Career Track; Go It Alone: Choosing the Freelance Option
Traditionally, when we all think of work, we picture an office. With a boss. And co-workers. We have to dress a certain way, and worry that if someone sees us leaving early, they'll label us Slacker- Extraordinaire.</br></br>But what about those free agents out there? The ones who break away from the traditional office scene to freelance or consult?</br></br>There are many things to consider if you're pondering a life of working (at least part-time) in your pajamas. First of all, do you have the experience necessary to know what you're doing? Have you spent enough years in the industry to have a couple of contacts you can hit up for some work? Do you have a little bit of money saved up to cover the rent until that first payment comes in?</br></br>Flying solo can be an awesome experience, but it can also be a ponderous task if you haven't prepared yourself or don't know how to navigate.</br></br>Susan Schulz was a 28-year-old editor at YM Magazine in New York about eight months ago, when she decided to jump ship and move into the dot-com world with a start-up. On her first day at the new company, she was told the company's funding fell through and she'd have to be let go, along with just about everyone else. Horrified, she went home and started calling a few contacts she had in the magazine industry to ask if they knew of any job openings. They didn't, but they did know of some freelance opportunities. So she ran with that, assuming she could freelance a few articles while looking for a more stable job.