Ideas & Opportunities
How to survive and thrive as a freelancer
Jan 20, 2012
Every once in a while, you come across people who owe their allegiance to no single employer and observe no strict office hours. They work at their own pace and don’t get regular compensation. Yet they flourish, operating outside the safety nets granted to career professionals. These individuals are known as freelancers, and you can be one, too, if you have the discipline and the drive to navigate this way of life. See our list of steps to take before you take the freelance route here.
Once you’ve chosen to focus on the field you want to work in and built a decent portfolio, the next step to succeeding as a freelancer is to get yourself in the market.
Below are tips on how to maximize your chance at success:
![<p>Being a freelancer does not excuse you from the legalities involved in running a business. File your taxes, and make sure your other legal paperwork is in order. Many independent contractors don’t bother incorporating a single proprietorship for what they do, but more established ones find that having official receipts and accreditation from the Securities and Exchange Commission affords them options with bigger clients.<br /></p><p>“If you plan to work with corporations and advertising agencies, you definitely need to register. [And] you still need to get the normal business permits,” admits Raffy Tesoro, a freelance production designer and studio owner. “It’s even stricter, actually, when it comes to working with the agencies. You need to get accredited. You’ll have to go through a process in each company, where they determine whether you’re ‘worthy’ of working for them, based on whether you can meet their standards.”<br /></p><p>Oral agreements often form the basis of freelance work, but you can also use memorandums of agreement or short-term contracts. These offer you and your clients mutual protection and legal support, should any problems arise. Consult a lawyer about to know what concerns arise in your line of work. You might also want to hire an accountant to help you in managing your finances.<br /></p><p>Respect your clients and the work you do for them. Work ethics are important for freelancers, and behaving inappropriately can seriously damage your reputation. If there is one thing independent contractors can never, ever afford to lose, it’s a good reputation.<br /><br /></p>](/images/gallery/Freelance_tips/contract-freelance.gif "Mind ethics and legalities")
Comments
Looking for a new business? Find opportunities here
The best place to look for suppliers and business partners
Know where to place your investments
Looking for ways to fund your business? Find them here
Find the right suppliers and clients for business equipment and other products
Earn money from your properties. Post your advertisement here
Anything and everything about franchising
Expand your network here
Get the buzz from fellow entrepreneurs
Let’s solve your business woes
Your guide through the start-up maze
Swap tips and get advice on juggling your business journals
- Boxing coach Freddie Roach concerned about Pacman's renewal of faith affecting his "killer instinct," says: "If it's not there... I'll probably tell him to retire"
- NBI deputy director survives ambush by gunmen on a motorcycle
- Malacañang announces new rules for class suspension during calamities; no longer the DepEd's call
- NBI deputy director survives ambush by gunmen on a motorcycle
