The number of people going freelance, or self-employed, is growing year on year. According to statistics in the UK, there were over 2 million freelancers in 2020, with 1.9 million freelancing as their main job, and just under 240,000 freelance alongside traditional employment. From hairdressing to content creation, more people seem to want to go their own way when it comes to making a living. This makes you start to wonder if going freelance is becoming a lifestyle choice, and what essentials you need to make the leap.
Pick your niche
You first need to make sure that your ideal industry will provide you with enough work to live off. Popular industries include content creation, art and design, tradesmen, and fashion. If you have a skill that you believe you could make a career out of, do your research because you could be on to something.
Create your brand
Yes, even if you are working on your own, without any other employees, you still need to create a brand. You will need something that helps you stand out from the crowd, as well as showing the services you offer. This can be really difficult, as you want to pick something that you’re happy with, otherwise, you could end up changing it further down the line. It’s always good to check out the competition and see how other people have marketed themselves and their talents, especially if they are doing something in the same industry as you.
One way that you can create a brand, especially if going freelance is something you are interested in, is through social media and writing blogs. Most people put job openings, or look for potential employees, online, especially as so many people are utilising social media in new ways. If you don’t have a blog, then reach out to other bloggers and see if you can write a guest post, either introducing your brand or about a topic that you are passionate about.
Think of the future
What most people who go self-employed don’t think about is the effects it will have on your future, especially if you are getting ready to buy a house. Most freelancers will find it difficult to get accepted for a mortgage due to the lack of financial security that comes with your job, and is why many look for a mortgage adviser to help, such as Trussle. When working to your own schedule, having an online chat available as and when you need it will be a big help, especially if you’ve just found the house of your dreams. Being a freelancer should no longer be seen as a risk to getting accepted for a mortgage and becoming a homeowner.
While there are a number of benefits to being your own boss, going freelance full time is definitely something that you need to consider all the options for. While it can be a nice change to escape the 9-5 grind of traditional employment, there are so many areas to consider, especially when it comes to whether or not you want to buy your own property. However, with more people taking this leap, perhaps there will be fewer obstacles to jump through in the future.