5 Steps to Making the Switch from Side Gig to Full Time Professional
Shama Hyder1. Play it Smart. The more you plan, the easier it will be for you to make the switch from side-gig to full time professional. Finances are definitely something you should look into and plan for. It may be very possible that you see a drop in income while making the shift.
If you plan for it in advance, it will be much easier to handle. Talk to others who have made a similar career switch and ask them what they did right… and more importantly, what they wish they had done differently. Heed their advice! Blogs such as Escape From Cubicle Nation and Anywired can also provide support and advice.
2. Gather the Troops. Any type of career change is a big move, but switching from employee to freelancer is perhaps one of the greatest moves. And like all great moves, it requires support. So, gather the spouse and kids. Let them know your plans and ask for their help. This can be your greatest asset when making such a transition.
3. Network. First, call up past clients and let them know that you are now a full-time freelancer and would appreciate their business. It’s also a great idea to follow up the calls by mailing them your new business cards and a thank you note. Remember that little things go a long way when starting your own practice. Next, create a list of groups where you can go out and network. Networking takes time and practice, but it also serves two purposes. One, it’s a great marketing tool. Two, it allows you gain confidence in your new identity as freelancer.
4. Create a Time Schedule. It is easy to sleep in until noon when you don’t have to be somewhere by 9 am, but such habits hinder success. Setting your own time schedule is a perk of working for yourself, but you have to be smart about it. First, focus on building up your business. Second, enjoy the perks.
5. Stay Flexible. Expect the unexpected. Clients will bail, spouses will expect you to do more at home since you “aren’t working,” and you may realize working at your favorite coffee shop is harder than it looks. It’s OK! Stay flexible until you find your footing. It takes time, but as any established freelancer will tell you, it’s well worth the effort!
Shama Hyder is the chief marketing expert and founder of After The Launch. She helps independent professionals and professional service firms attract more clients. You can visit her website at http://www.AfterTheLaunch.com
Allan / SOHO Happens
April 3rd, 2008
Excellent article with some great tips. I hope to be taking the plunge soon, but only time and finances will tell.
Aloke Pillai
April 3rd, 2008
Great Article!
Jack McDaniel
April 3rd, 2008
I would add a couple of key things. First, as you mentioned, have a plan. One that you have written out is bst. It doesn’t have to be formal, but you should be able to refer to it often.
Second, commit 10 percent of every check you get to marketing yourself and commit yourself to spending th money every month. By doing this you can avoid those nasty dry periods.
Brian Warren
April 3rd, 2008
I made this transition about a year and a half ago. #1 on the list above is the best advice I give anybody. Save up so that you can get through any lean times with ease. Not having to worry about money while you’re growing your business is so huge. You’ll be a better freelancer, spouse, and person if you’re not pulling your hair out trying to figure out where your next mortgage payment is coming from.
Another somewhat related thing would be to just stick it out a little bit longer and burn the midnight oil to grow your freelancing business to the point that it’s basically replacing your day job income-wise. I quit my day job because I couldn’t afford to keep it. Doing it this way is a ton of extra work, but it makes the transition so much easier. When you quit your day job you will have your solid freelance business built up, and boom - an extra 40 hours per week freed up to work. The other benefit is that you’ve been working basically two jobs for the past few months, so you’ll have that little nest egg set up to help through those lean times.
One last thing that made a huge difference for me as a web developer. Go to conferences. I went to SXSW Interactive three years ago, and it was huge for me. I met tons of other freelancers who helped get me work. To this day I partner with them all the time on projects. And each year I go I meet more people with whom I can work on stuff. Meeting people like that really helps get you away from thinking of other freelancers as competition and more as partners.
There’s a ton of work out there, and if you have even a small bug of entreprenurial spirit, go for it!
Andy
April 3rd, 2008
@Jack has some good tips. The one that’ll help you make the transition with less fear is to make sure you have enough money to cover a typical 6 months of living expenses + the occasional disaster that you never plan for but always happens just when you can least afford it.
Terra Andersen
April 3rd, 2008
Great post! I am especially adamant about #4.. creating routine really really helps productivity.
Chad
April 3rd, 2008
Great article - when I took the leap I didn’t go from p/t to f/t, I dove in head first without any previous freelancing work. No clients, no nothing…except enough finances to hold me over for 3 months to keep me stress free.
I found that the support of others, networking, and self-motivation were the three biggest elements to starting my career…and I haven’t looked back since.
Rowena
April 3rd, 2008
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Russ
April 3rd, 2008
@Brian Warren - Great advice from the voice of experience. I’m in a very similar situation. I’m planning to quit full-time work in IT in the next couple of months and take on full time freelancing. I’ll have a small side job that will allow me to work at a different time of the day so that I’m available for phone calls, client meetings, etc. during the day.
I agree, the advice on point #1 is worth its weight in gold. Because I really want this thing to work, many around me wonder why I haven’t made the jump already. There are so many things I wouldn’t have considered if I made the jump 6mo. ago such as having a support structure (my ‘cheerleaders’) in addition to marketing plans, business plans (including pricing structure), registering the business, seeking legal advice, etc. Doing these things helped solidify the fact that this is a business and not a hobby anymore.
As far as looking at other web designers/developers as partners rather than competition is great advice. I still get the occasional “you better watch your back” advice from someone who is still in the corporate world. I feel everyone in this industry has an opportunity to help each other with design/programming issues.
Yvonne Thompson
April 3rd, 2008
Shama,
This is a great piece. Short, but says a lot. Anyone who freelances will really get it. Especially the parts about networking and creating a time schedule. As a VA, I am still drawing on the network I built years ago back in L.A. for myself and to support my clients. Then there is the time schedule. My friends and family tease me about how I am so strict about starting my day at the same time every day and sticking to putting in a minimum number of hours no matter what. Oh yes, and clients do bail and people don’t get it sometimes that you really do work and are not just “playing” on your computer all day. Again, great piece!
Kalon
April 3rd, 2008
This blog is a big help and ease for me. I just recently made the switch from my career into a full time freelancer. I’m not seeing any money incoming yet and I think that’s mostly a confidance thing on my part. I’m afraid of approaching someone and asking just what to say when I’m asking if they want someone to design or shoot for them.
There’s a reason they call it “freelancing” I guess, one of the biggest things about making the switch from side gig to full time freelancer is getting over the dawning words “It’s all up to me to make my money nobody’s paying me to do bullshit anymore.”
Confidance is key.
Brian
April 3rd, 2008
hasn’t this article been written here a couple times before?
Shama Hyder
April 3rd, 2008
Hi Brian-
I sure hope not! I just wrote it a few weeks ago. = )
Brian Warren and Jack-
Awesome tips! Thank you for adding.
Dan
April 4th, 2008
This is an outstanding read, anyone considering this move should hold this article (and comments) very close. I made the transition about 2 years ago, and can’t be more happy. Being a freelancer is truly awesome and opens so many doors once you that extra 40hrs a week. Here are some of my thoughts to help make the transition and maintain it:
1. Once home from the 9-5 start burning the midnight oil, work late, work hard, and always deliver.
2. Network and Advertise yourself. Sign up on Creative Hotlist and post your services on Craigslist.
3. Be careful with money, spend it wisely. It is important to have good working hardware. Don’t attempt this jump if your machine is more than 4 years old. And always back up files!!
4. Create a system, a process, do anything and everything to make yourself/company more professional.
5. Do not work for free. To many times people came to me with tiny projects that would only take a couple hours and hoped I would do as pro-bono. Bill for all your work, even if its 30min. This is your job now and puts food on the table.
6. For me, this is probably the absolute most important part freelancing: When it comes down to collecting money, stand your ground. If you accept a project that has a somewhat hefty price tag, get partial payment up front. Sometimes providing a payment process such as 35%, 15%, 15%, and 35% spread through the project timeline does a couple very important things. One, it covers your behind in case the client get scared and jumps ship. Two, it keeps a constant flow of money for you. I say this is the most important because I made the mistake of trusting a client would pay once the job was complete and they did not. I was out several thousand dollars.
Good luck to you. Freelancing is truly great.
FreelanceSwitch.com, you rock.
Dan
Susan Johnston
April 4th, 2008
I am working on this transition right now, and the advice that I hear repeatedly is to have your website and portfolio ready to go before you take the plunge. You mention business cards, but your website will be your online calling card and add legitimacy to your networking efforts.
Eric, aka Erathic invad3r.
April 7th, 2008
Wow, so surprised to find one of my pic on your site! U made my day lol,
Plus, thanks so much for sharing with us theses very useful tips and informations! =)
i’m 22 and thinking seriously about freelancing, but i’m autodidact, read this site will help me make my mind.. :]
daidai
April 8th, 2008
Dan, point 6, about staggered payments is crucial, especially for a very new start up
Marin
April 8th, 2008
Looking to switch to f/t .. I’ve always worked on projects along with the day job, but this corporate manners are really killing me lately and would very much prefer to work with people who know what they want and are willing to pay for it.
So here’s my advice : if you feel the client is unsure of what he wants - better dump him right away. You’ll recognize the type very quickly - talking big words, when it comes to the details of the job he always uses “would be nice to have…” and “it’ll be awesome to…”, and he’ll demand high quality and on-time delivery. You’ll have problems and loose money trying to do business with these people, just dump their request right away
good luck to all,
Marin
Web Design
April 9th, 2008
This is a great post I am thinking of making the switch.
Many Thanks