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4. Transcription/Translation
If you have great typing skills and a good ear – yes literally – you can make a consistent living freelancing as a transcriber. The subject matter varies, of course – you could be a legal or medical transcriber for example, but essentially you’ll be transcribing audio tapes onto paper.
As a general transcriber you’ll be given the tapes of meetings, dictated letters, or interviews and be expected to put the content of these down onto paper for record keeping purpose.
You can work through a professional transcription agency or purely off your own back – either way, you’ll start to find the rates you can charge and what the going rates are.
This is one type of freelancing where it really doesn’t matter where you work from. Email and internet means you can communicate and work from home as there is very little need for you to work in house.
Many companies accept applications from work-at-home transcribers. The need for accuracy is paramount and also discretion (you may need to sign confidentially clauses) and almost certainly you’ll need good references or testimonials for more detailed work.
Where you transcribe for legal or medical professions, the money you earn will dramatically increase but you’ll need to have experience and knowledge of that industry. In the case of Law, you’ll need a course from a reputable medical transcription school as well as some degree of previous legal experience. Needless to say, if you want to work as a translator, it also helps to have a good knowledge of the industry you are translating for – often it isn’t only a question of how good your language skills are, but also your understanding of what is being talked about before you translate.
5. Design and Illustration
We have mentioned advertising and marketing as one user of specialist design skills, but the whole wider area of design illustration goes way beyond the marketing industry.
Good illustrators are also artists and as such tend to become freelance, selling their own designs as and when, but also working for third party companies as and when their skills are required.
Art and illustration is in demand throughout the burgeoning media industries, not least in magazines, newspapers, comics, cartoon and children’s books. You could also work on TV and film industry on cartoon characters which are then digitalized or on storyboards.
Today almost all the fields require the service of a freelance illustrator. The responsibilities of a freelance illustrator differ according to the area of work.
More than any other freelance service, you style is what is important; aside from your art training or qualifications. Your style could be almost anything and you need to find which types of industry most require it. Clear and concise for technical journals; amusing or funny for cartoons; powerful and satirical for newspapers.
Think about yourself as a communicator and how your work will help your client communicate. If you are thinking of becoming a freelance illustrator there are many colleges that offer fulltime and part time courses in illustration – and there are online classes too. Once again, your portfolio will be your main selling tool and you can post this online or add your name to a professional agency which specialises in selling your services on your behalf.
And finally
With experience and confidence you can look forward to a good career as a freelancer. However, it’s a mistake to think that you need a wealth of experience before you can become a freelancer. These greatly help, of course, but you’ll also find your first breaks by demonstrating talent, enthusiasm and a positive attitude.