Why it’s important for freelancers to upskill
Image: Fab Lentz /Unsplash
Let’s not beat around the bush: being a freelancer is hard! From sourcing your own clients to handling boring admin to figuring out marketing tactics… it’s a career choice that is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
That’s why, here at CreativesAtWork, we are so passionate about helping freelancers (both new entrants and seasoned pros) to level up their game.
Recently, we hosted our signature Freelancing 101 program. This year, we decided to include a six-week mentorship component to it (read more about the experiences of two mentor-mentee teams: Daniel Yam and Agnes, as well as Joy Tan and Pei Si) that focused on helping mentees level up their business skills. Although the freelancers were from different backgrounds and spheres, they had one thing in common - a passion to upskill and learn!
So, what is upskilling?
There’s a misconception that upskilling just involves replacing or improving your current skill set (that’s actually re-skilling). Upskilling, on the other hand, is the process of learning new skills to enhance your existing skillset. In the workplace, employees usually do this through training provided by their companies so they can advance in their jobs and find different opportunities within the same company.
Given that, upskilling tends to be labelled as unnecessary or less of a priority for freelancers. After all, do we really need to spend more? Aren’t we taught to put as much effort as possible into developing our niche? Well, yes and no.
In this article, we share some of the benefits of upskilling for freelancers and why we believe it’s of utmost importance, especially in the current economic climate.
Photo: Markus Winkler /Unsplash
It keeps your resume fresh
While resumes are not the only thing that matter, they are undeniably an essential part of your career path. For freelancers, this is definitely the case given how much we rely on reaching out via LinkedIn. By upskilling, you’ll be able to feature fresh experiences on your resume that are a testament to your ability to adapt to industry trends - something that many clients look for!
1. Adapting to the current industry
As mentioned above, the workforce is constantly evolving, job roles and what’s required of them are changing faster and faster. In fact, a recent study showed that the average lifespan of a skill is around five years. That also shows how unpredictable things can be. No matter what position or skill set you have, the industry is never 100% stable. By upskilling, you can rest assured that you’ll have an easier transition into a new job or industry if there is ever a need for it.
2. Personal Development
It goes without saying that having an attitude of lifelong learning is great for personal development. Not only will you be learning new things, studies have also shown that such a mentality actually decreases your chances of developing diseases such as dementia. You may even discover a passion for things that you never knew existed. After all, if you don’t try, you’ll never know. Upskilling isn’t just great for professional development, it can help you develop as an individual.
3. Networking
As a freelancer, we know how crucial networking is to our careers. One struggle many of us face is the lack of networking opportunities, especially over the past couple of Covid-constrained years. By sticking in the same industry, that circle tends to be relatively small as well. By signing up for different courses, you’re bound to meet like-minded individuals with a passion to grow. Regardless, you know you’ll be growing your contact list with potential collaborators or even clients.
4. Increase your net value
Money won’t buy happiness, but there’s nothing wrong with a salary increase. When you upskill, you naturally become more valuable to potential clients. Aside from learning skills, those who upskill tend to have a higher level of productivity and increased problem-solving abilities. This helps you market yourself as a freelancer, takes you a step ahead of others, and also makes you a great candidate for more comprehensive roles in and out of your current niche.
Are you a new freelancer looking to network with others? Or a seasoned freelancer looking to upskill your current skill set? Regardless of where you’re at in your freelancing career journey, CreativesAtWork has a wide range of programs and workshops we run throughout the year. To find out more, reach out to us at contact@creativesatwork.asia, or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
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