How to Start a Freelance Career in College
As someone who started freelance writing while in college, I know how freeing it is to start a freelance career when you’re studying. Though it can be difficult to get started, having this experience to fall back on once you graduate makes all the difference.
Even though I freelance full-time now, I had no idea my freelancing career would actually get its start in college. I am so thankful that I began so early, and now I encourage any college student who’s interested in freelancing to start whenever feels right to them.
Valentine is a freelancer herself, and I’m excited to share her guest post all about how to start a freelance career in college. This is a topic that deserves many perspectives, so let’s get started.
In the recent economic downturn, people are increasingly falling into debt because of wage reduction, unemployment, and many other financial hardships. The expenses of necessary things are skyrocketing, but income remains static.
This isn’t just affecting everyday people. College students are also under financial pressure since they have to manage their expenses within a tight budget.
Most college students can’t manage their expenses with the pocket money that their parents give them alone. These young soon-to-be graduates look for different ways to earn some extra money and fulfill their needs. This is why starting a freelance career in college is a great idea.
Work as a Freelance Blogger
College students have a lot of free time which they can make use of by freelancing. By freelancing online, they can earn extra money on their own schedules. After college hours are over, college students can do online freelancing jobs to keep a balance between their studies and work. While a traditional job takes more time or might not fit with their course load, this allows more freedom.
Do you have good writing skills? Do you have a sound knowledge of English? If answered yes, then you can choose to work as a freelancer.
Freelancing is a job anyone can do with no experience necessary. The main advantage of this job is that you do not have any fixed time to work as a freelancer. You earn money per the number of articles you write. Thus, you make money according to your own time.
Sam’s tip: As a freelance writer myself, I can also support that you don’t need any formal experience to get started as a freelance writer. That being said, building a portfolio and getting experience on your own time will go a long way.
Become an Online Tutor
These days, it’s difficult to get a good tutor on any subject, especially high-level college subjects.
If you are confident enough in your subject, then you can choose to become an online tutor and teach several students at a time. You can do this work during your leisure hours. You only need to spend 2-3 hours every alternate day to do this work and increase your income.
Some schools offer their own tutoring services, and this is a great place to get some experience. Beyond this, an online tool like Wyzant connects freelance tutors with students digitally.
Working as a Website Reviewer
I’m sure we’ve all seen websites with errors in their content. It’s a lot of work to make sure websites function properly, especially high-traffic sites.
These website owners look for people who can check their website properly and make it error-free. In return, the website owners pay you a certain amount of money as fees for making their website error-free.
There are service providers you can connect with to get started as a website reviewer, but you could also market yourself for these services. To get started, consider learning a bit about HTML, CSS, and website basics.
Work as a Freelance Website Designer
If you have good knowledge of hypertext markup language, you can design websites for other people.
You get paid for designing the website for your customers. Depending on your niche, you can earn a pretty penny doing this.
Though having a degree or formal study in IT or web development is a plus, it’s not necessary. There are a number of free learning tools online on Udemy, YouTube, and so on. You might also want to learn a bit about being a graphic designer to up your skills.
Grab an Online Data Entry Job
Data entry jobs online have gained huge popularity in the present market since it gives an ideal opportunity for both traditional employees and anyone looking for a side-gig online.
Data entry jobs are also perfect for college students who look for part-time jobs to earn some pocket money for themselves and, at the same time, continue their further studies.
You can find business owners who need help with data entry on your own and market yourself as an administrator, or you can just focus on working with a data entry company. Your college might be a great place to find a first position.
Complete Online Surveys
This is said to be the easiest way to make money online. Though you’ll need a bit of free time to make more money, there is free money to be made just giving your opinion online.
Basically, market research companies are paid by the manufacturers for the response that they get from their customers. In return for this, market research companies share some money with you. It’s a free way to earn some money just by interacting with surveys and making your opinion heard.
Earn Money with Your Time
Lastly, if your pocket money isn’t enough, you can turn your hobby into an online money-making option. The internet is the best way to earn money and increase your income, especially if you’re a student in college.
Extra money makes it easier to pay off student loans fast. If you are unable to find a conventional part-time job, you can consider freelancing to earn money. It’s never been a better time to make the most of your time by turning it into a side-gig or side hustle.
About the guest blogger
Valentina Wilson is a writer. She loves to analyze personal financial matters and help others manage their finances in a better way. Traveling is also her passion. She follows more animals on Instagram than humans and her greatest achievement is her blog. She believes that transparency and conversations about money are essential in gaining control of finances. To connect with her, go to her LinkedIn.
