Freelancing is a great option for people who want to balance their personal and professional lives. It gives you the flexibility to travel, pursue passion projects, or spend more time at home with family, all without sacrificing your career.

Whenever people ask me what I do, I usually say, “I’m a freelancer—I work online.” And then the questions start coming in:

“How does freelancing work?”

“Where can I find jobs?”

“How do I get started?”

I naturally answer what worked for me when I started my freelancing journey. These aren’t the only steps, but they’re a good place to start, especially if you’re figuring things out on your own.

Decide if Freelancing is Right for You

Before anything else, ask yourself if freelancing is really for you. If you’re still unsure, understanding the difference between freelancing and a corporate job can help you make a more informed decision.

Freelancing comes with some amazing perks like flexible hours, the ability to work from anywhere, and the potential to earn more. But it also comes with risks: a sudden drop in clients or hours, delayed payments, no regular paycheck or built-in benefits, and factors that can affect your ability to deliver work.

For me, the benefits often outweigh the risks. But I also had to learn how to manage those risks, such as building my savings for lean months, having two or more clients to have a cushion when one project ends, and starting other forms of side hustle.

Tip: Try freelancing as a side hustle before going full-time. And if you do decide to take the leap, make sure your finances are in order first.

Know What Skills You Can Offer

Make a list of your current skills and think about how they translate to freelance roles. Don’t worry if you’re not an “expert” yet. You can always upskill through free or affordable courses online.

Think: What tasks do I enjoy doing? What tools do I know how to use? What kind of work do I want to be doing every day?

Polish Your Resume

Gone are the days of long, overly detailed resumes. Keep it simple, clean, and focused on the job you’re applying for.

Highlight the tools you know how to use and include samples of your work whenever possible. These could be links to Google Docs, portfolios, or even personal projects.

Do: Get your resume ready and take time to refresh.

Search for Jobs Online

These days, there are so many ways to find freelance work online, and it can get overwhelming. Job opportunities range from short-term gigs and part-time projects to full-time roles with international clients. You’ll find listings for virtual assistance, writing, graphic design, customer service, project management, bookkeeping, marketing, and more.

Two platforms that really helped me when I started were Upwork and OnlineJobs.ph:

• Upwork is a global freelancing platform where you can find a wide variety of clients, mostly international. It’s competitive, but once you get your first few jobs and build your reputation, it gets easier to land consistent work. I still use it today.
• OnlineJobs.ph is more tailored for Filipino freelancers. Many of the jobs here are long-term or full-time roles for foreign clients. I like that it feels more straightforward. You apply directly and communicate with the client, often without bidding wars. I landed my first freelance job through a listing on OnlineJobs.ph, though I don’t get many projects from it these days.

There are also websites that work more like remote staffing companies, connecting Filipino freelancers with international employers. I don’t have experience with any of these except for Virtual Coworker, but here are a few examples:

• Virtual Coworker and Virtual Staff Finder specialize in helping remote professionals in the Philippines find stable, long-term work with companies overseas.
• Remote Staff and MyOutDesk also offer structured hiring and support for Filipino freelancers.

Some other platforms you can explore: Fiverr, Freelancer.com, PeoplePerHour, and even Facebook groups and LinkedIn job boards. You never know where your first client might come from.

You can also ask for referrals from friends already in freelancing communities, as they often know about job openings or clients looking for help. That’s actually how I got one of my first long-term clients.

Set Up Your Payment Methods

We all want to get paid, so make sure your payment accounts are set up early. Getting this sorted early saves you stress later, and once it’s connected to your local bank, transferring funds is quick and easy.

Popular options for Filipino freelancers include PayPal, Wise (my personal favorite because of lower fees), and Payoneer. Connect them to your local bank account to make transferring funds easy and seamless. 

Do: Set up your payment methods now.

Aim to Do a Great Job (Always)

Once you land your first freelance gig, treat it like any other professional job.

Yes, freelancing offers flexibility, but it’s still a professional commitment. I’ve heard stories of clients being ghosted by freelancers or virtual assistants, and I truly hope that’s never your approach. Showing up, communicating well, and finishing what you started not only helps you build trust with quality clients, but it also uplifts the reputation of Filipino freelancers everywhere.

Remember: Do great work, and clients will want to keep working with you. And in freelancing, long-term client relationships are gold.

My Tita Thoughts

When I decided to go full-time as a freelancer, I was lucky to have friends who guided me through it. They helped me figure out where to start, what to expect, and how to keep going, especially when things got tough.

I hope this post does the same for you.

Becoming a successful freelancer takes time, patience, and a lot of learning along the way. I know people who now earn six figures a month working online, but they all started somewhere. 

You can too.

So take it one step at a time. And remember: you don’t have to do it alone.

Have a question or just want to connect? Feel free to send me an email or follow along on Instagram @virtualtita. Let’s talk freelancing, personal finance, or anything in between. And if you’d like tips and stories delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for the newsletter below.