Freelancing is one of the fastest-growing businesses in Pakistan and the world due to its flexibility. Imagine you working as a freelancer at any time from home in any outfit and earning money. The living style of freelancing attracts many people and they adopt it. After COVID-19, it looks like your business needs to be online. That’s the flexibility and the reason why freelancing is growing so fast.
According to an estimated survey, there are about 1 million freelancers in Pakistan from major cities including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, etc. Pakistan ranks fourth in the world in freelancing, beating Russia, Bangladesh, and the Philippines.
Many people want to start freelancing and they ask the question How to start freelancing in Pakistan. If you are a beginner and thinking to start freelancing so this article is a complete guide for you, It includes answers to all your questions including how to start freelancing in Pakistan.
Before starting freelancing, Ask yourself why you are going to start freelancing because you must have a solid reason to start freelancing.
Why you are going to start freelancing?
Before you start anything you have to have a goal that makes it clear what you want out of life, if you start without a goal it is impossible to succeed because you Didn’t set a goal that motivates you. Many people start freelancing because of the flexibility but they do not have a clear goal which is why they do not succeed.
Before you start freelancing, you must first ask yourself what is your why, why you are going to start freelancing. If you have a solid reason, then success awaits you. Second, you need to plan what you want to achieve through freelancing. Suppose, if you are working 9 to 5 and want to empower yourself, it is possible through freelancing. So Plan your viable success path and be serious about it.
How to start freelancing in Pakistan
Starting freelancing is easy, but continuing it successfully is not a piece of cake. Many people start freelancing and after some time they gave up due to not getting work, failing to manage time, etc. Following are the 3 thing that helps you to start a successful freelancing career.
1- Choose a skill
Skills play a vital role in a freelancing career. Many people start freelancing without any specific skills and offer data entry services that do not work immediately because there is a lot of competition in the data entry niche and being a new freelancer in a highly competitive position, It’s hard to get a job. Offer those services that are in demand like Web Development, Digital Marketing, Graphic Designing, etc.
If you don’t have any skills and you want to do freelancing, you can learn the skills that interest you. Many platforms offer free courses to build skills like Udemy, Coursera, etc. In Pakistan, you can learn a new skill from Digiskills and make as much money as you want. You can learn more about Digiskills by clicking on the image below.
2- Build Some Portfolio
Getting work is not easy without a portfolio. A portfolio is probably a sample or history of the work you have done in your career. Suppose you are a graphic designer and you have designed a lot of logos for brands. These logos are your portfolio that helps you get more and more work.
As a new freelancer, use social media to get work instead of working in a freelance marketplace. Join social media groups and offer your services at a low price because it helps you build a portfolio. Once you’ve created a portfolio, then use this weapon to get projects from anywhere at a good price.
3- Build Client Network
After building a portfolio, the thing that makes you a successful freelancer is the client network. Building a Client network is a hard-working task but it is necessary for you to build a client network that gives you more work and refer your services to others.
For building a good client network, you need to deliver high-quality work to your client. Also, Always over-deliver and use your communication skills to develop a personal relationship with the client.
Best Websites to Start Freelancing in Pakistan
Due to rising competition in freelancing, many freelance marketplaces are available in the market but I tell you the 5 most famous freelance marketplaces.
1- Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the most famous freelance marketplaces in Pakistan and all over the world. Fiverr is a nontraditional freelance marketplace known for its 5 Dollar services. Most freelancers start their careers with Fiverr. If you as a beginner starting your freelance career, Fiverr is the best website for you. Also, You can increase your portfolio on Fiver by earning at least 5 dollars per order. You can charge as much as you want if you can provide high-quality work.
Pakistani Fiverr Millionaire, Aaliyaan Chaudhry Advises New Freelancer He said ” Focus on Quality rather than quantity. Always over Delivered to make your buyers want to come back to you over and over ”
2- Upwork
Upwork is one of the largest freelance markets with over 18 million freelancers and millions of clients. More than 3 million jobs are posted annually on Upwork. Upwork prefers freelancers who make quality their standard.
If you are a beginner, I suggest that you do not choose Upwork to start your freelancer career as it has strict rules but if you have enough experience in freelancing, then Upwork will help you to become a successful freelancer because you can earn a lot here.
3- Freelancer.com
Freelancer.com is also a well-known freelance marketplace launched in 2009 in Sydney Australia. There is a huge number of freelancers and clients on freelancer.com from 247 countries around the globe. Freelancer.com offers its users a wide range of over a thousand categories.
Freelancer.com is also a good site to start freelancing in Pakistan if you are looking for traditional freelancing. This is another opportunity for you to earn money from the comfort of your home.
4- Peopleperhour
Peopleperhour is a UK-based company that provides business opportunities to freelancers. Peopleperhour connected with more than 1 million businesses all over the world and paid more than $150 million to freelancers. Peopleperhour allows you to charge on an hourly basis, set your hourly price, and let’s start.
If you have good skills and want to earn money so PeoplePerHour is available for you. Just signup and offer your services.
5- Guru.com
Guru.com is a freelance marketplace founded in 1998 that allows businesses to find freelancers. The previous name of Guru.com was eMoonlighter. Guru.com paid around $250 Million to freelancers and more than 800k clients are waiting for you. Join Guru.com and empower yourself as a freelancer.
6- 99design
99designs is an Australia-based company that operates a freelancer platform for connecting graphic designers and clients. Unlike other freelance markets, 99design focuses exclusively on the design industry. If you are a graphic designer or related to the design industry, then 99design provides you a chance to earn money through graphic design.
Why freelancing is necessary?
Unemployment is rising with the advancement of technology and especially AI. Business seems to be the only solution to deal with this unemployment but it also requires capital which is hardly available to the unemployed.
After all, the only thing left is freelancing, which allows you to make money without any investment by selling your skills online. The importance of freelancing has increased since the Covid 19 lockdown and In today’s world, it is necessary to have your business online.
On the other hand, we see people who started freelancing some time ago and now are earning a thousand dollars a month and living a good life. They started out as individuals and now have companies that hire people who work for them. These are the things that prove freelancing is necessary.
Benefits of Freelancing
The following are some of the benefits of freelancing that you may not get in your 9 to 5 job.
Freedom
Freelancing does not bound you to work in a specific dress or uniform, you can wear any dress you want, and no one will force you to wear a formal dress or anything else. There are no fixed hours to work in freelancing like your traditional job. Freelancing provides you the flexibility to work anytime in any attire you want and earn money. You can set your schedule of work that suits you.
In freelancing, you can improve your social life, build good relationships with relatives and make new friends. You can also pursue your passion or move towards your goals. In your free time, you can learn new skills that will help in your growth.
You are your own Boss
In Freelancing, you are a Director, Manager, and worker at the same time of your freelancer career because freelancing allows you to be your own boss. You can take on projects that excite you, no boss tells you what to do.
Turn your services into a Business
Because of the flexible life in freelancing, you have plenty of time and opportunity to grow your skills by hiring talented people and starting a software house. After this, you just monitor and direct your team.
Nadir Ali is a famous prankster, who started making videos on youtube a few years ago. Now his channel P 4 Pakao has more than 3.8 Million Subscribers. A few months ago, he launched his production NAP. which is a big achievement for a YouTuber.
Conclusion
Remember, freelancing is not as easy as many people think, it requires a lot of dedication and hard work in the beginning. Follow your passion and stay consistent because consistency is the key to success.
These are the answers to all your questions including how to start freelancing in Pakistan. I hope you find this article helpful and share it with your friends.