Career Advice

How to Start Freelancing Even With No Experience or Credibility

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Anyone can become a freelancer. First, complete the admin setup. Next, pick a service and industry to sell to. Create an offer, then get clients. Here’s how…

Written by:

Astley Cervania

Edited by:

Here’s how to start freelancing even if you have no experience or feel you have no credibility. First, set up a business bank account and choose an invoicing method. Use tools like Zoom for video calls and Calendly for scheduling. Then, choose your service (e.g., copywriting). Next, pick an industry to target. You can niche down later. After that, create a strong offer and practice how you communicate with potential clients. To get clients, leverage your network, reach out to local businesses, and partner with agencies. You can also use freelance platforms like Contra and find opportunities on LinkedIn Jobs. Join relevant communities too. And remember, posting on social media and sending cold emails to decision-makers can be very effective.

I started freelancing when I was 19 with no degree, no formal education path, barely any work experience, and zero connections in the industry.

I didn’t have a website, a portfolio, or a personal brand before I landed my first project.

And throughout my freelance career, I worked closely with CEOs, founders, and marketing directors across different industries.

Freelancing gave me the foundations of everything I do today: content strategy, marketing, sales, positioning, client management, and how to turn one small opportunity into the next bigger one.

And eventually, that freelancing journey is what helped me land my current role here at Rezi.

In this guide, I’ll show you the exact roadmap on how to start freelancing even if you have no experience, no connections, and feel like you have zero credibility. These are the things I wish someone handed me when I first started, and everything I’d do today knowing what I know now, and also based on the reality of the current freelance landscape.

First, Please Understand That Freelancing is Not Exactly “Easy Money”

Freelancing can change your life, but it’s not always the “make $10k/month in 30 days” story you see online. I’m not saying those results are impossible. They just represent a minority of freelancers.

Most people you see growing quickly usually have something to leverage: a strong network, previous experience, or an existing online presence.

And I’m saying this not to discourage you, but to help you set your expectations properly so you don’t get disappointed or burned out early on. In my experience, when expectations don’t match reality, most beginners quit before they ever build real momentum.

Here are some examples of income figures people claim to make online. These came from a Reddit thread about how much freelancers earn. Keep in mind there’s no way to verify these, and I’m not saying they’re all false, it’s just that anyone can post anything online.

Use these numbers as inspiration for what’s possible, not as a benchmark to compare yourself against. Everyone’s journey is different, and unverified claims shouldn’t dictate your expectations or discourage you. Focus on your own progress and consistency.

That said, when you’re starting from scratch with no experience or credibility, your first goal shouldn’t be to make tons of money immediately. It’s to get your first client, your first small project, and your first proof that you can deliver. That early proof is what builds trust, and trust is what clients pay for.

Your early freelancing journey is less about money and more about momentum. Focus on learning how to pitch, deliver work, position yourself, and build relationships.

Once the foundation is in place, your income can grow much faster.

Freelancing isn’t exactly “easy money,” but it is one of the most accessible ways to start making money from home, even if it’s just a few hundred extra dollars a month at first.

If you stay consistent and set your expectations accordingly, you’ll avoid the biggest beginner trap: giving up right before things start working.

How to Start Freelancing (Step-by-Step Guide to Making Money as a Freelancer Even If You Have No Credibility)

Here’s how to start freelancing:

Set up the essential admin stuff.
Choose your service.
Select an industry.
Create a strong offer.
Practice how you handle calls and communicate with potential clients.
Get clients.

When I first started, I had all these steps jumbled together and ended up figuring things out as I went. I would’ve saved myself so much time and energy if I knew what I know now. So here’s the exact order I’d follow if I were starting again today. Let’s break down each step below.

1. Set up the essential admin stuff

Before you start looking for clients, make sure the basic admin and financial things are in place.

You don’t need to go overboard, but you do need enough structure to get paid properly and look professional.

Here’s what you need:

Business bank account. This keeps your income organized and separate.
Invoicing method. Tools like Bonsai, FreshBooks, and Stripe make it straightforward for sending invoices.
Video chat software. Zoom and Google Meet are your best friends here.
Scheduling link. Calendly is a good example of a tool that makes booking and scheduling calls easy.

A social media profile can help too — LinkedIn and X are great for most services, and Instagram works well if you’re in a creative field. Lastly, a website or portfolio can be helpful.

2. Choose your service

Decide what you’re actually going to offer as a service.

The best freelance services come from a mix of what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what businesses already pay for.

If I were you, I would strongly consider learning a high-income skill to freelance in.

Anyway, start by looking at your current skills and strengths. Can you write? Design? Edit videos? Build websites? Analyze data? Manage social media? These are all skills and services that are in demand.

If you feel like you have no skills, don’t overthink it. Pick one and learn it. Go for something that aligns with your interests and has clear demand, then commit to getting good enough to deliver basic projects. Many freelancers (myself included) started this way.

A few quick guidelines to help you:

Pick a skill that’s in demand.
Choose something you can improve quickly through practice.
Avoid services that have low market demand.
Don’t stress about being the best and in the top 1% in your industry. You just need to be good enough to deliver results.

3. Select an industry

Most people might start telling you to niche down from the get-go, but I disagree. Starting broad helps you land your first clients and projects faster. Niching later helps you raise your rates and attract clients who value your expertise.

In the beginning, the goal is to get real experience, learn how to work with clients, and build your first portfolio pieces. Any industry that will pay you and that you’re genuinely interested in is a good starting point.

That said, choosing a general industry helps you understand your clients better. For example:

Tech, e-commerce, fitness, real estate, education, hospitality, finance, beauty — anything you have an interest in or some familiarity with.

Once you’ve done a few projects and understand what you enjoy and where you excel in most, that’s when you can niche down.

When you do niche down, aim for:

Industries with money (high revenue = more willingness to pay).
Industries you enjoy learning about.
Industries where your skill actually solves a real problem and has high perceived value.

4. Create a strong offer

Your offer is simply the promise behind your service. It’s the clear reason someone should hire you over someone else.

When I first started freelancing, my offer was weak because I sold tasks, not outcomes. I said things like “I can write content” or “I can help with marketing.” It wasn’t compelling because clients don’t buy into tasks, they buy into results.

A good offer clarifies how you solve a specific problem and gives prospects a clear outcome. A strong offer is one that feels like a win-win situation.

A strong offer usually includes four things:

Specificity (what you do + who it’s for).
A clear outcome.
Low perceived risk (a simple guarantee or revision policy).
What makes your approach, method, or process unique.

Let’s look at some examples of weak and strong offers below.

Weak offer: “I do social media management.”
Strong offer: “I help fitness influencers grow their online presence on Instagram by creating 12–16 engaging posts per month, writing effective captions, managing the posting schedule, and tracking weekly insights so they know what’s working. If after 14 days you don’t see any improvement in engagement or reach, I’ll redo the content for free.”

Here’s another example below.

Weak offer: “I edit YouTube videos.”
Strong offer: “I edit long-form YouTube videos for finance creators who want better viewer retention and a more polished channel presence. I handle pacing, cuts, graphics, captions, and color adjustments, and I deliver your video within 72 hours.”

Your offer doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to be clear, specific, and tied to a result. The moment you attach what your client gets with what you do, getting freelance projects becomes a lot easier.

If you want to learn more about putting together irresistible offers, I highly recommend Alex Hormozi’s book $100M Offers.

5. Practice how you handle calls and communicate with potential clients

I still remember the early days of freelancing when discovery calls felt so intimidating for me. I’m not exactly extroverted, but I knew jumping on these meetings would help me land projects because, as a beginner with almost no online presence or credibility, calls were an effective way to build trust.

Clients would know that I’m real, they could hear how I think, ask questions, and get a sense of whether I understood their problems.

That said, it’s best to prepare yourself for calls with potential clients.

You’re not an employee. You have to get in the mindset that you’re a business owner trying to understand a potential client’s problems and whether you can genuinely help them. Things go south when you treat client calls like traditional job interviews.

Here’s a simple framework you can use for any client call:

Break the ice. Keep it friendly, light, and human.
Ask about their goals. For instance, “What are you trying to achieve within the next 90 days of working with me?”
Identify the problem. For example, “Why haven’t you reached your goal yet? What’s currently not working?”
Understand their constraints. Consider budgets, timelines, and expectations.
Explain your approach. Be clear and outcome-focused.
Confirm next steps. This could involve a proposal, test project, or a simple follow-up.

Practice speaking clearly and confidently. On real calls, never go straight into selling: that’s a rookie mistake and an easy way to lose the prospect. Instead, stay curious, ask questions, and focus on understanding their problems. With every call you take, you’ll naturally improve.

Ironically, the freelancers who communicate well are the ones who get hired, even if they’re not the “most experienced.”

Further resources:

6. Get clients

The most difficult part of starting freelancing is getting clients.

There are lots of different strategies for getting clients as a beginner freelancer. It’s too much to cover in just a few paragraphs, so I’ll break everything down for you in the next section.

How to Get Clients When You’re Just Starting Out as a Freelancer

Here’s how to get clients when you’re a new freelancer:

Leverage your existing network and connections.
Go for local businesses.
Partner up with agencies.
Use freelance platforms.
Look at job boards.
Join relevant communities.
Inbound marketing.
Cold outreach.
Warm outreach.

The most important part of getting clients is consistency and refinement. Keep adjusting your client acquisition strategy based on what’s actually working. Don’t continue doing the same thing if it’s not bringing results. My advice is to go all-in for 30–60 days, track what’s getting replies or conversations, and if you’re not seeing any traction, don’t be afraid to pivot.

When getting clients as a beginner freelancer, it’s a game of testing, learning, and iterating. With that said, let’s break down each strategy below in more detail.

Leverage your existing network and connections

This is usually the easiest and most effective way to land your first clients. Friends, family, coworkers, old classmates, and past employers are the people with the least friction to start working with.

People are usually more willing to help than you think. Even if they don’t hire you directly, they might refer you to someone who will. No need to “sell” or “close” anyone, just let people know what you do and be clear on how you could help.

Here is an example message: “Hey! I hope you’re doing well, I just wanted to share something exciting that I’ve been working on. Recently, I started freelancing and offering [your service] for [target audience]. I currently have some availability to take on some projects this month. If you or anyone you know ever needs help with this, I’d really appreciate being kept in mind. Thanks so much!”

Further resources:

Go for local businesses

Another underrated way to land your first clients is by reaching out to local businesses.

These are the cafés, gyms, salons, barbers, real estate offices, tutoring centres, indie shops, and restaurants you may walk past every day. Chances are, most of them could use some help with things like social media, content, websites, or marketing but don’t know where to find someone reliable.

And what makes local businesses a great place to start is that the trust barrier is much lower. You’re not a stranger on the internet, you’re someone from their community. That alone can set you apart.

Here’s how you can reach out:

Message them. A text or email works, but it’s the easiest way to get ignored because busy owners often miss or forget to reply to messages, especially from someone they don’t know yet.
Call them. This can feel intimidating, but it’s quicker than waiting for a reply online and you’re far less likely to be ghosted. A short, friendly call gets you in front of them immediately.
Walk in and talk to them. This is the most effective approach because you’re showing up as a real person, not just another message in their inbox. Be human, be friendly, and don’t pitch aggressively. Introduce yourself and understand whether they need help.

Ideally, try to speak directly with the decision-maker (the owner, manager, or someone who handles marketing). This matters because speaking to the person who can actually say “yes” saves you time, avoids endless back-and-forth, and increases your chances of turning the conversation into a real project.

Partner up with agencies

It’s normal for agencies to delegate and outsource to freelancers.

Typically, agencies have a lot on their plate and need extra hands to help them manage it. They love reliable freelancers who can jump in when things get busy. Plus, since agencies already have clients, it’s one way to get repeat work without constantly being on the hunt for new projects.

Here’s how to approach it:

Search online for small to mid-sized agencies in your niche (marketing, design, video editing, etc.).
Check if they have an application process. If not, reach out and introduce what you do and how you can help.
If you have samples, always attach them to your message. If not, create simple mock examples.
Make it clear you’re easy to work with and can deliver on time (this matters more than you might think).

Use freelance platforms

Freelance platforms are great for landing your first few projects, especially when you don’t have a big network yet.

However, not all platforms are created equal.

If I had to recommend just one platform for a beginner freelancer, it would be Contra.

Unlike sites like Fiverr, Contra isn’t built around price competition. Instead, it focuses on value-based projects and portfolio-driven profiles. This makes it a much healthier option for freelancers that don’t want to race to the bottom on pricing.

Contra also tends to attract modern, digital-first companies (frequently startups or remote-friendly teams), which means you’re more likely to find clients who understand the value of good work and are willing to pay fairly for it. If you already use Rezi to showcase your skills on a professional resume, Contra pairs nicely as a place to publish your freelance profile and attract potential clients.

Now, platforms like Upwork and Fiverr can still work for building early experience, testimonials, or samples. However, I wouldn’t recommend staying there long-term because many freelancers on there end up competing against thousands of others with many undercharging just to win bids.

And if you asked me, that’s not sustainable. You could burn out fast.

Wherever you choose to start, always remember this: don’t compete on being the cheapest, compete on the value you bring to the table.

Look at job boards

Job boards do have contract positions, freelance projects, part-time gigs, and temporary support roles, not just full-time vacancies.

Here are a few examples of such websites:

When using job boards, search terms like “freelance,” “contract,” and “remote.” Apply early, attach your portfolio with relevant samples, then tailor your resume or application to highlight your service and the value you have to offer.

And if you’re unsure whether your resume is good enough, use our ATS resume checker. It scans your resume the same way hiring systems do and gives you a clear score with actionable feedback so you know exactly what to fix before applying.

Further resources:

Join relevant communities

Get involved in communities where your potential clients or fellow freelancers already hang out.

This was one way I landed a client early on in my career. I made a friend and she referred me to someone that was looking for a freelance writer. With that in mind, communities give you access to conversations, referrals, and opportunities you might not find anywhere else.

Look around for Slack communities, Facebook groups, Reddit communities, Discord groups, and so forth. These places are filled with people asking questions, looking for help, or actively hiring freelancers. Just show up consistently, answer questions, share useful resources, and focus on being helpful. People will notice.

Communities allow you to be surrounded by people who can support you, refer you, and sometimes hire you directly.

Inbound marketing

Inbound marketing means letting clients find you rather than the opposite way around.

As a beginner freelancer, this doesn’t need to be complicated. You just need a few places online where people can see who you are, what you do, and how to contact you.

Your two biggest inbound channels will be social media and a simple website or portfolio.

Social media. LinkedIn, X, and Instagram (especially for creatives) are great starting points. Start by building a clean, clear profile, then work on posting or sharing your work consistently. You can also start reaching out to those who repeatedly engage with your content.
Website or portfolio. This can be a single page and it doesn’t need to look fancy. Keep it simple: what you do, who you help, a few samples, and a way to contact you. A basic website also helps people find you on search engines like Google, especially if you include local keywords like “freelance video editor in New York.”

When you're starting out, less is more. It's better to be consistent on one platform than inconsistent across five. And if a platform isn’t giving you traction after 60–90 days, don’t be afraid to pivot.

Over time, as you post and share your work, potential clients will eventually start finding you and reaching out. Strong inbound marketing is also how you can make freelancing more sustainable.

Cold outreach

Cold outreach is when you directly reach out to people who might need your service. These are usually strangers, people you’ve never met before, which is why it’s called “cold.” It’s one of the fastest ways to get clients when you’re starting out as a freelancer because you’re not waiting around for someone to discover you. You take control.

Done right, cold outreach is a numbers game. You’ll land a client with enough outreach.

Cold outreach can be done through cold emailing or cold calling, and both work surprisingly well when your message is short, clear, personal, and directly focused on the problem you can solve.

Cold emailing. Simply email the business decision-maker. Show the other person you understand their business and that you understand their problems, and how you can help.
Cold calling. This sounds intimidating, but it cuts through the noise because people receive far fewer calls than emails. A short call can quickly lead to a real conversation.

Warm outreach

Warm outreach is when you reach out to people who already recognize you or have had some form of interaction with you before. Unlike cold outreach, warm outreach starts with familiarity, which means people are far more open to replying and having a real conversation.

Warm emails work great for:

People you’ve engaged with on LinkedIn, X, or Instagram.
Someone you spoke to in a community (Slack, Discord, Facebook groups).
Followers who’ve liked or commented on your posts.
Anyone you’ve exchanged a few messages with.

The trust barrier is much lower since you already know each other. You can reach out with a message like:

“Hey [Name], I’ve been enjoying your posts on [topic] lately, they’ve been genuinely helpful. I’m currently taking on a few clients for [service], and thought it might be useful for your business considering [XYZ — e.g., something you noticed about their content, brand, or goals]. If not, no worries at all, just putting it out there. Keep up the great content!”

When You Get Clients and Land Projects, Don’t Forget This

Getting clients is one thing, but keeping them and using that momentum to grow is another.

Once you start landing projects, your focus should shift to two things: doing great work and building long-term leverage.

First, always do good work and overdeliver when you can. This doesn’t mean working for free, but it means being reliable, meeting deadlines, communicating well, and adding small touches of extra value where appropriate (and charging for additional scope). Clients remember freelancers who make their lives easier.

Second, use every project as leverage. Add the work to your portfolio, ask for a testimonial, request permission to turn it into a case study, or at least ask the client for feedback. One strong project can help you land the next five.

Third, keep marketing yourself even when you’re busy. A lot of beginners fall into the “feast-or-famine” cycle: they get clients, stop promoting themselves, finish the projects, and suddenly panic when there’s no more work. Avoid this by staying consistent: continue posting, networking, and sending outreach even when you have clients.

Fourth, refine your offer based on real feedback. Pay attention to which projects you enjoy, which ones clients value most, and which ones pay the best. Use that information to tighten your offer, raise your rates, or shift your focus.

Finally, manage your finances and invest in yourself. Set clear income goals, know how many clients you realistically need, keep your money organized, and invest in upskilling. The more you grow your skills, the more valuable you become, and the more you can charge.

Routes to Take When You Grow as a Freelancer

Once you start getting clients consistently and making a name for yourself in your industry, you’ll eventually reach a point where you need to decide what direction you want your freelancing to go.

Here are some of the most common routes:

Continue operating solo and raising your rates. Keep refining your offer, becoming known for something, and consistently raising your prices as your skill and demand grow. You’ll build a roster of clients, maintain a steady flow of leads, and learn to replace clients when needed.
Use freelancing as leverage to land an in-house role. This is what I personally did. Freelancing gave me real experience, a solid portfolio, and the confidence to work with CEOs, founders, and teams. When the right opportunity came, that experience made it easy to transition into an in-house role with more stability, structure, and long-term growth potential.
Turn your freelance business into an agency. If you’re fully booked and turning away work, building an agency may be the next step. This means hiring subcontractors, creating processes, managing a team, and taking on bigger clients. It’s more responsibility and more moving parts but also higher earning potential and the ability to scale beyond your own time.

None of these paths are “right” or “wrong.” It all depends on the kind of life and career you want.

Freelancing teaches you skills, builds your confidence, and opens opportunities you might not have imagined when you first started.

Summary

Let’s recap on how to start freelancing even if you have no experience or feel like you have zero credibility:

Set up the essential admin basics so you’re ready to get paid (bank account, invoicing, simple scheduling link).
Choose a service based on your skills, interests, and what businesses already pay for.
Pick an industry to start with. You can niche later once you gain experience.
Create a strong, outcome-focused offer that’s specific and compelling.
Practice how you communicate on calls so you can identify client problems and build trust.
Leverage your existing network. Friends, family, coworkers, and past employers are the lowest-friction clients to start with.
Reach out to local businesses who may need help but don’t know where to find freelancers.
Partner with agencies for consistent project opportunities and overflow work.
Use freelance platforms (like Contra) to build early experience.
Check job boards for contract and freelance roles, and use a clean resume (Rezi helps here).
Join relevant communities to find referrals, gigs, and networking opportunities.
Use inbound marketing (social profiles and a simple website or portfolio) to make it easy for clients to find you.
Use cold and warm outreach to generate predictable opportunities.

Once you gain momentum, keep refining your offer, raising rates, and building your portfolio and testimonials.

I wouldn’t exactly describe freelancing as “easy” money, but it is one of the most accessible ways to earn income online. It’s also very effective for building skills and opening more doors in your career.

And if you have any questions on freelancing, I’d be more than happy to help where I can. Feel free to reach out to me here on LinkedIn.

FAQs

What are the highest paying freelance jobs?

The highest-paying freelance jobs are usually the ones directly tied to revenue or highly technical skills. This includes software development, UX/UI design, fractional marketing, sales, copywriting, and data or AI-related roles. These fields pay more because they either drive growth or require specialized expertise. But honestly, the highest-paying freelance work is whatever you’re exceptionally good at and something an industry is willing to pay a premium for because it solves a real problem they need to solve.

Should I work on freelance projects for free?

A lot of people will tell you to never work for free, but based on my own experience, I disagree. Free work can help you get started if it’s strategic. However, always move to paid projects as soon as you can. One small free project or trial is fine; long-term free work usually attracts the wrong clients.

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My very first freelance project was free. I did it intentionally because there was ROI beyond money: I gained real experience in my field and received a strong testimonial, which I then used to close my next few paid clients. Early on, I even offered a 7–14 day free trial for some clients. Fortunately, none of those situations ended badly. They all led to paid work and I was always paid on time, but I know this isn’t everyone’s experience. That said, I only suggest doing free work when there’s guaranteed ROI beyond money, e.g., a testimonial, portfolio piece, case study, or meaningful experience.

What jobs let you work from home?

Almost anything that’s related to the digital world. Writing, design, marketing, coding, virtual assistance, editing, social media, consulting… all of it can be done remotely. If the work can be delivered through a laptop, there’s likely a work-from-home job opportunity for it.

What is freelance employment?

Freelance employment is when you work for yourself instead of being tied to one employer. You choose your clients, projects, schedule, and income goals. You invoice instead of earning a salary, and you’re responsible for your own taxes and admin. It’s basically running a one-person business.

What do freelancers do?

Freelancers offer a skill as a service. That might be writing, designing, coding, video editing, marketing, consulting, or anything else they’re good at. Day to day, freelancers find clients, deliver work, manage deadlines, communicate with clients, and keep their business running from an admin perspective. It’s a mix of delivering your service and managing the business behind it.

Astley Cervania

Astley Cervania is a career writer and editor who has helped hundreds of thousands of job seekers build resumes and cover letters that land interviews. He is a Rezi-acknowledged expert in the field of career advice and has been delivering job success insights for 4+ years, helping readers translate their work background into a compelling job application.

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