When it comes to work, we have it so ingrained in our minds that we should work for someone else that many of us never even consider working for ourselves. While we are at school, we gain all sorts of qualifications and are encouraged to take on all sorts of extracurricular activities. When we ask why we need to do all of this, the benefits of learning new skills that could help us in their own right, we are told that these things will “look good” on our CVs. That employers want to see these things before they’ll give you a job. That the purpose of our education is to impress others who should hopefully hire us down the line. Then we are taught all sorts of interview skills to be able to get us through the process of applying to work for someone else. We learn how to sell ourselves, how to highlight our best traits, and how to answer awkward and hackneyed questions such as “where do you see yourself five years from now” or “why do you want to work for this company”. Everything is always about making yourself look good to employers and standing out from the crowd to be taken on. But while being an employee can offer a relatively comfortable lifestyle where your working day starts at nine and finishes at five, have you ever considered that by accepting this, you’re simply building someone else’s dream on their behalf? That you can be extremely limited to your roles? That you’ll have no direct decision in regards to what direction the company you’re working for takes and that you might never receive a promotion that will take you onto a higher wage and position of more authority? While there are benefits to being an employee, there are serious limits too! So, if you have an idea that you think will make you some serious cash and you want a little more control over your life and the direction that it’s going to take, it might be time to start chasing your own dreams. For now, let’s take a look at freelancing as an alternative to full-time employment. Here’s how you can go about it.
Freelancing
The first career option that allows you a lot more freedom over what you do and who you work for is to become a freelancer. You can be the individual who companies and brands outsource their work to. You never have to be tied down to a single contract and you can have a whole lot more control over the terms you work on. This also comes hand in hand with a regular change of scenery. You can have new contacts and colleagues for every project you work on. Your work will also change on a daily basis, as projects will shift and expectations will change from one client to another. In order to be a successful freelancer, however, you do have a little more work on your hands than a typical employee. After all, you’re going to have to get yourself off the ground by making a good name for yourself to start with and from this point on, you have to constantly be reaching out to new clients, forging new relationships, and securing constant work. Here’s how to get started on the right foot.
Becoming Self-Employed
First things first, you need to register as self-employed. Remember that if you’re working for yourself, you need to sort your own taxes out for the end of each fiscal year. The sums won’t automatically be deducted from your pay in the same way that they might if you were an employee. This means you’ll have to exhibit a little more self-control when it comes to your finances. You should deduct the relevant taxes from your own pay packet and store them in a savings account which you can then access to pay your tax bill when the time comes.
Setting Up Shop
Once you’re registered as self-employed, it’s time to get started on making a brand of yourself. You need to set up shop by taking to the world of E-commerce. Many people mistakenly believe that E-commerce is merely for retailers who want to sell goods online. However, it is an equally important space for people who are offering services rather than wares. Potential customers will still use your site in a similar way as if they were looking for a tangible product. They will take a look at what you have to offer, compare your services to the others on the market, and secure a deal by communicating with you through the contact details or online payment methods that you offer through your site. Consider your webpage an investment. After all, it can make or break people’s interest. If it’s difficult to operate or just doesn’t look the part, individuals visiting are likely to close the tab and look elsewhere, falling right into the arms of your competitors. So bring in an experienced and professional web designer (unless you’re intending on becoming a freelance web designer yourself, in which case it’s time to put your skills to the test and to try out a little DIY). Remember that the journey isn’t over once your site is up and running. You need to ensure that it is well maintained and updated regularly. Magento Technical Support Services will be able to help you with this, managing integrations, migrations, and security patch updates.
Making a Name for Yourself
Now you’ve established yourself as a brand of sorts, it’s time to show what you’re worth. Your first jobs are some of the most important, as they will be where you can get some good customer feedback and recommendations for others looking at using your services. The better your reviews and recommendations, the more likely you will be to secure further business from others. Word of mouth goes just as far as advertising, as people will actively seek other real individuals’ opinions when they are considering trying you out themselves. So, make sure that you complete every job to the highest standard and deliver the best customer service possible at any given time.
If you follow these steps, you should be on the right track towards establishing yourself as a freelancer and breaking free from the trap of working for someone else your entire life!
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