In a century where people are finding themselves with a lot of free time on their hands, high rates of unemployment, and economic pressures, freelance jobs have found a place amongst the lives of many Kenyans. This includes, but is not limited to university students, graduates, stay-at-home mothers, and other people who despite being employed still find the need to make ends meet. Online jobs in Kenya have evolved into full-time and part-time employment options for many.
Common online jobs that have been fancied over time are
content creation, academic writing, audio/video transcription, translation, web
development, virtual assistants, graphic design to mention, but a few. The
nature of these jobs is unconventional in that, a freelancer is not bound to
one client or any office. They are at liberty to work from wherever they are
and for as many clients as they can handle.
Online jobs provide flexibility and freedom. A freelancer
gets to decide when to work as long as deadlines are met. However, it's not an
easy market to penetrate and once one succeeds in getting in, figuring out how
to stay on top of the game is imperative and a matter of strategy.
To succeed as a freelancer in Kenya, here are a few things to put in mind.
Master your craft
You can't be a jack of all trades and succeed as a freelancer at least not when you're starting. Out of the many available online jobs in Kenya, decide on what you want to major on. What services are you looking to offer exactly and what skills would you need for you to deliver quality services? Every category of online jobs in Kenya requires a certain level of mastery, a mastery that can only be obtained through training, practice, and mentorship.
Exercise patience and discipline
Online work is a great venture. A very rewarding industry,
but it takes time to start enjoying its perks. It takes patience to work on
getting your first project without giving up and it takes discipline to deliver
as required and create long-term working relationships with clients.
Unlike formal employment, in freelancing, no boss is breathing down your neck. This, therefore, translates to more freedom on the part of the freelancer. A freelancer would, therefore, be required to develop the discipline to deliver jobs within stipulated timelines. Online jobs have specified periods and strict deadlines that clients expect a freelancer to adhere to.
Understand and follow client's guidelines
Online jobs in Kenya require the freelancer to follow the client's instructions and guidelines to the later. One would need to obtain all project details by holding discussions with the client before embarking on any project. Besides, do a lot of desk research to identify information gaps and fill them. A good understanding of the client’s project and their guidelines and performing the tasks as instructed goes a long way in guaranteeing freelancer's success in online jobs in Kenya.
Deliver quality work
The ability to retain clients and increase monthly earnings is determined by the quality of work you produce as a freelancer. To stand out from the crowd and succeed as a freelancer working on online jobs in Kenya, you would have to produce nothing, but gold for all your clients depending on the type of service being offered. One would need to learn the dos and don’ts of online jobs in Kenya. Submitting substandard work will often lead to discontented clients who end up putting in numerous revision requests or canceling projects.
Self-motivation and diligence
This is stringent to online work. The ability to continue
bidding for work despite failing a couple of times, setting clear goals and the
determination to provide superior service is paramount in the freelancing
space. Working on online jobs in Kenya is just like any other work and should
be treated no less. One should continually learn on the job and take courses to
back up their skills.
In addition to these five tips, to succeed, a freelancer should develop financial discipline, time management skills, and high-end communication skills. Similar to any other job, a freelancer should work with a sense of direction and purpose. Needless to say, there are thousands of other freelancers looking for online jobs in Kenya which makes it a very competitive Industry. Therefore, a lot of work has to be done for one to succeed as a freelancer.
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