With the recession biting in and unemployment rolls in the US alone at a 25-year high, independent work -- aka self-employment -- is quickly becoming a critical option. For more, we chatted with freelancing authority and author Michelle Goodman. (This interview originally appeared in the Nov. 14, 2008 issue of the Rat Race Rebellion Telework Bulletin. To subscribe at no charge, go here.)
Michelle writes a weekly career column for ABCNews.com, a blog called Nine to Thrive for NWjobs.com, and a career-advice blog for women, at The Anti 9-to-5 Guide (the title of her first book). She is also the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life -- How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire."
Her work has also appeared at CNN.com, Salon, Yahoo! HotJobs, PayScale.com, and others. (But it didn't come easy, as she relates in her books.) She "fled the cube" in 1992.
RRR: Tell us a bit about how you came to be a freelancer.
MICHELLE GOODMAN: It was a hasty decision. Like many twentysomethings, I hated working in an office five days a week. As far as I was concerned, 9 a.m. was the middle of the night. At the time, I was working as a publicist at a New York book publishing company. A newspaper I had interned for after college offered me some freelance work writing advertorials about clothing trends (basically ad copy disguised as journalism). New York is expensive and some of the pieces paid more than I made in a week at my publicity job, so who was I to say no?
I researched and wrote these articles evenings and lunch hours, loving every minute of it. So much so, that when I moved to San Francisco at age 24, I decided to do everything in my power to avoid getting a staff job again. After a couple years of working odd part-time jobs to offset my initially paltry freelance pay, I was off and running as a full-time independent professional.
Sixteen years have passed, and I haven't wound up on the street yet. Four years ago I bought my first home, with a 20 percent down payment. I also think it's important to note that I've been supporting myself this entire time; I don't have a domestic partner who pays my way.
RRR: What are your strongest likes and dislikes about self-employment?
MICHELLE GOODMAN: Likes: The variety of projects I work on and people I work with, the satisfaction of seeing my byline every week, the thrill of landing a hotshot new client, having control of my own schedule, working in my bathrobe, and never having to commute.
Dislikes: Self-employment taxes, buying my own health insurance, not being able to call in a coworker to help on a project if I'm sick, and clients who monkey with deadlines or send my checks late.
For me, the pros far outweigh the cons. Sure, I have crummy weeks, just like any other worker. But the autonomy and variety make freelance far preferable to me than 9-to-6 office work.
RRR: You have two books out now, "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide" and "My So-Called Freelance Life." Since your own freelance career has centered on writing, what are your top do's and don'ts for new or prospective writers?
MICHELLE GOODMAN:
- Media layoffs are pretty much the norm these days, meaning there's more competition than ever. To ensure you're as employable as possible, cultivate a couple of specialties and work to diversify your skills and client base. Don't just write about travel or food. Write about business or health too. Don't just look to publish in newspapers and magazines. Also write for digital media outlets and the business sector. If you can proofread, edit, or project manage, do that too. The more skills you can sell, the busier your schedule will be.
- Look for freelance job leads on sites like Sologig.com, FreelanceSwitch.com, and FreelanceSuccess.com. If you want to write for the media, take advantage of all the resources the site mediabistro has to offer. While you may need to do a freebie or two to line an empty portfolio, be careful not to give away the farm.
- If you don't know the first thing about running a business, pick up a book on the topic (ahem) or take a class. SCORE offers affordable classes as well as free business counseling to freelancers and entrepreneurs.
- Read the blogs of veteran writers and the forums on mediabistro to pick up tips from the pros. Find and chat with other freelancers in your neck of the woods (see social networks such as Biznik and LinkedIn, as well as the Freelancers Union meetups). Next to a satisfied client, the best source of referrals is another self-employed pro who has more work than they can handle.
- If you still have a day job, take advantage of all it has to offer: steady income that you can (and should) stockpile so that you don't have to live month to month when you do flee the cube, training in key software and business practices, extra-credit projects that can yield impressive work samples for your portfolio, and a built-in professional network of coworkers, customers, vendors, and business partners—all of whom might hire or refer you for future freelance work.
RRR: Sales and marketing are often a big challenge for solo workers, and involve a lot of rejection. What's your advice for readers who are anxious about sales and marketing?
MICHELLE GOODMAN: Like or not, sales and marketing are a critical aspect of working for yourself. It may be uncomfortable at first to promote your talents and apply for jobs on a weekly or monthly basis, but with practice, it becomes old hat.
The web and email make tooting your own horn and chatting up potential clients infinitely easier. To start off, set up a two to four page website featuring your writing bio and samples. Send an email blast to everyone you know announcing that you're available for writing projects. And set up a profile on your social media site of choice and let friends know you're now accepting freelance projects.
As for rejection, I've found the best way to deal with it is to apply for as many golden opportunities you're qualified for at once. That way, when some of them fall though (as they invariably will), the no's don't sting quite so much. With any luck, you'll be too busy to care.
RRR: Looking back, what has been your highest moment as a freelancer so far, and your lowest low? What did you learn from each?
MICHELLE GOODMAN: All my lows have stemmed from having too much work to do in the time allotted to do it -- a common problem for freelancers -- and having to call the client to renegotiate the deadline. I've since learned to start projects earlier than seems necessary and to track my time on each project so I know exactly how long it will take next time.
Getting my first book advance and royalty check, as modest as they were, and my first write-ups in publications such as the New York Times have definitely been high points. But this is all gravy. The reward is doing what you love each week and getting paid for it.
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