TL;DR – Good lobangs must share.
The pandemic is taking a toll on many freelancers with many seeing their commissions and revenue take a nosedive. I was just chatting with a friend who’s a freelance makeup artist and her job offers have dropped by as much as 80%! The situation is looking rather bleak for now. But on a more positive note, this lull period also provides freelancers with the chance to diversify or embark on a self improvement journey!
For freelancers who are also NTUC members, you probably will find this useful. The U FSE (Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit) is helping their members to enhance their digital presence and get their fundamentals of freelancing right through the U FSE Freelancer Fair 2021. In this day and age when everything is moving online, freelancers can’t afford to be invisible! Building a strong social media presence is crucial.
In the programme designed by the U FSE, freelancers would receive valuable tips on how to improve their resumes and portfolios. These are important documents that clients would scrutinise and thereafter make a decision on whether they want to engage your services!
The workshops are designed to be bite-size and the session will also include a professional portrait photoshoot. Surely it will be useful for your resume, your LinkedIn account or name card? For freelancers looking to gain that extra edge with an increased online presence, the U FSE Freelancer Fair 2021 will probably be very useful for you!
To support freelancing as a viable career option, U FSE will provide SEPs with relevant resources and networking opportunities to enhance their career pathways. Those who are part of the community will also enjoy access to benefits and privileges such as access to seminars, training grants and insurance!
More Support and Resources for Freelancers
Freelancers looking for career guidance and more resources can also approach Workforce Singapore, e2i, MyCareersFuture or SGUnited Jobs. e2i is currently running a series of Virtual Freelance Jobs Discovery & Skills Training with free online training courses to help freelancers boost their business skills and overcome career challenges. Freelancers looking for employment can also look out for virtual career fairs and opportunities on e2i’s Facebook page.
Getting Through the Tough Times Together
The number of freelancers in Singapore is about 211,000 in 2019 up from 200,000 in 2016, and it has been increasing over the years. With the Covid-19 situation affecting many permanent, full-time jobs the past year, freelancing has likely become a means of survival for some. While some enjoy the autonomy and control being a freelancer provides, others find it lacks employment security. During this tough period, the silver lining is that communities of freelancers in various sectors are banding together to share resources with one another. Those who have beefed up their skillsets would definitely find themselves in better positions to emerge stronger when the economy recovers. To freelancers who are struggling right now, remember, tough times don’t last, tough people do – hang in there!