How to Find Freelance Work From Home Jobs in Singapore
Over the last several years, the number of freelancers (or own-account workers) in Singapore has increased significantly, and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.
In 2017, the tally reached over 223,500, and the latest data shows that the country now has over 228,200 own-account workers. Of these 228,200 people, the majority — 84 per cent — are primary own-account workers, which means freelancing is their main source of income.
Are you interested in becoming part of this group? Do you want to try freelancing, either as a primary income stream or a side gig? If so, keep reading.
This guide explains everything you need to know about freelance work-from-home jobs, including the benefits and disadvantages they offer, as well as how to find freelance remote jobs and which ones pay the best.
7 Benefits of Doing Freelance Work from Home Jobs in Singapore
There are plenty of advantages that come with doing freelance jobs online from home. When you consider these 7 benefits, you’ll understand why the number of freelancers is rising year after year.
1. Location Flexibility
One of the top reasons why people seek out freelance work from home jobs in Singapore is the fact that they’re drawn to location flexibility. If you hate the idea of sitting in a cubicle or a stuffy office day after day, finding a freelance job that you can do from home — or anywhere else — may be a better choice.
There are lots of jobs that can be done from a home office, a coffee shop, a coworking space, or even a beach resort. As long as you have an internet connection, you can get your work done, serve your clients, and earn money.
2. Schedule Flexibility
Not only do freelance work from home jobs provide location flexibility, but they also provide schedule flexibility.
Most freelance workers are able to set their own schedules and work when they want, not when a boss or manager tells them they need to be on the clock. This allows you to arrange your work schedule around other things, like appointments for yourself and your children.
3. No Commute
When you do freelance work from home, you don’t have to worry about a commute. This is great news for those who are sick of sitting in Singapore’s traffic every morning and evening on their way to and from work. You get to save money on fuel, save time, and avoid the stress and headaches that come with a typical commute.
4. Gain Valuable Professional Skills
When you work as a freelancer, you will naturally become more skilled in whatever type of work you decide to do — writing, programming, design, etc. However, you’ll also gain a lot of other valuable skills that you can use to better serve your clients or take with you to other jobs if/when you decide to reenter the traditional workforce. For example, you’ll become better at managing your time, meeting deadlines, and handling administrative tasks like scheduling, filing, and sending invoices.
5. More Autonomy
Lots of people who are considering doing freelance work from home are intrigued by the idea of having more autonomy during their workday. If you’re someone who doesn’t like being watched over by a boss all day, or if you prefer to work alone at your own pace, you may prefer a profession as a freelancer.
6. Higher Earning Potential
In some cases, freelancers can earn more than they can when working in a traditional environment. An article published by AXA Singapore explains that for freelancers, there’s no need to ask one’s boss for a raise. You get to set your own fees and decide how much work you take on — both of which can allow you to earn more than your peers who are doing the same work on a non-freelance basis.
7. Increased Job Satisfaction
Many freelance workers experience higher rates of job satisfaction compared to those who take a more traditional route. According to the Singapore University of Social Sciences, most gig workers and freelancers in this country are satisfied with their jobs. They’re also seeking out these opportunities voluntarily, rather than turning to them as a last resort.
7 Challenges of Doing Freelance Work from Home Jobs in Singapore
While certain benefits come with doing freelance jobs online from home, there are some potential downsides as well, including these:
1. Lack of Stable Income
A potential downside to freelance work is the fact that your income is far less stable than it would be if you were working a traditional salary job or working as an hourly employee. If you decide to work as a freelancer, you’ll need to be dedicated to finding new clients or keeping your existing clients around if you want to make sure you’re bringing in enough money to pay your bills.
2. Taxes
Freelancers do not have income taxes taken out of their paychecks. They have to set that money aside on their own to avoid being hit with large tax bills and penalties.
If your income is higher than S$20,000 in a year, you’ll need to pay taxes to IRAS. Your tax rate will range from 2 to 24 per cent depending on your income.
3. No Full-Time Employment Benefits
As a freelancer who works from home, you will miss out on full-time employment benefits available to Singaporeans, too. This includes things like sick leave, maternity leave, healthcare benefits, contributions to retirement funds, and housing allowances. You’ll need to make sure you’re earning enough from your freelance work to make up for these lost benefits.
4. Increased Risk of Loneliness
When you do freelance work from home, your chances of loneliness go up. This is especially true if you also live alone. Some people, particularly extroverted people, struggle to work alone and not interact with coworkers all day. If this is true for you, you may not enjoy working as a freelancer for very long unless you find other ways to build socialisation into your day.
5. Difficulty Building Clientele
It takes a while to build up a solid client base as a freelancer. It will likely be several months before you have a consistent stream of clients and work coming your way. To combat unpredictable income during this period, make sure you have enough money saved to get you through the lean times.
6. Increased Distractions
Some people find that they face more distractions when working from home as a freelancer than they did working in a traditional office. If you have kids or pets running around, there is a particularly high chance that you’ll run into this issue. You’ll need to make sure you have a dedicated workspace — preferably one with a door — to avoid letting distractions interfere with your productivity.
7. Difficulty Setting Boundaries
Freelancers also need to get good at setting boundaries at saying “no.” For some, being able to work any time and anywhere means they end up working at no time and nowhere. You get to set your own schedule, but you still need to have a schedule. Otherwise, you will struggle with low productivity and have a hard time earning enough money.
How to Find Freelance Work from Home Jobs in Singapore
If you’re ready to try your hand at doing freelance jobs from home, you need to look for openings in the right places. Here are some of the best strategies to implement if you want to find a freelance job in Singapore — or one that’s open to Singapore residents:
Use GrabJobs
One of the best places to go to find freelance work-from-home jobs in Singapore is GrabJobs.
GrabJobs is far more than just a job search site. It’s a free online jobs platform that’s used by millions of job seekers from all over the world. Tens of thousands of businesses post ads on this site, too, including businesses that are looking to partner with freelancers.
GrabJobs is powered by AI and uses sophisticated technology to help you find the best matches. It also provides a full library of resources that you can use to increase your chances of finding jobs, including guides on how to market yourself and increase your skills.
GrabJobs allows you to apply for jobs and freelance gigs without a CV, too, so you can speed up the search process and find the right fit in no time.
Promote Yourself on Freelancer Sites
As a freelancer, you need to be good at selling yourself and convincing others that you’re a good fit for their brand.
One way to do this is by advertising your services on job sites geared toward freelancers. This includes platforms like Fiverr and Upwork.
These sites make it easy for you to post listings explaining what you do, how much you charge, and how quickly you can turn projects around. They also provide a safe, secure place for you to connect with potential clients and chat about their needs and goals.
At first, it can be a bit intimidating to promote yourself on a freelancer site. With a bit of practice, though, you can create an enticing ad that gets people interested in your services in no time.
Spread the Word on Social Media
Don’t underestimate the power of your social media network when it comes to finding freelance work, either. You never know when your friends or family members — as well as their friends and family members — require services like the ones you offer.
By spreading the word on social media and inviting people to check out your website or reach out to you for a quote, you’re planting important seeds. Even if someone doesn’t need your help right now, they might in the future, and they’ll be more inclined to think of you after seeing your posts.
Look at Online Classified Ads
Online classified ads can be good tools for finding freelance gigs, too. Lots of businesses post ads on classified sites when they need help from a freelancer, so they’re worth checking out when you’re looking for work.
Be sure to check back regularly when consulting classified ads as well. These sites get updated daily — or sometimes several times per day — so you need to be consistent unless you want to miss out on potential opportunities.
Top 5 Freelance Work from Home Jobs in Singapore
Singapore offers plenty of opportunities for freelance jobs from home. If you want to find a job that provides a high salary and enough work to keep you busy, here are 5 of the best positions worth considering:
Do you know a lot about a particular subject? Do you have a specific skill that you want to teach others? If so, a job as a freelance tutor could be a perfect fit.
Freelance tutors work with clients — often students, but not always — and help them to improve their knowledge and skills in one or more areas. For example, they might help a student get better at math or writing, or they might teach someone who’s interested in web development how to write code.
As a tutor, you can work from home and connect with clients via video, phone, or email at times that best suit you and your schedule. On average, tutors can earn $45,152 per year in Singapore.
Do have experience in marketing? Are you a seasoned social media user?
If you know the ins and outs of social media — not just how to create posts for various platforms but how to review analytics and put together content that people truly want to see — you may have an opportunity to earn money as a freelance social media marketing specialist.
Lots of businesses in Singapore need help to build their online brand and improve their social media performance. Working as a social media marketing specialist is a good way to earn a living while also putting your skills to good use and doing what you love.
The average salary for a social media marketing specialist is $46,285 per year, but you’ll likely be able to earn a lot more as you gain experience and build your client list.
A copywriter is another type of marketing professional who can earn a good living while working as a freelancer.
Copywriters write a wide range of marketing materials for their clients, from blog posts and eBooks to guides and email copy. They’re responsible for getting to know their clients’ brand voice, writing to their exact specifications, and proofreading copy to ensure it’s clear, concise, and appeals to the brand’s target audience.
On average, copywriters in Singapore earn a salary of $53,631 per year.
Singapore has often been referred to as the Silicon Valley of Asia. There are tons of tech professionals — including web developers — who work here, primarily as part of large and medium-sized companies. However, there is also a growing market for freelance web developers.
If you have an in-depth ofknowledge of various programming languages and are confident in your ability to design and create high-quality, high-performing websites, you’ll likely find that there are lots of opportunities to earn a living as a freelance web developer in Singapore.
On average, web developers earn a salary of $56,836 per year. Depending on the types of clients you work with and the complexity of the websites you build, though, you may have a chance to earn much more.
Do you have a past life as an executive, business manager, or business analyst?
If you’re tired of the corporate life and want to earn a living as a freelancer, you may want to consider working for yourself as a business consultant. You can charge businesses for your service and offer advice on how they can improve their processes, overcome obstacles, and achieve better results.
The best business consultants will have plenty of business experience under their belts. They’ll also be adept at sharing their knowledge with other professionals and helping them create plans to improve their own companies.
Business consultants can earn a great living in Singapore, with an average salary of $74,573 per year.
Find Freelance Work from Home Jobs in Singapore Today
Now that you know more about doing freelance work from home jobs in Singapore, it’s time to begin your search and find the job that’s the best fit for you.
Follow the strategies outlined in this guide and you’ll be able to find a freelance job that allows you to use your skills, enjoy all the benefits of being your own boss, and earn a good living. This is especially true if you use GrabJobs.
GrabJobs lets you filter your search by all kinds of criteria and connects you with the best matches before you know it. It’s totally free, too, so you’ve got nothing to lose by trying it out.
Give GrabJobs a shot today and see for yourself why millions of job seekers rely on it!
