Freelancers need to continuously learn skills and improve in order to stay on top of their game. In fact, freelancers should be thinking more about how they can improve than those who work a traditional job. If they don’t, they’ll quickly find themselves out of work.
The truth is employees are often able to get by and even thrive doing the same old thing. They’re also typically shielded from competition.
However, freelancers have no such luxuries. They’re always competing for clients and projects, so it’s incumbent upon them to find ways to stand out from the crowd — by learning new skills and improving their existing ones.
Freelancing Tools To Improve Your Skills
But how do you actually do that? How do you find the time and money to learn something new when you’re busy working on client projects? What’s more, how can you do it while still making enough money to cover your bills?
In this post, we’ll explore some tools and strategies that can help freelancers learn new skills while they work.
1. Podcasts
Sometimes you’re stuck doing something less than enjoyable and need something to help you power through. Podcasts are great for this since they can be played while working on projects that don’t require your undivided attention.
Podcasts are a fantastic way to learn about freelancing and run the gamut from informative and educational to entertaining. You can find podcasts on just about any topic, including freelancing.
The Hectic Podcast™ with Darryl Kelly is a place where freelancers can connect and share their own unique stories. This podcast showcases the unique journeys of real freelancers who have started a business from scratch, dealt with burnout, experienced rejection, and much more.
The podcast aims to showcase the struggle and beauty that comes with being a freelancer, as well as to connect freelancers around the world and remind them that they are not alone along the way.
2. Online Courses
There are websites that offer thousands of online courses that can help you hone your skills as a freelancer. The courses start at different levels and cover a wide variety of topics. You can take courses on time management, communication, marketing and even taxes for freelancers.
These sites offer several advantages including the flexibility to set your own pace and schedule, the ability to watch the videos on-demand, and the option to ask questions in a forum setting or directly from the instructors.
Some of these websites also offer certifications which make it easier for clients to assess your skills quickly when hiring new freelancers.
3. Meetup Sites
There are meetup sites for just about every interest and skill set. These are great places to find people with similar skills and interests, learn from each other, and even find some freelance work. Many of the groups on meetup sites focus on a specific type of freelancing, like web design or writing, so you can find people who are in your field.
Winding It Up
The most important skill for a freelancer to have is the ability to learn. With the ever-changing nature of our jobs, it’s crucial to always be on the lookout for new opportunities and ways to improve your abilities. Whether you’re looking to expand your knowledge or just get better at what you do, these tools will help you become a more efficient and effective freelancer.
