Leaving a 9-to-5 job is not going to be easy. Understanding freelance opportunities helps you make options that are more relevant to you and prepare for your journey.

In this article, I would share 03 main parts: freelancing jobs that require expertise; freelancing jobs that anyone can start with; freelancing jobs for people who are fluent in English.

Freelancing jobs that require expertise

There are thousands of expertise fields on freelance websites. Not only programmers, graphic designers and translators can become freelancers. There are opportunities that will surprise you to realize that you can become a freelancer with your strengths.

1. Programmer/Developer:
You are a programmer or developer and you have the ability to independently carry out an entire project with the client, this is the job for you.
In this field, there are many small areas such as websites, mobile apps, games, full-stack, etc with a variety of programming languages: Java, Python, HTML, C++, etc. About this, I believe that your expertise is better than mine.
Because the industry is wide, you need to clearly define your strengths and the niche where you have the opportunity to grow.
Income: 15$ – 90$/hour

2. Graphic Design:
Graphic design is a creative field of work, and it’s incredibly diverse. Corresponding to each Adobe software is an array of graphic designs. Learning how to use the software is just a necessary condition for the creative field. The sufficient condition is your own creativity, your own aesthetic talent. If you are gifted with creativity and a good aesthetic sense, learning to use tools is only a short ride.
Some main arrays in the field of graphic design such as:
★ Logo – Brand Identity – Packaging
★ Catalog, Brochure
★ 2D Animation
★ 3D Animation
★ Video Editing
★ 3D Design
★ Website design
★ UI Design
★ PowerPoint/Google Slides/Keynote Design
★ …
The income in this field fluctuates greatly depending on your capacity: $10 – $130/hour
The graphics industry has almost no income limit. The overall price level of the graphic design field is higher than that of the programming field. Because what you sell is not only the skill of using the software but your own design and creative ability.
Personal story: I’m a PowerPoint designer. I was a Project Manager – a job that was unrelated to design. However, I am gifted with graphics, and a good aesthetic. I have collected all the PowerPoints I have designed and started the freelance journey. After only a few working months, I earned $1000 in just 2 working weeks but I was still quite free.
My friend also started learning 3D Blender, he had his first client after a month. His first customer is only $20. But two months later, he completed a $700 project within a week.
Do not be greedy. Find out and choose the niche in which you are most powerful and become an expert in that niche. The interesting thing about the graphics industry is that if you are really talented, just 1-2 first products can prove your prowess.

3. Translation
The translation is not an easy job for newcomers. Unlike the graphic industry, where you can easily show your products to prove your competence, the translation field is not smooth like that. Suppose, you translate an English-Vietnamese sample for a client, but the client does not know Vietnamese to judge whether you translate it right or wrong, precisely what the customer wants or not. So clients often choose experienced freelancers with many reviews from previous clients.
A degree in this field is a necessary condition for proving your competence.
Although it is not easy, I believe that if you choose a small part of translation such as technical, business, law, transcreation,… and show your level of expertise, why not?
The income in the translation field is medium and highly competitive: $5$ – $30/hour

4. Copywriting/Content
The copywriting industry is thriving in recent times.
If you love to create with words, this path is for you. Some of the copywriting fields are well paid, such as writing about finance, tourism, digital marketing, education, health, books, and scripts. Some other potential sectors include entertainment, sports, beauty and fashion, technology, real estate, and parenting.
In my working process, I have seen many job postings for copywriters for financial websites: personal finance, blockchain, forex, … and many clients need freelancers to help them complete their books. I also follow a man named Danny Margulies, who specializes in email marketing, his price is $130-150/hour a few years ago. Now, Danny is also developing a copywriting course.

5. Excel/Power BI/Data visual/Data Analyst
If you are a data expert, you can look for opportunities related to Power BI, SQL, Excel VBA, …
Earnings: $10 – $70/hour
If you are an Excel expert and love to help people, let’s try to become an Expert in ExcelChat’. ExcelChat is one of the products of Got It, a successful start-up in Silicon Valley.
https://expert.excelchat.co/
I have experienced ExcelChat; it is quite easy to join. ExcelChat has a strict, professional rating system. However, I wouldn’t say I like numbers and Excel, so I was not persistent enough.

6. Digital marketing
Do you love marketing? Do you have experience in marketing? Don’t hesitate to try independent work, make ads for shops, or challenge yourself with international clients.
★ Facebook / Instagram advertising
★ Google / Youtube advertising
★ SEO
★ Email marketing
★ …
Income: $5 – $30/hour. The good news for you is that there are still excellent freelancers with $150/hour.

7. Voice Talent
Do you have a good voice? Take the opportunity to capture your voice for audiobooks, online courses, videos, and games.
To get started, buy a good microphone, learn how to use audio editing software like Adobe Audition, and start creating your own portfolio.
I have an item on my bucket list that is making money from my own voice with Voice Talent work, but so far it has not been successful.
Income: $20$-$70/hour

8. Virtual Assistant
This job is like a remote secretary. You support administrative tasks, paperwork, or support tasks such as Amazon inventory management, calendar management, replying to emails, creating or paying invoices, taking phone calls, etc.
This job requires you to have excellent office skills and fluent English. However, the client pays for virtual assistants quite low.
Income: $3 – $20/hour

9. Language Localization
This is a diverse and interesting field: researching the local market, calling to check competitor prices, connecting a client with some local suppliers, taking local food photos, etc.
The frequency of this job is not high, but the price is quite good compared to the effort and time you spend on it.
I used to receive a $ 100 project to call to check the prices of four competitors. The total time for researching on the internet, discussing information with the client and making calls is about 3-5 working hours.
Income: $5 – $20/hour

Small jobs but freelancers are still making money from it
★ Create HTML email signature (I did this job. It’s only hard for the first time. After that, you can create an HTML email easily :D)
★ Consulting on building Linkedin profiles
★ Improving on writing the CV, resume
★ …

Take a moment to look back on your past journeys, listing all of your smallest strengths. Believe me, you’ll find a job you like in an unexpected way. Like Kon Mari, she loves tidying up and she becomes an expert in that field, she is famous in the world, while no one thinks that they pay someone to teach them to clean and organize.
Or for example, I have become PowerPoint Designer with a pretty good income, while if you’re Vietnamese, you wouldn’t think anyone can make money from PowerPoint, anyone in Vietnam knows how to do it;).

Freelancing jobs for anyone

Next is a group of jobs that you can easily start, easy to learn and work. The income of these jobs is usually lower.

1 – Transcription
This is a simple job, listening to the audio file and retyping. This job usually has two purposes: to support recording conversations, and meetings or to support the development of voice features of technology corporations such as Google, and Microsoft, …
You can search for this job at Appen, Lion Bridge (I write more detail below), GoTranscipt, or search on Freelancer.com. Occasionally, a few Indian businesses post jobs on Freelance.com.
About GoTranscipt, the prices for local language transcription are quite high, which of course means there isn’t much to do. Most clients need English transcription.
The price of GoTranscipt is $6.5 for 10 minutes of Vietnamese audio, and $2.33 for 10 minutes of English audio.
GoTranscipt does not have a separate apply section, you leave a message in the contact section of the website, and GoTranscipt will send you an email.
If you have the ability to listen and type in English, you can try some websites below:
(I have not experienced most of these websites because of my limited English ability)
Rev: It looks pretty professional
AmberScript:  €7.5-15/hour
Scribe: $5-15/audio hour
Literably: This website assesses the speaking skills of students learning English. You have the original text that students read, listen to the student’s audio files, and transcribe the content that students read excess, missing, or incorrect, wind sound.

2. Data Entry
If you’re patient and can type quickly, you can try this job. The price of this job is usually only 3-5 $ / hour. You can find it on freelance websites.
There are many scam websites for this job. If you see a website that has lots of advertisements, it is a scam website. The purpose of these websites is for you to visit and they make money from advertising. A typical example of a scam website is Hiresine.com.
Besides, you can monetize a few survey websites. You can earn real but very low and time-consuming, I think you should ignore it.

3. Appen
Appen is a large and professional company. Appen is a partner of Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and big technology companies. Appen has a variety of projects in fields such as:
★ SEE – Search Engine Evaluation: SEE is the job of examining and evaluating search engines. Typical of SEE is the Shata project, which evaluates Google Maps query points.
★ Social Media Evaluation: Evaluation of advertising, and posts on social networks.
★ Transcription: Same as item 1.
★ Take the survey.
★ Evaluate the purchase experience: You pay money to buy products and evaluate the shopping experience. You can keep the products, Appen will pay you back.
The income depends on the country you live in:
$5-7/hour: Asia
$10-1 /hour: Russia, some American countries
$14-15/hour: US and European countries
Appen also has a few small tasks like you to take video to help technology corporations develop cameras or virtual reality. These projects are paid based on tasks.
Besides, Appen has translation projects of $15-20/hour. These projects require certificates and degrees.
You can register for Appen here.
Appen’s undesirable trait is waiting and waiting. Depending on the stage, you may have to wait for days, weeks, or months. Because Appen registration is very high every day. Your opportunities are new projects or old freelances leave.

4. Lionbridge
Lionbridge is similar to Appen. However, Lionbridge has fewer projects. In return, Lionbridge’s income is usually higher – $7-10/hour for Asia.
You can register for Lionbridge there are 2 ways:
– Register by the project: You check the project with your country or language keyword here and apply.
– Partner registration: Fill in the information, and fields you are interested in and upload your CV here.

5. Clickworker
This website has basic tasks such as taking selfies, taking pictures of air tickets, train tickets, etc to collect data to support the development of artificial intelligence.
The number of Clickworker tasks for the Southeast Asian market is quite limited.
Waiting time to receive money is also quite long. Clickworker only pays via Paypal and requires a PayPal account to be verified.
Register for Clickworker at the link.

Freelancing jobs for people who are fluent in English

If English is your native language, there are many opportunities to be able to work online while traveling around the world.

1. VIPKID – Teach English Online to Chinese Students
VIPKID is an excellent option for North Americans who want to teach English online to children in China. The platform connects Chinese students with teachers and they deal with the lesson planning, marking of tests and speaking with the parents of the children you teach.
Classes are 25-30 minutes each, with a potential earning of $22/hour.
☞ VIPKID 

2. Qkids – Teach English Online to Chinese Students
This program is actually very similar to VIPKID.
☞  Qkids

3. Cambly – Tutoring Online to Worldwide Students
Cambly is a much more informal teaching setting than VIPKID and Qkids. The people who you’ll be talking with already speak English at some level and for the most part, they are just wanting to practice their conversational skills.
☞ Cambly

4. Italki – Teach English Online (or any other language!)
With Italki, you set the pay rate that you will be charging your students.
If there’s a language that you are fluent in (English, Japanese, German, Russian, etc.), then you can apply to become a teacher of that language. You will be in charge of the lesson and the platform it is taught on (Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts).
The professional teachers are charged around $25/hour, while the community tutors are charged around $12 / hour.
☞ Italki

The above is a summary of the opportunities I know while pursuing a freelance path. There are opportunities that I have not really experienced to evaluate exactly. And perhaps there are many other opportunities that haven’t been listed yet. Please use the information for reference.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you about other freelance opportunities, or your comments on the information I have shared.

“There is no road lined with roses.”

– Flav-