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Introduction
Want to know more about developing a career in a specific freelancing field, or need industry-specific support for your self-employed business? Our How To Become articles are a constantly growing series of guides to a range of freelancing specialities.
They’ll help you to become a full-time freelance SEO consultant, photographer or structural engineer. Or add a new complementary skill to your existing business, such as proofreading, web design or bookkeeping. You’ll learn what each role actually involves on a daily basis, the potential earnings you could expect, any skills or qualifications required, and where to go next to develop your career.
To manage an increasing number of articles, we’ve loosely grouped them into categories including Business, Creative, and Digital, but this doesn’t mean you can’t be a creative business analyst, or that a structural engineer won’t use digital tools for their work. Much of the general advice and support IPSE provides will work across any self-employed career. But if you want to focus on a particular area, this is the place to find out more.
Anyone with a self-employed career will need skills in business management and processes. But some freelancers choose to focus on specific business tasks, such as accountancy and bookkeeping, event planning, or as a virtual assistant.
Or you might enjoy consulting and advising companies or individuals on how they can improve their results, whether that’s as a business analyst or by coaching freelancers. In each case, find out the steps you need to establish your career, from education, to finding clients who need your particular set of skills.
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Keep me updatedMany people choose freelancing as a chance to focus on a creative passion. But there’s a big difference between becoming a successful self-employed photographer, or following a career as a writer.
And the creative dream can be very different from the reality of running a freelance business. Our guides will help you to understand what’s actually involved, including the less glamorous aspects of each job, and what’s required to improve your chances of success.
Almost any freelancer will use some digital tools and services as part of their job. But some careers rely on technology and the internet for their existence, whether that’s designing websites or optimising them for search engines.
And they’re often advertised as quick and easy ways to work from home with little investment required for training or equipment. But becoming a successful web designer or SEO consultant capable of earning a full-time living takes time and effort. And our guides will help you understand the best ways to build your income and reputation.
Where next?
We have dedicated advice pages to help your physical and mental wellbeing whilst working from home but also on areas such as winning work or navigating the tax system. And to help and support you through all the challenges that can come with becoming self-employed, from chasing late payments to being able to work through power cuts and other emergencies.
View all advice pages
Physical wellbeing advice
Running a business, or freelancing and contracting for clients, can be busy, stressful and all-consuming, but Ignoring your health and wellbeing can have serious implications for you, and your business.
Mental wellbeing advice
We've put together a set of resources and guides to support positive mental wellbeing for the self-employed, combing our business knowledge with tips and advice from mental health and wellbeing experts.
Winning Work advice
Tips and advice to help you grow your business no matter what industry or sector you work in.
IR35 advice
Off-payroll working rules, otherwise known as IR35 or the intermediaries legislation, is a damaging taxation law from HMRC that IPSE strongly opposes.