Freelancing in Pakistan

Freelancing in Pakistan- Fact or Enigma?

Freelancing in Pakistan is the ultimate solution to the predicament of financial dependence. It has shown us the way to break the shackles of binding traditional ways of making money. To live a satisfactory life, and to observe one’s dreams and desires is the birthright of every person. But only for those, who want to transform their lives.

“Miracles are only for those who ratiocinate craving.”

Why Freelancing is important

The entire world has faced a terrible global war in the form of COVID-19. Due to the trouble of this pandemic, the ratio of the unemployed population ascended to an alarming height. Nature has its own scheme, there has been a universal trend of doing online jobs perhaps for two decades but it came to its boom during these most disastrous years in human history. These are the years when a layman also came to know that any such thing as a “job online” exists that can help the jobless to do something for his sustenance. This had become a ray of hope not only for those who lost their jobs or were already unemployed but also for the people like me who have been tired of doing regular jobs for a long period of time.

Freelance- statistics

The freelancing industry is becoming more popular day by day. It is growing very rapidly.  According to statistics, currently, there are approximate:

1.1 billion Freelancers in the world.

31.4 % of the total workforce are freelancers.

01 million freelancers are working in Pakistan. Pakistan makes up 9 percent of total freelancers.

15 Million Freelancers are working from India.

58 million freelancers are working in the US.

2.9 Million Self Employed are there in Canada.

Freelance Annual salary 67$, 169 Avg

Freelance participation in the US

Gen Z (18-22 years old) is sharing a 50% response to freelancing.

Millennials (23-38 years old)………. 44 %

Gen X (39-54 years old)……………   30 %

Baby Boomers (55+ years old)…….26 %

Freelancing in Pakistan and across the globe as well, has opened new doors for introducing ourselves to the evolving era of technology. And underdeveloped countries like ours are facing the dire need of resources that can be of great help to support to get financial independence on behalf of individuals and live a life of dignity and honor.

After having a considerable discussion about the importance of Freelancing particularly

in  Pakistan and across the globe in general,  I would like to illuminate the factors which are very important to consider prior to starting your journey as a freelancer.

There must be a volatile force, a burning desire inside a person to do something. Everyone is born with some specific potential. One can find that inner strength and polish it to empower oneself. One can enjoy the status of being one’s own boss and earn unlimited money. A person can monetize his passion by working on it.

“What comes out of the heart is really valuable.”

How can you do Freelancing living not only in Pakistan rather anywhere on this planet?

Freelancing demands the following features to develop prior to the practical start of your journey as a freelancer:

Self-Discipline

  Self-discipline is a very important key factor to do something successfully. This can be achieved by not only identifying your strengths but also by knowing about your weaknesses. You will have to define your road map and set your goals. You must avoid distractions or temptations. Time is money, you build your own discipline by yourself. Very rare people cherish the synchronization of mind and heart. They are the persons who take calculated decisions they actually have built-in discipline.

Goal Setting

The setting of goals will lead you to appropriate action. Identifying a goal is as important as self-discipline. These are the key attributes to prove your strength. If you don’t know your destination you will never find the road map. You will be lost between time and space. So it is very important to define your goals and in order to do that, you can follow the following four actionable plans:

Your goals should be:

Measurable

Tractable

Relevant to your niche (particular skill)

Attainable

 Skills in demand in 2022 to start Freelancing in Pakistan

Choose your skill from the following list to deliver in this digital era through freelancing. A deep search should be made in the marketplace.  You must remember that high-demand skills pay high.

• SEO
• Content-writing
• E-Commerce
• Web Development
• Graphic Designing
• Video and Animation
• Music and Audio
• Digital marketing
• Programming and Tech
• Proofreading and Editing
• Translation
• Paraphrasing
• Voice Over
• Business Development

These skills and many more are being floated before you select anyone out of these to work on according to your inner potential.

How to learn Skills for Freelancing in Pakistan

Now the question arises that how you can learn these skills or the skill of your choice.

There is a variety of resources that can teach you to the extent that you can lead further after completing the process of learning.  Many great souls have started a campaign for their countrymen and worldwide for the youth and women or unemployed downtrodden to learn from these platforms first learn from unpaid sources and then from paid as well to enhance your skill.

This is a slow process. Don’t be impatient rather exercise and implement patience and persistence, because “persistence is the key”. If a person like me who preferred to manage calls rather than type messages can transform into a person who is owning a website and started her journey as a freelancer in only one year; who has transformed her academic curriculum for her students into a composed form and uploaded on her website, then anyone can learn because I had least knowledge of IT.

I suggest everyone learn skills at a very young age and study Information Technology as professional studies.  This is the evolving era of technology, and if we want to pace with the speed of time we should be a student of information technology as early as possible.

 So start learning today regardless of:

Whatever is your age!

Whatever your academic background!

What is required, is just dedication commitment, and persistence!

Choose a single skill of your choice, at first. Spend the full 3 months learning the same skill from different sources. There are many valuable platforms; such as Dgskills, WScubtech, Udemy, and Coursera.  I found these as best. There are many individuals on YouTube as well as agencies that are teaching all that you need to learn.  Starting right from Dgskills, because it suits the academic level of our education system developed students. After getting expertise in the skill of your choice, create accounts on different freelancing platforms. There is a great diversity that provides you chances to offer your services.

 Best Platforms for Beginner Freelancers

Fiverr.com

This valued platform provides a better opportunity to work online. Build your strong profile and portfolio.  Create appropriate gigs to showcase your peculiar skill. Seek complete guidance before creating gigs from different YouTube sources to avoid hassles. There are videos on YouTube separately on each platform. Don’t rush. Stay calm. And start with the same skill on all platforms.

Select budget according to your expertise level starting prudentially from lower. You can raise that later. This platform will charge a little percentage of the whole budget.

Upwork

Another great opportunity for Freelancers to earn in Pakistan as well as across the world. This precious place also provides us with the chance to collaborate with professionals to enhance our skills.  Many potential long-term clients are present there to provide valuable projects. This also charges from the total budget.

Guru

Though not many people are familiar with this website that provide great chances to freelancers. There are 1.5 million professionals registered on this platform who offer their services to potential clients. Have first-hand knowledge about this as well prior to starting your freelancing journey.

Freelancer

Another no less important place to grab your opportunity to earn online.

People per hour

Over two million freelancers are offering their services through this platform as well. They can earn on the basis of per hour or total project charges.

99 Designs

If you are a graphic designer, don’t miss trying your luck here. This is the home of over 1 million graphic designers. And next can be you, a new member of this large community of graphic designers.

Toptal

Software Engineers and Graphic designers can offer their expert services to this American-based platform.

How to polish your peculiar skill?

Consider the following 5 key- points:

1: Set milestones to achieve your goal

Short term

Midterm

Long term

2: Develop communication skills

“The art of selling yourself”.

3: Consistent Endeavour (do little but stay persistent)

4: Time Management (master your minutes, live up to the clock)

5: Upgradation in the digital world (keep yourself up-to-date)

Present is the era of digital evolution. To keep pace with this squirting era and the closing of the dribbling age,  let’s be a part of the learner’s community by joining different valuable freelancing groups on different social media platforms.

Let’s be a valuable part of the emerging ecosystem supported by high-profile individuals and prestigious agencies!

Let’s join every hand that is there to eliminate poverty in the world!

Let’s be a recoiler of the voice that is raised to raise the living standards of the downtrodden!

Even if we start slowly, the persistent endeavor can lead us to a level of financial independence. And this independence will open before us, new horizons of life and the universe.

Hats off to all who are making unconditional endeavors to promote this latest trend to become self-supportive first, and later support others to find their way through the life of trials and tribulations by making money through freelancing in Pakistan as well as across borders.

There is much more that can be discussed but in this article, I have restrained myself to only introducing my countrymen to develop the initial knowledge about Freelancing. How a person can live a life of Eagle rather than live the misery of the oppressed?  I wished to make them ready to change their lives through different platforms of Freelancing provided by the digital world not only in Pakistan rather the whole world.

Let’s be ready to remove the clouds of preconceived notions in society to touch the sky, disclose the hidden secrets of this universe and thus play the role of real representative of our creator!