11 Ways to Find Freelance Jobs (Yes, Even Now)
Updated: Mar 1, 2022
Your skills may be more needed than ever.
Despite how grim things appear on the news and social media right now, there are still many businesses and people across the world who need to hire creative talent.
Not all industries are suffering. At the same speed that some companies have lost revenue in recent weeks, others like Zoom, Clorox, and Blue Apron have watched their numbers completely skyrocket.
You know what that means?
This is your opportunity to find, pitch, and partner with companies who are in desperate need of flexible, on-demand talent. And if you’re going to stand out among the growing freelance competition, you’ll have to know where to find jobs or how to create them.
Here are 11 places you can find freelance work, even during a global economic crisis.
1. Browse social media search engines
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter can be great places to find additional freelance work. Think about it: where do you and your friends go when they want recommendations? You turn to your network.
Search phrases you think you’d use if you were looking for creative talent among your network. Here are just a few ideas:
“Looking for a freelance [insert skill]”
“Hiring a freelance [insert skill]”
“Please recommend your favorite freelance [Insert skill]”
“We need a part-time contract [insert skill]”
“Tag your go-to freelance [insert skill]”
These are just a handful of simple search queries that crossed my mind. There are probably dozens more. Try multiple variations until you find a few projects you can apply for.
2. Join industry-specific Facebook Groups
Go to the Facebook search bar. Type the name of the industry you’d like to serve. Browse the results by groups.
Join a handful of the most popular groups in industries you’d like to serve. Become active in these groups, asking questions, answering queries, and becoming a top conversation starter in the community.
When someone eventually makes a post looking for your expertise, respond kindly with your portfolio and contact information. I’ve received many projects this way over the years. In fact, I’ve gained two strong leads this way even since COVID-19.
3. Find growing markets
Cold pitch your way into the most popular industries.
Going back to what I touched on in the intro, the news makes it seem like every industry and business is suffering right now. But it’s simply not true. For some businesses, their biggest problem is not having enough resources to keep up with booming demand.
That’s your opportunity to outsource your creativity and productivity.
What position does your ideal customer hold in their company? Are they the marketing director? Chief marketing officer? Lead developer?
Track down the person who holds that position in a company you’d like to work with. Send that person a kind email to let them know you’re available to help their team if they need to outsource some of the work.
4. Tap into your network
Work with people who already trust you and know your skills.
People in your network might be more likely to hire you for a project simply because you’re not a stranger. But they can’t hire you if they don’t know you’re available for projects.
Announce your availability and expertise on social media. Email all your former clients. Contact people in your network who could reasonably benefit from your expertise.
You never know who may