Freelance design is a challenging but rewarding career.
Many college students try their hand at freelancing while studying for their degree. With a freelance career, they can set their own hours and not be answerable to a boss or company. This kind of flexibility is ideal.
Do you want to try your hand at freelancing too?
With the number of freelance designers emerging today, if you want to start a freelance design career, it is important to stand out and have your own platform.
Let us take a look at how you can manage a design career in college.
Decide Your Niche
Design is a broad field with multiple niches and career opportunities.
Interest in design is a good starting step but what exactly do you want to design?
Do you want to create posters, brochures or advertisements?
Or do you like designing websites?
Today we have multiple design careers like UI designer, web designer, graphic designer, interaction designer, information designer and others.
If you haven’t figured out which path you want to choose, consider doing some research about the fields.
Find out what interests you and start building your knowledge about it.
Know Your Computer
Every designer should know how to work on computers.
Today the majority of designs are done on computers and other digital devices.
You don’t need to be an expert but basic knowledge about the design programs in your field of interest is necessary.
Recruiters often prefer designers who are experts at working on digital devices.
Consider upgrading your computer knowledge in order to expand the job opportunities available to you.
Schedule Your Work Hours
Your college assignments and studies will take up a good portion of your time.
A proper schedule will help you manage both work and studies without affecting either of them.
Don’t get carried away by your work projects and skip classes. You should work on your designs during the hours you allot for them.
In freelancing, you will have peak phases as well as dry phases. During the peak, make sure to manage your time properly in order to avoid getting burnt out.
Prioritize your school work and assignments. If things get hectic, consider getting help from friends or teachers. You can also use online writing services to help you with lengthy assignments. Hiring fast essay writers for such assignments will make your academic life easier.
Put Yourself Out There
Unless people know what you are doing, you won’t get any clients.
Many freelancers land their first clients on social media. Having an online portfolio or a social media profile will make it easier to get into freelancing. It will help you connect with a global audience very quickly.
If your designs are good and unique, you have a good chance of finding potential clients through social networking.
Consider setting up a website with a blog. It will enhance your online presence and make you more professional. It will also describe the kinds of services you offer and other important details. People will know that you are serious about your work which will work in your favor.
You can also try other methods like cold emailing and reaching out to relatives to get design work.
Focus On One Thing At A Time
Avoid multitasking by all means.
If you are working on a college assignment don’t do it alongside your client’s work. It will hamper your productivity and ruin the quality of your output.
Focus on one thing at a time and allocate separate hours for client work and college work.
Avoid Burnout
Burnout is very common among people who balance both work and college.
Strategic planning, time management and taking appropriate breaks will help you avoid getting burnt out.
Eating healthy and getting enough sleep will help you stay energized and motivated to finish your work.
Conclusion
Connecting with established freelance designers or following them on social platforms will help you figure out the first step you should make.
Take their advice into consideration and build your skills to break into this industry. You are sure to have a bright career if you aim for it!