Writing website copy, designing graphics, managing social media… your freelance work might be difficult to define or squeeze into a single job title.
The good news is you might not need to.
If you offer clients a broad range of different services, you could describe yourself as a multi-skilled freelancer, which means you do a bit of everything.
Having several skills under your belt can open up more opportunities and give existing clients more reasons to work with you.
Nevertheless, it also brings a few practical challenges – from deciding what to charge for each service to managing your workload and working out which projects actually make you money.
In this article, we’ll explore what it means to be a multi-skilled freelancer, the benefits and challenges of offering different services, and also who would most benefit from staying more generalised.
What is a multi-skilled freelancer?
A multi-skilled freelancer is someone who works independently and offers a wide range of services.
They might sell each of these services separately, or combine them into a single package.
In basic terms, they are a generalist, not a specialist, meaning they have a number of strings to their bow, but don’t necessarily excel at any one thing. For instance, a multi skilled freelancers’ primary skill could be copywriting, but they also offer other things like basic graphic design.
What skills do multi-skilled freelancers have?
Multi-skilled freelancers tend to offer a selection of skills which complement each other, although they can cover different fields.
For example, a freelance writer might also provide proofreading services, in addition to SEO and social media management.
A multi-skilled freelancer can also have a main specialism, with additional services that support it (e.g. a graphic designer who also builds websites and creates animations).
How does a multi-skilled freelancer differ from a specialist?
The main difference is how broadly they offer their services and where they choose to focus their expertise.
A multi-skilled freelancer offers several different services (e.g. writing, graphic design, and video editing), whereas a specialist freelancer focuses their work on a particular service, subject, or industry, becoming something of an expert.
What are the benefits of being a multi-skilled freelancer?
First and foremost, having several marketable skills can help you to attract a wider range of clients, take on different kinds of projects, and earn more from each client relationship.
We also live in an ever-changing and increasingly competitive world, and so it can be argued that locking yourself into one thing might not be the best idea.
A more general freelancer is able to adapt to their changing environment, so they’re always ahead of the curve and won’t get left behind.
This ability to pick up new skills should provide them with a greater sense of security than if they were to put all their eggs in one basket.
Being a multi-skilled freelancer also generally gives you access to more opportunities, which should equal more work in the long run.
Are there any potential downsides?
It should be said that picking a niche does make it easier to market yourself, as you know exactly who to pitch when the time comes.
On top of this, specialising gives you a way to stand out from the crowd in an increasingly competitive marketplace where it pays to be unique.
Being a jack of all trades might give you access to more opportunities overall, but it also means you aren’t associated with any one thing, and so you may be overlooked in favour of freelancers who are perceived as being more qualified for a specific job.
In this sense, hiring a freelancer who’s more generalised is considered a higher-risk option than going with a specialist you know can get it done. Also specialised freelancers can often charge more for their services than a generalist. Especially if it’s in a high-demand area where experts are scarce.
Who should become a multi-skilled freelancer?
As we’ve established, working as a multi-skilled freelancer gives you the chance to sample lots of different roles, meaning you can experiment and find what it is you’re really good at (and enjoy!).
So, if you’re someone without a clear skillset or an easily definable “thing,” then you may want to consider staying more generalised – at least until you reach a point where you feel like you’ve found a niche you can comfortably settle into.
As a generalist, you also have more autonomy, and the freedom to be more selective about the projects you want to work on, as well as the people you want to work with.
Another consideration is the business side of things, as a broad range of services means keeping track of different project requirements, prices, and expenses.
It helps to be organised, and to understand how much time each service takes.
The strongest starting point, though, is a combination of skills you can deliver well and services clients actually need.
You can start small and expand as you gain experience.
Head over to our information hub for more guides, news and advice on navigating life as a professional freelancer, from finance to tech and more.
