getahead Guide to Career Advancement
Taking the Entrepreneurial Plunge
guidance for freelancers and small business start-ups at sba.gov.
Flexibility — With Limits
Things to Consider When Launching a Project-Based Creative Career By Katie Alice Walker
T
ired of working for the woman or the man? Think you’ve got what it takes to develop a freelance- or project-based career?
If you’ve got the creative chops, you’re interested in making your own schedule and you’re not afraid of taking on some risk, then a freelance or project-based career in creative services — such as web design, graphic design or communications services — might be for you. When you’re starting a project-based career, you might think of yourself as a freelancer, which Merriam-Webster defines as “a person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer.” But while that might be true at first, ultimately what you’re doing is creating your own company. Most of the “freelancers” we talked with don’t consider themselves freelancers: They’re self-employed solo practitioners who run their own businesses. Read on for their tips on working on your own.
Plan, Plan, Plan “It’s good to at least start out working under the safety net of an agency or an existing business,” says Helen Johnson, web designer and owner of HLJ Creative. “I was employed for about 12 years before I finally decided to start my own business,” says Johnson, who launched her own business three years ago. “During those years, I was able to work at night and on the
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weekends and start building a client base. When I went out on my own, I had work from the get-go. Also, I learned a lot about my trade, business and human relationships while employed.” Once you’re confident you have the creative experience you need, planning is the key to success at every point. It might mean planning to figure out exactly how you’ll take the leap and leave your 9-to-5 job, or planning for the financial side of your freelance work. “When you start your business, make sure you have a nest egg — or focus attention to garnering a long-term client to ensure your financial stability,” says Kiosha Gregg, owner of Digitize Marketing, which she started four years ago. “Prospective clients can sense desperation miles away. Even more importantly, it’s so much easier to be effective and creative when you are not stressed about money.” You’ll also want to determine a fair pricing structure for your services. Think beyond what your salary once was. Instead, think about how much your competitors charge per hour or project — and don’t forget that legitimate businesses and freelancers save, plan and file taxes. There are also a lot of legalities involved, from registering a business name to preparing contracts for clients. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers plenty of
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One of the greatest attractions to freelancing and project-based work is flexibility. Whether you’re after more time with your family or traveling when you’d like, it’s important to realize that working on your own schedule has its perks and downsides. Just because you can work whenever you’d like doesn’t mean that you should. “Set a daily agenda and goals to accomplish,” says Joseph Lemmons, a graphic and digital designer. Part of what’s luring you to be a freelancer might be the idea of erratic, freedomfilled hours and creative nights — but that could turn out to be a disconnect when the rest of the world still expects you to deliver on a 9-to-5 schedule. Even if you discover that you’re more creative at night, keep in mind the flow of the regular business day and plan accordingly.
Sharing Ideas Creative people are often fueled by others in their field, and seek their ideas and energy in brainstorming to keep their creativity flowing. “It was — and is — super easy to get wrapped up in finishing projects, meeting deadlines, keeping clients happy and drumming up new business,” says Lemmons. Responding to RFPs, writing proposals and meeting with clients can eat up your days, but it’s important to stay involved in your industry’s professional organizations and stay in touch with other contractors. For people running one-person operations, working at home can get boring. Some creative entrepreneurs have found that setting up shop at a co-working space like SOCO on Gervais Street in the Vista can be helpful. “At times, you can get isolated people from other people who do what you do, which is why I love occasionally working at SOCO in the Vista,” Johnson says. “SOCO originally started as a collaborative workspace for freelancers, designers and creative types; an office for people that had no real ‘office’,” says Greg Hilton, a partner at SOCO. “Working at home twitter.com/freetimessc
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is good for two days before you go crazy — and coffee shops are highly unproductive places. We realized pretty soon, though, that the value for SOCO was the community of designers, developers, makers and entrepreneurs that we were building. They started sharing ideas and projects and some even started building things together.” SOCO currently has 35 members who pay a range of fees depending on how they use the space. Hilton notes that members quickly began asking for opportunities to learn and connect, so SOCO now hosts numerous design, development and startuporiented events. Co-working has been so well received, in fact, that SOCO has plans to soon open a second downtown Columbia location.
Commit, Deliver — And Make Sure it’s a Good Fit If you want to have a project-based career, you have to deliver what you promise on every project. It’s the key to your paycheck — and to more business. “Don’t just talk a big game with your clients, deliver it,” Lemmons says. “You should be able to accurately describe to them what they need, how you can deliver it and when you will do so — and then do it. Never agree to something you aren’t 100 percent sure you can deliver. Don’t make excuses and be honest, because everyone knows that life happens. So when it does, be honest, move on and make things right.” When it comes to business, a freelancer’s reputation is everything. Are you known for delivering the work the client requested? Are you known for completing projects on time? Creatives who are known for delivering excellent work within the agreed-upon time constraints succeed and find that their clients recommend them to other potential clients. But beware of committing to projects that aren’t a good fit for your skills, time constraints or workload. “I’ve had to let go of the pressure to take on every client,” Gregg says. “I now realize how important it is to gauge whether potential clients are a good fit for my business, if our personalities match and if their expectations are reasonable.” March 25-31, 2015
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Top 10 Jobs in IT By Rodney Welch
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n modern South Carolina, information technology is all about maximizing efficiency, exploiting the potential of emerging technologies and boosting manufacturing. That’s according to the South Carolina State of IT Survey, released March 18 at IT-oLogy’s IT Summit. “Certainly, you’re going to see some of these jobs with a specific role and purpose of maximizing efficiency, making internal systems more efficient, in an effort to save money,” says Todd Lewis, executive director of IT-oLogy. Beyond the technology itself, there’s a need for business leaders to understand the potential for new technologies and how they can be used best in a business environment. In South Carolina, 12 percent of nonfarm jobs are in the manufacturing sector — a relatively high proportion compared to the U.S. average of 9 percent — which is why there’s also a need for advancing computer-controlled machine tools. Computer technology is also affecting fields such as health care, as records
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become more digitized. For anyone wanting to get involved in the IT field, there are a range of opportunities — some that require significant advanced degrees, and others that can be gained with minimum training. The Top Ten covers a lot of ground.
Management Analyst This will be a major IT job not just in South Carolina, but across the country, over the next decade. According to Lewis, these are the efficiency experts, with an underlying understanding of technology. “How I would define it is a position where you work with the organization to implement technology and provide strategic value to the organization,” says Scott
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Edwardsen, virtual chief information officer with VC3, Inc. in Columbia, which provides cloud and other IT services to small and medium business. “You’re working with executives and directors within the organization so that the investments that you make in technology are in alignment with the strategic goals of the organization.” There’s even a Certified Management Consultant credential specific to the job, which requires a college degree, three years’ experience and an exhaustive examination. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2012 median pay for a management analyst is $78,600 annually.
with an associate’s degree from a technical college — or logging a few summers at Best Buy. Average annual salary: $48,900.
Computer Systems Analyst
These are the people who operate robotic machines in a manufacturing environment. Generally requires some level of technical school training. Average annual salary: $32,950.
These are the experts who help configure the computer system of an organization or business to meet defined goals. Entry level position requires a bachelor’s degree. Average annual salary: $79,680.
Computer User Support Specialist These are help desk workers, the IT staffers in any organization who provide technical assistance. Educational requirements vary, depending on the demands of an individual business. Many support specialists learn all they need to know
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Industrial Engineer These are the people in manufacturing industries who figure out how to use technology to create products with the greatest possible efficiency. “This is specific to the manufacturing industry, which is really prevalent in South Carolina,” Lewis says. Entry level positions require a bachelor’s degree. Average annual salary: $79,860.
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operator
Training and Development Specialist As more people take jobs that require them to learn new and unfamiliar technology, the demand for instructors has grown apace. Entry level positions require a bachelor’s degree. Average annual salary: $55,930.
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Software Application Developer
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Software application developers develop applications for computers and smartphones or create the infrastructure that allows them to operate. Those who work for computer firms usually have a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Average annual salary: $93,350. In addition to the above opportunities, which are in demand in South Carolina, there are other opportunities in the IT field outside the state in jobs ranging from cloud architect, a person who organizes cloud computing space, to computer forensic investigator, who works with law enforcement to retrieve computer data. Although the specific demand for jobs might change, the range of IT opportunities is nothing if not broad. “You can get a degree in computer science, you can get a degree in information systems, you can get a variety of degrees [or] certifications,” Lewis says, “and the demand is so high you can get jobs with those degrees right out of school, for sure.”
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The IT field offers a range of opportunities with varying degrees of training needed.
Medical Records and Health Information Technician
This is a direct result of health care records becoming ever more digitized, Lewis says. People at all levels of medicine are now required to understand and be able to use the technology that goes along with it. Generally requires at least an associate’s degree. Average annual salary: $34,160.
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Sales Representative As new technology becomes available, so does marketing, requiring people who know the product well enough to sell it. Compensation varies widely.
Computer Programmer Writes code for computer software. Generally requires a bachelor’s degree, but many businesses will accept an associate’s degree. Average annual salary: $74,280. free-times.com
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