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Who Is A Freelancer?

Who Is A Freelancer?

When you hear the word "freelancer", what comes to your mind?

Some people think a freelancer offers free services because of the name but that's very far from what a freelancer does. Freelance means an online work system. A freelancer is therefore anyone who carries out jobs and renders services online. Freelancing has become very popular but it is important that we have a proper understanding of who a freelancer is. A freelancer can be many things and we'd have to properly explain that in this article. 

Table Of Contents

  • Who is a freelancer?
  • Qualities every freelancer must possess
  • Roles of a freelancer

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WHO IS A FREELANCER?

A freelancer can be defined in many varying forms depending on the nature of the freelancer. A freelancer can be a:

  • A professional
  • A part timer
  • A full timer
  • An enthusiast

1. A Professional

A professional freelancer is someone who has been in the business of freelance for a while. Such a person must have carried out lots of freelance jobs and services with quality delivery each time. A professional freelancer can be a graphic designer, a content writer, a content editor, a translator, a data entry expert, a transcription expert and very many skills that have become common and lucrative lately.

2. A Part Timer

This is a freelancer who combines freelance with other physical jobs. This means that a banker can also work as a freelancer. A lawyer can do same and even a health practitioner. A lecturer can be a freelancer and any other profession you can think of. Freelance is such that every other profession can practice it. A part time freelancer is able to multitask and deliver great jobs. He or she does not have to stay home to freelance as is the norm but can freelance from wherever they feel comfortable enough.

3. A Full Timer

A full time freelancer is the most common type of freelancer you'd come across. These freelancers are fully committed to only freelance. They stay at home and work as full-time freelancers. A typical stay-at-home person can work as a full-time freelancer and the level of productivity is usually high. Such freelancers however must learn to remain very productive and eliminate the apathy that comes with monotony. Very few freelancers are actually able to work as full-time freelancers for different reasons.

4. An Enthusiast

This freelancer is typically new to freelance and is still at the very basic level of freelance. Most freelancers are actually best seen as freelance enthusiasts. In every endeavour, there are always going to be new entrants. That does not mean they do not have the capacity to do well. It just means that they are still adapting to the system and its demands. A freelance enthusiast is one who's still learning on the job and trying to adapt to the system of freelance. These are the basic freelancers who must be protected away from being abused and manipulated by clients and fellow freelancers.

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QUALITIES EVERY FREELANCER MUST POSSESS

Every freelancer is expected to have certain attributes that will help them in their freelance career. A quality missing amounts to an opportunity forgone. You must not overlook the importance of having these qualities and ensuring they become a part of you. These qualities are relevant as they define who you are as a freelancer. Every freelancer must possess the following qualities:

  • Every freelancer must love research and knowledge
  • Every freelancer must be attentive to details
  • Every freelancer must show resilience in the face of difficulties
  • Every freelancer must be teachable
  • Every freelancer must be able to adapt to new things
  • Every freelancer must believe in themselves
  • Every freelancer must be willing to make mistakes and learn from them
  • Every freelancer must seek perfection
  • Every freelancer must be open to meeting new people
  • Every freelancer must learn to take good care of their health
  • Every freelancer must be tech-smart
  • Every freelancer must be a good communicator
  • Every freelancer must be a good listener
  • Every freelancer must be time-conscious
  • Every freelancer must a good marketer
  • Every freelancer must exhibit self confidence
  • Every freelancer must be a great thinker
  • Every freelancer must be reliable
  • Every freelancer must be a risk lover 
  • Every freelancer must be willing to work

ROLES OF A FREELANCER

A freelancer carries out the following responsibilities:

  • Timely job and service provision
  • Information dissemination
  • Training
  • Expertise trading
  • Advisory roles

1. Timely Job And Service Provision

The basic role of a freelancer is to deliver jobs and services and on time too. It is like a car whose job is to carry the occupants to their destination. This car has engines and other important parts and has to be driven by someone. But the central role is that the car is able to carry you to your destination. This is the same thing a freelancer does. There could be other roles you'd have to play in the course of a job but the central point is that you deliver that job or service at the right time. That's the basic role every freelancer must play in the business of freelance.

2. Information Dissemination

A freelancer should also perform the role of passing important information about the market to the clients and fellow freelancers. A freelancer should be able to know what is happening in the freelance business and the latest trend. This will help them inform clients when the need arises and even other freelancers who need to have this information.

3. Training

A freelancer more often than not performs the role of training other freelancers. This is not so difficult. The success in freelance today is tied to the fact that freelancers are in the business of teaching others to know what they should do as freelancers. Every new freelancer has another freelancer as his or her tutor. This has made freelance progressive.

4. Expertise Trading

Freelancers trade expertise. What this means is that a freelancer helps clients enjoy expert services that they would normally not have access to if not for freelance. So, in essence freelancers trade expertise in return for payment. Expertise trading is most convenient at UpMyChain due to the conglomeration of many experts on the platform. 

5. Advisory Roles

Every freelancer must also be an adviser in that they are able to give relevant pieces of advice to clients and other freelancers. The freelancer has a better knowledge of the market situation and therefore should be in a better position to advise the client on what to do at every point in time. This advisory role can be extended to fellow freelancers too. 

Easy Answers

  1. A professional
  2. A part timer
  3. A full timer
  4. An enthusiast
  5. Timely job and service provision
  6. Information dissemination
  7. Training
  8. Expertise trading
  9. Advisory roles

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