I didn’t choose freelancing. It sort of chose me.
For about two years, I was part of a small marketing team — until early 2024, when I got laid off. I went from having a “stable” job to scrambling to find work, checking LinkedIn, OLJ, Indeed…You know the drill.
After hundreds of rejections (and a fair share of ghosting), I finally landed a contractor role. I didn’t fully understand what that even meant — all I knew was that I had a “job,” and for a moment, I thought I could finally breathe.
But I was wrong:
- I had to learn tools and platforms I’d never used before — all by myself.
- I had to figure out how to send my own invoices and track my own hours.
- I had to adjust to being my own manager, tech support, and admin
That’s when I realized: Freelancing isn’t just another job. And it’s definitely not the carefree lifestyle social media often makes it out to be.
Yes, it comes with some great perks, yet there are days when I find myself missing the structure and simplicity of being a regular employee.
This roller coaster is the reason I’m writing this blog. Not to pretend I have it all figured out, but to share what I went through, what I learned, and what I wish someone had told me before I started.
Whether you’re in the same boat I was, or you’re planning to try out freelancing, hopefully this can help you paddle a bit faster — or at the very least, step in with the right mindset and clearer expectations.
And just a bit about me first…
I’ve been working directly with foreign clients (mostly startups) as an SEO copywriter, doing everything remotely either from home or from a cozy coffee shop with good Wi-Fi.
So no, I don’t have years of freelancing wisdom, and I definitely am no expert. But what I do have is a fresh perspective that might resonate better with fellow beginners.
There are plenty of seasoned Filipino freelancers you can learn from for sure. So think of my story as a small yet honest addition to the greater narrative they’re already shaping.
1. Treat freelancing like a business, not a job
No one really tells you this early on, but freelancing isn’t just a regular job that lets you “work from home.”
In a typical employment setup, you can still get paid while slacking off a little. Maybe your boss doesn’t notice. Maybe your performance gets overlooked because you’re part of a bigger team.
But in freelancing, if you don’t deliver, you don’t get paid.
If you mess up, there’s no HR to back you up. Just a client deciding whether they still want to work with you, or if they’ll move on to someone else.
Even now, I sometimes catch myself slipping back into that old employee mindset, thinking I need to ask for permission or waiting to be told what to do.
But freelancing is, first and foremost, a business. You decide what skills to build, who to work with, and when to say no.
And while that sounds simple at first glance, it’s one of the weightiest and most important mindset shifts you need to make. Because once you get this, all the hard truths that come with freelancing become much easier to accept.
If that scares you, good. It scared me too. But it also lit a newfound fire in me.
2. Learn and build skills like you’re investing in a business (because, again, you are)
I know how tempting it is to hoard free tutorials from YouTube or Google. I’ve done it. And while that works up to a point, paid programs often push you harder — partly because you’ve made a commitment, and partly because investing real money makes the stakes feel higher.
In my case, the Pinoy SEO Bootcamp was one of the first few SEO workshops I invested in. That experience truly accelerated my learning since I no longer had to keep guessing on my own like I did with most free tutorials. Instead, I got:
- real-time feedback
- guided sessions with structure
- direct access to an expert (shout out to Coach Leandro) I could reach out to when I needed help
That’s something you can generally expect from a paid course, regardless of your industry/niche. It shortens the learning curve and helps you move forward faster and with more confidence.
Yes, spending money can sting at first. But once you see the kind of progress and results it brings, that cost becomes easier to accept. For me at least, it made the learning experience more focused and effective, which led to better output and, eventually, being noticed by clients faster.
3. Your portfolio matters more than your resume
With a resume, you can say you’re good. But with a portfolio, you show that you’re good. In the freelancing world, that’s a big difference and here’s why.
Clients don’t really care where you went to school or what your college GPA was. They want solid proof that you can actually do the work — and more importantly, do it with enough skill and confidence that they can trust you to deliver without second-guessing.
In my case, I had a very simple Google Drive folder containing samples of my work (not the best way to present a portfolio, looking back. But hey, I had to start somewhere).
That portfolio didn’t land me the job right away. But it was what led to a paid test run, which was what finally helped me close the deal.
A little side note: Take this with a grain of salt because there are clients who still ask for a resume. And depending on your niche or role, like in management or anything senior-level, a resume might be necessary too.
4. Communication will make or break you
This one hits hard because I’m still working on it too.
Here’s the thing. You could be amazing at your craft, but if you can’t explain your process or present your results clearly, concisely, and confidently, you’ll keep running into roadblocks, especially in terms of winning your client’s trust.
Understandably, most of us grew up not speaking English at home, so there’s no reason to be too hard on ourselves about it. But we shouldn’t use it as an excuse either.
Here’s something that I’m doing to help me improve my communication skills: Talking to ChatGPT like I would a client.
You can do it while you cook, while you drive, or wash your clothes. Practice explaining things, ask for feedback, and keep repeating the process until it starts to feel more natural.
5. Know your worth — but be honest first
A lot of freelancers say “charge your worth.” And yes, that’s important. But what if you’re just starting out?
The reality is this: A big reason foreign companies like hiring Filipino freelancers is because we offer quality work at a more affordable rate.
That doesn’t mean underprice yourself into the ground. But it does mean knowing where you currently stand.
In my case, when I thought about asking for a raise, I had to ask myself first: Have I actually earned it? Do I have the results, the skills, the consistency?
I didn’t push for it right away, not until I had tangible outcomes to show for it. Once I had all that in place, I made my case, and thankfully, my client agreed and even took the lead themselves in adjusting my rate.
So, if you’re seeing people earn thousands a week from freelancing, it’s likely because they’ve built a solid track record and a clear body of work that proves their value. We, beginners, need to build toward that. And we can.
6. Don’t take it personally
I wasn’t my first client’s first choice.
A day after the interview, they texted me to say they decided to go with someone else. But about five weeks later, that same client called back to tell me the news — that they were going with me instead.
I asked what changed. They said, “We just weren’t the right fit.”
That, my friends, shows that a “no” isn’t always about you being lacking or unworthy. Sometimes, like the cliche says, it really isn’t you, it’s them.
And beyond fit, maybe their budget changed. Maybe their cousin suddenly decided to “just do it for free.” Or maybe their hiring plans shifted entirely due to new priorities.
You simply can’t control any of that.
Given how freelancing often requires us to put ourselves out there for multiple one-off projects or short-term contracts, we have to accept that rejection is always part of the process.
And no amount of replaying interviews in our heads or overanalyzing every word in our proposal will change that.
It’s all part of the game.
What matters more is that we show up at our best every time, stay professional, and keep improving.
Because who knows? They might come back later, just when you least expect it (just like what happened to me).
7. Don’t Quit Your Day Job (Yet)
Don’t go into freelancing just because you hate your job, want to escape the corporate life, or — God forbid — because a TikTok made it look like you’d earn thousands overnight.
As if I haven’t stressed it enough, freelancing isn’t just another job — it’s a completely different way of thinking.
If that mindset shift doesn’t happen, everything we’ve talked about — the rejections, the pressure to deliver, and the constant self-management — will hit you harder than expected. And you’ll find yourself more overwhelmed than empowered.
And that should hopefully say a lot coming from someone who never planned to become a freelancer, but was pushed into it by circumstance. No roadmap. No mentor. All hard truths learned firsthand.
Instead, treat your current job as your funding. Take online courses. Build your skills. Buy the gear you need. Experiment. Learn the ropes before you make the jump.
And when you’re finally ready to take the full plunge, I hope this blog reminds you — you’re not the only one figuring things out. And maybe, just maybe, it helps you feel a little less alone.
GL Angelo Esolana
Freelance Writer / PinoySEO Batch 15 Graduate
https://angelomigueleesolana.pinoyseo.org
