The number of freelancers in the workforce has been steadily increasing over the last few years. In fact, while the growth rate for all workers in the US is 0.6%, the growth rate for freelancers is 4.2%! Even more, Statista predicts that in the next six years, over half of the workforce in the US will be freelancing.
While freelancing can bring a lot of freedom and flexibility to your work, it’s not always easy to get started. That’s why Udacity has created the newest addition to our School of Business: the Digital Freelancer Nanodegree program.
This new Nanodegree program is designed to help people with digital skills — like programming, content creation or digital marketing — kickstart their digital freelancing work. Whether you wish to start a brand new career as a digital freelancer, or just make some extra money on the side, this program is here to help.
What is Digital Freelancing?
Digital freelancing is when you work on a project-by-project basis for a variety of companies, using your unique set of digital skills. Instead of committing all of your efforts to one company and working full-time, you find clients, do work for them and bill them when you’re done.
There are a lot of benefits to freelancing:
- Work on your own schedule
- Take as many or as few projects as you want
- Only take on work that interests you
- Ability to earn extra money on the side in addition to a full-time job
It may sound like a dream come true, but freelancing isn’t for everybody. It can be challenging to get started and find your first few clients. Fortunately, by enrolling in Udacity’s Digital Freelancer Nanodegree program, the process of getting your digital freelancing business off the ground is much easier.
Digital Freelancer Nanodegree Program Details
The Digital Freelancer Nanodegree program will prepare you to understand the freelancing marketplace, develop your professional profile, win clients, set prices and manage projects.
In a lot of ways, freelancing (even as a side gig) is like running a small business. From managing relationships with your clients to billing, there’s a lot to know. This Nanodegree program will break it down in two courses:
Course 1: Freelancing 101 and Preparing to Market Yourself
This course focuses on the pros and cons of freelancing, what tools you need to get started and what to focus on when creating a digital presence. During this course, you will complete a “Build your portfolio site” project, where you’ll create and launch a website to market yourself.
Course 2: Managing Freelancing Projects, Clients and Facilitating Payment
In the second course, you’ll learn how to find and sign clients, write project proposals, determine scope and negotiate pricing. You’ll also learn about project management software, communication skills and invoicing tools. In the project for this course, you’ll work with a mock client, from initial communication to project proposal, all the way through invoicing.
In as little as one month (at 10 hours a week), students who enroll in the Digital Freelancer Nanodegree program will learn how to market themselves online, find clients, create project proposals and get paid.
Learning from Top Digital Freelancers
To develop this program’s world-class curriculum, we collaborated with professionals who have worked as digital freelancers and have hired digital freelancers. This combination brings a unique perspective to this Nanodegree program, allowing enrollees to really understand how to market themselves as digital freelancers.
Instructors
Ahmed Abouzaid, Youtube Content Creator, former Civil Engineer
Abdelaziz El Alfi, Certified Trainer, Computer Scientist
Enroll in the Digital Freelancer Nanodegree Program Today
If you’re someone who values flexibility in their work schedule, or is just looking to use their skills to make a few extra dollars on the side, digital freelancing might be for you. If you already have the digital skills you need to make you hirable, all that’s waiting is understanding the business of freelancing.
With Udacity’s Digital Freelancer Nanodegree program, you’ll have all the tools you need to get your digital freelancing business up and running. Enroll now to learn more!
