A guide to freelancing in Vancouver

by Siv Padhy

Vancouver is a hot spot for freelancers, as the city has a strong, competitive presence in freelance-friendly industries like tech, communications and marketing. Here are a few tips on navigating the freelance space. [Photo courtesy of Creative Coworkers]

Finding gigs is a challenge, but there are a few places to check out when searching for opportunities:

• Slack is great for creating robust conversations with a casual tone. You’ll typically see it being used as an internal communications tool, but open Slack channels are also used to connect people with similar industries or careers. Look for city or industry-specific channels and find a way to contribute to the discussion.
• Using a tool like meetup.com can help you build your community in Vancouver, and it’s an especially helpful tool for people who are new to the city. Think outside the box on this one. You never know where you’ll find potential clients or jobs, so join Meetups around topics that interest you, even if they’re not related to work.
• Get in touch with local head hunters and recruitment firms in the city and let them know you’re available for work. You shouldn’t have to pay for these services; recruiters get paid by the company that hires you.
• Industry associations are a gold mine of information for freelancers that need to learn more about their industry. Their websites also usually host some sort of job board that companies can post to. Results are going to vary depending on your industry.
• Conferences aren’t necessarily a good choice for everyone. They can be expensive, but if you’re an established freelancer with good networking and sales skills, spending the money on a conference to generate leads can be extremely helpful.

While home offices are great, Vancouver has a few places to offer when you want something different:

• Cafés are the quintessential freelance office. Matchstick and Nemesis are both popular spots in the city for getting work done. Whichever café you choose, make sure to consider things like outlets, WiFi quality and peak traffic hours to get the best experience.
• Coworking spaces like Creative Coworkers, HiVe or SpaceKraft are great choices for freelancers who need a consistent and professional space to work out of. These spaces often provide day passes, free trials or tours that you can take advantage of before making your decision.
• Libraries are the place to be if you’re looking for somewhere to concentrate and don’t need the food and atmosphere that comes with other spots. The Vancouver Public Library’s central branch downtown is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for somewhere beautiful and spacious.
• Apps like ShareDesk are basically AirBnB for office desks – they allow you to book desks hosted in a variety of spaces. This isn’t the most practical option for those that can work from home, but freelancers in town temporarily may find it particularly valuable.

Apart from understanding the city where you’re working, there are a few things you can do to improve your freelance efforts regardless of where you’re living.

• Consistency is a rare luxury when freelancing. Building sincere relationships with your clients can help you retain them and keep work coming in for the long run. This can’t really be faked. Keep in touch with clients, find ways to make their lives easier and try to meet them in person if at all possible. A little face time goes a long way.
• Know yourself and your industry! Understanding the monetary value of your skillset goes a long way in how you sell yourself and approach clients. Take a look at industry benchmarks, your personal experience and typical rates in Vancouver for your work, and try to avoid the common issue of undervaluing your services when you’re starting out.
• Set up routine working hours for your freelance contracts to help avoid things like burnout. This can also help you work at a faster pace, which – if you’re paid per project – actually increases your hourly rate.

Freelancing can be an intimidating pursuit, but understanding the resources available to you can significantly boost the quality and quantity of your freelance gigs in the city.