Top In-Demand Skills Freelancers Need to Stay Competitive in a Gig Economy Freelancers must acquire multiple skills and expand horizons to leverage the global opportunity

Nowadays more and more people are pursuing a freelance career instead of a full-time job because they enjoy the option of flexible schedule work timings and location. The freelance population is increasing with each passing day because of the new platforms which are providing companies talented gig workers on an on-demand basis. These talent matching platforms are also bridging the gap between consulting firms and companies in a more flexible in a more adaptable manner. Yet, in spite of the rising popularity and competition, the chances of getting hired as a freelancer will decrease. Freelancers must acquire few skills to stand out from the lot in this highly competitive field.

Entrepreneur India lists out few skills that freelancers should have to stay competitive in a gig economy:

Ask Right Questions:

Mayank Pratap Singh, Co-Founder & Your Friend, EngineerBabu recommends that freelancers should focus on multiple things to make a great business.

"They should ask the right questions like- why the client wants to start a project, who are their competitors, what is their goal, what would be your role etc.). We ask a lot of questions to understand their expectations which helps us to ensure synchronization," he said.

Apologize for Mistake:

As long as we are a human being, we are bound to make mistakes. Singh further emphasized that when a freelancer makes a mistake, he/she should immediately say sorry.

"Many freelancers don't respond when something goes wrong and that makes the client angry and as a result, they don't pay. Always, stick to your words, deliver on time, and become trustworthy. People dig tonnes of coal to find one diamond," he added.

Gain a Client's Trust:

The Freelancer market is maturing and so are the service seekers. Cost competitiveness is no longer the only differentiator. For, Vivek Modi, CEO & Co-founder, YellowBulbs.com, what will make a freelancer stand out in a gig economy is trust.

"Trust built on tech/ domain expertise, business/data understanding with a measurable service/offering. With more template and DIY service offerings being used, the average freelancer, working on a part-time project will die. So only the very talented, committed, creative, swift and professional freelancer will win trust over the big, experienced yet slow, expensive agencies," said Modi.

Expand Your Horizons:

According to a PayPal India spokesperson, the journey of freelancers & small businesses delivering online services can be best explained as a journey from Nar to Narayan. In order to succeed in the freelancing business, freelancers must acquire multiple skills and expand horizons to leverage the global opportunity. Also, they should build a brand for themselves, let people know them for their ability to deliver.