Working as a freelancer worker has its benefits, especially when you are working as a freelance project manager. These perks range from work flexibility and comfortability to reducing costs and saving time. Come to think of it, as a freelance remote worker, you get to be your own boss, enjoy more working flexibility and have your own private space which you can customize to your taste. Sounds awesome right? Now comes the difficult part of how to get yourself to that stage, especially if you want to work as a remote freelance project manager. The truth is that you don’t become a freelance project manager in a day, there are steps to be followed, and skills that need to be learned and sharpened. So if you’re thinking of a career as a project manager or working as a remote project manager or freelancer, here are some important things you need to know.
Who is a Freelancer Project Manager?
A project manager is expected to organize, plan, and execute projects while working within restraints like budgets and schedules. They play a huge role in planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing projects. Project managers often lead entire teams, define project goals, communicate with stakeholders, and see a project through to its closure. The job of a project manager can range from running a marketing campaign to constructing a building and developing a computer system. Overall the project manager is responsible for the success or failure of the project.
A freelance project manager on the other hand is usually self-employed, managing projects for other businesses. They often manage projects for multiple companies of various sizes as long as their schedule allows them to. The difference between an employed project manager and a freelancer is that a freelance project manager is their own boss and has more flexibility.
How To Become A Freelance Project Manager
There are numerous different types of project managers, depending on the industry. Project managers can range from the marketing industry to the construction industry. One important thing you have to note when planning to take a career as a project manager is how much education you need. Overall, the qualifications you need to become a freelance project manager will be a bachelor’s degree, managerial skills, work experience and a master’s degree in some specific discipline. This all depends on the industry and the type of project you are handling. For example, getting a degree in engineering will be useful in projects related to engineering while an MBA will be relevant when managing a marketing project.
Tips for Becoming a Successful Freelance Project Manager
1. Keep Your Skills Updated
Technology keeps advancing and changing every day, as a freelance project manager, you have to stay updated on the current thread. Skill is very important when it comes to employment. Most clients will even prefer people who have specialized skills to someone with a degree. One way to stay updated is by paying attention to the industry thread by joining various online communities or reading blogs and articles dedicated to project management. Taking online certification courses can also help tremendously in sharpening your skills.
2. Build up Networks and Connections
Another tip to succeed as a freelance project manager is by getting your name out there by building a connection and community around what you do. A freelance professional with minimal experience and limited connections is unlikely to be sorted out by employers. Not that it is compulsory for established brands to become freelance project managers, but it is always recommended.
You can start building your personal brand and connections by attending conferences, connecting with industry leaders on social media, and joining established online project management communities on Linkedin.
3 Build Your Portfolio
A strong portfolio is likely to get you in front of many clients. Not only does showing your work online show your expertise, but it also shows your credibility. As you are building your network, it is important to showcase your work also. This way employers will take you seriously as a project manager. One way to build your portfolio is by getting an internship or an entry-level job as a project manager. This way, you will be able to build industry-related experience and develop team management, communication, and risk management skills.
4. Manitain Good Communication
Effective communication is very important when it comes to remote work and freelancing. Since most of your duties will be done remotely or offline, it is important that you communicate well with your clients. This will help you get all the insight you need to get the job done and avoid mistakes. There are a lot of communication tools out there that you can utilize. They include Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Anything from a daily wrap-up email to a weekly status update meeting will save you headaches later on. This also demonstrates your confidence and reliability as a freelancing professional.
5. Understand Your Client
Delivering outstanding work to your client start by understanding their goals and principles. This way, you will be able to know if the project is a good fit for your skills and portfolio. The truth is that you can’t handle all projects, there are some specific projects that might need some expertise that you do not have. A good working relationship is based on mutual trust and understanding, and freelancing is no different. Understanding the needs of your client will help you deliver the best to them.
What’s the Average Salary of A Freelance Project Manager?
According to, Zippia, a freelance Project Manager in America make an average salary of $70,357 per year or $34 per hour. Furthermore, according to a Digital Project Manager’s report, the salary of a freelance digital project manager might vary from $50 to even $1100 per day. These rates depend on the company and the type of project you are handling.
Skills to Become a Freelance Project Manager
As a freelance project manager, you need to work with a lot of people to get the job done. You might need to work with a team, manage and assign tasks, and deliver projects at the appropriate time. You need a different skill set to succeed at this job. Some skills you might need include;
- Effective communication and listening skills
- Conflict resolution
- Tech-savvy
- Problem-solving and teamwork
- Leadership and management
- Digital skills
- Time management and organization
- Budgeting
- Marketing
- Networking
- Financial
5 Vital Tips for a Highly Successful Remote Job Career
How to Find Freelance Project Manager Jobs
Now that you have a little bit of understanding about how to become a freelance project manager, how do you find or learn about potential job opportunities? There are many ways of finding a freelance project manager gig. One way is to know how to market or sell yourself to recruiters and prove to them that you are the best candidate. Here are some ways to find freelance project management jobs
1. Sign up On Job Sites
The first step you have to take is by signing up on some job platforms. There are quite a few of them out there, so you have to research the ones that post legit jobs. Upwork, Flexjobs and Fiverr are good websites that you can go to if you are looking for a freelance gig. Once you’ve signed up, you must complete your profile and look for projects. Consider what a recruiter will look for when they see your profile and sell your skills and experience.
2. Build and Constantly Update Your Portfolio
Another important way to find a freelance project management gig is to showcase your work and experience via a portfolio. One way to do this is by setting up a personal branding website and providing testimonials to showcase your work. You can also create articles and blog posts on important things about project management.
3. Networking
Networking is a great way to develop professional relationships with industry leaders and experts. One way to do this is by attending seminars and conferences relating to your industry. Start connecting with valuable contacts you think could generate jobs further down the line. You can also sign up for remote or in-person events that can serve as networking opportunities. The important thing is to get your name out here, the more people hear about you and what you do the better your chances of getting an offer. Linkedin is a great place for you to connect and network with industry experts. You just need to set up a profile and optimize it for recruiters to find you.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve discussed some of the steps you need to take to become and find a job as a freelance project manager. If the idea of becoming a freelance project manager intrigues you, you can start a career by following some of the steps we have discussed above to help you have a strategy that will help you in finding clients and become successful. The most important thing is to keep studying and learning to improve and become unique. You’ll need to sign up for hiring websites and job alerts and start connecting with companies to get your name out there. The key part is to create engaging proposals, you could be going up against dozens of other freelancers, so you need to stand out and be unique.
