What’s A Good Freelance Job?

There’s no doubt about it:

Freelancers love what they do for a living.

As a matter of fact, 60% of freelancers report that they’re happy and fulfilled in their work.

With the opportunity to work flexible hours and increase your earning material, there’s no doubt that freelancing is a great option for many creative professionals.

However, if you’re looking to leave the 9-5 life behind and make the transition to freelancing, you’re probably wondering what constitutes a good freelance job. Is it one that’s based in a field you love? Is it one with a healthy market of prospective clients?

In this edition of Freelancers’ Corner, we’ve once again brought together our amazing community of freelancers to give you their perspective on what a good freelance job consists of.

Ready? Let’s get started!

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What’s a good freelance job?

Vlad Savva, Music Composer in Russia (VladSavva)

One that doesn’t actually feel like a job

Raf Tad, Animator in Armenia

One that allows you to do what you love for a living

Jake Schneider, Music Producer in the UK

Music is a great freelance job!

Miloš, Music Producer in Serbia

Audio production, just because there are so many different branches to it!

Matt Banky, Songwriter in the UK

If I wasn’t a songwriter, I’d love to be a freelance graphic designer as I feel like they get loads of interesting projects to work on!

Yevgeniya Tyumina, Videographer in Spain

One where the client gives you a both clear brief and enough freedom to express yourself.

What makes a freelance job good?

Jelena Vukolic, Designer in Serbia

I firmly believe that a ‘good’ freelance job is one where everything goes smoothly. Ultimately, the smooth-running of a project boils down to the client respecting you, your work and time.

Jelena stresses that a good client makes for a good job. She goes on to explain how the quality of freelance work will often improve as a freelancer gains experience and expands their skillset:

Good jobs can be hard to find; you have to work your way up and make sure that you’re dealing with clients who respect both your time and your services.

Justin McPhee, Animator in Australia

A project that’s worth your time and money is what makes a freelance job ‘good’. However, keep in mind that you will often have quiet periods, so you’ll need to earn enough to make it through the more quiet periods.

Much like Jelena, Justin also argues that the quality of a job is often determined by the quality of the client: 

Some clients believe that you can pop out an amazing product in a minute flat, and will pay accordingly. Others explain little, and expect you to read their minds to know what they want. However, the best jobs give a reasonable amount of time and money, while explaining what they actually want.

Kyle Misko, Composer in New York

Kyle notes how good communication with the client can make for a good job:

Like every other thing, good communication is key. If there’s a connection and a flow of ideas that goes in the same route with your client, you’ll feel right. In fact, you won’t even feel like you’re working. That’s when you know you’ve got a good job on your hands.

Florence Hill, Musician in the Dominican Republic

There are many awesome freelance jobs, it all depends on your skillset and the current market.

Florence argues that a healthy demand for a particular service is what makes for a good freelance job:

I’m in the music business. I’m a singer-songwriter and it’s something a lot of people need, especially now that many individuals are getting more creative at home and trying out things they never did before. Everyone is exploring possibilities.

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So, there you have it! A full account on exactly what makes a good freelance job. If you enjoyed this segment, why not check out some of the other posts in our Freelancers’ Corner series?