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This tip is about the how to Become a Successful UX/UI Designer. So read this free guide, How to Become a Successful UX/UI Designer step by step. If you have query related to same article you may contact us.
How to Become a Successful UX/UI Designer – Guide
The glamor of being a freelancer as a UI/UX designer or researcher is alluring. You can set your own schedule, be your own boss, work from anywhere, and choose projects that matter to you. According to research, these are the top four reasons for in-house professionals to take the plunge and become freelance UX designers. Now the question arises whether it is a viable career move for you. According to recent reports, 35% of the US workforce – 57 million – are freelancers. The numbers are even higher for professionals in the fields of art and design. (Let’s not forget those for whom freelancing is the only option for health reasons.)
Furthermore, 80% of professionals who have a full-time job would be willing to work as a freelancer. Freelancing is also a popular option in UX, so there must be some benefits to this. An important differentiator for digital products is the user experience (UX). Companies are investing heavily in creating seamless and engaging experiences to keep customers on their platforms longer. To do this, they hire a large number of UX designers. LinkedIn ranks UX design among the top five most in-demand skills of 2020. LinkedIn alone lists over 15,000 user experience designer positions at multinationals such as Google, Microsoft, JP Morgan Chase, etc.
Pros of being a Freelance UX Designer
Flexible hours
Freelance UX designers are paid for the work they do, not the number of hours they put in. This means they are not restricted by 9-5 and can work whenever they are most creative. Plus, they have the freedom to schedule their projects so they can take vacations or breaks throughout the year without interrupting work.
Income Flexibility
While employees are limited to the same salary every month until they receive a raise, there is no income limit for freelance earnings. You can set your prices for your service. The earning potential doesn’t end when your time is full. You can put potential customers on a waiting list and thus secure more revenue for the future. Or you can hire an assistant to handle specific tasks for you (e.g. marketing and billing), freeing up up more time for new customers.
location independence
Since most freelancers work remotely, they also enjoy location flexibility. Your office is no longer limited to one city or even one country. That means you can work at your local coffee shop or on the other side of the world. With your laptop and a stable internet connection, you can work where you feel most productive and comfortable. Thanks to location independence, you also enjoy lower living costs and/or higher quality of life.
Continuous Career Growth
Unlike employees, as a freelancer you are not limited by the projects you are assigned. You can apply for a variety of projects, take on challenging assignments and gain valuable experience in the process. In addition, you will learn and work in various industries and thus broaden your horizons.
Cons of being a freelance UX designer
unstable income
Being a freelancer is inherently unstable. While some months can be hectic, others can be quite slow. THE trick Becoming a successful freelance UX designer isn’t just about getting your first client. You need to build a reliable system to keep generating customers. This can be a challenge for some.
complex taxes
One of the biggest challenges freelancers face is the complexity of their tax returns. Tax laws vary by country, state and individual situation. You are required to make the necessary arrangements to pay and file taxes regularly. If you incur costs to work as a freelance UX designer, it is also your responsibility to maintain invoices and claim deductions. These can be tedious if you’re not tax savvy.
Paying for your benefits and expenses
Most employment relationships involve health insurance, social security contributions, paid sick leave, paid vacation, maternity/paternity/paternity leave, and so on. As a freelancer, you need to plan all of this. For example, if you bill your client for the number of hours you work on their project, vacations mean lost wages. To take paid vacations, you need to plan your installments/projects accordingly.
Isolation
All said and done, freelancing is a lonely job. Firstly, it is often project-based, which means that once the project is completed, you are on your own. Even during this time, you can collaborate with teams of clients, but you won’t have the opportunity to hang out with them, participate in team events, celebrate achievements together, etc. So if you like working in a group, you might find the freelance lifestyle difficult. Also, freelancers are expected to solve their problems on their own. You may not have a partner to exchange ideas or debate, limiting your creativity in many ways.
How to become a freelance UX/UI designer
set expectations
One of the main reasons freelancers fail is not setting the right expectations. Make it clear to the customer what they are getting, when they are getting it, how many iterations you are going to do, how much it will cost, etc. Successful freelance projects are those that don’t leave anyone with any unpleasant surprises.
Also, set expectations for yourself. Get a one-year plan, divided into quarterly and monthly versions. Set goals for various parameters, including finances. expenditure budget. These could be expected, like a new laptop when the current one has reached the end of its useful life, or unexpected, such as accidental damage. Build enough financial safety net for the toughest days.
Refine your skills
UX is a rapidly evolving field. While your basic skills will serve you well, keeping up to date can be a tremendous competitive advantage. So, strive to keep improving your skills. You can do this formally by attending online classes or camps every now and then. You can also incorporate this into your freelance work, regularly taking on new projects to challenge yourself.
Set your rates
Freelance UX designers typically charge in three ways: by the hour, by the week, or by the project. These are all useful pricing methods, but you need to decide which ones work best for the type of work you’re doing. For example, if you are taking on a project to design small aspects of a larger application that you cannot estimate how long it will take, you can charge by the hour. Most freelancers start out that way.
Final note
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