Are there Freelance Jobs for Matriculants?

There are always freelance jobs available for matriculants, and not just for matriculants but also for anybody else looking for freelance jobs. The trick, though, to get freelance work, is to know where to look for freelance work, how to apply for freelance work, and being confident you can do the work.

The reason that freelance jobs are always available to matriculants and to anybody else in South Africa or anywhere in the world is because there are thousands of people needing freelance work done, and not only needing the work done, but advertising that they need the work done. Just one example of a freelance job site where new freelance jobs are posted every day, sometimes within just minutes of each other, is the freelance job site oDesk – South African matriculants can apply for freelance jobs on oDesk even if the jobs are for people in another country! There are all sorts of freelance jobs posted on the oDesk freelance job site every day (not just writing jobs.)

oDesk

A lot of freelance work is related to the Internet, so it is generally a requirement that matriculants looking for freelance work should at least have a computer and Internet access.

Plenty of freelance work is related to advertising: People have a business or website, or both, and to get more work or sell more products they need as many people as possible to notice that they exist. They also need to present themselves or their sites better than the next guy who is offering a similar service or selling a similar product. They need their advertising to be better than their competitor’s advertising. Your freelance work can help them.

When there are thousands of businesses or websites offering similar services or selling similar products, it may be daunting to a new freelancer, especially if just finished matric, trying to work out how to be an excellent freelance service provider – better than another freelancer can be – so that you not only get the freelance jobs you apply for, but so that you start to build up a reputation as an excellent freelance service provider. As an excellent freelance service provider with a good reputation, it is easier to get freelance work, and also easier to get repeat business from existing clients.

But to get to that point of being a good freelance service provider will take some work.

You need to be confident in your abilities as a freelance service provider, knowing which areas of freelance work you are best at. Now do not start thinking that there is probably no freelance work you can do because you can’t design a website, don’t know how to set up a WordPress blog, don’t know anything about SEO (Search Engine Optimization), don’t have PhotoShop or other programs you could use for designing logos, or can’t write without making too many spelling or grammar errors. This is where the hard work comes in.

You can learn to do most of the freelance jobs mentioned above simply by reading free information on the Internet. Use the Google search engine and search for information on how to do this or how to do that. There are also plenty of free tools on the Internet that can help you with your freelance work.

Freelance work may sound interesting and easy to do, but freelance work is a job just like any other job and needs to be treated as such – professionally.
Do your research. Simply doing a lot of research may even help you realise that you can add Internet Researcher to your list of freelance services.

Conclusion:
Are there freelance jobs for matriculants?
Yes – but don’t rush into anything if you expect to do well, and if you expect to grow. Also do not expect to make too much money while you are still learning – but don’t give up trying either – the harder you work, the more both you and your earnings are likely to grow.

© copyright Teresa Schultz 2011
I work from home providing freelance services, and making money from my sites – teaching myself how to do so from reading free information on the Internet. 4 years ago I didn’t even know how to copy and paste.

FURTHER READING:

What can I do during a gap year after matric?

Thinking about what to do after matric