Connect with us

Business

6 Tips To Master Being Self-Employed

mm

Published

on

One of the biggest dreams many people have in their careers is becoming self-employed. For those that have made the transition, you already know how difficult it can actually be. The initial career transition from your regular nine-to-five job into the world of becoming self-employed can seem overwhelming.

Thankfully, there are options for you to seek help with career transition assistance. They provide interview coaches and job search specialists to help you get the job you want. 

To start preparing yourself, here are six tips to help you master the art of being self-employed.

 

  • Create a Professional Website

 

The first thing you’ll want to do is to create a professional website. This will act as your portfolio for all of your work, share your resume, and highlight some of your best work. It’s an opportunity to begin branding yourself in your field of expertise.

Some of the key steps to building a great website include:

  • Keep it simple and easy to navigate.
  • Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly.
  • Provide clear contact information.
  • Add client or previous employer testimonials.
  • Create a blog with regular content relevant to your industry.

 

  • Update Your LinkedIn Profile

 

Once you’ve developed a digital portfolio, you can start connecting through various social media platforms and building your network. LinkedIn is the most optimal social network to help not only find new freelance work but also to connect with other influential people within your industry. It can also help set you apart from other self-employed workers who are in search of freelance jobs.

Your LinkedIn profile should be updated with the same types of content as your website. This would include your portfolio of work, resume, and can provide you with additional credentials through skill tests. This will show potential companies that your skills are suitable for their needs and give you a leg up on your competition.

 

  • Work On Self-Discipline

 

On a soft skill level, self-discipline is one of the most crucial elements to becoming self-employed. Since you won’t have a manager hovering over your shoulder, you have to be your own boss. You are in charge of your schedule and meeting deadlines.

 

  • Build a Scheduled Routine

 

Maybe you don’t want the typical Monday through Friday work schedule. Regardless, you’ll want to ensure that you are designating certain days and times to be for work only. It can be easy to slack off or, on the flip side, work too much. Choose your start and stop times, along with any breaks you take throughout the day, just as you would if you were in the office.

 

  • Set Up An Appropriate Work Station

 

In order to stay productive, you need to have an environment that is conducive to your work style. It’s more than simply setting up your computer. Maybe you’ll need a whiteboard to jot down ideas or greenery around your workstation to keep you feeling energized throughout the day.

Find what works for you and make it your designated spot. That way, when you aren’t working at a local coffee shop, you have a space within your home to get down to business.

 

  • Get Situated With Your Finances

 

Being self-employed means you will need to manage your finances. Oftentimes, you will not be receiving a typical W-2 form where taxes and other costs will be taken out. Because of this, you are now in charge of paying your own taxes every year.

Start by putting at least 30% of every paycheck into your savings account. From there, you will want to start keeping regular track of all your work expenses. You’ll want to save your receipts and keep an inventory of any write-offs you may have. If you aren’t sure where to start, we highly recommend you work with a professional accountant.

The most important thing to do when you are looking to transition into becoming self-employed is to remember that you are your own boss. You are the one in charge of finances, your website, branding, and all of your deadlines. And of course, having the necessary self-discipline will get you to where you want to be.

The idea of Bigtime Daily landed this engineer cum journalist from a multi-national company to the digital avenue. Matthew brought life to this idea and rendered all that was necessary to create an interactive and attractive platform for the readers. Apart from managing the platform, he also contributes his expertise in business niche.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

The Ultimate Guide to the Essential Social Skills in Business

mm

Published

on

Effective communication and strong relationships are essential for success in the workplace. One factor that can greatly influence these qualities is emotional intelligence, often abbreviated as EQ. EQ refers to the ability to identify, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. Research has shown that individuals with high levels of EQ are better equipped to handle stress, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively with others (Chamorro-Premuzic & Sanger, 2016).

Research has consistently shown that emotional intelligence (EQ) is an important predictor of job performance and success in the workplace. EQ is comprised of a set of skills that allow individuals to recognize, understand, and regulate their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. In addition, individuals with high EQ are better able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and navigate complex social situations. As a result, they are often viewed as effective leaders and collaborators, and are more likely to achieve their personal and professional goals.

In fact, a number of studies have demonstrated the significant impact that EQ has on job performance and success. For example, one study of 85 upper-level managers found that those with higher EQ scores were rated as more effective leaders by their subordinates (Law, Wong, & Song, 2004). Another study of 151 employees found that those with higher EQ were more likely to be promoted within their organization over a five-year period (Carmeli, Brueller, & Dutton, 2009). These findings highlight the importance of EQ in the workplace and suggest that developing these skills can lead to significant benefits for both individuals and organizations.

According to a study conducted by TalentSmart, a leading provider of EQ assessments, EQ is responsible for 58% of success in all job types (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009). In contrast, IQ only accounts for about 4% of success in the workplace. This suggests that EQ is a crucial skill set for individuals in any professional field. Fortunately, EQ is a skill that can be developed and honed over time with practice and awareness.

There are several key components of EQ that are particularly important for success in the workplace. These include: 

Self-Regulation: This refers to your capacity to recognize and control your emotions. Sometimes treating them when they arise may be necessary. Understanding how to manage your anger is essential. However, it can also cover how to control the feelings you’ll experience.

Self-Awareness: This implies recognizing and understanding your own feelings. Do noisy places make you nervous? Do other people talking over you make you angry? Knowing these truths about yourself shows that you are working on your self-awareness. Being conscious of yourself is necessary for this phase, which can be more complex than it sounds.

Socialization: This category focuses on your capacity to manage social interactions and direct relationships. It doesn’t entail dominating others but knowing how to work with others to achieve your goals. This could entail presenting your ideas to coworkers, leading a team, or resolving a personal disagreement.

Motivation: Strong motivators include external forces like money, status, or suffering. Internal motivation, however, plays a significant role in Goleman’s concept. By doing so, you demonstrate your ability to control your cause and initiate or continue initiatives of your own volition rather than in response to external demands.

Empathy: It’s equally critical to be sensitive to others’ feelings. This may entail learning to identify different emotional states in individuals — for example, can you tell the difference between someone at ease and someone anxious? — but it also requires comprehension of how other people may react to their current situation. Empathy is one of the essential traits in business and business leadership.

A thought leader in this space, Michael Ventura has built a career advising organizations on the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace. In his book, Applied Empathy, Ventura highlights the value of empathy in business and provides strategies for developing and applying this skill set. With two decades of experience as a leader, facilitator, and educator, Ventura’s work has made impact in with prestigious institutions such as Princeton University and the United Nations as well as corporate clients such as Google and Nike.

Through his work, Ventura advises leaders to focus on the development of EQ in order to help individuals improve their communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, ultimately leading to greater success in the workplace. Experts like Ventura continue to support the growing body of research on the value of EQ in business, and the evidence that organizations who invest in the EQ of their teams help to create a more empathetic and successful professional environment.

And it’s worth noting that EQ isn’t just important for individual success in the workplace, but also for overall organizational success. A study by the Center for Creative Leadership found that EQ was a better predictor of success than IQ or technical skills in the workplace, and that teams with higher levels of EQ tend to be more effective and productive (Boyatzis, Goleman, & Rhee, 1999). By cultivating a culture of empathy and emotional intelligence, organizations can improve their overall performance and create a more positive work environment for their employees.

In conclusion, emotional intelligence is a crucial component of success in the workplace, and individuals and organizations alike should prioritize the development of these skills. The ones that do not only develop a leading edge in their category, but also become a meaningful place to work for their teams. And in today’s rapidly changing talent landscape, the retention of highly capable, emotionally intelligent leaders is one of the greatest keys to unlocking success.

References:

Boyatzis, R. E., Goleman, D., & Rhee, K. S. (1999). Clustering competence in emotional intelligence: Insights from the emotional competence inventory (ECI). In R. Bar-On & J. D. A. Parker (Eds.), Handbook of emotional intelligence (pp. 343-362). Jossey-Bass.

Bradberry, T., & Greaves, J. (2009). Emotional intelligence 2.0. TalentSmart.

Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Sanger, M. N. (2016). Does employee happiness matter? Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 3(2), 168-191.

Continue Reading

Trending