The global transition to a gig economy makes working as a freelance editor a great career option today. Such a career gives you a great deal of flexibility along with good pay. And best of all, book-admiring editors get paid to do something they love! But the road is not all rosy. Burgeoning competition in this field makes it necessary to follow certain ground rules to help ensure that editors like you don’t end up at the end of the line. Here are some steps to take that can put you above the competition:
Set up a sparkling resume
Now you might be aware of your top-notch editing skills, and so might the people who are close to you. But that’s not enough to succeed in the gig economy. You must ‘cold-market’ yourself to prospective clients — people you don’t know. That can be a bit unnerving. But there’s a way to begin this process with a bang. A solid, sparkling resume can act as an engaging first line of contact. You can even attach examples of your work displaying your abilities to prospective clients.
Add-on courses
Anyone with exceptional grammar and language skills can become a freelance editor. But certification as an editor ensures that you will receive more attention and thus business. Prospective clients are typically more inclined to enlist your services if you have taken extra courses in your area of expertise or possess some special proofreading or editing qualifications. You can complete online certification programs with a minimum investment of time and money. So, if you do not possess one already, get a certification as soon as possible.
Maintain a strong online presence
As already mentioned, to be a flourishing freelance editor, you will need to market your skills. Today, a strong online presence is undoubtedly the best way of marketing to a wider range of prospective clients. Without that, your prospects for success are severely diminished. Thus, make sure that you have an engaging and frequently updated website as well as active handles on major social networking platforms.
This is how you let the rest of the world know who you are and what you offer. Marketing yourself to attract prospective clients will maximize your success as a freelance editor.
