CREATING YOUR CAREER GAME PLAN
Constant learning The moment you step into the freelance world, the first thing you’ll notice is that you don’t know everything you should about your area of work. That’s all right, though. Just keep learning. But also remember that continuous development is crucial if you want to keep an edge over others and keep up with the competition, and knowledge can also come from additional research or experience.
Finances You’ll have to handle all financial matters yourself, ranging from daily expenses to monthly utilities. Your taxes won’t pay themselves either, so you’ll have to learn how to deal with all these. You’ll also have to come up with your own financial plan and targets to figure out what your expenses are and how much you’ll need to live comfortably.
Work to live or live to work?
Is this the end? Well, no. Although it sounds like a whole lot of disadvantages have just been dumped on your head, the reverse is true as well. There are many advantages in freelancing you’ll come across. Here are some: • You can work wherever you want, whether on staycation in Sentosa or from the comfort of your own bed • You are your own boss, from working at your own pace to planning your own schedules • You can pick and choose who you want to work with • Running your own finances means that you’ll pick up a solid understanding of all things finance-related
Now it’s the end Whatever your reasons are to be a freelancer, even if it’s not your first-choice career, embrace it and give it your best! You’ll never know until you try. And for all you know, it could end up being your dream job! But even if it’s a short-term solution until the job economy improves, chances are you’ll gain very valuable experiences and skill sets from this stint.
Clients can come and go very quickly, so you’ll have to keep up a steady stream of income to save for a rainy day. Aim for at least two steady or high-paying jobs and a few other gigs. But with so many clients and jobs, prepare to forego 40-hour weeks – your hours may even hit up to 70.
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