A long time ago, when you thought of the term freelancing, most people generally thought about writing, be it in newspapers or magazines. These days, of course, you can find freelancing to surround all types of jobs in any industry you can think of.
For someone who is between jobs, freelancing can not only provide some extra money that can come in handy if times are tight, but it can also allow to fill the empty space that currently occupies your resume.
The first step, typically, is to figure out what kinds of job duties you have done in the past that can potentially translate into a freelancing opportunity. Again, these can be a wide range of skills from writing to computer programming to even administrative tasks, such as spreadsheets and presentations.
Once you’ve lined up what services you can offer as a freelancer, you’ll need to find out where you can find these opportunities. Here’s a short list of possible work sources.
Your Network: We can never stress enough how important it is to maintain a strong professional network. And if you’re looking for a freelance gig, the people you know can be the best gateway to those opportunities.
Local Businesses: Ideally, you’ll know what organizations can have use of your skills and expertise. If not, do a local business search, either through the local Yellow Pages or a business directory site like Manta. The best source of freelancing opportunities will likely be smaller businesses, so be sure to make note of them.
Search Online: The Internet has numerous resources that can give you plenty of freelancing leads. Posting an ad in the Services section of Craigslist is a good start, though be mindful of spammers. Also, online freelancing hubs such as eLance, Guru and oDesk are excellent clearinghouses for information and freelance gigs.
Once you’ve found the freelance opportunity of your choosing, you will want to create a Freelance section on your resume. There, you will briefly detail notable projects, and be sure to include the date.
If all goes well, a short-term freelancing term could potentially lead you to steady work from the same source, and, perhaps, a long-term source of income that may allow you to fully concentrate on your gigs instead of your job search.