When most people think about freelancing, especially in creative fields like design, they imagine portfolios full of stunning visuals, carefully curated Instagram feeds, and a list of impressive clients. And sure, the work matters. You need hard skills. But you know what’s often overlooked?
SOFT SKILLS.
I’m talking about communication, reliability, adaptability, and all those “boring” things that don’t make it into flashy Instagram posts. In my experience, soft skills are what actually get you hired (and re-hired).
I’ve been a full-time freelancer for five years now. But before that, I had jobs that had nothing to do with design: call centers, retail, you name it. Looking back, I wish I had taken even more from those experiences.
I know for a fact that every single one of those jobs taught me the soft skills that now set me apart as a freelancer.
✔ How to talk to people.✔ How to handle feedback without taking it personally.✔ How to explain things clearly and concisely.✔ How to keep things moving, no matter what.
And these things matter way more than people think.
When I first started freelancing, I didn’t offer discovery calls. I’d just send proposals, cross my fingers, and hope for the best.
But everything changed when I started offering free discovery calls.
My conversion rate jumped, because people want to know who they’re working with, not just what you can do. They want to hear you explain your process, see if your vibe matches theirs, and feel like you’re someone they can trust.
I realized that people were hiring me just as much for my personality and how I explained things during those calls as they were for my actual design skills.
💡 Tip: If you’re not offering discovery calls yet, start. Even a quick 15-minute chat can make the difference between “Maybe later” and “When can we start?”
If there’s one thing that almost every single one of my clients mentions? It’s that I go above and beyond—and most importantly, I listen to their needs.
Seems obvious, right? But you’d be surprised how many freelancers don’t do this.
Clients want to feel heard. They’re coming to you because they have a vision but need an expert to bring it to life. If you just assume you know what they want without listening, you’ll miss the mark.
And going the extra mile doesn’t have to mean working overtime. It means:✔ Delivering a project a day early.✔ Adding a small bonus graphic they didn’t expect.✔ Sending a Loom video explaining your design decisions.
These small things make a huge difference.
Hot take alert: I don’t think anyone should dive straight into freelancing without at least one full-time job under their belt.
Why? Because a full-time job teaches you things freelancing alone won’t:
My experience in call centers taught me how to explain things clearly to people who had no context. My time in retail showed me how to handle tricky conversations with grace.
Freelancing is more than just delivering work; it’s about managing relationships, timelines, and expectations. And full-time jobs prepare you for that in a way nothing else really can, at least not as quick.
You know what still brings a steady stream of visitors to my website and digital products?
Day-in-the-life YouTube content.
Wild, right? You’d think it would be tutorials or design tips, but no—people want to see who you are beyond your portfolio. They want to know what your day-to-day looks like, how you organize your time, and what it’s actually like working with you.
People hire people. Not portfolios. Not perfectly curated Instagram grids.
Let me tell you about the time I almost hired someone to handle my socials, but didn’t.
They had the skills. Their portfolio looked solid. But their communication was a nightmare. Their tech setup was a mess. They didn’t have proper systems in place; they didn’t know how to accept international payments, didn’t have an easy contract-signing process, and I had to explain what I needed like ten times, through calls and questionnaires.
It was exhausting. And I passed.
If you’re freelancing, you need to:
Skills will get you noticed. Soft skills will get you hired.
To wrap this up: if you’re freelancing or thinking about it, here are the soft skills you need to level up:
💬 Communication: Be clear. Over-communicate if you have to. Your clients should never be left guessing.
⏳ Reliability: Deliver on time. Always. If you say you’ll send something Friday, they should have it by Friday.
🎧 Listening: Actually hear what your clients are saying. They know their business inside out.
⚡ Problem-Solving: Things will go wrong. Clients will change their minds. Your job is to stay calm and figure it out.
🗂️ Organization: Have your systems together—contracts, payments, timelines. Make working with you the easiest part of your client’s day.
I know it’s tempting to think that freelancing success is all about having the best designs, the most creative portfolio, or the coolest branding. But it really is about being someone people want to work with.
Soft skills those are what keep clients coming back. They’re what turn one-off gigs into long-term partnerships.
✨ Want to know more about my freelancing journey and how soft skills shaped it? Check out my latest YouTube video where I get into all the details.