When applying for a job, candidates are evaluated based on both hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are strictly technical professional abilities—knowledge, experience, proficiency in programs and languages. Soft skills, on the other hand, relate to a person’s character, their work style, and personal qualities. Officially, only hard skills are required for employment, but year after year, more attention is being given to soft skills—especially when it comes to hiring young specialists. Millennials and Gen Zers learn quickly, know how to find the right information or task guide, so their ability to organize their work, communicate with colleagues, and other personal traits come to the forefront.
It may seem that freelancers are free from the need to work in a team, and therefore don’t need to develop soft skills: just be a professional and that’s enough. But soft skills aren’t just about teamwork. They’re your way to grow and reach new levels.
Time Management
Freelancing is practically impossible without time management. If you don’t know how to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines, you’ll constantly miss due dates, let clients down, and lose income. Or you’ll burn out from the overload, always scrambling to catch up with extra hours.
If you “don’t have time” to study time management—that’s not just a red flag, it’s a full-blown alarm. Start with the basics, develop your time management skills, and set realistic goals. You need to manage not only your work, but also leave space for personal life, rest, and learning. Only balance will bring long-term results. It’s a key component of career growth and charging higher rates. On the topic of income, check out the online premiere “How a Web Designer Can Earn More: Tactics, Tips, and Nuances”.
Communication Skills
Even if you don’t go to an office, you’re not free from interacting with people. At the very least, you’ll need to communicate with clients. Freelancers are also often brought into team projects for one-off tasks. So the ability to communicate is very important. Sometimes it’s even more important than for office workers, since working from home can disconnect freelancers from the real world, making everyday interaction feel more difficult.
If you became a freelancer because you're an introvert—play a role. Create a sociable persona. Let that version of you be friendly and charming when needed, while you remain yourself the rest of the time.
Check out our resources on freelance communication etiquette and team communication.
Writing Skills
Most freelance communication happens in writing. Messaging may seem simple, but it has its own nuances. At the very least, you need to be able to express your ideas clearly and concisely. The person on the other end doesn’t hear your tone, emphasis, or see your facial expressions. If you’ve noticed that people sometimes misunderstand your messages—this is something to work on. Try reading your messages out loud before sending.
Let’s not forget grammar. First, it helps ensure your message is understood correctly—mistakes can totally change the meaning. Second, it reflects your professionalism and shows respect for the reader. Even the best specialist can scare off a client with poor spelling.
And don’t ignore modern etiquette. Don’t message during non-working hours unless necessary. Don’t call without warning. And don’t send hour-long voice messages unless that communication style was agreed upon with the client or colleague.
Presentation Skills
You need to be able to sell. Your services, your projects, yourself as a brand. Even the smallest feature can be presented as a brilliant solution. And on the flip side, great work can go unnoticed if it’s poorly presented. So if you don’t have a manager—learn the art of presentation. This includes basic marketing and psychology. Follow bloggers who sell info-products by showcasing their expertise.
Flexibility
This means the ability to adapt to situations, quickly shift to a new task—or to another aspect of the same project. It also includes the ability to change direction fast—like when a client suddenly gets a “brilliant” new idea halfway through a project.
You must respond to changes calmly and professionally, even if they seem irrational. Explain your reasoning logically if you disagree. If the client insists—do a quality revision anyway, and request additional payment if appropriate.
Willingness to Learn
All modern careers require continuous development. You can’t afford to stop, ignore trends, or avoid learning new tools and methods. If you only do what you’re used to, your knowledge will quickly become outdated and irrelevant.
If a project includes unfamiliar tasks—don’t turn them down. Every new skill boosts your professionalism, even if it seems minor. Sometimes it opens up whole new niches. And almost always it’s a win for your portfolio.
Learning is a tough skill. Sure, some people seem to absorb knowledge instantly—but most of us need time and real effort to learn something new. When your head is full of work tasks, it can be hard to squeeze in growth. If you struggle to make space for learning while working—use a ready-made program. Take skill-based courses from time to time to level up or broaden your expertise. Join the WAYUP community, check out our premieres, and follow upcoming programs. Soon we’ll be launching the online coaching program “Web Designer: Your Golden Ticket to Thailand” — don’t miss it!
