A few years ago, I made a huge career pivot. I walked away from a 15-year career in fintech product management and stepped into the worlds of content marketing and journalism. Writing was my first love, before I fell into a tech career of SQL queries and GitHub commits.

But here’s the funny thing about switching careers: nobody cares what you used to do. Especially in freelancing. Clients care about what you can do for them right now.

If you’re changing fields or building a solo business from scratch, you have a huge advantage. You have skills that other freelancers don't have. You just have to figure out how to communicate them.

Why this matters for freelancers

Freelancing has exploded. In the U.S., the number of independent workers has increased by 89% between 2020 and 2023, according to a report by MBO Partners, a talent solution firm. With that comes a new reality: you're competing against a lot of other freelancers for the same work.

To get hired, you need to stand out. That's harder when you've changed careers and may not have a solid portfolio, testimonials, or range of experience like other freelancers.

But you can overcome that lack of freelancing expertise by emphasizing other experience from your past career. Namely, you'll want to focus on transferable skills and your freelancer positioning.

What are transferable skills?

Transferable skills are skills that apply across industries. When you're applying for freelance roles, you can assume that other freelancers can do the work the client is looking for. So you'll want to emphasize your transferable skills from your past career, such as communication, decision-making, and project management.

One thing I've found is that many freelancers are not good project managers. So I emphasize to clients that I'm organized and will deliver work on time and as-promised.

What does “freelancer positioning” mean?

Freelancer positioning is how you define the value you bring, who you serve, and why someone should hire you instead of any other writer, designer, consultant, or strategist.

Right on my website, I include the line "I'm a former tech executive and product manager." That gives credibility to my expertise, even though I changed industries.

Why does your past experience matter? You'll want to state it directly for potential clients. That's where freelance positioning comes in.

Tip: Try to come up with a single line you can use repeatedly to convey your experience when you talk to clients.

My career pivot as a freelancer (and what it taught me)

When I left my job, my resume didn’t scream “professional writer.” Content roles increasingly required SEO, analytics, funnel strategy, and A/B testing tools — and I had experience with exactly none of these. My resume told a completely different story from the career I wanted.

But everything I'd learned in my prior career had come from learning on the job. I was an English major, not a finance major. Banking knowledge came from working at a bank. SQL skills came from working at a software company.

I knew I could learn, if given the chance. That's the hurdle I had to overcome: convincing someone that my existing skills were valuable, and that I could learn new skills quickly.

4-step framework to translate your skills into a freelance career

Still not sure how to make your past experience stand out? Here are a few tactics to consider.

1. Identify your unique experiences

This is the combination of things you know, lived experiences, and industry context that freelancers don't have.

For example, I had a ton of experience running complex projects. In addition to the project management, this also required clear communication. I explain to clients that I'll always be transparent about my turnaround time, availability, and if I have any questions along the way.

You can do this in your outreach, whether it's cold outreach or replying to a freelance job posting. Mirror what the client is looking for.

• Replying to a job posting: “You’re looking for someone who can simplify complex topics…”
• Cold outreach: “As a company in X industry, you need a freelancer who understands Y topics..."

Then, introduce yourself with your one-line of freelance positioning. If you have examples of work from your portfolio, send those along.

Your outreach becomes much more effective when you map your experience directly to the client's needs.

Win Clients Without Pitching

Combine buyer psychology and realistic expectations.

Anna Burgess YangAnna Burgess Yang

2. Connect your past work to what clients need today

Even if you've not done the exact work clients are looking for, you've likely done something similar or relevant.

If you wrote documentation? That’s content creation.
If you led meetings? That’s facilitation and communication.
If you managed a product roadmap? That’s strategy + storytelling.

Your background supports your freelance work — even if it looks unrelated on paper. Add it to your freelance positioning and figure out ways to weave your past work into your conversations with potential clients.

Do NOT lie. That's not the way to build trust with clients, even if you feel like you could learn quickly on the job. What I do is usually say something like, "I haven't done X type of work specifically, but I've done similar work with Y and Z past experiences."

3. Fill the genuine skill gaps strategically

Learn the tools you’ll need in your specific niche, not every tool in your new industry.

I've never learned Google Analytics. I realized that I don't need it. When I write for clients, they track the post performance on their end; they don't expect me to do that. I learned the fundamentals of SEO and left the analytics to the client.

You only need to learn the new skills you'll actually need.

4. Communicate your ability to learn

You don’t need to pretend to be an expert in everything, but you need to prove you can learn fast.

One way to do this is to consistently update your online portfolio. As soon as you complete a project that showcases new skills, add it. That way, clients can see that you've accomplished a lot in a short period of time.

Common mistakes freelancers make with career pivots

• Trying to become an expert in everything
• Hiding their lack of certain skills instead of reframing it
• Sending generic pitches
• Underplaying strengths because they feel irrelevant to a new industry
• Forgetting that communication and project management are skill clients value highly

Another valuable asset: community

What surprised me most about becoming a freelancer was the support. People inside and outside my network cheered me on. Colleagues sent leads. Fellow freelance writers and creatives offered advice.

And that community was the thing that carried me through the initial uncertainty.

At the time, I had no idea what my “future career” would look like. Freelancers rarely do. It's hard to build a sustainable business.

But with the right freelancer positioning, you can turn your past career into a huge strength rather than a shortcoming.

Freelance pricing is hard to figure out,
but I’ve created a free resource for fellow writers.

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