COVER STORY
FREELANCE PRACTICE: ADVICE FOR MOVING FORWARDS Priya Tew Freelance Dietitian and Specialist in Eating Disorders
Priya runs Dietitian UK, a freelance dietetic service that specialises in social media and media work, consultancy for food companies, eating disorder support, IBS and Chronic Fatigue. She works with NHS services, The Priory Hospital group and private clinics as well as providing Skype support to clients nationwide.
The numbers of dietitian’s moving into freelance practice seems to be everincreasing. As someone who has always done some freelance work, but also had an NHS role, I know the highs and lows of working for yourself. Here is my advice for making your freelance role a success. JOINT WORKING WITH OTHER DIETITIANS
When I started out, a lot of the work I cut my teeth on was for other dietitians. There were a few dietitians who would subcontract parts of projects out to me; in fact, I still do this type of work now. I actually love it, it is safe and just like working within a department. You can ask for advice and get your work checked afterwards to see if you have missed anything. This style of working also means that you yourself could take on a larger project and subcontract it out to others; for example, if a local student approaches you asking for work experience, could you offer them some tasks that would help you out? BUILD YOUR OWN VIRTUAL DEPARTMENT
One of the big low points of freelance work for me has been the lone working. If
you suddenly have a question to ask, you want to double-check something, need to borrow a diet sheet or pick someone’s brains, you just can’t nip into the next door office. I’m someone who loves working on my own, but I also thrive when connected with others who inspire me, encourage me and do what I do. Until recently it hasn’t been easy to have access to a supportive network. Bring on social media and this has been created for us overnight. Back in my early days on Twitter, I remember being so excited to suddenly find other dietitians, to chat to them and get a response, to meet GPs and physiotherapists. Now there is no end to this, there are groups on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and a constant presence on Twitter. Join in Twitter chats to meet others; if you can’t make them at the right time, then
Table 1: Social media groups for dietitians Facebook
Twitter chats
Freelance/Private Practice Dietitians Group: www.facebook. com/groups/freelancedietitianssup portandclinicalsupervision/?fref=nf Great for chatter, asking questions and sharing resources
British Dietetic Association: members only: www.linkedin.com/ groups/1968119
Look for your local hours, these can be good for connecting with local businesses, building your profile and meeting others who you could work with, e.g. #hampshirehour #dorsethour
Dietitians in Virtual Practice: www.facebook.com/groups/ virtualpracticenetworkdietitians/ Useful to connect with others and hear what other RDs are up to
Freelance Dietitians: www.linkedin. com/groups/4123162 Good for work opportunities, webinars and CPD ideas
#RDUK is now a well-known and well-attended Twitter chat that is fabulous for meeting other likeminded people and for learning from each other. It is usually on the first Monday of the month 7.30-8.30pm
Dietitian Entrepreneurs: www.facebook.com/groups/ dietitianentrepreneurs/ Useful to ask questions and get an international flavour
Dietitian Connection Group:www. linkedin.com/groups/4471878 For webinars, blogs and business tips.
The Rooted Project Book Club #TRPBookclub is hosted at times throughout the year and is a good way of discussing a subject, as well as a nice hour of chatter
www.NHDmag.com December 2017/January 2018 - Issue 130
11
SKILLS & LEARNING Table 2: Ideas of what to tweet/share about on social media Professional
Personal
CPD
Media quotes
Recipes you are cooking
Share events that you are going to, or that others are running
Articles you have written and your blog posts
Pictures of your meals at home
RT the science or research from others in the field
Summary of your clinic and work for the day
How you plan your own eating and nutrition
When you read an article, share the main points as tweets or a blog post
Top tips on nutrition
Personal views on foods and new products
Search for hashtags on areas you are interested in and share the content
Campaigns that are happening
Nutrition books you are reading and cookery books
Join in twitter chats and webinars
Business
Dietetic/nutrition
Speciality
Perpetual Traffic (Social Media and Web tips)
Dietitian Connection
The Guru Performance Podcast (Sports Nutrition)
Soulful PR
Food Psych Podcast
Recovery Warriors (Eating Disorders)
Being Boss
Don’t Salt my Game
The Gut loving Podcast (IBS)
Research that you are involved with Talks you are giving Table 3: Dietetic podcasts of interest
Online Marketing Made Easy
you can always catch up later on by searching for the hashtag. The huge plus of these groups is that there are so many people in them, so instead of a department of 10 people, you could have access to 700 people! Obviously, not everyone will comment and reply to you, but you will soon find people who you connect with and build relationships with. Who knows where those connections could take you. If you are like me and you like to be connected, then here are some of those social media groups to try out (see Table 1). PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media has been a career changer for me, but it can also be an ever-changing place and very exposed. I’ve certainly been stung a few times with negativity and trolls. However, the positives outweigh the negatives and there are negatives in all areas of life. More healthcare professionals are putting themselves onto social media which is fabulous - we need to get chatting in order to get our professions and the 12
right advice trending. See Table 2 for ideas on what to post on social media. DEFINE YOUR NICHE
When I started in the freelance world, I took all the work that came along. This was good because I got a wide range of experience and I’ve been able to find out exactly the types of work I like and the bits I’m less keen on. Yes, you sometimes may have to do pieces of work that are mundane and uninspiring, but if this is all you do, then why bother? I want these pieces of work to be stepping stones to something else, or I only take on work I am passionate about. Some great advice I was once given was, “Work out what you are good at and then do just that”. If we all focus on the same area of work, then, firstly, the market could be saturated and secondly, there will be large gaps in the nutrition world of work. I specialise in eating disorders because it was my NHS role; I have lots of experience in it and I love it. However, it is also very demanding work when
www.NHDmag.com December 2017/January 2018 - Issue 130
As dietitians, we do not have to be subservient. If you look at the nutrition world, there are plenty of people out there who have an enterprising and entrepreneurial mindset.
done on a private basis and so I know I need a balance. Freelance work offers me this balance of having my fingers in many ‘pies’. Media work, article writing, PR campaigns, social media projects and recipes analysis are all things I can fit around my family life. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, THEN CREATE THE OPPORTUNITY
As dietitians, we do not have to be subservient. If you look at the nutrition world, there are plenty of people out there who have an enterprising and entrepreneurial mindset. If you are a freelancer, then you need a touch of this. Look for the problems and be creative about how you could come up with a solution. Remember that you do not need to work alone on a project. Think about what could happen if a group of dietitians came together and worked on something that they were passionate about. The work will not necessarily come and fall into your inbox (although it often does!), but it comes through networking, through recommendations from other people and also through you creating it. I’ve run cooking projects because I had a passion to do so, applying for funding to pay myself and then working with charities and local groups offering ideas and resources. For tips, ideas and inspiration there are some wonderful podcasts out there (see Table 3). CHARGE WHAT YOU ARE WORTH
This is the hard part and an area I have struggled with and still do. Only this week I asked another dietitian for advice on a project fee. How much
should you charge? Charge too much and you may not get the work, charge too little and you are potentially devaluing the profession and not earning your worth. As someone who has definitely done some projects for too little, I want to encourage you to know your worth. If you are like me and this is an area that you find tricky, then here are my tips: • When you have a project to quote for, work out how much it will cost you to do per hour, then add a few hours on for the extras. • Have a minimum price that you will take for the project and dare I say double it? Being bold can be the key. As dietitian’s we seem to undervalue ourselves and our work. If we are the experts in our field then shouldn’t our expertise be worth paying for? • Always ask for an amount higher than you actually want/expect to get and then you can negotiate from there. I’ve certainly turned work down in the past because it was unpaid and then it been offered back to me with a fee. Having said this, I do still take on some work for free, but I use the stance of: “Am I doing it because it is something I am passionate about and want to be involved with, or is it something that could benefit me later on?” For example, media work can enhance your profile and blogging work can improve your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) of your website. Value your time: if you take on too many free pieces of work, ask yourself whether you will have time to work on your business and complete other paid work?
www.NHDmag.com December 2017/January 2018 - Issue 130
13
SKILLS & LEARING Table 4: What to include in your invoices Date, your name, address and logo The person’s name who you are invoicing, their address Date the work was carried out and a description Invoice Reference and/or a supplier code if you are given one Break the costing down. e.g. three days’ work at xxx amount Expenses, such as travel time, petrol, food, resources Total amount invoiced and when payment is due How to pay - bank details for BACS NETWORKING IS KEY
Those chance meetings with people, those chats at study days and connections on social media, can all be more powerful than you think. If you can’t get out to meetings and events too often, then build that presence online. Joining local Twitter chats and groups on Facebook for dietary-related areas can lead to referrals. Placing your business cards in local cafes, hairdressers and schools will slowly mean your name becomes known and recognised. Being part of groups like Self Employed Nutritionists Support and Enlightenment (SENSE) and the Freelance Dietitians Group (FDG) are also a useful place to meet others and learn from them. Personally, I do not find that paid advertising works well for me, so I would advise caution before you spend out lots of money. Utilise your local community first. Life in the freelance world is like an unexplored territory. There is so much you could be doing, so many exciting places it could take you. Staying true to your passions and staying connected to other healthcare professionals can help you navigate which route to take.
•
•
• •
BE MORE BUSINESSLIKE
As dietitians, we can be all about the clinical work, but not necessarily be as clued up on the business side. In fact, I would go as far as to say that some people are even a little scared of the business side. Now, I am no business expert and have had to learn a lot along the way, but here are some of my tips: • Have templates set up on your computer for documents that you use regularly. Firstly, it saves you time creating them each time and secondly, it makes you look 14
professional if documents are standardised. Documents like clinical notes, reports, letters, dietary analysis, compliment slips and invoices can all be set up and saved as a template in a folder, or in your actual word processing software. Invoicing does not have to be complicated, many word processing softwares will have a template you can adapt, or just create your own. Send out invoices promptly (note to self: I need to improve on this!). If you are seeing a 1-1 patient/client, it is best to invoice them before you meet and preferably ask for payment before they arrive. See Table 4 for items to include in your invoice. Send out terms and conditions with a clear statement on how much your patient/client must pay if they do not attend a 1-1. Accountancy software is also a great option and can be used for your invoices too. This is something you pay for, but it will make your bookkeeping simple and is a nontaxable expense. Take a look at software such as FreeAgent, QuickBooks, Waves, ClearBooks, Xero.
TAKE-HOME TIPS
Being a freelancer can feel like a lonely field, but there are now so many places and people to get help from. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and to ask people how they do things. As dietitians, we may not be trained in business, but we need to charge what we are worth and learn the business and financial side of things as we go along.
www.NHDmag.com December 2017/January 2018 - Issue 130
FROM JANUARY 2018, APTAMIL PEPTI-JUNIOR WILL BE THE NEW NAME IN THE DIETARY MANAGEMENT OF MALABSORPTION RELATED CONDITIONS
Cow & Gate Pepti-Junior Product Code: 56560 PIP Code: 049-0714 Bar Code: 8712400590167
Aptamil Pepti-Junior Product Code: 124560 PIP Code: 049-0714 Bar Code: 8718117606917
SAME FORMULATION, NEW BRAND
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?
SPECIALLY FORMULATED TO:
– Aptamil Pepti-Junior will be available in 450g tins, exactly the same as Cow & Gate Pepti-Junior
Enhance digestion and absorption1,2 Promote palatability3-5 Reduce osmotic load6
– From JANUARY 2018, Cow & Gate Pepti-Junior will be called Aptamil Pepti-Junior – Only the brand name, packaging and codes will change, the formulation will remain the same
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? – Continue to prescribe Cow & Gate Pepti-Junior until Aptamil Pepti-Junior becomes available, then simply switch over – the formulation is unchanged
For more information, call our Healthcare Professional Helpline on 0800 996 1234, or visit www.eln.nutricia.co.uk References: 1. Keohane PP et al. Gut 1985;26(9):907-13. 2. Bach AC, Babayan VK. Am J Clin Nutr 1982;36(5):950-62. 3. Mabin DC et al. Arch Dis Child 1995;73(3):208-10. 4. Pedrosa M et al. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2006;16(6):351-6. 5. Miraglia Del Giudice M et al. Ital J Pediatr 2015;41:42. 6. Shaw V, Lawson M (eds). Clinical Paediatric Dietetics. 4th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2015.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Aptamil Pepti-Junior is a food for special medical purposes for the dietary management of malabsorption related conditions. It should only be used under medical supervision, after full consideration of the feeding options available including breastfeeding. Suitable for use as the sole source of nutrition for infants from birth, and/or as part of a balanced diet from 6 months. FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY. 17-075/September 2017