t’s impossible for someone to be born with a computer, internet, and experience that qualifies and enables them to dive straight into freelancing. Surely, they will go through steps or stages—though not always directly—that, in one way or another, sequentially refine their skills and transform them into a successful freelancer, “regardless of the standards of success.”
One might start by working at a company or several companies, then resign and turn to freelancing, or perhaps start freelancing in a “semi-direct” way, by working with those around them, then expanding to a broader scope, and broader, until freelancing becomes their profession, direction, and entire life. So, what I’ll discuss here is the sequence that a freelancer might go through. It’s not necessarily identical for everyone, but it’s the closest and most logical way to gain real experience in freelancing.
Stage One: I am an Employee
As I mentioned, it’s not necessary for this stage to exist; a person might start working in a simple way without going through the employment stage. However, in my opinion, the vast majority of freelancers started as employees, even in the simplest form of a job. Especially since our Arab society doesn’t cultivate the concept of freelancing; it doesn’t understand or appreciate it. Those around you, whether your family, friends, or society in general, view freelancing as “the job of those without a job,” or it’s shorthand for “unemployed.” So, a young person, at the start of their life, turns to employment, working in a simple private company or landing a golden opportunity that everyone envies, working in the public sector. They start working and discover the extent of idleness in it, realizing that the percentage of their actual work in the public sector is 10% at best. If this suits them, they love it and stick with it, making it part of their life. If not, they resign and turn to another company that appreciates their skills, matching their aspirations, or they turn to freelancing.
Stage Two: I am Lost
Let’s assume they manage to convince those around them and themselves, possessing the strength and courage to challenge everyone and start their personal journey in freelancing. After a few days, they will find themselves like someone sitting alone in the desert. No clients to work with directly, nothing to make them feel that transformation. No one around with experience or knowledge to support them and put them on the right path, “at least with advice.” Then they go through a period of stagnation, quietness, and self-reproach for the mistake they’ve made, reaching a point where they stand at a crossroads between two paths:
The first: returning to employment and saving face, at least with those around them.
The second: continuing on the path they chose and bearing the consequences.
In reality, I find this point to be the most critical and decisive moment for anyone considering freelancing. It’s the hardest lesson. If those around you don’t blame you, you’ll start blaming yourself and be shocked by the harsh reality. If they are confident in what they’re doing and believe in it, and if God wills, they’ll continue and start the journey of gaining experience and freelancing, entering the beginning of this long road.
Stage Three: I am Shocked
You’ll likely not start your profession online or with neighboring countries. Instead, your work will be limited to those around you, whether companies, offices, or individuals, relying on those who have the courage or confidence to entrust you with their work and bear the outcome of the experience. In our Arab society, it’s not only the concept of freelancing that’s marginalized, but the idea of working with a freelancer itself is marginalized and considered a one-time adventure. So, you’ll go to meet your first client, filled with optimism, confidence, and a smile. You’re a creative freelancer heading to a great client. The first meeting will be great, filled with encouragement and self-confidence in what you do. You start working without paying attention to anything else, “even the financial aspect.” You either neglect it out of shyness or fear of losing the client, or you forget it due to your overwhelming happiness with your golden client. You begin working and disappear for a while, returning with the spoils, only to face one of these scenarios:
The first: the client is dissatisfied with the work.
The second: the client cancels the idea.
The third: the client didn’t like the result and gives you 8.5% of what you asked for.
The fourth: the client loves you and wants to work with you regularly “but for free,” or at 6.75% of what you deserve.
The fifth: the client vanishes for some unknown reason.
This is the shock stage that every freelancer faces, whether at the beginning of their career or even in its advanced stages. The difference lies in the experience of handling it, or the experience of getting through it while remaining mentally intact. If they insist on continuing what they started, they continue whether with their current client or not, under their terms or not, at the price they set or neglected, but they continue.
Stage Four: I am a Freelancer
Our beautiful freelancer has continued on their path without paying attention to those around them, their words, or discouragements, nor to their disheartening clients. They stumbled and got back up, fell, and continued. They started gaining local clients “in their city and surrounding areas,” then began expanding and got their first foreign client. The payment was good, the experience was great. They worked with another person, got shocked, stopped, and then continued. They faced issues with some clients, some due to a lack of experience, so they improved themselves and continued. They went through a long dry spell without seeing a single client… but they endured and continued, until they reached a stage where they became convinced they were right, that they were indeed a freelancer with some local and foreign clients, and they began to call themselves a freelancer.
In the End
Certainly, I didn’t and couldn’t cover all the stages a freelancer goes through. What I discussed here are only the fundamental stages. Some may have gone through all of them, some through a portion, and some have surpassed them to become masters of freelancing. It’s a path and a way of life, and who among us can encompass all stages and levels of life in a single post!?
On the Side
My delay in posting was due to finishing up some backlog and working on developing many things. One of them is the blog and “portfolio” – so what are your thoughts and suggestions on the blog’s new look?
