Freelancer Meaning: What Is a Freelancer & How Do You Get freelancer Jobs?

How do you become a freelancer? What does the word freelancer mean? The fact is, anyone can be a freelancer—and it’s not as hard as you might think. As more and more people discover the benefits of being self-employed, there are more opportunities than ever to find freelancer jobs. Freelancers can work virtually anywhere—from coffee shops to offices—and they typically work flexible hours in order to fit their schedules around other commitments, like family and classes.

Understanding the history

The term freelance has its roots in medieval Europe, where it was often used to describe soldiers who fought in battle without loyalty to their sovereign. The word itself stems from free lance, which describes a weapon with no owner (i.e., unfettered). Today, freelancers are understood as professionals who choose when and where they work, rather than being bound by contractual obligations. While most freelance jobs fall into one of several industry-specific categories (think web development, writing or consulting), all freelancers share an important trait—one that can be boiled down to flexibility. But what's behind all that freedom and flexibility, and how do you get started as a freelancer?

 Who are freelancers today

If you’re not familiar with freelancing, you may assume that freelancers are only stereotypical nerdy introverts who love to work from home. But today’s freelancers come in all shapes and sizes. On any given day, you might find them as bartenders, teachers, graphic designers, programmers or even (gasp!) lawyers. And yes, a lot of them like working from home—but many others prefer an office-based life because they can collaborate with other people and take advantage of their local communities. It all depends on your personality and needs as well as your industry.

Why would you want to be a freelancer?

There are many reasons why you might want to work as a freelancer. Perhaps you’re in between jobs, or maybe you simply don’t enjoy your job at your current company. Whatever it is, there are advantages and disadvantages to working as a freelancer. Below we go over some of them for you.

How do you become a freelance writer?

There are many freelancing jobs for writers, and you could find yourself writing about anything from science to sports. To start freelancing, simply set up your own website or online portfolio to showcase your work and build connections with other potential clients. Consider joining a freelance job website like Upwork or LinkedIn to gain additional exposure. Once you have experience under your belt, you can apply for writing positions with media companies or recruiters who will help you secure full-time writing jobs as well as on-the-side gigs. This can be one of those careers that seem impossible to break into at first glance, but an organized job search (and some persistence) is key to getting started.

Other ways to find work as a freelance writer

Q. What is freelancing work and what does it mean to be a freelancer? A. If you’re looking for how to get started as a freelancer, there are two things you should consider before diving in: that being hired by clients through an intermediary like Upwork, or doing personal contracts with friends or family members as seen above, often falls under what’s called side hustling. It means you can use your skills and talents to generate cash on your own terms. Q. What types of freelance jobs are there besides content writing jobs? A. Indeed, one of the most common questions we see from newbies is how do I get freelance work? So many opportunities exist!

Frequently asked questions

If you’re new to freelancing, or if you’re just interested in finding ways to expand your business’s offerings, then freelance writing is a great way to get started. The following FAQ will help answer some basic questions about what it means to be a freelancer and how freelancers do their jobs. What is freelancing? What is freelance work? To put it simply, freelance work is any kind of job done by an independent contractor outside of an employee-employer relationship. Though that definition can be pretty broad and subject to interpretation, freelance writing refers specifically to those who write on behalf of others for profit. This isn't a job reserved for wordsmiths; even photographers, programmers and designers can fall under its umbrella.