – and pay you well.
9. What essential skills should any would-be freelancer bring to the global marketplace?
Aside from proficiency in their field (ie if you want work in Writing & Translation, can you actually write well??) it helps to know how to sell yourself and your skills, and how to figure out exactly what you are suited for.
When you first start on Elance, it’s tempting to bid left, right and centre on everything, but it quickly becomes clear that once you establish a niche you are more likely to convince employers that you are serious about writing.
Of course, when you are a little more established it’s easy to increase the scope and variety of the projects you pick up.
10. Your top 3 tips for freelancing success?
1. Be prepared to work extra hard in the beginning – work will not fall into your lap
2. Focus on your strengths and sell them well.
3. Develop a thick skin! Many, many rejections will come your way before the first acceptance.
Note from Salma: As you can see, Saima demonstrates that with the right approach, a niche focus and a game plan, its possible to run a successful freelance business. Your success depends on your ability to leverage your talent with your marketing skills. If you believe you have the skills needed to work on Elance, but want to learn how to market yourself better and get the best-paying projects and clients, then you may want to check out my Freelance with Elance course. Its a physical Karachi-based course for now, but I have plans to bring it online soon. If you’re interested, go ahead and register for it! Also check out the Facebook discussion on the course. Registrations are open for a limited time!
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