July 12, 2024
The past few years have been a golden age for freelancers. Sure, there were freelancers before the COVID-19 pandemic—I was one of them. But pandemic lockdowns caused businesses to see freelancers in a new light.
No longer were freelancers fringe entities, lone wolves who didn’t play well with others or adhere to normal 9 to 5 standards. Now, freelancers were seen for what they were—powerful allies who could provide skilled services at an affordable price.
But as more people have ventured into freelancing and technologies continue to change, how can you keep up? Learn from a long-time freelancer as you consider the following tips for adapting your skills to the evolving job market.
In order to grow with the job market, you must constantly take in new information. You might need to learn about a new technology, take a deep dive into a project-related subject, or increase a skill you’ve been using for years.
You can do this by reading books and industry journals, watching videos, taking classes, or obtaining a certification. Of course, taking in the knowledge isn’t enough; you also have to communicate that you’ve done so. How do you include trainings and seminars you’ve attended on your resume?
Create a resume section entitled “Conferences & Seminars,” “Additional Training,” “Continuing Education,” or something similar. You will set up the entry similar to other education or experience entries. At a minimum, include the name of the event, the location, and the date. You may also include details relevant to the job or field you’re applying for—a well-known keynote speaker, a workshop or course you took during the event, or a brief bulleted description, for example.
Contrary to the fears of some, artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools and image generators haven’t put freelance writers, photographers, and graphic designers out of business. Nor have they made coders, consultants, or personal assistants irrelevant. On the contrary, new technologies have made these gigs that much easier.
But as the job market continues to evolve, freelancers must be determined to use these tools wisely. For example, a company that hires a freelance writer doesn’t want to receive AI-generated content—they could have accessed an AI text generator themselves, likely for free. Similarly, a company hiring a freelance illustrator doesn’t want to receive an AI-generated image.
The point? When you provide your clients with the best possible product for their money, they’ll keep coming back to you. They’ll refer you to other clients. But if you try to pass off AI content as your own, you’ll lose credibility—and clients.
That’s not to say that you can’t use these technologies to streamline your workflow and make your job easier or more enjoyable. You could ask ChatGPT to help you brainstorm ideas or polish your finished work, for example. Or you can use AI presets in Adobe Photoshop to reduce the tedium of image editing. As Ian Saldanha, a partner at the PR agency Procre8, recently told Fast Company, “While AI might still be a part of the equation, it’s that honing and finessing that makes the difference between mediocre and top-quality work.”
Millennials might remember Ms. Frizzle from The Magic Schoolbus encouraging her students to “Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.” This mantra is a good one for freelancers as well.
As the job market evolves, the types of products and services needed by your clients may also change. You can adapt by taking on projects that fall outside your comfort zone. You might find a new creative outlet that you enjoy and can get excited about.
At the same time, don’t be afraid to admit mistakes. If something isn’t working for you—it’s not financially viable, takes too much time, causes undue stress, or you simply don’t like it—it’s okay to refuse future work of that kind.
As a freelance writer for nearly a decade, I’ve experimented with a wide variety of styles, genres, and types of content. For a short time, I advertised resume-writing services, but I found this type of writing stressful and less lucrative. After a while, I started referring resume requests to online resume generators (that, ironically, are driven by AI tools like those we discussed above). I took a chance, realised a mistake, and used the experience to drive my freelance career forward.
Freelancing is popular, and it’s here to stay. You can remain at the forefront of a crowded job market by continuing to educate yourself and using emerging technologies wisely.
Many freelance pursuits are creative; you don’t have to stay in your lane. Explore all the possibilities; discard those that don’t work for you and move forward with those that do.
When you apply these three simple tips to your freelance career, you will adapt with agility to a market that continues to change.
