The term “freelancer” is extremely broad, and no matter your skill set, there is probably an outlet for you to monetize it in the freelance world. With COVID-19 forcing many people worldwide to lose their jobs, however, the market is a stiff as it has ever been. Fortunately for freelancers, and those aspiring to be the same, the demand for freelancers is also steadily on the rise.

In addition to being a decent job choice as far as options go, it also gives those who choose the path an almost-unlimited amount of freedom on their own lives. Freelancers get to choose whom with they work, they get to make their own hours, and they can work from wherever they want. Depending on the job, they may have to have a permanent internet connection, but generally the freedom is what draws people to the freelance world.

As is the case with any entrepreneurial endeavor, freelancers must be driven, have solid professional skills for the modern workforce, be good communicators, and be willing to grow and learn. Here are a few more resources for freelancers to make sure every minute they spend working is well spent.

Freelance Hubs
Almost all freelancers are, at least, familiar with services like UpWork and Fiverr that connect needy clients to willing customers. For those who have yet to use these services, it is highly recommended that you create a profile and upload some work, as sometimes people just reach out to you with no effort necessary. In addition to helping secure paid work, these services are also good for maintaining a portfolio and seeing what kinds of job bids are popular.

If you fall under the large umbrella of people who only use freelance hubs, it may also benefit you to diversify yourself and occasionally check local forums like craigslist and online classifieds, as you may find some work that is long-term while still on a freelance basis.

Invoicing Software
If you’re not fortunate to have an accountant as a spouse, time trackers and invoicing software are paramount to make sure you stay legal and don’t wind up owing Uncle Sam huge sums of money when tax day rolls around. If you don’t correctly track your cashflow, you are very likely to forget to invoice someone and ultimately wind up working for free. Invoicing software allows for a steady “few minutes per day” of financial work, rather than a stressful set chunk of time at the end of a month or quarter.

Freelance taxes differ quite a bit from corporate taxes, so be sure to do some self-educating if you’re new to the freelance game and planning on doing your own books.

Unionize
As it is an ever-growing group of individuals, there is, indeed, a freelancers’ union that offers cheap deals on some thing that will help you out (like those mentioned in this article), as well as insurance resources, tips, and testimonials from successful freelancers.

Project Management
The ideal situation for most freelancers is long-term clients, but ideal and real-life aren’t often found walking hand-in-hand. With that, you’ll probably have to do a lot of projects at the same time in order to make a good salary. Project management software like Asana can help you keep your progress aligned with your goals, and also serves as a great organizer for client information and resources.

Rate Calculators
These are quick and easy, but great nonetheless, and will help you maximize the monetization of your time. Most freelancers leave a job making X amount of dollars and think that’s probably what they should make, at least at the beginning, when freelancing. Wrong! You are no putting in the time to find work, to invoice, to edit, and more, and charging appropriately helps your wallet, and helps keep the market price high for your fellow freelancers.