Making the move from steady job to self employed…
Why should you become self-employed?
Considering making the move from your current job to a fully freelance or self-employed position? You’re not alone. With the average freelancer earning around 45% more than the traditional worker, it’s a no-brainer really. Being your own boss comes with a lot of benefits, such as flexible working hours and the ability to choose the projects you want to work on. A major bonus of being self-employed is that you get to set a price for your work, and it all goes to you. Within an agency or business, money is split a million different ways, and you may not always get your fair share. Money is a big motivator in the self-employment world, but it isn’t the be all and end all of it.
How to become self-employed
Transitioning from a nine to five job into self-employment can be a scary thought, but once accomplished, it’s an amazing achievement. Whether you’re wanting to set up your own business or simply go freelance, we have a few tips that will get you started.
1. What motivates you?
Going from working in an agency or large business, to working for yourself takes a lot of grit and motivation. That’s why it’s always good to outline what motivates you – why do you want to become self-employed? Whether you want more free time to spend with your kids, you like the idea of working remotely, or you’re passionate about your business idea, being self-employed can offer you all of this and more.
2. Plan ahead
Getting a plan together for the coming months is key when it comes to making a career move. Decide where you want to be in a few months, and what you want to have achieved. Get together a list of clients if you’re deciding to go freelance, set up a website for your small business or check out some suppliers. Whatever self-employment path you choose, having a rigorous plan in place ensures that you meet your goals and deadlines.
3. Use free time wisely
Make the most of your free time and use it to start growing your freelance business. Whether you want to build up a few clients before you leave your current job or send off some proposals, it’s always good to make a start. Dip your feet into the self-employment waters, test out your ideas by sending off some items to customers or complete some projects for clients. Make the most of your time and work from home efficiently to build up your freelance business behind the scenes.
4. Prepare financially
A bonus of sticking with a 9-5 job is that your income is stable. When you’re self-employed, however, this isn’t always the case. To start with, you might find yourself strapped for cash – that’s why we suggest setting some money aside each month prior to leaving your job. This way you’ll have a sort of safety net to fall back on. If you’re setting up a business in which you buy from suppliers, it’s useful to have some money behind the scenes whilst you figure out how much you need to budget for.
5. Self-management
There are a few differences when it comes to working for yourself versus working for an agency or a business. A major difference is management. When you’re self-employed you have to manage yourself, so learning a few self-management skills can really help you to meet deadlines. Don’t skip this step, as no one wants to be overwhelmed by an out of control workload.
6. Make the jump
Now it’s time for that crucial moment: making the move from a steady job into self-employment. So, you’ve got a book of clientele, you have some money saved up and you’re ready to get started on your freelance ventures. To begin with, it might take a while to get started, and you may have to put in a few extra hours for those new clients, but it will get easier. In the coming months you’ll wish that you made the move sooner.
Maybe you’re looking for some new home office furniture to get you all set up for self-employment? In which case, we have a range of seating, desks and work from home accessories for you to choose from. If you need any help with your home office set up, contact our team.
