With back-to-school season in full swing, now’s the time for freelancers to bone up on their skills or perhaps learn new ones. But you don’t have to shell out for pricey college courses to get the benefit of professional development. In fact, a lot of great information is available for free or very inexpensively if you’re willing to invest the time and do a little digging. Read on to discover several affordable avenues for professional development.
Blogs
Since you’re reading this post, it’s safe to assume that you’ve already discovered the gold mine of freelance information that is FreelanceSwitch.There are plenty of other fabulous freelance blogs out in cyberspace as well (for instance, Dear Dr. Freelance, Freelancedom, and Freelance Folder to name a few). But a well-rounded RSS reader should include other topics, too. For instance, the Create, Consult, Control blog covers intellectual property issues, which is important for content creators to understand. And since freelancers are also small business owners, blogs like Fast up Front and Bizmore could be part of your virtual classroom, as well as ones that cover your craft.
Podcasts
I love how portable podcasts are. I can listen and learn as I tidy up my apartment, wait for the subway, even run on the treadmill. Surprisingly, many of the freelance podcasts I found, like Freelance Advisor and even FSw’s own Freelance Radio (RIP), are not adding new episodes. But you can always peruse the archives. Plus, there are small biz podcasts like Duct Tape Marketing and other podcasts that could help refine your skills, such as Grammar Girl and The Digital Marketer. Most of these are free, too!
Books and eBooks
Other FreelanceSwitch writers have covered books for freelance writers and books for graphic designers. They’ve also covered the best books for freelancers in general. Many of these are available in eBook format, too. As you’re exploring blogs, podcasts, and other avenues, you’ll probably also discover a wealth of free ebooks that authors make available to subscribers. Often these are shorter and more easily digestible than full-length books, but sometimes they’re a thinly veiled sales pitch, so choose carefully.
Courses and eCourses
Even if you aren’t willing to commit to a degree program, you may find a course or a certificate program that fits your needs. For instance, earlier this year, I completed a certificate in Writing for Professional Communication at a local college, and it took a lot less time and money than a Master’s would have. Check out your local college, community college, or adult education center if that interests you. Or if you’re looking for something more flexible, consider an online course. For instance, The Renegade Writer offers ecourses for aspiring and accomplished writers, IttyBiz offers free marketing courses, and eClasses.org teaches eCommerce, web design, and programming. How do you know if a course is for you? Email the instructor your questions or ask around on Twitter and/or freelance forums.
Newsletters
Whether you’re a writer, project manager, designer, or programmer, there’s a wealth of information to be found in newsletters. Most are free, but a few cost money. I pay a few bucks a month for FreelanceDaily, and I earn back that investment back several times over from the gigs I land most months. It’s easy to let email newsletters pile up, though, so some people like to set up separate email accounts or use filters. Even if you only have time for skimming and can’t delve into the articles, you’ll often discover cool events, seminars, freelance opportunities, and so on.
Webinars and Teleseminars
There are tons of free webinars and teleseminars available, but they’ll usually try to sell you something at the end. I tune out the sales pitch (unless it’s a service I’m interested in) and focus on all the fabulous free content. I don’t feel guilty about this, because if it’s a really interesting topic, I’ll share the signup link with my Facebook friends or Twitter followers so they can listen in, too. You can usually find webinars or teleseminars appropriate to your niche by signing up for relevant newsletters or through social media. For instance, I recently attended a teleseminar on “Talking to Your Clients About Money” hosted by a financial coach and a webinar about “The Future of Online Publishing” hosted by a web publishing company.
Your turn! How do you stay current in your industry and the freelance community at large? What podcasts, ecourses, or other resources would you recommend?
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