How to Start Freelancing in 2025 – Step-by-Step Guide

Jaro Education
4, September 2025
11:00 am

Freelancing — a word which we all have been hearing a lot about on various professional networking and career development websites, especially LinkedIn. Now you want to be one of those self-employed or self-contractor folks, right? Let’s help you with “how to start freelancing”.

Freelancing has seen significant growth as of 2025. There was a time when one full-time job was enough for income. But today, freelancing has become a prominent career choice. In fact, it has been estimated that the freelance market is projected to reach $8.39 billion, growing at a remarkable rate of 14.5%, and that is, of course, tremendous.

Why this growth? Well, the persistently changing demands of companies and never-ending competition in the job market, along with burnout among employees, have made people rethink their career paths. This is why freelancing has proved to be a golden opportunity that brings freedom, flexibility, and, of course, autonomy among professionals. You can ask any freelancer, and they will tell you how they have boosted their work-life balance.

Thus, if you want to know more about freelancing, its advantages, and how to start freelancing, this blog is definitely for you. You will find all the answers to your queries here, and get ready to start the journey of a successful freelancer.

What Are the Advantages of Freelancing?

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Freelancing has become a growing career revolution, attracting more people to join the field. According to a report from Fiverr, more than 65% of Gen Zers from around the globe are already freelancing or considering starting soon. For many, freelancing has become an equally viable career option as a typical corporate job. In fact, some approx. 64% of Americans say that working as a freelancer, they are more secure.”

So, before we discuss how to start freelancing, let’s talk about “why you should work as a freelancer”. Clearly, there are many advantages of freelancing; some of which are:

You’re in charge: One of the most powerful advantages of freelancing is that you’re the boss. You decide your hours, your clients, your rates, and your work environment. No more punching the clock or dealing with office politics, freelancing hands you the reins to your own career.
Flexible Schedule: If you keep thinking about “how to start freelancing“, remember that being one gives you the choice to be flexible. Would you rather start in the morning and finish before lunch? You can do that. Maybe you’re a night owl and do your best work after sunset? That’s okay. You can work anywhere (as long as you are meeting deadlines) that fits your environment and lifestyle.
No Limit on Income: Then there’s the income potential. Salaried employees often have salary caps and annual increases. Freelancers do not – your income potential is limitless. You can raise your rates, secure higher-paying clients, or branch into new offerings whenever you want. You work in an industry that allows your income potential to develop as your skills and reputation do.
Work With Different Clients: “How to start freelancing” has another clear benefit – it tends to keep things interesting, too. You won’t be doing the same thing every day; you can be working on different projects for various clients and industries. This is a good way to learn, develop, and be engaged with your work.
Work From Anywhere: Finally, you are not bound to one place geographically. As long as you have a laptop and an internet connection, the world is your office. You can work at home, in a coffee shop, or even in another country – your work will come with you.

How to become a freelancer: 9 Easy Steps

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Being self-employed for work gives you a lot of control over your career. From the above-mentioned benefits, you must have understood how you can set your own working hours and cope with work-life balance. From starting freelancing as your part-time job to earn money to making it a full-time career choice, you can achieve a lot. The following nine easy steps on how to start freelancing will guide you to opt for this booming career choice:

1. Define Your Service and Offering

The first step towards learning how to start freelancing starts with defining your service and offering. Let’s understand this.

Do you know that you can sell your skills in the job market and earn money? Now you must be wondering why we are even saying this. The key to earning money is to turn your top freelancing skills into a marketable service, which is obviously the first step to becoming a freelancer. Now, list down all your skills, and all you have to do is check on different freelancing marketplaces like UpWork and Fiverr in India to see if there are any jobs available for you.

For example, if you are excellent at creating infographics and still wondering how to start freelancing, go to UpWork or Fiverr and check out projects or companies that demand infographic designers. Set your portfolio and start applying to those projects. You will definitely be getting infographic design work, and by doing this, it will also help you build your portfolio of infographics.

The moment you identify your top freelancing skills, you can market them and start with how to start freelancing. To do this, the best you can do is work on how your skills can help to complete a project or meet a client’s demand. Try to put yourself in the shoes of clients and consider their problem and how your skills are going to bring the solution. Remember, clients always look for solutions.

Thus, to become a successful freelancer, understand your clients and then use your service to address them. In your proposal or portfolio, you can add a brief description of your freelance service that helps you sell it to companies.

2. Find Your Target Audience

Now that you have sorted out your top freelancing skills, it’s time to offer services. The second thing you have to do is find the target audience. Start by exploring the type of clients who will be a good fit for your service. For instance, if you are a technical writer and wondering how to start freelancing, look for clients who create technical documents, APIs, or have a shared problem that is characteristic of your industry.

As a beginner in this field, merely being great at what you do isn’t enough to automatically have clients seeking you out. It is essential to come to the front and let your client know that you are available to offer service. Mostly, there are three ways to grab clients:

Participate in freelance job posting platforms
Leverage existing connections and networking
Conduct marketing, advertising, and outreach

Understanding these will help you find the exact answer to how to become a freelancer and achieve your dream goal.

3. Create a Strong Pricing Structure

Pricing is one of the trickiest parts of freelancing, especially when you are new to the path of “how to start freelancing”. But here’s the good news: your pricing is never permanent. There are many factors that can impact the amount that the client will be willing to pay, such as your experience, freelance skills in demand, industry conditions, project duration, deliveries, project complexity, and lastly, the client’s location. For a better understanding of the rice structure, you can go through the Upwork resources.
Start by researching what others in your niche are charging. Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com are great for benchmarking.

Then, think about your expenses and income goals. How much do you need to earn monthly? Use that number to work backwards and set your hourly or project-based rate.

Freelancers typically charge:

Hourly (best for ongoing projects)
Per-project (ideal for one-time gigs)
Retainers (for long-term clients needing consistent work)

Keep in mind that you don’t let uncertainty about your pricing structure keep you away from freelancing. You can always begin with the price you think you should not be underpaid for any specific work.

4. Build an Impressive Portfolio

When an individual just starts exploring how to start freelancing, it is wise to consider a work portfolio as an online shop. This is because it’s where potential clients peek in to decide if they would like to “shop” for your services. In the freelance world, a portfolio can often take precedence over a resume. It can showcase your deliverables, your thought process, and the quality of your work.

If you are just starting out with how to start freelancing and do not have unpaid client work to share, don’t fret. You can still create a quality portfolio by building sample projects that show your freelance skills in demand and style. These example projects show you can take initiative, think creatively, and problem-solve like a client would want.

For instance:

Writers scrolling through how to become a freelancer have plenty of options. They can publish thoughtful blog posts on industry trends, how-to guides, or opinion pieces on Medium or their personal blogs.
Graphic designers can rebrand a popular company with a fresh logo, create a fictional campaign, or showcase visually compelling social media graphics.
Web developers might build landing pages, personal websites, or clone well-known apps to showcase their coding capabilities.

When it comes to how to start freelancing, your portfolio should include:

A clear project summary: Explain what the project is about, the goal behind it, and who it was for (real or hypothetical).
Tools and tech used: Mention the software, platforms, or programming languages involved.
Visuals or content samples: Add high-quality images, links, or embedded files so viewers can see your work firsthand.
Results or takeaways: If applicable, share metrics, feedback, or what you learned from the project.

5. Creating a Proposal is Important

So, you’ve found a job that matches your skills; now comes the most important thing: your proposal. A good proposal can help you secure the job. So it’s important to create a proposal template that works for you, and you can quickly tailor it to different job requirements. Please remember, creating proposals and tailoring them to specific jobs requires sincerity, professionalism and enthusiasm.

You can go through various proposal tips available online to create a better job proposal. This is because it is a golden opportunity to show your interest in the project and explain why you’re the right fit for the project. You can outline the client’s requirements, explain how your work can be, and provide your qualifications and credentials.

The structure below will help you create a great proposal if you’re on the edge of how to start freelancing:

Greeting + hook: Brief, warm introduction
Problem: Rephrase what the client needs
Solution: How you’ll solve it, what makes you the right fit
Call to action: Invite them to chat or schedule a call

6. Create a Relationship With Your Client

Working as a freelancer means your clients are your business. Therefore, it is essential to establish a positive bond or relationship with them. Rather than thinking of just money and work as a one-to-one deal, keep it professional and try to build a good reputation with your clients. That’s what successful freelancers do.

Some of you, while reading about how to start freelancing, must be thinking, ‘We are here to make money; why build a relationship and create a bond?’ To be honest, we have always maintained that establishing a long-term partnership enables you to secure repeat business or projects, as well as receive referrals from new clients. That’s how networking and connections work in the corporate world.

Undoubtedly, you must focus on excellent work because that is what a client ultimately demands. For transparency, make sure to keep effective communication that encourages clients to continue working with you in the future.

7. Keep Upgrading Your Skills and Knowledge

Freelancing is also a full-time job, although you have the freedom to work at your own pace. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t upgrade your skills and knowledge. In the market, clients often seek candidates who are well-rounded and possess the skills necessary to work on various projects.

So, do not become stagnant; keep upgrading yourself by enrolling in an online certification programme or online degree courses. Whether you are a freelance writer, digital marketer, or manager, you can check out the listed online certification programmes offered on Jaro Education that can be your great starting point for ensuring your skills are up to date.

8. Build Connections With Other Freelancers

Networking helps you to get jobs back and forth. When it comes to “how to start freelancing” , always try to network with other freelancers on social media platforms like LinkedIn. You can talk about your experience, ask about how you can add on to your skills, areas of improvement, and get advice from experienced freelancers on “how do I become a freelancer?” who are doing well in the field.

9. Always Keep Looking for Freelance Projects

Working as a freelancer means you have to take on new projects and clients consistently. Yes, you might also have some clients with long-term contracts, while others may need you only for a short duration. So, depending upon your situation and requirement, keep looking at your job invites as a freelancer.

At the beginning, onboarding some clients may be difficult, and you might have to lower your initial rate, but with time, you will be successful. Just keep working on your portfolios and get reviews.

Wrapping Up

Indeed, opting to work as a freelancer is a bold step in your career. But undoubtedly it is the best way to reclaim your freedom and earning potential. You are the head of your expectations, communication, and the extraordinary work you are going to deliver. All you have to do is be consistent, passionate, and filled with purpose. This way, you can definitely turn your small start-up into a huge success.

If you’re still struggling with how to start freelancing, Jaro Education offers dedicated career support. We are a leading online higher education and upskilling company dedicated to bridging the gap between the online education system and participants. Whether you’re a part-time freelancer or a full-time working professional, we bring online certification programmes and degree courses that can help you upgrade your knowledge and skills according to the job market. Our courses are from India’s top institutions like IIM, IIT, Amity, Symbiosis, and so on. Visit our website to explore our range of online courses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is freelancing a good career option in 2025?

Absolutely! With remote work becoming mainstream, now is the time to implement your goal of “how to start freelancing”. You get to be more viable than ever, offering flexibility, independence, and solid income potential.

Do I need a degree to start freelancing?

No, when it comes to how to start freelancing, what matters most are your skills, portfolio, and ability to solve problems, not your formal education.

How long does it take to succeed in freelancing?

If you’re wondering how to become a freelancer, the answer varies.. Some freelancers land clients in a week; for others, it may take months. Patience, consistency, and continuous learning are key.

How much can a freelancer earn in India?

A freelancer in India can earn anywhere from a few thousand rupees to several lakhs per month, depending on their skills, experience, and the type of work they do.