Who’s going to trust you? You don’t have a degree, clients, or any financial history. But at least you have a motivation.
That motivation can be anything from meeting the monthly expenses, gaining freedom, supporting your children or simply dreaming of doing something you can call your own.
You have made some progress. That’s the ideal scenario. And at times, that is far more valuable than having preadealted experience. Experience can be cultivated and dents can be placed on the wonder fuel called curiosity.
Many individuals think that the first step towards freelancing begins with a portfolio fuelled with flashy achievements and a resume full of accolades. If that were to be the case, most freelancers would be non-existent.
The unfortunate truth is that many freelancers kickstart their journey without any sort of background. Some begin because they are out of job, some because they just can’t find one that suits them, and others as in your position who want to have a say over their time and future.
So, if you’re in Romania and are pondering if it’s feasible to start freelancing with no prior experience, I’ll put it simply. Yes, it is possible. But let me, who has been there, guide you in a way that makes sense, bit by bit.
Key Takeaways
- Freelancing is built on effort and consistency, not prior experience.
- The first job a person takes in their career is significant in terms of identity development, not income generation.
- Clients are most interested in being able to trust the person they are working with and not an idealized outline of experience.
- You gain more strength day after day as you learn on the job, and that makes you stronger with every passing day.
- Having the most basic requirement, that is turning up for work, makes you already qualified.
What People Get Wrong About Experience And Freelancing
To put it in simpler terms, freelancing does not seek for a flawless history. It seeks a background that is valuable. Even if someone has no professional experience, they must have done some work in the past which is of value. Perhaps you assisted a friend in writing their CV, designed a logo for a cousin’s new café, or created a spreadsheet for a community gathering. These may not have been paid gigs, but they contribute to building one’s experience. The difference is that nobody called these “projects” before, now you will.
Clients don’t care about your educational background or your age—they care whether you are capable of solving a problem for them. That is the essence of freelancing—you look for people who need help, and you provide them with help that they are willing to pay for. If you understand that, you are already ahead of most people who wait for something to motivate them until they deem themselves ready.
You’re Not Selling A Résumé — You’re Selling A Result
Think about the last time you purchased something from an online store. Perhaps it was a phone charger. Did you go through the manufacter’s biography? Or did you check the reviews to determine if the device actually functioned? Clients behave the same way.
Your potential client’s preoccupation is not your résumé. They’re after someone who will answer their call and make every attempt to fulfill the task set before them. If you qualify, then you are far more important than a dozen freelancers who claim to perform a task, yet never follow through.
Identifying your strengths is helpful, even if they don’t seem evident. You might not be a professional writer, but people do say you explain things clearly. Or perhaps you are not a graphic designer, but you have always had an eye for good layouts on Instagram. All of these things are important. You do not have to be flawless; rather, you only need to start where you are and what you can do.
That First Job Might Be Small — But It Changes Everything
It has been suggested that the first job is the toughest to land not due to a lack of credentials, but rather a lack of presence as one is still ‘unknown’. It is evident that the initial opportunity when one is starting out is not centered around profit or achievement.
It may encompass a translation assignment, a brief blog post, or perhaps a logo design, all paying measly amounts. The most important thing is to finish the work and receive feedback, which in turn provides testimony that supports the claims of the person actively pursuing freelancing opportunities.
Acquiring that initial client will be ten times more beneficial than any amount of online “how to” resources. From the get-go the prospective freelancer will learn the etiquette behind interacting with clients, their primary expectations, and potential areas of improvement. An anxious feeling emerges from drafting that first communication, however sending any form of communication is a gateway to realizing outside of the proverbial box. Each small change builds a foundation to her noticing that change is possible after achieving a set goal, which is ultimately driven by her own hard work.
Building A Freelance Profile With Nothing But Honesty
Evidently, the description you provide without having any details is a deftly composed narrative. Just like any picture tells a proper story, a profile is your complete embodiment and in case you tend to lie on the depth of a profile and state something which is not true to the facts, then in real life, people allow themselves to be fooled only once. Going forward, if you cannot be honest, make sure to eliminate the phrases “sought after expert” and “well-practiced”, were freshly coined and you are just a novice. Instead, tell them what you can do, whether it be photographic, practical, stargazing, problem solving or otherwise.
You might also go through personal recommendation method which works wonders because it increases your confidence. They do not seek for flawless work, instead they strive to employ such people who focus more on being earnest as genuineness cannot be pretended.
Freelancing Websites That Make It Easier To Begin
Some platforms are friendlier to beginners than others. Some platforms feel very cold, and no one replies. Others feel like warm marketplaces that open their doors to new people. Here in Romania, freelancers often gravitate towards those that enable them to create a profile, bid for jobs, and receive payment in euros or dollars directly into their local bank account or via a payment service. What matters the most is not the name of the platform, but rather how it makes you feel. Do you feel completely ignored? Or do you think that there is a chance that you might be given an opportunity?
As a beginner, start with one website. Learn the ropes on one platform. Pursue projects you are comfortable with, even if they don’t pay well. Prioritize garnering your first feedback. Once you have that, every job after becomes easier to land. Momentum increases with movement, and that first platform becomes your bedrock.
Finding Work Without Falling Into Traps
New freelancers always feel as if they are almost forced to say yes to every gig. But not every opportunity is worth pursuing. We all know the clients who will not pay, the ones who will ask too much for too little, or the toxic clients who make you feel belittled. Those are the people you don’t need in your life. You need supportive clients; clients who appreciate that you are a living person; a human being trying to grow.
Read each job posting carefully; note the tone of the client’s language. Is it polite? Do they provide adequate details? Are they responsive to the inquiries being posed? When it comes to gut feelings, trust yours the most. If it seems off, it might just be. You have the freedom to choose who to engage with. Freelancing, even at the novice level, allows unprecedented autonomy. You do not have to work with people who are disrespectful enough to ill-treat you; it is totally within your rights to decline the offer.
Learning While Earning — Your Romanian Pathway
Curiosity is what fuels the need to learn, and in this case, you already possess it. Carve just 30 minutes of your day to browse skill-focused articles, videos, online-parenting courses, and practice. Tips from Romanian freelancers are abundant on YouTube. You can also garner guidance from Facebook groups and Discord channels. Go ahead and use this information to your advantage. Asking questions allows for learning in the public space. Contrary to popular belief, people are often kinder than one would imagine, especially to individuals who demonstrably appreciate honest assistance.
If you are currently busy with a job or studying, there’s nothing to worry about as that can also be done on the weekends. You can work with one project at a time without any risk of rushing. What is of utmost importance is not the rate at which you grow, but that you do not cease to grow. Every new skill learned opens another door waiting to be explored the next day.
Rejection Isn’t The End — It’s Part Of The Route
Reevaluation is a very common occurance. Failing or suffering from procrastination shouldn’t need to bother you every now and then. Here are some things I would recommend ignoring. Self will soooo derout you if you allow it to. Stop caring about people having no response to your freelancing ideas. Multiple opportunities revolve around empty recruitment lights.
If you’re feeling tired, gently rest but do not stop. Ultimately, what you need is peace of mind when pursuing goals. The individual who keeps striving will always find success, unlike those who sadly choose to quit too early.
Let Small Wins Teach You Big Lessons
Even though your initial payout could be minimal, the sensation will feel overwhelmingly happy. When you watch as a client expresses thanks, when their payment is received, and when you realize it was earned all by yourself – that transforms a person. At that point, you’re no longer just daydreaming. You’re acting. You’re actually living in a tale of your life that you have crafted personally.
Such is the strength of freelancing. There is no need for approval. No one has to hire you. This field offers the opportunity to make something from what is already available. This is precisely how advancements are made, step by step, job by job, day by day.
My Opinion
There’s no relative position here. There is no passport needed to enter. There is no timeline that dictates when and if you should arrive. There are at the start which takes courage. With no proof provided, what you have displayed is nothing short of extraordinary and if in case you require reasons, those which matter the most and which are beyond imagination.
Starting as a freelancer in Romania with no prior experience may not be an aspiration, but it is certainly a decision – a choice to take that first step, to take the plunge and embark on a self-directed journey. Nothing stands in your way, and no one is waiting for you to seek their approval. You don’t require specific skills or immaculate proficiency; the only prerequisite is that you take action. If you are still reading this, it means you already possess the bold move that sets this all in motion.
