There are many reasons why freelancing is an employment type which attracts early-career professionals and makes them highly employable. This webinar will give an overview of what freelancing as a student looks like and share best practice to do it successfully.

There were around 4.2 million self-employed professionals in the UK as of November 2022, despite a fall because of the covid-19 pandemic on the employment market. The majority age group within the self-employed remains those aged between 45-54 years old however with the development of technology and online communications, the democratisation of digital skills, and the rise of portfolio careers, self-employment is on the rise again.

When students work with clients on real projects on their own terms whilst continuously developing their technical skills on their university course, students build a solid foundation to launch their careers. Building a professional network and a personal brand for yourself are key components of a thriving career, and freelancing gives you the opportunity to do just that.

Saying that, freelancing does require determination, resilience, and self-confidence and sometimes will involve challenges and failure. In this session we will also cover practical tips to manage the transition to working for yourself successfully with the experience of a student freelancer.

Key learnings:

• The landscape for freelancers enrolled at university
• Where to look for support to get started
• What type of support are most beneficial
• Mindset and approach
• Practical examples and direct experience from a student freelancer
• How to handle challenges and obstacles along the way