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I can’t go a day without talking to someone about how to get started as a freelancer, consultant or entrepreneur. Some folks are going solo by necessity; others are betting on themselves over employers in a market where jobs are no more stable than gigs. I spent the weekend with my cousin and her fiance who had both been laid off from jobs in adventure travel. We brainstormed about how they could build careers as entrepreneurs or consultants.
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A few days later I had lunch with a colleague who is in the midst of a negotiation with her boss about moving from employee to consultant because she thinks she’d have more opportunities if she diversified her client base rather than remain at one company.
Those conversations came in handy this morning when I was interviewed by Tory Johnson on how to break into freelancing for a video series promoting her new book, Fired to Hired, which will be published in early August.
Here's a summary of our chat:
Dip into freelancing while keeping your job. Start by quietly spreading the word that you are available for projects and taking on assignments that don't present a conflict with your current job. The goal is to test the waters to see whether your services are in demand and to have at least one or two clients lined up once you're completely out on your own.
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I’ve been thinking a lot about time management and productivity lately, so I decided to check in with Gina Trapani, who is best known as the founder of the blog Lifehacker, and the author of the book “Upgrade Your Life,” an indispensable guide to how to work smarter in the digital age. When I last interviewed Trapani, she was still editing Lifehacker, which is owned by Gawker Media. She left that position in January. These days she divides her time between computer programming, writing for her personal blog, Smarterware, and freelance writing for a variety of publications.
We chatted via phone and email about going through transitions and forging a new path away from a brand you’ve been closely identified with. The following is a condensed version of our conversations.
So how does it feel to be just Gina Trapani after four years of being Gina Trapani, editor of Lifehacker, one of the most powerful blogs in the world?
Lifehacker is this great brand, packaged really nicely and my name was tied very closely with it. Now that I’m not there, I’m not a brand anymore. Read More »- Let’s talk: Comment (2) | Blog
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Part-time work is on the rise, and it's no surprise. People are taking on extra jobs to make up for hours or income lost, an out-of-work partner, or even a business facing hard times. But part-time jobs can me more than a stop-gap money generator. They can also be a training ground for career reinvention or an audition for a full-time position with both parties getting a chance to try before buying.
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Before you start searching for a part-time job, there are a few things to consider, especially if you already have a job and you'll be layering part-time work on top of that. Read More »- Let’s talk: Comment (28) | Blog
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The US Airways pilot who brought a jet down safely into New York’s Hudson River earned a reputation for safety before he saved all 155 people aboard the damaged plane. When Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger is not flying commercial aircraft, he serves as president…
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I’ve now realized that job security is an oxymoron. Seriously, the two words just do not go together as they once may have. So when I was offered the chance to accept a 3-month contract, there wasn’t much to think about. <br><br>Yes, I accept! You’ll take me – even if you don’t know if you want me past 3 months!<br><br>At an earlier time, I may have held out for a permanent position. (There’s another oxymoron). Yet in some pre-economic-meltdown era I would have second-guessed this about a hundred times. I would have wondered if accepting the short-term offer would mean missing out on a permanent job that was just around the corner.<br><br>But now? Is there much to think about? Read More »
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Beauty Blooms purpose is to help a woman's inner and outer beauty blossom. Read More »
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Written by Brandie Kajino
We've all been there, the pen that won't work, the phone that doesn't quite fit the bill and a chair that wobbles just enough to send ya right over the edge. In the biz of organizing (and pretty much the whole world), they're known as the formidable "productivity killers." You're just trying to get stuff done, and these little things can drive you crazy! So, what can you do about them? Lots! Here are a few suggestions: Read More »
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Written by Brandie Kajino: It’s fall, and that means school is starting here. The difference this year? My little boy is a first grader. I have...
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With part-time and consulting work continuing to be seen as “the holy grail” of work/life balance, more and more women are asking how they can make the switch from being an employee to a contractor or consultant. Fortunately for those interested in making this change, more and more companies are open to engaging people, especially former employees, on this basis. This is particularly true today, when many employers need to cut back on FTEs (full time equivalents), but still have work that needs to get done. Readers recently queried us about the ins and outs of building sustainable consulting businesses. Read More »
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