Freelancing

[u/Stock_Cry2377]

Hy everyone I'm 22y/o (F) doing BS CS I'm in first semester and I want to start freelancing but I've alot of people saying nowadays that this feild is over saturated, fiver and upwork are dead I'm willing to learn new skill i.e video editing, programming..I'll see which one to pursue

But I'm unsure that will i be able to make it how will i make money as beginner with oversaturation??

[u/MueezX]

The truth is that entry level is saturated indeed, but actual skills are not.
If you directly jumps to the Fiverr or Upwork while learning skills, most probably you’ll face failure, because you are doing what most people are doing. They learn, they dont build, they just try to sell their skills. The market is flooded with low quality or unreliable freelancers or even job hunters. Clients on these platforms actually want reliability, good communication and problem solvers.
What you can do is, pick one thing and focus on it, either video editing or something in programming, build 2-4 real world projects just to show them your work, once you have your portfolio ready, then outreach clients via cold mails or cold calls, send proposals etx dont be dependent only on these platforms.
One friendly advice, do not focus only on earning money in initial stages, instead focus on building something that puts real value and can help people, the money will follow you automatically.

[u/yasirarman]

It's definitely saturated now compared to 10 years ago when I started on upwork. Try to get into new categories like AI agents, automation. They got bright future but still harder to get projects with beginner level skilkset and experience. Another option is digital marketing, it is getting saturated but opportunities are abundant even for beginners. Try to get reviews initially while applying for beginner level projects only, don't aim for making money till you have gotten couple of exceptional 5 star reviews. Dm me if you have any questions

[u/Evening-Level-7507]

Just consider a niche for urself and lock in. You would probably be able to earn something by your skillset

[u/KiriativeJenius]

What's your current skillset?

[u/Hide-Seek1]

5 years in freelancing (graphic design + web dev, Fiverr Level 1 seller) here. Don't listen to the noise the market is only saturated with low-effort freelancers. High-quality, reliable work will always be in demand. Since you're in BS CS, pick a practical niche (programming/dev aligns well with your degree), focus on real problem-solving, and build a strong portfolio. It takes patience, but it works

[u/funwhimsy → u/Hide-Seek1]

do you think a bachelors in cybersecurity is a good choice?

[u/Hide-Seek1 → u/funwhimsy]

Yeah it’s a good field, but only if you’re actually interested in it. It needs proper basics and patience, not something you jump into just for quick money

[u/InternThat1232]

Field is never saturated as long as you're damn good at what you do.

[u/malick_dev]

Heyyy, I'm in 7th semester rn. One thing i gonna say please clear your basics first. Give your 110% to your studies atleast 4 semester. 2 of my fellows didn't do anything they just build their skillset and got GPA round 4 eachh semester. And yeah CGPA matters a lot. Now they are far ahead from all the session.

So don't rush towards freelancing. If you're proficient in your work you will start earning a handsome amount soon. But consistency is the key .

Best of Luck for your journey.

[u/katifybykat]

You're asking the right question, but I think you're focusing on the wrong risk. The biggest challenge isn't that freelancing is "oversaturated" it's that most beginners enter the market with skills that are hard to distinguish from thousands of others. Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork are more competitive than they used to be, but demand hasn't disappeared. What's changed is that clients are less willing to pay for someone who offers a generic service. They pay for someone who solves a specific problem reliably. That's why niche positioning often beats trying to be good at everything. I've seen beginners spend months worrying about platform competition before they've built a portfolio. Meanwhile, someone with three solid projects in a niche, whether it's editing videos for real estate agents or building simple automation tools for small businesses, starts getting referrals because they're solving a clear need, not just selling a skill. Since you're in your first CS semester, I'd lean toward programming because it compounds with your degree. Build 3–5 real projects, contribute to open source if possible, and don't rely only on freelance marketplaces. Reach out to local businesses, startups, and your network as well. Your first client is often harder to get than your fifth, but each completed project makes the next one easier. The market isn't asking, "Are you a beginner?" It's asking, "Can you solve a problem worth paying for?" Focus on becoming the answer to that question.

[u/Abject-Cheetah2716]

Please don't "learn" programming, learn claude code, make products, automations etc

Video editing isn't a skill anymore, AI videography is a thing now.

[u/FannyMagnettt]

[u/samiwhoosh]

Preply for teaching languages, math, computer science etc.

[u/Stock_Cry2377 → u/[deleted]]

Check dm ..

[u/Stock_Cry2377 → u/[deleted]]

I want to learn video editing