Image of stylish girl using computer from shutterstock.
The transition from full-time employment to freelancing can be pretty terrifying. Moonlighting with a job like writing or web design while holding down a 9-5 is challenging enough. But sometimes, life makes your decisions for you – and in an instant, you find yourself without permanent employ.
I recently became a freelance writer after my full-time career came to an end.
Fortunately, my departure from the technology consulting company I was working for was amicable; I’ve already collaborated with them on writing projects, and I hope to continue with it. The old adage about not burning your bridges rings true in my case…I’d already been writing part-time while I was employed, so I just hit the ground running when I “decided” to pursue a full-time writing career.
It’s not that easy for everyone, though. So here are a few recommendations I would make to anyone considering a shot a freelance:
- Create a schedule so you can create a balance between marketing your services, honing your craft and delivering on projects.
- Don’t undervalue your services. Set rates which you can live on, and stick to them. You can’t deliver all the time, price your services based on less than a 40 hour work week.
- Never stop learning. You might be great at what you do, but there’s always room for improvement. If you’re a creative type, bolster your skills repertoire with a writing course. A writer? Brush up on your copyediting skills, or take a communications or SEO course to help make yourself more marketable.
- Pick a niche you love, so your craft is less like work. Baking cupcakes? Making felt sculptures? Landscaping? Whatever it is, make sure you can picture yourself doing it for the long haul.
- Form partnerships with people who can help build your business.
- Constantly seek out new sources of business. You need to have a base of “anchor” customers, and a group of ad hoc customers. Network. Ask friends. Advertise on LinkedIn or other social media. Word of mouth is a great way of gaining traction in your new career path.
There are just some of the tips that I’ve used in my own freelance journey. I hope you find them of some use.
Mark Burdon is a marketing and sales professional in Barrie, with about twenty years of experience in the Information, Communications and Telecommunications industries. His work has appeared in the Financial Post, Intuit’s Canadian Small Business blog, HireVue for Sales, and the Atomic Reach Content Marketing blog. Mark is a Broadcast Journalism grad from Loyalist College.
What other tips and advice do you have for newbie freelancers? We’d like to hear from you! Leave your comments below.