Going Freelance
Out of context: Reply #17
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- BigDee0
I went freelance in the UK just over a year ago and its the best thing i ever did.
Some things i have learned...
Keep track of the cash. Set up a spreadsheet that calculates all your taxes etc and put that money into a new savings account. An accountant will help set this up. And as someone else said, never bin a receipt ever again! Its important to keep on this too. record your receipts every week or you will get lost in it all.
Network. Talk to your friends and family, ex colleagues etc, let them know what you are doing. Ive been busy year round and its all through recommendation.
Be nice. Sounds stupid but its important to maintain a cool head when an account manager who doesnt know their butt from their brain is telling you what has to be done. You never know where they will end up.
Stay in touch. A quick 'hello, how you doin' phone call or email keeps you fresh in peoples minds.
Set a decent rate and try to stick to it. You will have to be flexible sometimes, of course, but don't sell yourself short.
Practise your presentation on friends and family. Make sure you are comfortable with it. Put in a couple of anecdotes about projects. It helps when building a rapport with people. Prospective employers can smell fear and freelance is all about relationships!
Concept is king? Always, but you cant win them all. The beauty of freelance is the ability to walk away from an agency if it doesn't feel right.
Try to move around, produce work for different sectors. The variety keeps you sharp and you meet loads of people.
Buy a really good alarm clock. If you end up working from home, try to stay motivated. Im lazy as anything and a lie in often results in working late into the night unecessarily.
ABOVE ALL - ENJOY YOURSELF. After a while when the contacts are there, the work should flow. Work on new work for new people, for more money and no boss. Be under no illusion, it is hard work. But the rewards, both physical and mental are well worth it.