Freelancing Week 1 FAQ

Qno:-1 what is Freelancing?

Answer:
Freelancing is basically a different way to work. A freelancer is a person
who is not a permanent employee of a company. Freelancers are self-
employed and they find work from different sources. Clients hire a
freelancer to complete a task, project, or service. After completion of the
task/ project, they are not bound to work for the client.

Qno:-2 Why is the Freelancing course compulsory for all trainees?

Answer:
This program (DigiSkills.pk) is meant to empower the youth of Pakistan
by providing them in-demand skills and teach them the mechanism to
sell their skills in freelance marketplace. In this Freelancing course, we
will teach our Trainees all the tips and tricks of freelancing in the
simplest and effective way. The do's and don'ts that are important for
freelancers will be shared. The introduction of different freelance
marketplaces will be provided. Web portals like Fiverr, Guru, and
Freelancer will be introduced and discussed in detail so that trainees
could effectively make money by using these platforms. That's why this
course is compulsory for all trainees.

Qno:-3 Does freelancing pay you money or is it scam?

Answer:
Freelancing is real. On the authentic freelance marketplaces, you can
earn by offering your services. You will get to know more about “how to
check the authenticity of a client or project in Topic-37 and 92 of this
course.
Qno:-4 should I learn freelancing?
Answer:
Let’s face it. When a university graduate enters job market, there is not a
lot to offer in current Pakistani job market. Not everyone can afford, not
to have a job, so what s/he do? Instead of getting into some black hole,
worried about an uncertain future, freelancing is a hope to get oneself on
his feet.

Qno:-5 What do I need to start freelancing?

Answer:
A competent skill and an account on a Freelance marketplace along with
good communication skills are the basic components of freelancing. You
can become a good freelancer by mastering a skill, commitment, and
dedication.

Qno:-6 I do not know any skills; can I still do freelancing?

Answer:
Freelancing is a serious business; you do need to make up your mind
before you get started. You may get started with basic skills and keep on
improving as you move on. There is a lot of market research and
material available to make you understand which skill is suitable for
you.

Qno:-7 How to choose a skill?

Answer:
Choosing a skill is dependent upon your interest. You must know a
digital skill that has a scope on the freelance marketplaces. You should
find your interest and explore different freelance marketplaces. After
finding your interest, analyzing the most in-demand skills and earnings
associated with them, you can easily decide which skill set you should
choose. You will get to know more about it in Topic-11 and 12.
Qno:-8 Can I start earning after completing this course?
Answer:
In this course you will NOT learn a skill to offer, this course is about
tips and tricks of freelancing in the simplest and most effective way. The
do`s and don`ts that are important for freelancers will be shared. The
introduction of different freelance marketplaces will be given. Web
portals like Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, and Freelancer will be introduced
and discussed in detail so that you could effectively make money by
using these platforms.

Qno:-9 How to set a goal?

Answer:
Your goal is something you want to achieve in the future. Goal setting is
a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future, and for
motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future into reality. The
process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life.
By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you
have to concentrate your efforts. You'll also quickly spot distractions
that can easily, lead you astray. You should be clear about what you can
do and what you want in your life. Keep in mind that success has no
shortcuts. Please watch Topic-10 for more details.

Qno:-10 Is English communication necessary for freelancing?

Answer:
You must know the conversational level of English for freelancing. To
excel and become successful in your freelancing career you should
enhance your English communication skills, as the communication
medium of all the major freelancing marketplaces is in English
Qno:-11 How to improve communication skill?
Answer:
Here are some tips for you to improve English Communication: • Try to
find a conversational partner and speak in English with him/her. • Focus
on four core skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. • Read the
newspaper, children's magazines, and try to understand the sentence
structure. • Write new words with meanings in your notebook and try to
use them in sentences. • Be brief, yet specific in your writing. • Always
write things down • you have to over-communicate just to communicate.
• Engage the audience in a discussion. • Start and end with key points. •
Check your message before you hit send. • Be a listener. • Ask someone
for honest feedback. • Don’t worry about grammar too much • Build
your vocabulary with phrases, not words • Put yourself in ‘real life’
English situations

Qno:-12 How much time is needed for freelancing?

Answer:
It is up to you that how much time you want to spend on freelancing. As
a beginner, it is suggested to learn the mechanism of freelance platforms
and spend your time learning new and in-demand skills. You can give
your maximum time to practice your skills. After that you can start your
career as a freelancer

Qno:-13 How much do I need to invest to start freelancing?

Answer:
There is no need to invest money in freelancing; instead you can invest
in the form of skills and time. Account creation and bidding on freelance
platforms is free. There is no need to spend your money to get started.

Qno:-14 How much can I earn from Freelancing?

Answer:
Your earnings are dependent on your skill level and dedication. You can
increase your earnings by working more and polishing your skills.
Qno:-15 Is it necessary to display real picture on profile?
Answer:
On the freelance marketplace, a freelancer must upload his/her clear
picture. It shows your identification. If you upload a fake or picture in a
veil it may cause a problem for you in the future because some platforms
match your picture by video call or by checking CNIC or passport. So, if
you feel uncomfortable then you should take permission from the
platform. Also, please read the Terms of Service of the platform before
uploading a profile picture. If they allow uploading a logo instead of a
profile picture, then you can upload it.

Qno:-16 Is bank account necessary for freelancing?

Answer:
There is no need to open a Bank account and add your Bank/Payment
Withdrawal details at the beginning of your career or while creating
profile. You can add these details later when you have sufficient funds.

Qno:-17 Is Debit/Credit card necessary?

Answer:
Credit/debit card details are not necessary to add. You can add them
when you want to purchase something from the platform e.g., a
membership plan. You will learn more about Payoneer in Topic-55.

Qno:-18 How can we transfer funds from freelance marketplaces?

Answer:
There are many methods that can be used to withdraw money from your
freelance account to a local bank. Mostly freelance platform allows you
to withdraw money directly to your bank account, but its charges are
very high. So, Payoneer is used as a medium to withdraw money from
the freelance account, after that you can transfer it to your local bank or
JazzCash account in minimal charges. You can transfer your funds from
the freelance platform to the Payoneer account then Payoneer to
JazzCash account. You will learn more about Payoneer in Topic-71.
Qno:-19 Can I use my parents bank account for freelancing?
Answer:
No, you must use your personal bank account, if you are a minor, then
you can use mutual account or JazzCash to withdraw your funds.

Qno:-20 What is a bid?

Answer:
A bid is an offer (a certain price) for something (on freelance platforms
it is for a service), especially at an auction. On the Freelance
marketplace, clients post their custom projects, you have to bid (create
your offer) against a project to win it. If the client likes your bid
(proposal) s/he will assign you that project. This process is called
bidding.

Qno:-21 What is a gig?

Answer:
A gig is a service offered by the seller (freelancer) and bought by the
buyer (employer). On “Fiverr.com” When a buyer searched for a
specific service (Gig), s/he will get several services, related to his/her
search offered by different freelancers. S/he selects a service (Gig) that
suits his/her requirement and budget.

Qno:-22 What is milestone?

Answer:
Milestones are small deliverables of a project. Breaking the project into
milestones depends on the requirement of the project, after completing a
milestone client will pay you. If you can divide the project into small
deliverable parts, then go for it. Example: If a client wants you to
compile data of 500 companies for the price of $100. You can divide it
into two or more parts(milestones). In the first phase, you can complete
the data of 250 companies and get $50. After that, you can complete the
second milestone and ask for the remaining.
Qno:-23 Is laptop compulsory for Freelancing?
Answer:
To practice your skills, you need to arrange a laptop computer system.
Without a laptop/desktop computer, it’s not possible to practice your
skills and to create your freelance profiles. Because there must be some
software/tools related to the skills you have to use, and these can be used
only through a computer. To work as a freelancer, arrange a laptop. You
can cover the course video lectures from the LMS mobile app. But to
practice your skills and to create your freelance profiles, you need to
have a computer system. In Freelancing, you can use your cell phone
only to communicate with your clients and to manage your freelance
profile. But to complete the client'’s work, you need a laptop.

Qno:-24 Are IT skills compulsory for freelancing?

Answer:
No, to do freelancing IT skills are not compulsory but you must have
basic computer-related knowledge. Many other skills have good demand
at freelance marketplace such as Graphic Designing, WordPress,
Content Writing, Digital Marketing, Data Entry, etc. So, it is suggested
to choose a skill in which you are more interested. Everything related to
freelancing is discussed in the course content, so we recommend you
keep following the course step by step, this course will help you a lot to
become a successful freelancer.
Freelancing Week 2 FAQ