Ask FreelanceSwitch #16: Workload Management, Freelance Video Jobs
In this issue of Ask FreelanceSwitch, Travis King and Thursday Bram look at the drain of working two jobs and how to grab the eye of a video agency.
Ask FreelanceSwitch is a regular column here that allows us to help beginners get a grip on freelancing. If you have a question about freelancing that you want answered, send an email to askfreelanceswitch@gmail.com.
Hit it!
Continue Reading
5 Reasons You May Not Be Ready to Student Freelance
Debating on whether or not you should venture into the world of freelancing while going to school? Wondering if you have what it takes to make it as a student freelancer? Well, below are five reasons why you may not be ready to start that venture after all. But, since I don’t like when people tell me I’m not cut out for something and then give me no pointers on how to become better, I will also explain how you can rectify the issue.
Continue Reading
2 WorkAwesome Posts on Working from Home
Last week our sister site WorkAwesome published two posts on working from home that are great reads for beginning or soon-to-switch freelancers. Find out how to ask your boss to let you work from home, and whether you really should.
How to Ask Your Boss to Work From Home by Mike Vardy:
I’m writing this article from home – where I’d love to do all of my work. Much of my writing is done here, but my day job doesn’t afford me the ability to enjoy the same “luxury.” That’s not to say I don’t do some of my work for my day job at home – that does happen from time to time. Actually, the separation of the two pursuits makes not only for a clear set of responsibilities depending on where I am (for example, I can leave my work at the office should I choose), but it makes for more productivity on the whole.
But many of you have one job. One that you could do just as easily from home. One that you know you could do better from home. So why not do that? How can you go from working at the office to working at home? Here’s a step by step method to get your boss to say “yes” to your request to work from home…
The Benefits of Working From Home by Ana da Silva:
Going to work in an office can be stressful and costly for both employee and employer. Thanks to technology many people have the option of working from home (or off-site at that warm beach somewhere!). For consultants and freelancers there are obvious reasons why you should work from home (you might not have another choice anyway!) but for full-time employees there are financial and personal advantages to working at least a couple days per week from home. Not every profession allows for this flexibility but if yours is one of the many that do, here are some benefits to look into for both employer and employee.
Sorting Through Information on Freelancing
The number of blogs and websites offering up information on freelancing has exploded over the past couple of years. In a way, this is a good thing: the more information freelancers have access to, the better decisions we can make and the more money we can earn. But in other ways, it makes things harder.
Not only do we have to spend time deciding how reliable a particular site is, but we also need to spend at least a little time working, rather than just reading how other people are doing it each day.
Like Pulling Teeth: 5 Steps to Freelancing Success
I was eleven when I removed two of my front teeth with a pair of needle nose pliers.
Many use the phrase, “like pulling teeth” to describe a very difficult process. If you’re just starting out as a freelancer, chances are good that you’ve not yet encountered the tooth-pulling part of the gig.
If you’re a veteran, you already know what I’m talking about. You know about the late nights, uncertainty, and self-doubt in the face of impending deadlines. You know the depth of character and creative tenacity it takes to succeed as a freelancer. It’s not easy. But nobody said it needs to be. I believe freelancing, especially in its early stages, should be much like pulling teeth. Continue Reading
From the Community: Advice for New Freelancers
Recently, the FreelanceSwitch community was asked what simple, one-line advice they would give newly minted freelancers. The result was a surprising and poignant mix of wisdom, humor, and insight on topics such as clients, money, marketing, and keeping one’s sanity. Read on for the best advice from the FreelanceSwitch community! Continue Reading
What’s Your Inner Voice Telling You?
In 2007, I was an employee working with a great company.
My boss was intelligent and inspiring. My coworkers were amicable and worked well as a team. The office environment was entirely casual; no suit and tie required. The pay was acceptable and vacation time fair.
The work was adequate, with some days more challenging than others. Office communication was radically transparent, as the staff would often meet weekly to review the recent triumphs and discuss the goals ahead. By most accounts, I should have been content with my career.
But something was missing.
Kick Starting a Freelance Business… When You Can’t Afford to Fail
Like so many others before me, I realized long ago that freelancing is the only way to take full advantage of life in a free society. We all want greater control over our own daily schedules and future accomplishments. But while many of us can plainly see the allure of never having to ask a boss if we can go on vacation (or take a nap at 2pm), we often don’t view ourselves as entrepreneurs in the traditional sense… you know, those dynamic people who can make a business hum along profitably whether it’s an ice cream parlor or a rubber band factory?
Balancing Part Time Freelancing with a Full Time Job
Freelancing on the side while keeping a full time job can be a good way to test the waters and save money before plunging in full time. In fact, I freelanced part time for three years while building up the confidence and the clips to succeed as a full time freelance writer.
Though it’s often the sensible thing to do financially, it’s certainly not the easiest. Any part time writer, designer, coder, or other freelancer will tell you that it requires careful discipline and superior time management skills.
Here are several tips on tackling freelance projects while keeping a full time job.
9 Tips for Brand New Freelancers
As the new year is just around the corner, some of you might resolve to take a step forward into becoming a freelancer. According to what’s been written in the comments at FreelanceSwitch, there are those of you thinking about this.
With the way the economy has been, it wouldn’t be too surprising if the freelancer ranks grow in the next few months. Here are a few tips to get you started.
Start Out Right: Avoid These 3 New Freelancer Blunders
Starting out as a freelancer can be an exhilarating ride, but those first few miles can be littered with frustrating potholes if you don’t know what to watch out for. If you’re just about to make the plunge into freelancing – or you’re trying to make your existing freelance life run more smoothly – take a moment to read these “rules of the road.” They may save you from the late nights and nail-biting stress that await you just around the curve.
Are You Missing The Point Of Being A Freelancer?
Whether you’re a part-time graphic designer or full-time web content writer, a freewheeling blog consultant or an outside-the-box marketing genius, you jumped into freelancing for one simple reason – and it wasn’t simply “the money.” There’s no doubt money was a motivator, but what you were really after was freedom. Freedom from a day job, freedom from financial stress, freedom to work wherever and whenever you want to … but are you really on the path to enjoy that freedom, or are you just fooling yourself?
Freelancing Should Be A Springboard, Not a Treadmill
