5 Remote Freelancing Gigs For Unlimited Income Prior to the Pandemic
Before the pandemic, many people worked side jobs or freelanced to earn extra income. Working as a freelancer can be a great way to make money in your spare time and can even lead to a full-time career.
If you’re looking for a freelance job, FlexJobs is the place to start. They curate a wide range of flexible and remote positions that match your skills and experience.
1. Content Writing
Content writing is a popular freelance gig that can lead to lucrative full-time work as well. This career often involves a lot of grind at the start but will eventually grow into an extremely lucrative profile that allows you to choose your clients and your hours.
This gig involves composing written material for informational or marketing purposes. It’s a diverse category that includes copywriting, SEO writing, drafting social media posts, composing email campaigns, and even scripting video content. Many writers will find a particular area that they excel in and focus on gaining experience with that type of content.
A few steps to becoming a skilled content writer include taking online courses and participating in writing communities online. Some freelance writers may also consider pursuing training to sharpen their skills and improve their portfolio. Talent platforms like Toptal are a great way to connect with clients and build relationships, which is critical for success as a freelancer.
2. Graphic Design
If you have a knack for creating visual designs then this type of freelance work may be perfect for you. From developing logos for new businesses to designing packaging and other design materials freelance graphic designers can find many full and part-time remote jobs available.
As you begin finding gigs in this field, try to focus on the ones that align with your skill set and passion. This will help you stay engaged and keep expanding your capabilities in the field. Moreover, focus on building a partnership network of other freelance designers who have skills that complement yours so you can work together on projects and refer each other to clients.
As with any freelance job, having the right equipment is essential for success. You’ll need a laptop or desktop computer that can handle the workload and software needed for your specific niche. For example, if you’re a video editor, then a powerful desktop or MacBook Pro with a good editing suite is needed. For more creative work, a tablet like the iPad Pro or Procreate is also helpful.
3. Video Editing
Video editing is a crucial part of the production process. It allows creatives to manipulate existing footage into a final product that tells a story, conveys a message or sells a product. This is the most important skill for a freelance videographer to possess because it is what separates mediocre videos from jaw-dropping masterpieces.
Video editors are responsible for taking the director’s vision and creating a cohesive flow to the film through cuts, music selection and sound effects. They also work closely with directors, storyboard artists and producers to ensure that their finished edited film is in-line with the project goals.
When working on video projects, it is best to back up your files in at least two locations. This will protect you in case your laptop or computer malfunctions and loses all of your data. Additionally, always use a high-quality pair of audio headphones when doing any type of video editing. This will help ensure that your voiceover and screen recording are synchronized properly and that you do not over-edit the file. You can also utilize royalty-free stock music subscriptions to save time and money in the editing process.
4. Social Media Management
Prior to the pandemic, side gigs like social media management were popular ways for millennials to earn extra income. These gigs can help you build your portfolio and demonstrate that you know how to leverage different platforms, create content, analyze important metrics, and understand how to work with various clients. You can start your own social media management business or find jobs on talent platforms that offer this service to clients. You can also take on passion projects to learn the basics of this field.
5. Web Development
Web Development is one of the most in-demand skills, and for good reason. It’s behind many of the online tools and websites we use every day. From social media platforms and shopping carts to content management systems and web applications, these tools and websites are built by Web Developers.
There are different types of Web Developers, from those who focus on user interfaces (“front-end”) to those who write the underlying code for running all website operations (“back-end”). All Web Developers must understand how their work functions across desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
Web Development can be challenging, but it’s also highly rewarding. The key to success in this field is putting knowledge into practice. Tutorials won’t turn you into a web developer, so it’s important to find real-world projects to work on. Enrolling in a coding bootcamp focused on Web Development can help structure your learning in a condensed period of time. You can even find freelance sites for Web Developers that offer lucrative gigs. However, it’s essential to research each freelance site to ensure the platform is secure and offers the right services for you.