Caroline Castrillon Joining the freelance revolution lets you control the way that you work. getty It’s official. The “great resignation” is here, and companies are struggling to hire and retain employees. In a recent analysis of over nine million employee records from more than 4,000 companies, the workforce analytics company, Visier found that resignation rates spiked from July to September 2020. Trend data for 2021 shows that resignation rates have already begun to climb, especially in the fields of technology and healthcare. Why the exodus? Workers are used to the flexibility of working from home and realize that working for themselves as freelancers is ideal. According to an analysis from Statista , the number of freelance workers is expected to grow to more than 50% of the total U.S. workforce by 2027. Even lawyers are joining the freelance revolution through talent platforms like Axiom Law and UpCounsel. So how can you take the leap to become a freelancer or consultant? These tips will help get you started: Understand your why Understanding why you are considering freelancing is critical. Be sure that you’ve defined your goal and that you’re in it for the right reasons. Why do you want to freelance? Is it because you want to work on projects that excite you, have a more flexible schedule or go all-in on that side hustle ? Or maybe you just want to have more control over your career. If you’re doing it because you hate your boss, want to work fewer hours or earn more money, it’s probably not the right choice. Write down your “why” and revisit it every so often. It’s what will keep you from giving up when things get tough. Don’t quit your day job For most people, immediately quitting their day job to freelance is not a feasible option. This is especially true if you don’t want to go into debt or seek outside funding. A more realistic approach is to make a slow transition until you feel ready to take the leap. Take this time to analyze your financial situation. How much will you need to earn freelancing before you feel comfortable making the shift? Once you are earning enough to know you can make it work, then dive in headfirst. Define your offering What type of product or service do you want to offer? Make sure it’s something that you enjoy and are good at. Also, confirm that there is a market for it. Determine how you can differentiate yourself from the competition. And don’t be afraid to have a narrow focus. It is often better to start small than to try to be everything to everyone. Having a specialty will also help you find your target market more easily. Find your target audience In the beginning, you may need to make some initial assumptions about whom you want to work with or sell to and target them first. If possible, conduct market research, even in an informal setting. Over time, you’ll develop […]
