Starting freelancing is not an easy decision. The first weeks / months of a fresh freelancer are far from being a walk in the park. You have to build a portfolio, learn how to schedule work, accept lower rates sometimes (to build that portfolio in the first place and get the first clients), come up with new expenses, at the moment your wallet doesn't look too "good" either.

And, on top of all these, uncertainty. Doubting yourself. You read countless articles about freelancing, you see portfolios with good looking young men (there are a lot of women freelancing, but mainly this is the image) in their 20s or 30s and you feel inadequate.

Yes, you're 15. Or the other category of future to be freelancers currently doubting themselves, 55. What are your chances in this market? Who does take seriously a kid? Or a grandfather? Why start freelancing anyway, if your clients will roll their eyes finding about your age?

Let's see:

1. Not all clients are reluctant to work with under-aged people or (less chances of a problem anyway) with people who are maybe "too old". In my old days as a forum admin, I have worked with a moderators team made up of young people. I have paid people for various projects and they were 13. As long as the work was done properly and I was pleased with it, there was no problem from my side.

Still, if you are under-aged, please consider discussing your career with your parents. In many cases you'll need an adult to help with the financial issues and any problems that might arise. I would personally have nothing against my kid being a freelancer, as long as I KNOW IT and can support him.

People of age shouldn't have any legal problems with working on a project, so I think in many cases it's just the need to be confident in their skills and work will come. Again, as a potential buyer, I would have nothing against working with a more mature provider.

2. You don't quite have to advertise your age.

I never understood people who have to give way too many personal details. Sure, my portfolio will include all kinds of information, but in many cases age is not quite such an important detail. When a potential client is interested in your work, maybe he's not that interested in who you actually are.

As a young provider, having your parent back you up, is a good idea, I'll say this again. Any client who might be wary of hiring you, should know you work under an adult supervision, so the relationship doesn't include just the under-aged provider.

3. Have a killer portfolio and advertise your strengths

Clients hire people with good portfolios, feedback (if you are on a freelancing job site) and rates. They are interested in getting the best work done in a given time-frame and budget. Most of them don't quite really care their provider is 17 or 70.

What I am trying to say here is that your age shouldn't be a deciding factor when you consider starting freelancing. There are many other problems to think of, strategies and worries, don't let age come into this too.

If you are good and want to make money, you will make it. Simple as that. And you won't be looked for and well paid by clients because of your age. They pay for quality of work, not the number of candles you've blown last time for your birthday wishes.

I'm a translator, and I know exactly what you mean. I took me about a 9 months to be recognized for doing a great job, but ever since I get work almost always. And, even though my 'portfolio' can't be shown to anyone - confidentiality matters - the people I work with most frequently have seen I do a good, on time job, and have even started to refer me to others.

Hello Andra and welcome to the community

Being a woman freelancing can sometimes be even harder. How old were you when you started?

Doing a good job is always the "secret" to get people to work with you and recommend your services. That confidentiality clause can be indeed tricky, since it prevents you from showing your work to other potential clients.

I'm glad you posted this, because I completely agree.
I'm 15, but my work is just as good as (if not better than) people older than me.
I don't advertise my age though. I say that I am a student, which most people take to mean college student. In reality I am a high school student (although I will be entering college in 2011).

Ha, never thought we have someone as young here

That's great. You do "sound" like an adult, so it means I was pretty right with my article. You have a lot of good things ahead, if you started out this young.

I was 24. Not so young as other, but basically this is the age I had when I decided this is what I wanted to do.

He he... I was 24 too, when I realized there's money to me made from the web. But I never pursued this career till I was 31 and out of my initial job. I just "tested" the waters so to say for some years, built up a portfolio and a network and just tried to have some fun online. Last year I had to take it seriously

I have just got into freelancing after getting myself a job with little to do, still into the phase of building a portfolio, getting first few jobs, learning prototyping, I hope I get to the track fast joining here, really looking forward to few jobs.

I was 14 when i started free lancing ..
I've done a lot of projects ..
from auto cad to photoshops ..
invitations and typing jobs ..
it's really hard to get trust at first .. but with hardwork and determination i did make it to where i am now

wanna ask,
is it okay if we make several account on freelance website, then we start giving a reputation to each account that we made.?
is it possible?