The fear of "I can't do anything" is an absurd myth. How to go freelance from anywhere in the world

Hi, my name is Olga Shevchenko, I am from Kazakhstan, with Ukrainian and Russian roots, living in Greece. I've been helping Ukrainians escape the war for seven months, and for the last couple of weeks I've been helping Russians escape immobilization. For the last seven years I've been moving people from 60 countries to freelance in my own marketing school Helppy.pro.

In this material I give an overview of the concrete steps on how to act in the new country so that you don't end up without money.

Let's go over the specific steps!

Put yourself in a proper state of mind

You're in a foreign country, you're scared, confused and probably angry. Give yourself some time to process these emotions and deal with everyday issues: where to live, what to eat, how to contact your relatives.

Next, try to accept, if not calm down, the reality. Now, life is like this and you will have to deal with it. You do not know how long it will last, but you will want to eat today.

I am not a professional psychologist. However, I do know how to motivate people to make money. Below you will find exercises and useful ideas. Just do it. You'll be afraid later.

In my experience, the fear of "I don't know how to do anything" is the most common, but it is an absurd myth.

Let's think logically: you did not fall from the moon. You have studied, started a family, made friends, raised children or gone to work. You have communication skills, varying degrees of computer proficiency, you are able to put words into sentences and talk on the phone. So you can definitely do it. Out of my 4000+ students, there hasn't been a single one who screwed up - and you will be no exception.

Now your job is to get yourself out of the panic area and into the solution area: trick your brain into thinking you have a plan and everything will be fine. The funny thing is that a way out does indeed appear.

Make a list of skills

Forget the standard CV phrases: punctual, responsible and communicative or serious, consistent and hardworking. These general words won't sell you quickly and will only alienate potential clients. They have a whole stack of such descriptions and they all look like clones.

Recall absolutely every skill you have, this will stop the panic of "What am I going to be? I can't do anything!", plus get your brain in a state of searching for solutions.

Take a sheet and write down what you know how to do and how it will help the business

The formula:

fact about yourself -> good for business

This is good for business because -> a fact about yourself.

Your task is to write it in such a clear way that the person has a picture in front of his eyes.

For example, I can get through to customer support in 5 seconds when something is broken, which means - I will save you a few hours and save your precious nerves.

I will increase sales in your Instagram shop, because I quickly respond to comments, I can talk to anyone, and correspond so politely that you will start to be marked in customer stories, as the best in the market.

I can negotiate with a crying three-year-old, which means I can handle your toughest contractors or clients in correspondence, on the phone and in person.

With this skill set, go to groups, compose a separate post with an unconventional picture or video, write a short introduction about yourself asking for work and a list of skills. Be sure to end with a call for an oral interview or a test assignment, and add contacts for networking and communication.

Improve your skills

Look through the job vacancies and write out the most popular requests. Make a list in three columns: what are your skills, what will you learn on your own, where do you need help.

List 50 skills to monetise in freelancing.

Respond to jobs according to the existing classification, quickly pull up the ones you like and put the whole picture into one profession.

The most popular professionals on the market:

•     business assistant
•     social media manager
•     helpdesk operator
•     online group administrator
•     digital designer
•     online marketer

You can find useful career advice on my blog.

Start looking for a job

You probably don't have a sufficient level of language to work in your profession, so there's no point in worrying about it. As the saying goes - pass this station, get off at another one.
Options: walking dogs, babysitting the elderly, washing dishes or floors, handing out leaflets. For those who don't like these prospects, although they're great too, you're on your way to freelance work.

Remote work is the same as the job you're used to... Only you don't come into the office every day, you perform the task at any convenient location, and you report on the result in person or completely online.

Employers don't care about your eye colour, hair colour or age. The only important thing is to do what you are told and to do it in good quality, and not to bother the client with constant questions and clarifications.

99% of the tasks and problems in freelancing solved by Google.

There is always a way out! There are 455 million entrepreneurs in the world, and only 62.5 million freelancers. So you have to try very hard not to find a job.

Do some brainstorming and think about where you can be useful remotely:

- Entrepreneurs in your circle or people you know

- Online companies in countries where there is no fighting

- Ukrainian or Russian speaking businesses in your home country

- Experts, shops, training centres in your home country

- Freelance marketplaces, job groups

- Bloggers, psychologists, stylists - any kind of assisting practices

- Concierge services and assistant bases

- Advertising and digital agencies

You might not get lucky on your first try. Get at least 30 job vacancies a week, do 10 tests, go to 5 interviews. At this rate, my clients find work in 1-4 weeks.

So we clench our hands into fists and start building a future for the coming months.

We are all caught up in a crazy world situation, we are hurting and scared. Know that you will not be lost. Wherever you go, wherever you end up, you take yourself with you! That is a sure sign that all will be well.

By: Olga Shevchenko