Many people profess to be an expert but very few actually succeed and it’s not always through lack of talent, in fact the opposite. There are a lot of hugely talented people out there who have yet to be noticed and the reason for that is technological ignorance. The internet is a pretty incredible creation and it has proved to be the greatest tool to help budding freelancers.
There are lots of online platforms that are there solely for freelancers to show their expert talent to the world. It is such a shame that so many people, whose talent is obviously there, just don’t take advantage of the internet.
There are so many simple ways in which you can increase the effectiveness of your online profile and thus dramatically increase your employability. This article will highlight the main points and provide some guidance about how to do it well.
Grit and Determination
It takes grit and determination to be successful in any career (unless you are an heiress or royalty). You have to have a passion and desire to succeed and provide for your family and yourself. If you have this in your armory then your chance of success is great so long as you have the talent to back you up.
Being a freelance, online expert you have got to be willing to market yourself properly. Your portfolio has to be flawless and innovative, don’t stop until it is perfected, it’s pretty much the easiest way to get noticed so take the appropriate care and ensure that it is constantly updated and kept relevant.
You can’t be successful as a freelancer with grit and determination alone, the natural talent and flare and passion has to be there but if you have that, then its the way you promote yourself online that will secure you work.
In Depth Knowledge
This is a given but I feel it needs to be mentioned. You have got the make yourself the best in the business, the go to guy in your field – you know what type of person I mean. If you select the freelance route in your life then you have got to make sure you won’t make a fool of yourself when questioned by potential employers.
If you know everything there is to know about your area then you will provide a confident and reassuring face for the people who are paying you. It is so important to be transparent on your portfolio, ensure the work is totally yours and make sure that you don’t state anything on there that you can’t answer a detailed question about.
An understanding of your Market
Knowing your competition is important, check out similar experts in your field and assess what you can offer that makes you more employable. If there is nothing, do something about it. Also it may be wise to look through the websites that employers will use, such as Enthuse.me, and see what your profile looks like to them.
Ask people what they think and whether it stands out enough compared to the rest of the market. It’s all about refining the detail and if you do this well it can kick start your career as an online expert.
Our guest blogger, Andrew, is an online author with over 5 years freelance experience. He loves to write advisory texts aimed at young professionals.
