Freelancing Stag: Can you dance by yourself?
Editors note: This is a guest post from Matt Krautstrunk. I’m normally not interested in guest posts, as I like the idea of running this site myself, but when Matt wrote me with his idea for the post, there was no way I could turn it down!
Freelancing is a lot like dancing alone. At first it feels awkward, but after you realize that you aren’t sticking out like a sore thumb, it’s actually kind of fun. We all remember how big of a deal high school formals were. The girls spent hours on hair and makeup, and the guys only cared about the after-party. If you were lucky enough to score a date to every dance in high school, you may wonder about those rogue individuals dancing alone at prom. Who were these people? Were they having fun? Why would they dance alone?
These solo swingers aren’t lonely souls. They are pioneers, not having to answer to anybody, marching to a beat of their own drum.
Truth is, freelancing is alot like going stag to a school dance; you are the bold character who says “I don’t need to be tied down; I’m a peacock you gotta let me fly!” It’s not necessarily about making a statement to society as much as it’s an intrinsic motivation to do your own thing.
Confidence
Freelancing takes a lot of confidence in your craft. You must know that you are able to consistently compete and contribute better material than the rest of your competition. A sink or swim mentality is crucial for freelancers as you take on a large pool of applicants for each position. If you aren’t confident in your craft you will never be able to put yourself out there to get hired. Dancing alone and going stag either takes supreme confidence and tact, or blatant disregard for image.
On the other hand, having a full time career requires consistency. You are expected to regularly contribute to your team, regardless of the direction the business is heading. Exceeding expectations should also happen on consistent basis. This is very similar to having a date to the dance. Keeping your date happy requires consistency, where dancing alone takes confidence.
Why Would You Dance Alone?
Ask anyone who has ever tried to plan a dance. The only word to describe it is drama. From dinner reservations to deciding who is driving, every group member needs to agree on an idea. This is very similar to a corporate work environment; your long-term decisions ultimately gauge how successful you will be, however there is much more planning and structure involved. Getting a better salary may take years of hard work as a mid-level worker; however with freelancing you are able to negotiate your own pay.
No Formal Plan
If you have no formal plan for your career/date, freelancing is your best bet. Freelancing allows you to stay afloat, testing the waters without any emotional tie. Say for instance, you jump in to the first job you are offered. This job will shape how employers view your portfolio; assess your skills and ultimately your worth. If you are somewhat unsure of your ideal fit, try dancing alone for a bit. Test the waters. See what you like and don’t like, and put everything towards jumping in to a full time position you are passionate about.
The Bachelor
Maybe you are that “anti-corporate, I’ll never be tied down” bachelor. Attempting to do that with a full time career will burn a lot of bridges. Employers hire people to stay at least 2-5 years. Now we know that this isn’t always the case, but if you are job hopping, you will dwindle opportunities with each job you quit. Going stag allows you to accept your role as a soloist, embracing each new job with a frenetic passion. Your short term work will shine in your portfolio.
Sometimes a Date Makes Sense
Freelancing may seem like a great lifestyle, no 9-5, flexible work environments, and working as needed, but sometimes a date makes sense. On average you will make more money, according to Rockable Press, only 32% of people reported making more money as a freelancer than a full time employee. So if money is your only motivation, you may consider a full time career.
If You Are Going To Succeed… Learn To Dance
If you are going to go to every dance alone, you need to at least learn to dance. You may be able to skimp by for a few months as a freelancer who hasn’t honed his/her craft, but you are risking too much. The freelance field is sometimes more competitive than the job market. However if you are able to carve a niche, and learn to dance, you may be able to work less and earn more. According the same Rockable Press report, 22% of freelance respondents earned more money on less work.
For those 43% of freelancers earning less money, 43% of those people are also working less, so it is a proportional earnings decrease. If you are the square peg and a full time career is the round hole, make sure you hone your craft and create a well balanced portfolio to support your freelance endeavors. Otherwise, you may worry about bigger things than the potential discomforts of dancing alone.
This is a guest post from Matt Krautstrunk, a social entrepreneur and writer on phone systems for Resource Nation.
