Fresh-faced from university, with a boatload of placements under your belt you know exactly what you want to do – and you know you don’t want to work for anyone else, too. Freelancing is becoming a popular option for graduates as the number of people with a degree continues to rise, and the number of jobs dwindles.

Freelancing has even proved popular with students as a side line to their degree; the valuable experience it provides and the student’s flexibility around deadlines allows them to dedicate time to earning money while picking up experience in their desired field.

If you’re a graduate dedicated on becoming a freelancer, there are some guides that will help you succeed and pursue your chosen career, rather than getting stuck in an area where you can’t get the experience you want.

Be persistent

There will be times when you think ‘I can’t do this anymore’ or ‘I don’t have the experience here’. Don’t despair. You need to believe in yourself and be positive in order to complete work to the best of your ability.

If you don’t get the clients immediately don’t give up. Don’t be afraid to re-use ideas (they’ll never know!) and keep trying, rejection is part and parcel of freelancing – so don’t let it get to you.

If you’re serious about freelancing then you’ll need to dedicate a lot of time to it and set up your own space. Don’t give up after one rejection!

Get seen

Social media is your best friend when you’re freelancing. If your personal account is filled with pictures of you drunk on nights out, it might be worthwhile setting up a fresh account to market yourself to clients.

Make sure you follow all the right people (there are plenty of freelancing groups to connect with) and interact! Don’t assume you’re going to get work just by signing up, you need to show your creative, personable side to market yourself effectively.

Get paid

The important one! You need to negotiate price, make sure the amount makes it a worthwhile project for you to do, and make sure it will look good on your CV and help you get the experience you want.

Graduate freelancers are often more appealing because of the lower price, so every penny you can get your hands on is vital! Making sure you get paid can be daunting, and you may need to consider a kill fee if you’re not sure.

Are you a graduate freelancer? How are you marketing yourself and getting clients? Tell us about your experiences below!