Ekene EziaguluAs a freelancer, one of the perks of the job is having not to answer to bosses or co-workers; you get to enjoy more freedom over your schedule and the type of work you do. On the flip side, however, you’d miss out on corporate training and other development courses many offices organize for employees. So what can you do as an African freelancer, to sharpen your skills and hone your craft? The answer lies in being proactive in finding your education and self-development/productivity tools!
As a freelancer, you should know that working hard is not enough to shore your prices. Working hard without refining mind and methodology is akin to ma farmer toiling all day on a large parcel of land, albeit with a blunt hoe! You need to delve into online courses and educational websites to put the extra in your freelance endeavors.
And so, without further ado, get started on your way to self-development with the following online courses and educational/self-development websites (note that many of these courses come with the perk of being free of charge):
You should note that you
do not have to part with money to improve your writing and financial management
skills. Informative courses abound that can place you on the path to mastering
the bolts and nuts of your African freelancing career so that you can achieve
your dreams, profitably.
In this light, say
welcome to Skillshare. This online study website packs a trailer-load of
classes and courses designed to sharpen your skill sets and deepen your
proficiencies — Skillshare offers thousands of free classes for your career,
passions and everything in between. You will be taught by competent instructors
who avail students of real-life experiences and situations. Enough said
already; you will do well to sign up for one of the classes on
Skillshare.
Introduction to Time Management
Do you feel that time is
always against you? That you can never meet your clients’ deadlines because
your current workload is overwhelming? Dispose of these worries by signing up
on the Introduction to Time Management website. Once there, you can equip
yourself with the basics of professional time optimization.
For many experienced and
upcoming African freelancers, keeping a handle on your income and expenses
often proves complex. But with Money Essentials, you can shore up knowledge on
everything from budgeting to retirement financing. Take the e-course today, and
you’ll be thankful you did.
Do you have a flair for writing? And are you passionate about pursuing a career as an African Freelance Copywriter? Then you should, by all means, sign up for this innovative course that takes you through the essentials and rudiments of the copywriting process, thereby turning you into a proficient copywriter. What’s more, you not only become grounded in the craft but you would also receive guidance on attracting high-paying gigs.
‘Content is King’ goes
the not-so-old saying. And if you have decided to pitch your tent as an African
Freelance Content Marketer, then you should enroll for the course on Coursera.
Once you are in, you will receive instructions on the basics of effective
content marketing and how to incorporate a strategic framework into your
content, thereby increasing its profitability. Go and start right now!
If you are not speaking the language of Google and other search engines, you might remain forever banished to the digital wilderness! Enroll for this course and receive the rubric for mastering Search Engine Optimization(SEO). Resources available on the course’s website will assist you in attracting additional traffic to your articles and measure success in real time. Don’t just be a freelance writer; become an SEO compliant one!
MailChimp, Hubspot Marketing and Marketing360 rake in tens of millions in annual revenues because they provide email marketing services to many individuals and businesses. So email marketing is in hot demand and so should your skills be too. This course comprises insightful instructional videos that give a solid ground in the art and act of email marketing. Learn the ropes in good time and develop an effective email marketing campaign.
In a world where online
sales take place at the speed of a click, many businesses need to see the
patterns/structures behind the sales figures. If you are an African Freelance
Market Analyst, it is essential you sharpen your analytical skills by enrolling
for this course.
Come on in here if you are an African freelance article writer. Or if you have to send correspondences, or emails or communicate with clients and businesses one way or the other. This course aims to strengthen your writing muscles, so that you not only produce error-free content, but also add creativity and flair in a variety of writing including instructional, analytical, reflective, and opinionative pieces! Take your writing to new heights and win more clients by taking this course today.
Give your graphic design
freelance career a boost by taking this course from the stable of Coursera.
This course will guide you through fundamental principles of graphic design:
image making, typography, composition, and working with color and shape. You
can then build on this foundation to gather more knowledge and clients along
the way.
For the sake of
emphasis, it is vital that, as a freelancer, you are continually refining,
learning and unlearning your craft to remain relevant in today’s digital space.
2019 has only begun, and you should seize the day early by enrolling in one or
more of the courses aforementioned. If you do know of other beneficial online
courses for the African Freelancer, please do leave your contributions in the
comment section below.
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Onyinyechi Okorie
