3 Examples of How to Get a Freelance Job With No Experience You Can Do Today

Experience is a tricky word. What actually is experience? Working a job for 20 years, but being terrible at what you do… is technically experience, but is it valuable? Maybe I haven’t got my first client, yet… but I’ve built hundreds of websites on my own.

Is that experience?

I’d say so.

So, it’s tricky… but, bottom line, how can you get a freelance job with no experience? You create experience. Don’t wait around for it to be handed to you. Create it.

How Do You Create Experience?

Let’s say you want to freelance as a developer. There are tons of open-source projects desperate for developers to contribute. My favorite example is Shopify. Shopify has an open-source theme framework that all their themes are built on.

And, there are 3,822 “shopify” jobs on Upwork right now:

So, contribute to their theme framework and put that in your bio. Do you think a potential Shopify client would consider that experience? Hell yeah. And, it’s not random either. It’s direct experience in the thing they want done.

Or, if you’re a graphic designer.

Take a look at the website for Nissan:

It’s okay. But, my guess is you could probably come up with something better. So, do. Build out your “re-interpretation” of Nissan’s site and put that in your portfolio. A portfolio is to show potential clients what you’re capable of.

Nothing says it has to be client projects.

Final example… let’s say your writer.

Search for blogs in the industry you want to write in (tech, fashion, business, etc). Find ones with multiple authors. Read through the articles on the site and get a feel for what kind of articles they publish.

Write one of your own.

Then, send it to the publication and tell them they can have it for free, but that you’re interested in writing for them. If your article is good and they need more writers, there’s a good change you’ll, at least, get an interview or trial-run.

And even if not, put the article in your portfolio.

Point is, you don’t have to wait around on someone else to “give” you experience. You can go out and get it starting right now. You just need a little creativity and a little persistence. And remember, experience is really just a shortcut for performance.

Clients ultimately don’t care how long you’ve been doing something.

They care if you can deliver for them.

Find ways to demonstrate that… and you’ll be just fine.

By the way, this is one of the many things I cover in my Beginner’s Guide to Freelance course on Skillshare. If you’re new to freelancing and want to learn all the little tricks and techniques I’ve picked up in my 15 years, give it a look.

Join 7,700 Other Freelancers Who've Built Thriving Freelance Businesses

Over 7,700 other freelancers have started thriving freelance businesses using the information on this blog. Are you next? Subscribe below to get notified whenever a new article is posted and create your own success story:

You might also like

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Pinterest
John Morris

JOHN MORRIS

I’m a 15-year veteran of freelance web development. I’ve worked with bestselling authors and average Joe’s next door. These days, I focus on helping other freelancers build their freelance business and their lifestyles.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Join 7,700 Other Freelancers Who've Built Thriving Freelance Businesses

Over 7,700 other freelancers have started thriving freelance businesses using the information on this blog. Are you next? Subscribe below to get notified whenever a new article is posted and create your own success story:

Success Stories

Ready to add your name here?

Tim Covello

Tim Covello

75 SEO and website clients now. My income went from sub zero to over 6K just last month. Tracking 10K for next month. Seriously, you changed my life.

Michael Phoenix

Michael Phoenix

By the way, just hit 95K for the year. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve taught me. You’ve changed my life. Thank you!

Stephanie Korski

Stephanie Korski

I started this 3 days ago, following John’s suggestions, and I gained the Upwork Rising Talent badge in less than 2 days. I have a call with my first potential client tomorrow. Thanks, John!

Jithin Veedu

Jithin Veedu

John is the man! I followed his steps and I am flooded with interviews in a week. I got into two Talent clouds. The very next day, I got an invitation from the talent specialists from Upwork and a lot more. I wanna shout out, he is the best in this. Thanks John for helping me out!

Divyendra Singh Jadoun

Divyendra Singh Jadoun

After viewing John’s course, I made an Upwork account and it got approved the same day. Amazingly, I got my first job the very same day, I couldn’t believe it, I thought maybe I got it by coincidence. Anyways I completed the job and received my first earnings. Then, after two days, I got another job and within a week I got 3 jobs and completed them successfully. All the things he says seem to be minute but have a very great impact on your freelancing career.

Sarah Mui

Sarah Mui

I’ve been in an existential crisis for the last week about what the heck I’m doing as a business owner. Even though I’ve been a business for about a year, I’m constantly trying to think of how to prune and refine services. This was very personable and enjoyable to watch. Usually, business courses like this are dry and hard to get through…. repeating the same things over and over again. This was a breath of fresh air. THANK YOU.

Waqas Abdul Majeed

Waqas Abdul Majeed

I’ve definitely learnt so much in 2.5 hours than I’d learn watching different videos online on Youtube and reading tons of articles on the web. John has a natural way of teaching, where he is passionately diving in the topics and he makes it very easy to grasp — someone who wants you to really start running your business well by learning about the right tools and implement them in your online business. I will definitely share with many of the people I know who have been struggling for so long, I did find my answers and I’m sure will do too.

Scott Plude

Scott Plude

I have been following John Morris for several years now. His instruction ranges from beginner to advanced, to CEO-level guidance. I have referred friends and clients to John, and have encouraged my own daughter to pay attention to what he says. All of his teachings create wealth for me (and happiness for my clients!) I can’t speak highly enough about John, his name is well known in my home.

Sukh Plaha

John is a fantastic and patient tutor, who is not just able to share knowledge and communicate it very effectively – but able to support one in applying it. However, I believe that John has a very rare ability to go further than just imparting knowledge and showing one how to apply it. He is able to innately provoke one’s curiosity when explaining and demonstrating concepts, to the extent that one can explore and unravel their own learning journey. Thanks very much John!

Mohamed Misrab

Misrab Mohamed

John has been the most important person in my freelance career ever since I started. Without him, I would have taken 10 or 20 years more to reach the position I am at now (Level 2 seller on Fiverr and Top Rated on Upwork).

Join 7,700 Other Freelancers Who've Built Thriving Freelance Businesses

Over 7,700 other freelancers have started thriving freelance businesses using the information on this blog. Are you next? Subscribe below to get notified whenever a new article is posted and create your own success story: