A freelancer is an individual who makes money on a per-job basis.

They usually earn on a per-task basis and generally work for a short time according to the economic time's blog.

This means that if there isn’t a reliable constant source of gigs coming in (like a traditional in-house employee) he/she won’t last long!

Now that you’ve realized the problem...

What do we do? 😐

It’s quite simple you know😉

BUILD YOUR NETWORK✨

The power of connecting and being part of a community in the tech space is more beneficial than you think.

Why?

Because it not only exposes you to endless opportunities, but it also enables you to build
a strong network of creatives that can come to your aid at any time.

Building genuine connections through social media and in-person events is what will make you stand out as a freelancer, and there are ways to do just that!

From my experience and the testimonials of others, Here Are The Practical Steps To Building A Strong, Convertible Network Of Endless Possibilities ✨👇🏾

1. Network Network Network!

The first step to building that strong network base is networking:).

What is Networking?

I really love the way the Oxford Dictionary puts it.

It is the action or process of interacting with others (in this case other creatives like yourself) to exchange information (about your services, your rates etc and vis versa) and develop professional (potential clients) or social contacts (potential friends who are likely to recommend your work anytime)!

\drops mic\ 🎤🚶🏾‍♀️

If you don't yet see the doors that could open from just this single act then you need to read that paragraph again!

Now, you may be thinking: "But I'm shy, I can't go in front of someone and just start talking" or "What should I even say?"

Well, there are some ways to go about this. The first would be utilizing social media**.**

On platforms like Twitter, there is a strong tech community presence that can help you kickstart your networking journey. The tech space on there frequently has Twitter Spaces which is a little bit like Clubhouse with more cool features and interactive sessions.

Credit: Samson's Twitter Space

Above is what a Twitter Space typically looks like. The host will be labeled Host and the Speakers will be labeled Speaker. To read more about Twitter Spaces, you can check this article here

Whenever you join spaces where the people there are talking about anything related to your field of expertise or a topic you know, it wouldn't hurt to jump on by requesting to speak, say hi- introduce yourself and drop one or two nuggets to help foster what the Host and Speakers are trying to portray to the audience depending on the situation.

By doing this, here are the few things that most likely might happen:

• You will gain the attention of those on stage which opens the floor to connect

• Expose yourself to potential clients in that Space.

If you don't have anything to contribute to the space you can ask a question! This will also let the Host & Speakers know that you were listening thereby grabbing their attention even more. (For those of you that might need some preparations and a little training session-- make sure to read till the end! I've got something for you😉)

2. Collaboration

Working with other people on projects whether personal or otherwise can bring a diverse set of skills and perspectives to the table, which can lead to more creative and effective solutions. When this happens, it enables others on that project to see how skilled you are in whatever tech field you have expertise in which will be a plus whenever they want to recommend you for another gig.

Why?

Because they've experienced first-hand your working ethics and problem-solving skills which they can testify to when recommending you.

THAT IS WHY-- you must make sure to do an great job working with them, be humble yet attentive, and try your best to input where it's needed. Don't try to be all-knowing as well & most of all connect with them! To get to know them more, you can use the simple method I talked about above👆🏾**.**

Another way to do well in building that solid network base is by Contributing To Open Source!

And no, it's not what you're thinking🙃.

Open Source now has the potential to land you high-paying gis/jobs that you never thought were possible. Eddie Joude, a Github Guru and Open Source enthusiast talks about it all the time on his Channel On YouTube & His Twitter Here. Give it a try!

3. Mentorship

Now, this is one step in that I've heard a lot of good news and reviews from my network of designers. Being mentored by people in your field who are more experienced gives you an edge because they also get to know you one on one and see your work and guide you on how best to navigate your career and excel. They can also recommend you! This will be a great push as their network is most likely looking for new & great talent on a daily.

A platform that can help with mentorship is ADPList.

"The ADPList community is an amazing place that provides useful, supportive and actionable tips for all mentors. It’s where people share a laugh, vent their frustrations and debate. It’s also a great place to help grow your professional network." - ADPList Blog

With such a diversified community, your chances of landing a job are excellent.

Resources✨

So, we've talked about how to build your network base by networking, collaborating on projects and getting mentorship from people that are more experienced in your field.

Now, to help most of you get off the ground and practice this skill; I'd recommend these Twitter Spaces:

• #GrabTheMic by ShawnCharles: He has frequent Spaces on Getting Jobs In Tech, this can be a great place for you to learn how to pitch yourself to potential clients, contribute to answering people's questions and connect with other creatives.

• #ChinaaSpace by Chinaa: She has once-a-week spaces talking tech people and their mindset on freelancing and how to be a better designer or creative. Join her spaces to learn more (She's super fun🥳!)

• #DevSpaces by CS Dojo: He has frequent spaces for developers and anyone practicing to speak in twitter spaces & connect with other creatives plus helpful daily tips on developer health and dev content.

Conclusion

Congratulations! Now you know that one #1 skill that will make you stand out as a freelancer and scale up. Do note that the steps mentioned in this article are steps that I have used and believe will be beneficial to you as well but they are in no way the ULTIMATE in becoming a better freelancer.

I can't wait to hear your results and thoughts in the comments! Feel free to ask questions and I'll try my best to answer them.

Make sure to Subscribe if you are new to design (designer & developer) as I'll be posting more great How-to content to help you design better😉.

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Catch you later!