The era of the freelance lifestyle has blossomed the careers of 34% of Americans in the workforce, according to CNN Money. It is a convenient way to work from anywhere in the world at your own pace.

The industries that are abundant with freelancing work opportunities are healthcare, human resources, consulting, graphic design, and writing.

One of the best parts of being a freelancer is if you have 5 to 10 years of experience working in an industry, you can use the same knowledge to help small businesses to large organizations across the world.

Before you start an online portfolio and submit a resume to prospective clients, here are helpful tips to help you get started.

5 Popular Freelance Business Ideas You Can Start Today

1. Human Resources Recruitment

Human resources recruiters are in high demand in the workforce. In some cases, a recruiter once worked for an organization and acquired a list of clients to be able to start their own business.

The way it works is a recruiter retains a client to find one employee for a new job opportunity. They will post an advertisement for the job on employment search engines like LinkedIn and do a screening on the phone after receiving resumes.

If the recruiter has an interest, they invite the candidate for an interview at a coffee shop, for example, or a casual setting to discuss the opportunity. A recruiter can make up to 20% of a winning candidate’s annual salary.

2. Freelance Consultant

A freelance consultant can work off-site at home or in-house for an organization. A consultant must attend meetings to discuss process improvement ideas and understand the needs of an organization.

One of the downsides of a consultant is most bring new ideas to a company to improve its processes. Change can be challenging for some employees and it can cause a rift between the consultant and a company if executives do not agree with the suggested plan of action.

If you are an expert consultant with success stories from organizations that made a significant impact, you can request an hourly rate of up to $150 an hour.

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3. Freelance Writer

A freelance writer often works up to 10 hours per day to complete marketing, administrative work invoicing, and assignments.

If you decide to become a freelance writer, it is a good idea to save at least 35 % of your income for taxes. One of the best ways to do this is track expenses with an inexpensive online software or program for easy reporting to provide an accountant at the end of the year.

4. Freelance Nursing

A freelance nurse works as an independent contractor working directly with an agency that helps them find clients. Most freelance nurses can find work in hospitals, community clinics, at doctor’s offices or nursing homes.

A fact to consider with freelance nursing is the perks an employee earns is not offered to nurses who decide to freelance.

5. Graphic Design

A graphic design working in an office with a portfolio that is diverse can start a part-time freelance design business on the side. One of the best ways to get started is to stick with a niche (e.g. food, retail, technology) and improve your understanding through online certifications and webinars throughout the year.

The freelance lifestyle is available to anyone that is willing to put in extra hours and improve their craft. It is essential to stay tuned to industry trends, use social media for marketing and use virtual assistants when business starts to become overwhelming.