How to Build a Freelance Career That Works for You | The Way We Work, a TED series

What does job security really mean?

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Shelley Tsang 曾雯海

工作安全感是什麼意思？

It means financial stability.

它意味著財務穩定。

Waking up and knowing "I can provide for myself and my family."

起床時清楚知道「我能 養活我自己和我的家人。」

A freelance career can 100 percent provide that if you build it wisely.

若你能明智地建立自由工作 職涯，上述 100% 可以達成。

As counterintuitive as it may seem,

雖然似乎很不符直覺，

freelancing may be the best way to build long-term stability.

但自由職業可能還是建立 長期穩定性的最佳方式。

[The Way We Work]

〔我們的工作之道〕

Five out of 10 American workers watching this

觀看這支影片的美國 工作者，十個中有五個

will have a freelance career by 2025.

在 2025 年時會擁有 一個自由工作職涯。

That's just two or three years out.

那不過就是兩、三年後。

Some of us will perform tasks like making deliveries or doing remote data entry,

我們有些人做的工作 會是快遞或遠端資料輸入，

and some of us will be writers, graphic designers, product specialists,

有些人會是作家、 平面設計師、產品專員、

marketeers, software engineers, data analysts or business consultants

市場商人、軟體工程師、 資料分析師，或企業顧問。

who are paid per project and not tied to any one company.

有接案子才有賺錢， 且不被綁在任何一家公司旗下。

Having a freelance career gives you the power

擁有自由工作職涯，會讓你 有能力獲得你真正的市場價值

to get your true market value

and the flexibility to build life the way you want it.

也讓你有彈性可以建立 自己想要的生活。

But most importantly, it gives you control over your future,

但最重要的是，它讓你 有對未來的控制權，

making you less reliant on a single employer.

讓你比較不用只仰賴單一位雇主。

Hiring freelancers is good for organizations, too.

僱用自由工作者對組織也比較好。

When freelancers come on board,

當自由工作者加入時，

they come with knowledge from multiple employers.

他們是帶著來自 多名雇主的知識前來。

Freelancers also tend to be more up-to-date on their skills.

自由工作者通常 也會有比較新的技能。

They constantly read, listen and learn new approaches to remain employable,

他們經常會閱讀、聆聽、學習 新的方法以保持自己的競爭力，

and freelancers offer a jolt of energy.

且自由工作者能量滿滿。

They arrive ready to hit the ground running.

他們抵達時就準備好立即投入。

So how can you be part of this freelance future?

像這樣的自由工作未來， 你要如何參一腳？

Here are some steps.

可參考以下步驟：

Step one: Identify your core value.

第一步：找出你的核心價值。

Talk to people in your network of current and former employers

和你人脈網路中的 現任及前任雇主談談，

and ask them what qualities make you someone who's worth hiring?

問他們，是哪些特質 讓你成為值得僱用的人？

Are you thorough or fast?

你很嚴謹？動作很快？ 很有策略大腦？

Are you strategic?

What types of projects do you really excel at?

哪種專案計畫是你最擅長的？

Figure out exactly what value you bring as a freelancer.

找出你身為自由工作者的 價值到底在哪裡。

Step two: Communicate it to employers.

第二步：把它傳遞給你的雇主。

Once you know your value,

一旦你知道你的價值，

you're in great place to approach potential employers,

你就處在很有機會 接洽潛在雇主的好位置，

whether it's places you've worked with in the past

不論是你過去曾經工作過的地方， 或同產業中的其他企業，

or other businesses in the same industry and say,

你可以說：「這些是我會為你做的，

"This is what I will do for you

and this is the impact it could have on your business."

可以帶給你的企業這些影響。」

Make your value clear on your LinkedIn profile

在你的 LinkedIn 個人檔案上 和個人網站上清楚呈現你的價值，

and on your personal website

and ask to be paid what you're worth,

且要要求符合你價值的薪資，

which means you should do some research on pricing

也就是說，你應該 先做功課了解定價，

and your value should translate into your fees.

你的價值應該要轉換成你的酬勞。

Step three: Nurture early relationships.

第三步：經營初期的人際關係。

In the beginning,

一開始，

it's often in your best interest to take whatever jobs you're offered.

通常，對你最有利的是不論 得到什麼工作都把它接下來。

It's not all going to be great or easy, but you will learn so much.

不見得都會很棒或很輕鬆， 但你會學到很多。

You'll start to see that you're better working with mission-driven companies

你會開始了解你比較擅長 和使命導向的公司合作

or with managers who don't beat around the bush.

或和不拐彎抹角的經理合作，

Or whether you're happier working remotely

或遠距工作還是在辦公室和同儕 一起工作會讓你比較快樂。

or going into an office working with peers.

Every time you finish working with a new client,

每當你完成和一位新客戶的 合作案後，請他們給你回饋。

ask them for feedback.

Find out what worked well.

去了解我哪裡做得好、 我有什麼可以改善的？

What can I do better?

As a freelancer, you need to be proactive and find ways to improve.

身為自由工作者，

你應該要主動， 且找方法讓自己進步。

It will not only make you better,

那不僅會讓你變得更好，

but help raise your value in the marketplace.

還能協助提升你在市場上的價值。

Step four: Grow your client base over time.

第四步：隨時間 逐步擴展你的客戶群。

As a freelancer,

身為自由工作者，

your existing customers are your best references.

你的既有客戶是你最好的參考。

When a project is about to end,

當你的專案即將結束時，

ask whether they know others who might benefit from your services

問他們是否認識其他人 可能可以從你的服務受惠，

or ask if they can promote you and your work in their internal channels,

或問他們能否用他們的 內部管道、社群媒體平台，

social media platforms or email groups.

或 email 群組宣傳你和你的工作。

Don't be discouraged.

別氣餒。

It takes time and consistency to build a stable of clients.

建立客戶群需要時間和持續努力。

Put your focus on building a reputation for good work

把你的焦點放在建立 工作優秀的好名聲，

and you'll eventually have to turn down more jobs than you can accept.

到最後，你的工作 會多到接不完只能捥拒。

Step five: Join a freelance community.

第五步：加入自由工作團體。

Whatever type of freelancer you are,

不論你是哪一種自由工作者，

find ways to connect with others in your field.

想辦法和同領域的其他人連結。

What are the LinkedIn or Facebook groups to join?

LinkedIn 或臉書上 有什麼社團可以加入？

要去哪些活動、要聽哪些播客節目？

Which events to go to and which podcasts to listen to?

This community will not only help you learn and give you leads on work,

這個團體不僅能協助你 學習並給你工作上的指點，

but it will also contain peers that you can vent to when you need it.

團體中還有同儕，在你需要時 可以當傾吐的對象。

If you're interested in freelancing,

如果你對自由工作感興趣，

don't wait until you get fired or laid off to make that leap.

別等到你被炒魷魚 或解僱才去跨出那一步。

Remember, when you rely on one employer, they own your future.

切記，當你仰賴單一個雇主，

雇主就擁有你的未來。

But by building your freelance capabilities,

但若你能建立你的自由工作能力，

you'll have the power to decide not only who you want to work with,

你就不僅能夠決定你想要和誰合作，

but when and in what capacity.

還能決定何時、以何種身分合作。

And when downturns come,

遇到衰退期時，

you'll be better able to withstand them

若你的人脈網路中有許多人

with a network of people who are excited to work with you.

很興奮能和你合作， 你會比較能度過。