Finding a job today is tough and starting your own business is no walk in the park either, but there’s a few ways you can ease the transition and build up your influence while you’re at it.

Freelancing is #1 in my book to get you through this rough patch, especially if you’re looking to get more experience or change your career focus.

Here are 4 benefits to freelancing even if you already have a job and you just want to pick up some extra work on the side:

1) Develop your entrepreneurial side

Regardless of if you ever want to run your own business, people like to see that you are a self-starter. Having some freelancing experience shows that you can manage projects independently and you know what it takes to keep clients happy while delivering a high level of service.

Going out and finding clients on your own also shows you can wear many hats and you can go from being a sales person to a project manager and even a customer service representative. Give yourself some credit. That’s impressive!

2) Launch your personal Brand

If you haven’t already launched your personal brand, this is a perfect excuse to do so. When you work for someone else you don’t always feel the need to create an online presence for yourself, but if you’re looking for freelancing clients, you’re going to need somewhere people can find out about what you do.

It’s also a good chance to get crystal clear on what your skill set is and what you think you can offer that’s valuable to potential clients. Create your elevator pitch and  practice it over and over until you’re really confident (or at least somewhat close ;) ).

3) Get client testimonials

I’ve worked for a big company before and sometimes it’s hard to share client success stories because you feel like they’re not really your successes, they’re the company’s successes.

When you have your own freelancing gig, any results you achieve are 100% yours. You can post them on your website for the world to see. This is a great way to attract job offers and even more clients for consulting opportunities.

4) Know your target customer

There is no better way to get to know your ideal clients than to work with them one on one. Ask them questions, find their pain points, and really get to know what problems they have that need solving.

You don’t know how invaluable it is to get inside the mind of your ideal client. All this intel you’re collecting now will come in handy down the road when you have to think more about marketing.

 Your freelancing experience

How has freelancing played a role in your career path? And if you haven’t tried it yet, do you think it’s something that will help you get to the next step in your career? Let me know in the comments below…