by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: March 12, 2009   Last Updated: December 26, 2011

Being an internet freelancer takes a lot of dedication to your craft. It might sound like an easy job, but it's not. You have to be creative at all times. You have to be able to put a new twist on an old idea. You also have to be on top of the sites that offer freelance work. There is some very stiff competition that you will be up against. Putting your best foot forward is the best way to become successful at your career.

Here are some ways in which you can rise to the top in order to be the cream of the crop that you will be expected to be:

Portfolio

Building up a great portfolio that allows the "buyer" to see your work personally is the first step you should take. There are two sites that allow you to build a good portfolio. Helium.com is a site that allows you to publish your work immediately. There is a financial benefit to this site as well as building up some work to show potential "employers". You can earn a good deal of cash through Helium and then use the work you publish there to prove your worth. Associated Content is another site that allows you to publish your work. The work can be published immediately. If you want the most cash gain though, your work will have to go through a longer process in order to be published.

Have the Skills

There are many job opportunities available for freelance workers. From typing to customer service to virtual assistants, the type of jobs are endless. Do some research in what most business skills you will be required to have in order to obtain those positions. If you are not up to par on the requirements, you may consider taking some courses to brush up on them. Companies that hire freelance workers have very high expectations and you should be in the know about what they will want.

Avoiding Scams

Do not ever pay to get work. It is completely unnecessary and most of those type of sites are scammers. You are in this to make money, not spend it. Stay away from surveys unless you know what you are getting into. Survey spots take much longer than what you are led to believe. They usually don't pay in cash. You can earn points for gift certificates at some of them. Others just put you in a drawing for prizes. If you are freelancing to make money, these types of ventures probably aren't going to get you what you need.

Network

As a freelancer it is imperative that you "put yourself out there". Find forums that allow you to talk to other freelancers. Follow the tips and tricks of seasoned freelance workers. They have a lot of information that can be very helpful along the way. Go to forums such as Helium's community or to WAHM.com. You will be amazed at what you learn.

Promote

Promoting yourself is very important. Give yourself a web presence. Blogging helps to do this as well as social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook. Add as many friends as possible to get the word out about you. Go to places such as Craigslist and Mylot.com which have thousands of users daily that will look at your postings. This is like putting a sign on your forehead that says "freelance worker for hire".

You have to put a lot of effort into working as a freelancer. Do a lot of research on it before you decide to go that route. It takes a lot of time to build things up but it can be done. Before you know it, you will be on your way to being a professional freelancer.

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