How to Find Freelance Jobs That Align with Your Values

Its been said that people do their best work when they are working on things they are passionate about. This is why its so important to find freelance jobs that are in line with your values. 

As a freelancer, if youre continually working on projects that youre passionate about then youre going to produce higher quality work. This will allow you to request higher rates for your services and build a more sustainable business for yourself.

But more importantly, if youre always doing work that you believe in youll be happier and will feel much more fulfilled.

Here are some tips to find freelance jobs that align with your values.

Before you can find jobs that align with your values youll need to define what your values are and whats important to you.

To do this, start by asking yourself a few questions:

• What makes you feel happy and fulfilled? Think of the times in your life when you were happiest. What were you doing and what factors contributed to your happiness?
• Who do you admire? We often admire people because they embody values that are important to us, so look to those you admire and consider why you admire them.
• What are your goals? Think about what will make you happy in the future and what you will need to do to achieve your goals.

Based on the answers to these questions you should be able to start defining what your most important values are. Try to make a list of your top values so you can keep them in mind when choosing future jobs and projects. 

Youll want to revisit your values every so often, as they will likely change and evolve throughout your life.

When youre looking for work, it can be tempting to simply search for freelance jobs that youre qualified for and that meet your payment expectations. But if you want to find work that is truly fulfilling then youll need to be a little more particular about the jobs you take on.

Look for jobs that deal with subjects youre interested in. Or better yet, find jobs that support causes that are important to you. For example, if youre passionate about animals search out opportunities to do work for clients such as veterinarians, animals shelters, and animal rights activists.

When youre considering a job, consult the list of values you created and ask yourself whether the job youre applying for is true to those values. If not, it might be a good idea to move on and find a job thats better suited to your interests. 

Finding clients that align with your values is just as important as finding the right job. If you and your clients have opposing values and beliefs its going to lead to a difficult working relationship.

So, when youre considering a potential job make sure to research the client or organization thats offering the opportunity to ensure they are a good fit for you. If they have a website make sure to review it. See if you can find their mission statement or any information on their goals and objectives.

Of course, what an organization says about itself and how it actually acts can sometimes be different, which is why you should also seek out reviews. Look for reviews from customers to see what their experience with the organization has been like. Youll also want to find reviews from past employees and freelancers to ensure they were treated well during their time with the client.

Finally, see what kind of accreditations the organization has. For example, Certified B Corporations are organizations that meet extremely high standards of social and environmental awareness, public transparency, and legal accountability. These types of certifications can tell you a lot about an organizations values.

Its not uncommon for freelancers to feel like they have to accept every job thats given to them. But the truth is if you want to find freelance jobs that align with your values you must first turn down the ones that dont.

Its simply impossible to do your best work when youre not passionate about what youre doing. If the project or client isnt in line with your beliefs the quality of your work will inevitably suffer. And thats not fair to you or the client.

Plus, every job you accept means there will be one or two projects down the road that you may have to decline. You dont want to be put in a situation where you have to turn down work that really excites you because youre stuck doing work thats not bringing you any fulfilment.

Remember, as a freelancer youre not obligated to accept every offer youre given. Theres nothing wrong with declining work while you wait for an opportunity thats more in line with your values.

Are you committed to finding more fulfilling projects and want to work for clients with high moral standards? Work for Impact is a freelance platform that offers jobs solely from socially and environmentally responsible organizations, and nonprofits. 

We screen all of our clients before allowing them to post jobs on our site so freelancers can be sure they are working for organizations that adhere to ethical business practices. We also offer a number of impactful job opportunities that will help freelancers make a difference around the globe.

Click here to sign up for Work for Impact and start discovering more meaningful freelance opportunities.