This is a guide for anyone who wants to become freelance administrative support professional. The first part of this article will cover what freelance administrative support professionals do, and how you can get started in this field.
The second half of this article will go into more detail about how to succeed as a freelance administrative support professional, including tips on finding work, developing your business strategies, and marketing yourself as a freelancer. I hope that you find it useful!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Continuously enhance your skills and stay updated with industry trends. |
| 2. Build a strong professional network to expand your opportunities. |
| 3. Deliver exceptional customer service and exceed client expectations. |
| 4. Effectively manage your time and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines. |
| 5. Develop strong organizational and communication skills for efficiency. |
| 6. Market yourself effectively to attract clients and showcase your expertise. |
| 7. Provide reliable and consistent support to build trust with clients. |
| 8. Stay organized and maintain a structured work environment. |
| 9. Develop a strong work ethic and maintain professionalism. |
| 10. Continuously evaluate and improve your performance and service delivery. |
Be A Lifelong Student
You will also need to be a lifelong student. By that, I mean you should always be open to learning new things and challenging yourself. You will have to stay up-to-date with best practices, technical tools, software, communication skills, etc., so you don’t become obsolete in your field or lose business because you don’t have the latest knowledge.
Make “learning” a priority each year by setting aside time for professional development activities such as attending conferences or seminars; taking classes (online or in-person); reading books; listening to podcasts; watching videos; researching trends on websites like LinkedIn Pulse or HubSpot.
Joining an organization that provides opportunities for networking with others who can help advance your career (such as chamber groups); volunteering at non-profits where professionals gather regularly for meetings/events etc.; participating in discussions about current issues related to your profession on social media platforms such as Facebook groups – there are so many ways now available for us all!
Enhancing your skills and staying updated is crucial for every administrative assistant. Check out our article on 15 Tips Every Administrative Assistant Should Follow to discover practical tips and strategies to excel in your role.
Be A Self-Starter
As a freelance administrative support professional, you will be required to take on many tasks on your own. You’ll need to learn how to prioritize your responsibilities and stay motivated when working without direct supervision for long periods of time.
As a freelancer, you must be able to work independently and set your own schedule so that you can easily manage the workload. It may be difficult in the beginning as there is no one checking up on you or keeping track of what needs doing while they are away from their desk or busy with other tasks.
This can cause stress when deadlines approach but by being organized and prepared beforehand, should not stop you from completing projects well before time runs out!
Be Ready To Wear Many Hats
You’re a generalist. You wear many hats, and you wear them well. As a freelance administrative support professional, you need to be ready to take on multiple roles simultaneously. You might be acting as an executive assistant and then also handling social media or graphic design projects on the side.
Your flexibility is key to your success; there’s no telling when you’ll need to take on responsibilities that go beyond what your current contract requires. So make sure your schedule can accommodate the inevitable changes in priorities that come with freelancing!
But don’t worry if this all feels overwhelming it’s not just about keeping up with tasks and duties; it’s about being organized enough so that nothing falls through the cracks!
When juggling multiple projects at once (which will happen), it helps if all of them are interrelated somehow: for example, let’s say one project involves making promotional videos for a new product line while another deals with organizing an annual conference; maybe there’s some overlap between these two tasks because they could both benefit from what we learned while shooting those videos?
Keeping track of these relationships will help ensure that nothing gets missed when it comes time for delivery day!
Be Willing To Explore New Areas Of Expertise
There is one thing that will help you succeed as a freelance administrative support professional: the willingness to explore new areas of expertise. You can keep your skills fresh by learning new skills, especially ones that are related to your profession.
There are many ways to learn new skills, including online courses and workshops offered by colleges and universities. These can be expensive but do come with classroom camaraderie, which often makes them more fun than self-directed learning experiences.
Another option is learning from peers who have experience in fields outside of yours; if you don’t know anyone who fits this description or isn’t interested in sharing their knowledge with you, there are many websites where people offer tutorials on everything from making jewelry to managing social media accounts for small businesses!
If this sounds terrifying (or overwhelming), remember: it’s not just about picking up new skills it’s also about letting go of old ones that aren’t relevant anymore (such as maintaining Word documents). Letting go will free up time so that when something comes along that needs updating or changing later down the road (which happens frequently), then all those other responsibilities won’t get in the way again as they did back when they were part of everyday life!
Are you considering hiring a freelance administrative support professional? Explore our comprehensive guide on the Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Freelance Administrative Support Professional to understand the value they bring to your business and how they can contribute to your success.
Be A Great Team Player
A good team player is someone who is able to communicate clearly, flexibly, and honestly. He or she is a great listener and is open to new ideas. A good team player offers help where needed and shows support for others’ efforts.
In addition, he or she is reasonable in his or her expectations of others; respects the rules that govern the workplace; acts respectfully toward others at all times; shows trustworthiness by keeping promises and being accountable for his or her actions.
The best freelancers are willing to compromise their own wants/needs when it comes down to working collaboratively with other people on projects.
Be Patient, But Persistent
Patience is important, but it’s not the same as settling. Patience isn’t inaction, either. It’s not procrastination or passivity. In fact, it can be something of an active virtue: waiting for the right moment to strike waiting until you’re ready to make your move.
Be patient with yourself and others; don’t expect things to happen overnight or in a matter of months (or even years). If you’re feeling stuck, take some time off and go on vacation!
Be Ready To Create Your Own Network From Scratch
Networking is the key to success in any industry. As a freelancer, you are your own marketing department. You’re responsible for finding new clients and keeping current clients happy. This means you have to be prepared to ask for help when necessary.
Everyone you meet is a potential client or referral source so don’t be afraid to ask them questions about what they do, how they got into their career field, and where they see themselves going next. You may get some good ideas and tips on how to improve your own business operations or even find some new potential clients through this process!
Don’t forget that referrals are the best way to get new business; it’s one of the reasons why networking is so important!
If someone refers their friends/family/coworkers over to you, chances are that person will stick around for longer than just one transaction with no intention of working with anyone else again down the line because she knows her friend will refer more people back again if needed later on down life events such as marriage (weddings), babies being born (babies showers), retirement parties, etc…
Interested in becoming a freelance administrative support professional? Learn what it takes to succeed in this dynamic field by reading our insightful article on What Does It Take to Be a Freelance Administrative Support?. Gain valuable insights and discover the essential skills needed to thrive in this rewarding career.
Be Ready To Ask For Business And Referrals
To be successful as a freelancer, you must be ready to ask for business and referrals. You need to put yourself out there and let people know about your services. Be sure to follow up with people who are interested in hiring you or getting more information about your services.
When someone tells you they have friends or colleagues that need administrative support services like yours, ask if they would mind referring them to your website so that they can learn more about what it is that you do.
Gaining new clients is not always easy but if you are willing to work hard at marketing yourself and following up on leads, then it will happen. It is important that when someone hires you or refers someone else who hires you that they feel confident recommending your services because they know what an excellent job you can do for them!
Be polite and persistent when asking for referrals or testimonials from former employers (even after the job has been done). Be professional about it; don’t pester anyone! If someone isn’t interested in giving their opinion about how great of an employee/friend/etc., then let it go gracefully without making any demands on them whatsoever even if their opinion might help improve future performance reviews from other clients.”
Have A Fail-Proof Backup Plan
You should always have a backup plan in place. In the event that something goes wrong, you will be able to quickly shift gears and save the day, or at least lessen the damage.
What are some things that could go wrong? Do you know how to use your computer’s built-in backup software? Can you use an external hard drive or cloud storage service instead?
If you have a friend who can help out when needed, ask them if they’d like to be on call in case of emergencies so they’re ready when something does happen—and so are you!
Know When To Outsource Work You Don’t Have Time For, Or That Is Not In Your Area Of Expertise
One of the most important skills for a freelancer is knowing when to outsource work. As a freelance administrative support professional, you will inevitably be asked to do things that are outside your area of expertise, whether it’s taking on an additional client or handling tasks that require specialized training.
It’s important to know when it makes sense to delegate a task so that you can focus on what you’re best at and maintain a good work-life balance.
Here are some examples of tasks that might make sense for you (or not) to outsource:* Receiving and replying to emails from clients* Preparing invoices and payments before sending them out* Setting up meetings with potential clients* Creating presentations in PowerPoint or Keynote
Looking to earn your first $1000 as a freelance administrative assistant? Our article on How to Make Your First $1000 as a Freelance Administrative Assistant provides practical tips and strategies to help you kickstart your freelance career and achieve financial success.
Know When It’s Time To Take The Next Step, Up Or Out!
If you desire to be a professional administrative support worker for the long term, it is important that you stay focused on your goals and what will help you reach them. If you are looking for a long-term career, you may need to take a step back to take two steps forward, or even take a step out of your comfort zone.
When we hit plateaus in our careers or work too hard for too little, it’s easy to become discouraged and frustrated. That’s when it becomes necessary to evaluate what direction we want our lives to head next. Are we satisfied with where we’re at right now?
Do we want more out of life in general? If so, then perhaps it’s time for us to make some changes!
Searching for freelance administrative support jobs? Explore our curated list of The Best Places to Look for Freelance Administrative Support Jobs and discover platforms and resources where you can find rewarding opportunities that align with your skills and interests.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article has helped you to gain a better understanding of the skills and qualities that are needed to be successful as an administrative support professional. If you want to learn more about these topics, feel free to leave feedback below or share this article with others who would benefit from reading it.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to further explore the topics related to freelance administrative support professionals:
Start Your Freelance Business as an Administrative Assistant: This blog post provides valuable insights and practical tips for starting a successful freelance business as an administrative assistant.
The Secrets of Becoming a Successful Freelancer: Discover the secrets to becoming a successful freelancer with this comprehensive guide, covering various aspects of freelancing and strategies for achieving success.
Understanding the Work of Virtual Assistants: Dive into the world of virtual assistants and gain a better understanding of the wide range of tasks and responsibilities they handle to support businesses and individuals remotely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I charge for my services?
A good rule of thumb is to base your rates on what you’d be earning if you had a full-time job. If you’re new to the field or just starting out, it’s best to work with clients who are willing to pay less per hour than established companies. The more experienced and expertise you have, the more likely it is that clients will pay higher rates for your services.
How Do I Find Clients?
Make sure your resume includes all relevant experience from previous jobs as well as any additional training courses or certifications you’ve had since leaving school (and make sure those are up-to-date!).
Then start networking you’re bound to meet someone who knows someone who needs administrative support. One good way to connect with potential coworkers is through LinkedIn groups; another great tool for finding new contacts is Meetup! It’s free and easy to use: just search “your city” + “meetups near me” in Google or Bing Search then pick an event that sounds interesting!
What skills are essential for a freelance administrative support professional?
Freelance administrative support professionals should possess strong organizational skills, effective communication abilities, proficiency in administrative software and tools, time management expertise, and attention to detail.
How can I find freelance administrative support jobs?
To find freelance administrative support jobs, you can explore online freelance platforms, join professional networks and communities, leverage social media platforms, and create a compelling portfolio or website to showcase your skills and attract potential clients.
What are the benefits of hiring a freelance administrative support professional?
Hiring a freelance administrative support professional allows businesses to access specialized skills on-demand, reduce overhead costs, maintain flexibility in resource allocation, and focus on core business activities while delegating administrative tasks to experts.
How do I set my rates as a freelance administrative support professional?
Setting rates as a freelance administrative support professional involves considering factors such as your experience, skill level, market demand, the complexity of tasks, and the value you provide. Research industry standards and competitor rates to determine a fair pricing structure.
How can I market myself as a freelance administrative support professional?
To market yourself effectively as a freelance administrative support professional, create a professional online presence, develop a strong personal brand, showcase your expertise through a portfolio or website, network with potential clients, and leverage social media platforms and industry-specific channels to reach your target audience.
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.