Opinion

Freelancing or thinking about it?

7th February 2017

 

Considering going freelance or self-employed? We have a new article for single people about thriving as your own boss – by Catherine Francis, a freelance journalist for 15 years.

For the first eight years of my career in magazine journalism, freelancing seemed like a terrifying prospect.  It seemed reckless and stressful never to know where the next piece of work would come from — or if it would come at all. Who’d sign up for such a life?!  But my dream job turned into a nightmare of 14-hour days in the office (plus commuting) and I genuinely feared I might collapse and end up in hospital. Going freelance suddenly became a no-brainer. Staying seemed far worse!

There was an added complication: I was in the process of applying for a mortgage. I knew that, as a newly self-employed single person, I’d have no chance of being accepted for it. So I stayed in my job until the mortgage procedure was completed – and put in my notice the following week! Crazy? Perhaps. At the time, it felt like the only option.

That was over 15 years ago, and I’ve been freelance ever since – and have no plans to get a ‘proper job’! I enjoy the variety, and it’s wonderful not to get dragged into office politics and to have more control over my diary. I’ve been fortunate as my industry offers lots of opportunities for good freelancers. However, there have also been downsides and pitfalls along the way. There are many things I wish I’d known before I started out.

If you’re considering becoming freelance or self-employed – especially if you’re single, without the back-up that many married people enjoy – I hope these tips will help you get off on the right foot, so you can enjoy a long and happy career as your own boss. They are based both on my experience and those of a dozen others that I’ve talked to.

Read the full article!

 

Catherine Francis

7 February 2017