Freelancing: Working Out of the Box, with Help from the Web
Maybe you're just making the leap from a steady, 9-to-5 job to the sometimes unpredictable lifestyle of an independent contractor, or maybe you've been freelancing for years. Either way, managing your current work and looking for your next gig can be a daunting endeavor. Online you'll find freelancing advice, tax information, tracking and organization tools, and much more to help you find success in the freelancing world.
Expand All Guide SectionsGetting Started in Freelance
You should make sure that you know what you are getting into before you take the leap into the ... read more »
Finding Freelance Jobs
But most freelancers are constantly working to make sure they have enough projects lined up to pay ... read more »
Freelance Pay, Contracts, and Benefits
If freelancing is your only source of income, you are going to have to be very careful. Some online ... read more »
Keeping Track of Freelance Projects
If you're going to work on several projects at a time, or even one project, organization will play ... read more »
Paying Taxes as a Freelancer
Taxes can be more complicated for freelancers than for an average employee in a large company; in ... read more »
Connecting With the Freelance Community
The life of a freelancer, while often exciting, can also be lonely. There are many places online where you can find support, advice, and even job leads from other people in the freelance community.
Dulcinea's Insight
- If online communities don't provide enough human interaction for you, check some of the career posting sites to see if they hold seminars or professional get-togethers. For example, mediabistro.com, a site for those in the media world, often hosts freelance parties in major cities.
- If working at home has you feeling lonely, consider taking a job doing freelance work onsite at a client company. You'll have the benefit of workplace camaraderie without giving up the freedom of freelancing. If you'd prefer to stay away from offices but still crave human interaction and a change of scenery, try doing your freelance work from a coffee shop, the public library, or anywhere else you can find an Internet connection. You might be surprised how many other people make their living in nontraditional ways and are out and about in the middle of the day.
- The sites listed here are general resources; industry-specific sites are a great way to find tailored advice and support. Professional associations often offer support in the form of online forums, continued education classes, or professional get-togethers.
Dulcinea's Picks
For advice about freelancing ...
FreelanceSwitch
has a blog that's filled with great advice for freelancers of all types. Here you'll find lists of Web resources, advice about different working conditions or client relations, tips about how to better manage your time, and more.
Monster.com
has career advice personalized for the contract or temporary worker. Here you'll find articles about trends in the freelance industry, profiles of jobs and industries, tips about appropriate salary and benefits, even suggestions of good places to look for contract work.
Authentic Boredom
is a blog that provides some insight for freelancers based on the first six months of author Cameron Moll's freelance career. This is by no means a comprehensive guide for beginners, but the tips he provides (like considering check delay and keeping your work separate from your free time) are useful even to some veteran freelancers.
For a freelance message board or forum ...
Freelance Lounge
is a forum where freelancers can ask and answer questions of each other, or just post messages of support or advice. Browse the forum by topic to see if anyone is posting messages that are of interest to you, or post your own question to see if you get any useful advice from the other forum members.
For a freelancer union ...
The Freelancers Union
was started in 1995 in New York. Although this organization is still very New York-centric, membership is open to freelancers everywhere. Check out the "Resources" section to find links to sites with information about insurance, other unions, taxes, and even other activism organizations. Basic membership in the Freelancers Union is free, but if you want to access the group health, dental, disability, or life insurance, you have to pay for it.
© 2012 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
