When considering starting a freelance career most people are immediately drawn to the more obvious choices in the freelancing world; blogging, graphic design, copywriting and so on. But, there’s a world of interesting and diverse freelance jobs to explore and so you should consider expanding your freelance past the ‘core’ positions. Here are some of the major ones that people don’t consider when starting in the world of freelance:

Photo Journalism

Do you own a camera or a smart phone with a camera capable of taking quality photos? Then you can be a photo journalist! Freelance photography is a great niche to get into; you can take photos in bulk on one trip and use these as a basis for your freelancing for weeks so it doesn’t require you taking time out of your day to photograph to be profitable.

Your photos don’t necessarily have to be solely for print or website purposes; there are some websites that allow you to upload photos that people can then use as iPhone covers and the like which you can also gain a profit from.

So, what skills do you need? You should be able to handle the camera with ease, your lens should be a pen, your photos should tell a silent story and of course you must be competent at editing your photos to get the most out of them.

The career progression of a photojournalist is entirely dependent on your skill and motivation. There are a lot of people out in the world taking photographs; everyone has access to a camera in this modern world, so there is stiff competition. It is important to build a comprehensive portfolio; showcasing your best work and acting as an enticement for potential clients. Then it is a process of submitting your work to competition, magazines and websites that accept the type of photographs you produce. Photography fame and glory won’t come overnight, but if you work diligently you could end up making a comfortable living from the photographs that you produce.

Marketing

Marketing is also a business which can be quite profitable for a freelancer. It requires choosing a niche – you have to be more than just a ‘freelance marketer’ to make a profit – and making a brand for yourself that people will want to work with. As with many freelance positions, it depends upon your skills and experience as to how far you can go and what you can do in the world of freelance marketing. Common marketing jobs include market research, brand management, advertising, promotions and content creation.

The skills and career advancement that you can expect as a marketing freelancer are as varied as the profession itself. Interpersonal communication, good writing, analytical skills, creativity, negotiation, team playing, computer literacy and ambition are only a small example of the skills you might need to impress potential marketing clients. The career progression in marketing is all about prestige. Once you start to build a good reputation, impress the right clients and do some amazing work, you will find that word of mouth is worth its weight in gold. You can become a premier marketing freelancer by offering a premier service.

Travel Writer

Many people consider being a blogger, but few consider the path of becoming a freelance travel writer. Are you taking a year out and need a bit of extra cash on your travels? Why not just write about your experience and earn money that way? You do not necessarily need any training to do this; just passion and a way with words! There are amazing opportunities to get your writing out there whilst on the road.

Obviously you will need a way with words, that is the paramount skill in travel writing, but you must also be able to motivate yourself to write in the first place. The career advancement of a travel writer isn’t as straight forward as you might expect, obviously you can begin to make more money as you build up a reputation – but, what counts as true progression? Perhaps it is in the completion of every writers dream; publishing your very own book about the adventurous travels you have faced.

Film Maker

In the same vein as photography, having a camera, phone or even a GoPro makes you a great candidate for being a freelance film maker. Lots of sites are looking for great video content and you can fill that gap in the market. Or alternatively you can upload your video to YouTube and if you gain enough views you can earn quite a bit of money that way. Who knows, start a video blog and you could be the next YouTube sensation!

There are no rules about the skills of a filmmaker, but to have success in this field you will at the very least be a good writer, be able to tell a visual story with more than just the words spoken on screen and you must have a grasp of the technical aspects of filmmaking. It is easy to be creative in this field, but you also need the technical ability to create something that does not look like an amateur production.

Progressing as a filmmaker has no secret formula, but, developing your skills and showcasing what you can do on a small budget is a great way to get noticed. You shouldn’t expect Hollywood to come knocking on your door overnight; however, with hard work and a lot of determination you can forge a future where your films may even make it to a bigger screen than you ever dreamt of.

If you are considering exploring the world of freelance then we here at ICS can help you; we have been working with freelancers, contractors and small businesses for fourteen years now, solving the problem of tax, accountancy and admin for you. Don’t hesitate to contact us on 0800 195 3750 for more information, or chat to us online. Or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn for all of our news and updates!