Are you interested in a brighter future as a building information modeling (BIM) technician? If you’re interested in construction, architecture, or technology, a career in BIM could be for you. At Digital School, students can become fully qualified in just six months. Classes are available online and are instructor led, and students can choose to study on a full-time or part-time basis.
After graduating, BIM technicians can work with designers, project managers, engineers, and more. You could work for a large corporation, a small start-up, or even go freelance. Freelancers can enjoy flexible working hours, a variety of work, and essentially be their own boss. But it’s not easy! Read on for a short introductory guide to working as a freelance BIM technician.
Build Your Network
Your most valuable asset on your journey to becoming a successful freelancer is your connections. You will need to know a list of potential clients in order to secure regular work and generate a reliable income. The easiest way to do this is through social media. When you become a BIM technician, you could use LinkedIn to connect with other professionals in the industry. Make sure that your profile is up to date with your experience and qualifications highlighted.
As well as this, ask any previous clients to leave a testimonial on your profile. Other social media sites like Facebook and Instagram can also be useful to reach new clients. While these are not traditionally used in a professional setting, potential clients may come across your profile, so do add to any bios that you are available as a freelance BIM technician. Facebook in particular has groups dedicated to freelancers and those working in construction and architecture. Joining these could help you source additional freelance work. This is all part of marketing yourself.
Use social media sites like LinkedIn to build your network and find future clients
If you are not an avid social media user, you might prefer to network face to face. Look out for industry themed events and panels. You could attend as a speaker or a guest, and use it as an opportunity to connect with other professionals.
Learn As a Freelancer After Online BIM Training
You might think that as a freelancer you would have less learning opportunities than in a company where there are career development programs and training sessions available. However, you might actually find that you learn more as a freelancer and gain more work experience. This is because you could have the opportunity to learn with lots of different companies across lots of different sectors if you freelance after BIM technician training.
If you choose to work for yourself, you will also develop other skills like project management, basic accounting, time management, and more. These will be valuable throughout your future career.
Enjoy More Flexibility
The main appeal of freelancing is the flexibility it offers. It means that you can balance work with other commitments like family after online BIM training. You will have the freedom to choose the work that you want to complete and when.
However, this does have its disadvantages. As a freelancer, you will need to estimate how long a project will take you. The standard advice is to guess the time that you need and double it. This will help ensure that you will have the extra time you need to research, fix any errors, and answer any queries. This extra time could be crucial—especially if you charge per hour.
At Digital School, students receive hands-on practical training to transform their future careers. You will be part of a creative and ambitious community, with access to support from trained and experienced instructors. Together, all that support can help you graduate feeling prepared for your career, whether you choose to make it at an established company or work on a freelance basis.
Are you ready to pursue your passion?
