10 More Reasons Why Freelancing Is Not for You
Posted January 13, 2012 in Freelance Stories
On this blog, we normally encourage people to become freelancers. That’s because we believe that for many people, freelancing offers a terrific combination of great opportunities and a great lifestyle.
However, there are a few individuals who just aren’t cut out to be freelancers (and that’s perfectly okay).
In this post, I list some characteristics that I’ve observed over the years of former freelancers who ended up returning to traditional employment. Most of these folks were quite miserable as freelancers. If you see several of these characteristics in yourself, you may want to carefully reconsider whether freelancing is really the right choice for you.
What Hoops Will You Jump Through for Your Clients?
Posted December 2, 2011 in Freelance Stories, Managing Clients
We freelancers go to great lengths to keep our clients happy. After all, we want to be known for providing excellent customer service. So we usually do our best to meet client requests–even that means jumping through some hoops to keep the client satisfied.
However, some customer requests are just plain unreasonable. This post describes some “hoops” that aren’t worth jumping through–even to make a client happy.
5 Reasons Why I Prefer to Freelance for Others
Posted November 29, 2011 in Freelance Stories, Lifestyle
Back when I first started as an SEO professional (and a part-time content writer) it was common among SEO professionals to get some hands-on experience and then quit their jobs to start their own online business. There were so many opportunities lingering around in the cyber world and everybody wanted to grab a piece of the pie. Back then there was a lot more earning potential in starting an online business than in working on freelance gigs for others.
Needless to say, internet marketing experts and other professionals associated with this industry used to frown upon the idea of doing freelance work for others. IMO, times have changed, and starting an online business is not as good an idea as it was a few years ago.
These days, I meet a lot of professionals (for example: SEO, writers, developers, designers, etc) who are fretting over the fact that they are doing all the work while the “company” gets all the riches and growth without doing anything. That viewpoint is not entirely wrong, but things are not easy on the client side of table either. Of course, experiences will turn out differently for different people.
However, I believe that starting an online venture is not the ultimate answer to success any more. In this post, I’ve listed some reasons why I think working as a freelancer for others can sometimes be a better choice than starting your own venture.
How Flaky Freelancers Destroy Golden Opportunities
Posted November 17, 2011 in Freelance Stories, Managing Clients
Getting started as a freelancer online isn’t easy.
You start by building a website, and showcasing your work. But you don’t have any traffic, so you make your way over to the online freelance boards like eLance, oDesk and 99Designs.
And finding work for decent pay is a lot harder than the online job boards make it out to be.
Sure, you’re really good at what you do, but you don’t have much of a portfolio to show, and in the online world, most prospects don’t know you from Adam.
Not to mention the enormous amount of online competition, and that most business owners are very hesitant about trying a new freelancer on for size.
But eventually, you get a gig. The key is not to blow it…
Becoming a Better Freelance Writer–Lessons Learned from Failure
Posted September 29, 2011 in Freelance Stories, Writing
I started off with freelancing in college to pay the bills. The only jobs around campus paid too little, demanded too much. Since I had a minor in English literature, it was only fitting that I moonlight as a freelance writer (which also stoked my ambitions to become an author).
This is my story of how I became a freelance writer and of what I learned in the process.
My 12 Biggest Freelancing Fears That Didn’t Come True
Posted August 29, 2011 in Freelance Stories, Inspiration
Fear kept me from freelancing for a long time.
Colleagues and even acquaintances would comment on how my skills were perfect for becoming a freelancer and still I hesitated. I just “knew” something major and bad would happen if I left my comfortable corporate job for the uncertainty of freelancing.
Well, it turns out that I was wrong about something bad happening. I’ve been freelancing for over nine years now. Most of my biggest fears never came true at all.
In case your fears are keeping you from taking that next step, I’m sharing them here in this post.
3 Reasons Why You MUST Move Out of Your Comfort Zone
Posted June 24, 2011 in Freelance Stories, Inspiration
Freelancing is great, isn’t it?
If you’ve been freelancing for several years, you may be pretty comfortable by now.
You’ve got an established client base–folks who come to you regularly when they need something done. You know and like them and they know and like you. Plus, you’ve found your ideal niche and as a bonus, you’re really good at it. The niche work that you do is just challenging enough to hold your interest without shaking you up too much.
All in all, after several years of struggling things are getting pretty comfortable in your neck of the freelancing universe. Things are so comfortable, in fact, that you feel like you can relax and take things easy–but should you?
I say “no.” It’s good for everyone, and especially freelancers, to move out of your comfort zone from time to time. Tackle something new. Step outside of the comfortable freelancing cocoon you’ve wrapped around yourself. You can even (gasp!) take the chance that you might fail at something you try.
Here are three reasons why you must move out of your comfort zone.
Create Your Dream Job
Posted June 20, 2011 in Freelance Stories, How-To
Being a freelancer has always been a dream of mine. I was raised with the value of hard work, but was always told that to really succeed and get ahead in life, I needed to start my own company and be my own boss.
Now that I’ve started my own company and am essentially my own boss though, what’s next? Do I continue freelancing forever? Do I continue narrowing my niche and raising my fees?
Before trying to figure out how to make it to your dream job, you need to first figure out what it is. Not only what it is, but how long you’re going to do your dream job and what’s next after you achieve your next dream.
For this post, I’d like to get a little bit personal and talk about how I’m starting to shift my business, and what you can do about yours.
7 Ways to Promote Yourself When You Have to Put Your Freelancing on Hold
Posted June 1, 2011 in Freelance Stories, Lifestyle
I can’t look for more freelance work. It’s not because I’ve got a lot of work on my plate or I gave up looking for projects to work on. I’m literally forced not to look for more work. Have you ever experienced something similar before?
There are plenty of reasons that could cause you to put your freelancing business on hold. A family emergency, college, having a baby, moving out of your old apartment, relocating, and traveling are just some of the many things that can force you to keep your working hands on your lap. In my case, it’s college this September.
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