How I Became Freelance In My Engineering Field

I recently had my first experience as a freelancer: I worked on a project for a company that makes satellite communication systems. The company, which I’ll call “SatComm Systems,” needed help with programming their new line of solar-powered satellites.

They wanted someone to work on the software that would make the satellites “think,” or recognize when they were drifting out of orbit and then correct themselves to stay in orbit for longer.

This was the opportunity of a lifetime for me I could learn about satellite programming AND have enough free time to enjoy the summer!

In this blog post, I’ll explain how I got this opportunity and what skills you need to become a freelancer in your own engineering field.

Everything about Freelancing for Mechanical engineers

Takeaways
1. Embrace Independence: Transitioning to freelance engineering offers the freedom to choose projects and work on your terms. Embrace the independence and flexibility it provides.
2. Build a Strong Portfolio: Create a compelling portfolio showcasing your skills and past projects to attract potential clients and demonstrate your expertise.
3. Networking is Key: Network within your industry and leverage professional connections to find freelance opportunities and build a solid client base.
4. Manage Time Effectively: Time management is crucial for success as a freelancer. Utilize tools and strategies to ensure efficient project completion and meet client expectations.
5. Continuously Improve Skills: Stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in your engineering field. Continuous skill improvement will help you stand out and offer top-notch services.

Table of Contents

1. Become An Expert In Your Field

What do I mean by “expert?” Well, it’s not enough to just be good at what you do. You need to be the best at it. And that requires practice and hard work. To get there, start with the basics and learn from those who have been doing what you want to do for longer than you have been alive.

When I was starting as a freelance writer, my boss told me (and this is something that stuck) that she had never met anyone who could write well without having read a lot of books first and she meant really good books with really great writing styles!

So if someone tells me they don’t have time to read or watch videos about how-to do anything better than they already are doing it now…I’m going to assume they’re either lazy or lying (or both).

As a freelancer, it’s essential to explore various opportunities to maximize your earnings. If you’re curious about the highest-paying freelance jobs, our guide on What Jobs Pay the Most as a Freelancer can provide valuable insights and help you make informed decisions about your career path.

2. Be Very Clear About Your Niche

Your niche is a very important part of being successful as a freelancer. If you don’t have one, you’ll find that many other people do what you do and they’re all charging less than your clients are willing to pay.

You must figure out what type of skillset and expertise you have to determine your niche.

For example, if I were an engineer, I would want to focus on building websites or apps for small businesses because it’s something that I’m passionate about and enjoy doing every day.

Not only does this allow me more freedom in my work life, but it also helps me make more money than if I were doing something unrelated like sales or customer service which require much less time and effort from their employees (me!).

The next step would be finding clients who need those types of services done for them – luckily with today’s technology making it easy for anyone with internet access (including yourself) then finding these clients shouldn’t be too difficult!

3. Know What Your Ideal Clients Will Seek For In Their Product Or Service

A freelancer is someone who provides a service to clients. To deliver the best service, you need to determine your specialty and know who will be seeking it.

The first step in becoming a freelancer is knowing what you want to do. You should then look into the industry of your choice and determine whether it can support you financially while also allowing enough time for other activities, such as spending time with family or friends.

If not, consider another field that would be more suitable for your lifestyle, and remember: no one’s going to force anyone into anything they don’t want or like!

Once you’re set on which field(s) would work best for your situation, do some research about what kind of people/companies are hiring within those fields. Try looking on sites where people post jobs (LinkedIn is a good example).

Then contact these companies directly and let them know about yourself and why exactly why would make for an excellent candidate (for example “I’m experienced in X because Y”).

Are you considering freelance writing or copywriting as a career option? Wondering if it’s the right choice for you? Dive into our comprehensive article on Are Freelance Writing & Copywriting Good Jobs? to gain valuable insights and make an informed decision about pursuing these creative fields.

4. Get Your Brand Sorted Out

A website is a must for freelance work and this can be done for free through websites like WordPress.com. Get a decent logo for your business that you can use on social media profiles, email signatures, and business cards.

Use the same branding across all these platforms to make it easier for people to find you online. Also, make sure that your name appears on every page of your website so that Google will pick up on its relevance in search results even if they don’t know exactly what services you offer yet!

A well-designed website will show potential clients how professional you are as an engineer and designer so get started today!

5. Make Sure Your Online Presence Is Valid

You might be thinking, “this is all well and good, but how do I get started?”

I’m going to share some of the things that have worked for me in building my online presence. These are not hard-and-fast rules they’re more like guidelines.

Here they are:

Make sure your online presence is valid. This means having a website and/or social media channels where you can share your work and engage with potential clients. It’s important that this site looks professional and reflects well on you as an engineer.

Make sure your online presence is professional. Your website should look clean, bright, and inviting not drab or outdated!

Make sure it has an easily accessible contact form (ideally one linked directly from the homepage) so people can reach out about potential projects without having to go through hoops for it first;

This makes it easier for everyone involved so that everyone gets back to work faster once talks start happening between parties involved rather than having long back-and-forth discussions via email before even getting into specifics about what needs doing/why etcetera.

If possible try using a CMS (Content Management System ) such as WordPress instead so that publishing new posts etcetera becomes less time-consuming over time.

Since updates are automatic once set up correctly using plugins like Yoast SEO which helps optimize each post automatically according

6. Connect With People Online

While connecting with people in real life can be very valuable and rewarding, you can also connect with people online. You just need to find the right platform or group. I use Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to network my way up the freelance ladder.

A good place to start is by joining some freelancing groups on Facebook or LinkedIn where you can meet other freelancers and get advice from them.

You can also use sites like Upwork which lets companies find and hire freelancers for their projects or Etsy which allows people who make crafts or sell handmade items to sell them on their site through a marketplace model.

In today’s digital age, working remotely and efficiently from your phone is a game-changer. Learn how to manage your freelancing career effectively with tips from our article, How I Work from My Phone, and How You Can Too, to stay productive and mobile while achieving your freelance goals.

7. Take A Course On Freelancing And Get Lots Of Education In The Field Of Business

To become successful at freelancing, it’s important to learn as much as you can about the industry and field. Learning from others will not only help you see what their experiences were like but also give you an idea of what your own experience might look like.

You can also learn tips, tricks, and strategies that may be useful for your new business venture.

You can find courses on everything from writing blog posts to freelance photography online or through online platforms such as Udemy or Skillshare (both have free plans). If there are no courses available in your area related to what it is that you want to do then create one!

8. Learn From Successful Freelancers In Your Niche

You can learn a lot from successful freelancers when it comes to how they run their businesses and what strategies they are using.

For example, if you’re interested in marketing yourself online, then I recommend reading this article by Pat Flynn on how he became an online entrepreneur

Then go through some of his older blog posts and see the ways he built his audience over time, which will give you some good ideas for how you can market yourself too!

9. Freelance While Working Full Time

This is a big one. To be honest, I didn’t even consider it until I had already started working full time and then thought to myself “What am I going to do? How am I supposed to fit this into my schedule?”

I’m going to let you in on an insider secret: You don’t need the same amount of time as most freelancers because they are not working full-time jobs (or at least they say they aren’t). They have more flexibility in their schedules;

So if you work full-time and want to freelance, it might help you out if you cut back on your hours at work. This will help you manage your time better overall so that you can spend more time on projects that are important for building up your business.

If this sounds like something that would work for you, let’s talk about how I made it happen!

10. Find Your Clients On Social Media And Other Freelancing Platforms

Social media is one of the best ways to find freelance clients. People who are looking for freelancers are always on social media and you should be too when it comes to finding your next client or job.

Your goal is to make yourself visible so that people can see who you are and what kind of services you offer.

There are other sites where people post their projects, including:

Freelance marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr, and Guru
Job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, etc., (but they’re not very popular)
Forums – There are tons out there where users ask questions about everything from how much toothpaste costs in Japan vs South Korea, all the way up to how much does an architect charges per hour?

In these forums, there will be opportunities for both clients posting jobs as well as talent responding with bids on those jobs!

Also, consider:

The gig economy has transformed the way people work and earn a living. If you’re a freelancer curious about the gig economy’s impact, check out our insightful article on Freelancers, What Can You Tell Us About the Gig Economy? to gain a deeper understanding of this modern working landscape.

Become An Expert In Your Field

Get a degree: It’s a good idea to get a degree in your field. Even if you aren’t going to use it, having the degree shows that you’ve been trained properly and know what you are doing.

Take courses: It’s also helpful to take some courses in addition to your degree, if possible. These will give you more knowledge about the subject matter than just taking one course would have done alone.

Get mentorship: Find someone who can mentor you and help guide you through this process of becoming freelance! They can advise on how best to succeed at freelancing without getting into trouble or losing money due to out-of-pocket expenses.

Certificates/Memberships: Some companies offer certificates as part of their training program; these usually only last for 1 year though once earned they make it easier for employers to hire someone with them.

Instead of those who don’t have certs because they show commitment (which is good) but also because they come with certain skill sets that may not otherwise require any formal education (which isn’t always bad either).

There are other organizations like professional societies where membership brings benefits such as discounts on services offered by members as well as networking opportunities within their community.

Jobs: You’ll want to find jobs where there’s room for growth potential so that when it comes time later down the road (when perhaps we’re retired).

We might be able to increase our income by working longer hours per week instead of having less work available each day/weekend day because fewer people need help around town…

Receiving client feedback is crucial for freelancers to improve and grow their business. Discover effective strategies for securing the best feedback on Upwork in our comprehensive guide, How to Make Sure You’re Getting the Best Client Feedback on Upwork. Enhance your freelance reputation and build strong client relationships with these valuable tips.

Conclusion

This is my story of how I became a freelance engineer. If you’d like to try this yourself, here are some tips from my experience:

Section: Find your people. Find people who are similar to you in interests or mindset, and try to connect with them regularly. Doing so can help you feel supported as well as increase your chances of finding opportunities that match your skill set!

Section: Don’t be afraid to ask for help from those around you. Your friends, family members, and colleagues can all provide valuable assistance when it comes to finding new clients or projects that fit what they need best.

Takeaway

I hope this article has inspired some ideas about how to work online and make money doing so! If anything else comes up along the way with freelancing or working remotely please feel free to reach out – I’m happy to answer any questions anyone may have 🙂

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Become A Freelance Engineer?

The first step is to get your degree. After that, you need to find some work experience in your field of expertise. You can find this by working part-time or volunteering at an engineering firm. After you’ve got some experience, it’s time to start looking for clients!

What Should I Charge For My Services? Are There Any Guidelines?

You should always charge based on the value that you provide to your client. If they’re getting more value than what they’re paying for, then they’ll be happy with the price tag attached to it.

That said, if they’re not getting enough value for the price tag attached to it if it’s too high or too low, then no one will be happy with their purchase decision, and neither will we as a company!

So make sure that whatever price point you choose is fair and reasonable enough so everyone involved can walk away satisfied with the outcome of their transaction together! Press Tab to write more…

What Is My Work Like?

I work from home and in coffee shops, so I can be as flexible with my schedule as possible. I usually spend 15-30 hours a week working on projects, depending on the season. In general, this means that I’m not working all the time, but rather focusing on one or two projects at a time.

Do You Have Any Other Jobs?

A: Yes! Right now I’m also a full-time student in college, so there will be times when I have to focus more on school work than freelance work.

But if you need me to prioritize your project over schoolwork (or vice versa), just let me know ahead of time and we can figure out how best to proceed.

How Do I Become A Freelancer In My Engineering Field?

To answer this question, let’s go back to the basics. If you’re an engineer and want to become a freelance worker, the first thing you need to do is gain experience in your field.

Once you have some experience and know what it is like to work independently, then you can apply for jobs as a freelancer.

What Are The Advantages Of Working As A Freelancer?

There are several advantages of working as a freelancer. For example, if you work as a contractor or consultant, then your income will depend on how many projects you complete or the hours that you bill.

In contrast, if you have a full-time job with benefits like health insurance or retirement accounts… then it will be difficult for you to save up enough money before retirement because these benefits don’t count towards your retirement savings plan (for example).

So if this is the case with your current employer… then becoming freelance might be worth considering since it gives you more flexibility over how much time/money you want to put into saving up for retirement!

How Do I Get Started?

The first step is to find a client to work for. You can start by reaching out to friends and family, but once you’ve got one client, you can start marketing yourself more broadly.

The best way to do that is through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. You should also create a website for yourself; this is how clients will find you when they search online.

What Is Freelance?

Freelance is a flexible work arrangement in which an individual chooses when and where to work as long as the work gets done.

Freelance employees are not employed by a single company, but rather they are self-employed and contract their services out to various companies.

They have more freedom than most employees, such as being able to choose what hours to work and for whom; however, freelancers also have less stability than those in regular employment because they do not have any guaranteed income from one employer.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.