You’re supposed to spend your time at university working out what it is you want to do as a career. However, a lot of students hit graduation and still don’t know what jobs to apply for.
If you’re in that position, it might be worth looking into freelancing. Although you generally don’t need a degree to do this, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go down this route if you have one. We can think of several pretty great reasons to give it a try, as told by Developing a Student.
It’s money and experience
Depending on your situation, you may need to start making money very soon after graduation. In that instance, freelancing can be a way to begin building up an income while you look for an entry-level job elsewhere. It can also help you rack up some useful experience that could make all the difference between whether or not a future job application is successful. Given that when hiring for jobs employers prefer experience over education, having proof that you’ve been doing something productive since graduation can’t hurt.
It’s a useful distraction
Despite spending several years working towards it, some students fear their degree doesn’t mean much. That’s especially the case for graduates in English and other humanities subjects who worry that the more academic nature of their course means they have fewer career prospects. If this is you, you might find that freelancing – which generally doesn’t require a degree – is a helpful distraction while you search for other ways of using your English degree. Developing a Student has a handy resource on this for anyone struggling after graduation, so they can help get you on the right track.
It’s great for networking
Networking is something that a lot of graduates may find daunting, but it’s one of those things that you can’t really avoid. Building up contacts is an excellent way to establish yourself in your respective industry, and it increases your chances of finding work in a desirable job. Given that freelancing is often highly dependent on networking, doing this after graduation could be a good way to develop those communication skills. Plus, you’ll have all those contacts who you may be able to call upon later down the line.
It’s more accessible right now
There’s no assurance that you’ll be able to score some freelancing work if you go looking. However, while the market might be tough, it’s believed that your chances of finding something here right now are better than if you try to get an entry-level job. The events of 2020 have made things more difficult in both cases. However, according to The Guardian over 25% of businesses have reduced the hiring of graduates due to financial struggles, therefore, it’s possible that you could score a freelancing gig before anything else. So, if you’re eager for money and experience fresh out of graduation, you know where to look.
You might not have spent several years doing a degree just to go into freelancing, but it’s pretty clear that a lot of good can come from going down this path. If nothing else, it can be a good stepping stone that helps you eventually achieve the job of your dreams.
More on starting up as a freelancer and freelancing whilst at university.
