Introduction

Data is now seen as a global asset. Every business and organisation in the world runs and feeds on it. It helps them understand the consumer’s behaviour and approach towards different products and services, predicting and analysing their decision making and what they desire. Data protection & privacy has opened a wide range of career opportunities not just for people in the STEM field but also for almost everyone, right from HR professional to lawyers to content writers and even people from the management field and academics. This field of study is growing and evolving rapidly, creating new career opportunities, especially for people who want to work abroad and for people who are full-time freelancers.

This blog will give you an idea of how to start your freelance journey in this field. To provide you with a better understanding of what the term “freelance” means- it is not the 9 to 5 pm job that people do when they work for a particular company or organisation. Instead, a freelancer is not associated with any company or organisation but instead works for multiple companies, organisations, and individual clients and gets paid for each task/gig or assignment. Freelancing has gained popularity as it promotes the autonomy of an individual and also because people get paid more as compared to the industry standard salary.

What is CIPP/E?

CIPP/E or Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe is a certification offered by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). IAPP is a globally recognised certification body. CIPP/E covers the perspective of the EU and its regime on data protection, i.e., the GDPR, along with with-its principles, compliance requirements, international data transfers, legislative framework and regulatory institutions. To get certified as CIPP/E, interested candidates must pass the CIPP/E exam.

Reasons why you should get certified

1. One of the reasons for considering a CIPP/E certification is that ‘CIPP’ is a global industry standard for young graduates and professionals seeking a career in privacy, as these certifications are recognised in the privacy domain.
2. The other reason would be that certification shows that the individual has expertise in that particular area; this builds trust both in the organisation and the individual’s clients’.
3. Holding a CIPP/E or any other CIPP certification helps you get noticed among your colleagues as your profile stands out.
4. An individual holding a CIPP/E or other CIPP certification is part of a globally recognised elite group of dedicated data protection practitioners.
5. A CIPP/E certification will surely help an individual during the hiring and promotion.

How to Start?

If you are planning to start your journey into full-time freelancing, you must be confident in your decision and be prepared because freelancing is quite competitive. It is more like shifting from a 9 to a 5 job and becoming a full-time entrepreneur. In freelancing, you will have to be good at the services you must offer to your clients and good in communication, sales, marketing and negotiation. 

Holding a CIPP/E certification will surely help you in your freelance journey, as the potential clients will be able to see all the certifications that you may be having then, as the same will reflect on your profile. Freelancing platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork will give you the right direction in your freelance journey. Such certifications, especially a CIPP certification, will add more value to your freelancing profile. A data protection freelancer can easily earn $25/hr to more than $150/hr; this is not just an assumption. Instead, we have compared the profiles of the data protection freelancers who have the relevant certification (in this case- a CIPP/E certification). Hence, the earnings or remunerations are the exact figures the current freelancers are charging per order.

The following are the services (but not limited to) that you as a data protection freelancer may offer to your potential clients-

1. GDPR compliance requirements for start-ups and organisations;
2. Drafting policies compliant with GDPR;
3. GDPR internal training;
4. Conducting Data Protection Impact Assessment;
5. Conducting audits;
6. Assisting a Data Protection Officer to start-ups and organisations;
7. Data protection consulting;

Conclusion

When it comes to freelancing, you must have patience as you might have to wait for your first order/gig. Since so many freelancers in the market, you will have to stand out to get orders from your potential clients. Multiple factors make your profile stand out in front of the other freelancers. Factors include relevant industry certifications, work experience, presentation of your profile, the price at which you are selling your services and location.