5 People Who Should Consider Freelancing
I admit, I’m a big proponent of freelancing as a career. I send my mother markets I think she should write for and ask my friends when they’re going to strike out on their own. I know there are some people who may not be ideal for the approach to work required of a freelance writer, but I also think there are some people for whom freelancing is the perfect business opportunity. The five categories below are groups of people who I think should consider freelancing as a viable option.
- Caretakers. I’m lumping a lot of people in this category — parents taking care of their children, individuals caring for ailing relatives, etc. Generally, taking care of other people can be a full-time gig, but not necessarily a well-paying one. However, there is some free time (nap times, etc.) that a caretaker can reach for a computer and do a few minutes of work at a time.
- Students. During college, I had plenty of free time for side jobs. And side jobs that didn’t require to me work evenings and weekends — you know, prime “studying” time — made my day.
- Ladder climbers. Say you want to be considered expert enough on a topic to get a raise, but can’t get opportunities to raise your profile at work. Freelancing can be a great way to not only earn a little extra cash but to position yourself as an expert.
- Less-than-healthy individuals. I can’t think of a good noun for this category — I mean people who want to work, but for health reasons, just aren’t up to the 9-to-5 grind. For instance, I’ve known people that suffered from extremely painful migraines that just weren’t controllable with medication. They couldn’t predict when a migraine could hit, and thus couldn’t hold down a job. They could, however, freelance and take breaks from their work whenever necessary.
- People in Transition. There are lots of little in-between phases in life, when you might find yourself with some time to fill — you might have a few weeks before a new job starts, or a summer vacation. Those times are perfect opportunities to test out your interest in freelancing, and even build some experience.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Hi!
Interesting post. I started my freelance writing business shortly before my dad feel ill with Alzheimer’s disease. Sadly he needed professional care, but I was responsible for overseeing that professional care. I did like the freedom to visit him during the day (while he was awake).
One warning: I would say that if you couldn’t do the job at all before you became a caretaker, then you may find that this stressful time is not a good time to start learning a new skill.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
That is a very valid point. Writing is a skill, just like any other, and can take time to improve. But it is a bit more flexible, even while learning: if you were learning to swim, you’d have to wait for the pool to open. If you’re improving your writing, you can do it in downtime from other activities.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:11 am
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