Any person who offers their services on a freelance basis applies the skills and knowledge described in this unit.

Generally speaking, people move into freelance work after consolidating their skills as employees.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Promote yourself to potential employers

1. Establish, follow up and regularly maintain business contacts within industry

2. Participate in relevant networks to support your freelance activity

3. Identify and follow appropriate strategies to enhance your professional reputation

4. Maximise your reputation by circulating current and succinct information about your experience

5. Join and maintain regular contact with relevant employment networks

6. Advertise your services in relevant media outlets as required

7. Produce and distribute promotional material as required

Negotiate work arrangements

8. Establish clear performance outcomes for jobs and agree on fees, schedules and expenses

9. Ensure that contracts contain payment terms and conditions that provide a viable cash flow

10. Ensure that contracts contain a clear statement of the obligations of all parties and a process for varying terms and conditions

11. Ensure that the terms of contracts match agreements and securely store written copies of final signed contracts for reference during the course of jobs

12. Negotiate variations to contracts as required

13. Seek specialist advice in the development of contracts where appropriate

14. Be willing to adapt to the demands of others, but without compromising your personal work ethic and reputation

15. Be prepared to reject work offers that do not provide sufficient financial remuneration or job satisfaction

Manage financial and business aspects of freelance work

16. Seek advice on and determine the most appropriate way of operating as a freelancer

17. Set up and use effective systems for managing budgets, finance and paperwork

18. Establish and maintain effective support services

19. Establish a realistic fee structure that takes into account all factors associated with your freelance activity

20. Plan ahead to organise and maintain a viable work and cash flow

21. Send invoices in line with payment terms and conditions and follow up any non-payment of invoices promptly and in a businesslike manner

22. Keep simple but accurate and up-to-date accounts and records

23. Submit annual tax returns, using the services of an accountant as required

24. Comply with regulatory, taxation and insurance requirements relevant to freelance activities

Undertake strategic planning

25. Identify and implement strategies that help identify work opportunities at an early stage

26. Seek constructive feedback from relevant people about your performance and evaluate feedback to identify personal development needs

27. Identify opportunities for ongoing professional development and take appropriate action to ensure that your skills and knowledge keep pace with industry developments

28. Identify and act on opportunities to expand your client base, either alone or in partnership with other freelancers

29. Regularly revisit, review and set realistic objectives

30. Continually monitor and analyse work options against quality of life, and artistic and commercial outcomes

31. Identify risk factors and take action to minimise risk when planning work activities

Required skills

communication literacy skills sufficient to:

establish and maintain industry networks

write resume's and other promotional material for potential employers

clarify work requirements

negotiate with clients or employers to achieve mutually acceptable outcomes

present confidently in a job interview situation

seek and act on feedback from others

problem-solving skills sufficient to factor in a range of costs when establishing fee structures

planning and organising skills sufficient to:

plan work to maximise cash flow

prepare and circulate self-promotional material to potential clients or employers

establish and maintain personal financial and work record-keeping systems

plan for contingencies

develop personal budgets and monitor income and expenditure against budgets

initiative and enterprise in the context of:

being proactive in identifying and following through on work opportunities

developing a strategic approach to maximising return from freelance activity

balancing work and personal commitments

self-management skills sufficient to:

prioritise work tasks

complete work according to contract terms and conditions

make decisions within level of own responsibility

seek expert assistance when problems arise

learning skills sufficient to:

keep breast of industry developments relevant to own area of work

participate in professional development activities

technical skills sufficient to:

use the internet as a source of information

use standard word processing, spreadsheet and database applications

Required knowledge

well-developed understanding of the relevant industry sector, including:

profile of major employers

industry networks

issues and challenges that arise in seeking freelance work

industry codes of practice

licensing requirements

sources of information about regulatory, taxation, insurance and OHS requirements in relation to offering services as a freelancer

typical formats for presenting resumés

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the following is essential:

preparation of resume's and other material to promote oneself to potential clients or employers

ability to:

negotiate work contracts

develop and maintain industry contacts

participate in industry networks

develop and maintain an effective financial record-keeping system

develop work plans that take account of the need for adequate cash flow.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

access to a range of relevant and current industry information and networks

access to office equipment and resources

access to examples of work contracts

access to appropriate learning and assessment support when required

use of culturally appropriate processes and techniques appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of learners and the work being performed.

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance

observation of the candidate negotiating a work contract or being interviewed for a job

written or oral questioning to test knowledge as listed in the required skills and knowledge section of this unit

case studies to assess ability to undertake strategic planning when developing freelance work opportunities.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

CUFIND402A Develop screen and media specialist expertise

BSBREL401A Establish networks.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Networks may include

chambers of commerce

community organisations

industry professional associations

lobby groups

unions.

Strategies may include:

developing a personal website to showcase your achievements and to promote your services

entering competitions

offering your services to educational institutions as a guest tutor or lecturer

seeking industry awards.

Information may include:

achievements

availability

awards

client list

contact details

past work

portfolio of work

rates

referees

show reels

skills

testimonials

URL of personal website.

Employment networks may include:

agents

Centrelink

industry professional associations

online employment agencies

unions.

Support services may include:

accountants

couriers

design services

equipment repair and maintenance services

film laboratories

financial planners

government agencies

printers

tax consultants.

Factors may include:

advertising and promotional costs

equipment costs such as:

purchase of new equipment

maintenance

hire and leasing arrangements

insurance

materials

overheads, e.g.:

telephone

rent

superannuation

workers' compensation

rates recommended by industry bodies

travel time and car expenses

any other work-related expenses.

Records may include:

computer-based:

spreadsheets

accounting software applications, e.g. MYOB and Quicken

databases

project management software applications

filing system for receipts and invoices

manual:

financial ledgers and journals

petty cash records

invoices

receipts.

Regulatory, taxation and insurance requirements may include:

insurance:

third-party insurance on motor vehicles

workers' compensation

comprehensive insurance for vehicles, property or equipment

public liability insurance

professional indemnity insurance

other insurance cover as required by state or federal legislation, or contractual obligations

regulation:

OHS legislation

business registrations and licences

planning and other permissions

environmental legislation

duty of care

equal employment opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation

anti-competition regulations

taxation:

tax file number

ABN

GST registration

BAS and GST returns

PAYG and withholding arrangements

other taxation obligations.

Relevant people may include:

clients

colleagues

employers

mentors

officers at employment agencies.

Objectives may relate to:

business and financial targets

job satisfaction

performance and progress

quality of life

training needs

use of time and other resources in achieving objectives.

Unit sector

Industry capability - industry context

This unit contains employability skills.