Freelancing SOS: How To Take Yourself Seriously

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Everybody has the odd expectation that every freelancer works from their bed in their best pajamas. Media have made the unfair PJs cliché popular, creating a world in which freelancers have a relaxed and somewhat lazy approach to life. It’s fair to say that for anybody who’s considering starting an independent career, it will take a lot of time and effort to convince your audience that you’re a professional and respectable expert. 

However, you are your biggest enemy. In a world where freelancing equals PJs work and invisible flexibility, the first person you need to convince that you mean business is yourself. Indeed, the image of freelancing, as advertised by the media, might be compelling at first, but it lacks guidance in terms of how to make the most of your time. When you don’t know anything about how to organize your day and plan your work routine as a solo expert, it’s easy to fall in the trap of the media and believe that working from home makes you lazy. But you need to learn to take yourself seriously first if you want others to follow.

You need a network which believes in you 

If you’re not the most self-confident individual, you are likely to struggle at first to establish yourself as an expert. When you are on your own, it can be daunting to approach the market and introduce yourself as the new professional in town. But you can smooth out self-esteem obstacles by surrounding yourself with people who believe in your skills. Every home-based business needs a reliable network that serves any of the following purposes: advising, cheering, and exchanging. If you happen to find a mentor, you can benefit from their wisdom for guidance. Your close friends and relatives can keep you motivated. Finally, your local business network is the perfect place to share and exchange skills and strategies.

You need a real workplace

Let’s get real; just because the media claim that freelancers work from their bedroom doesn’t mean you have to use your bed as a primary workplace. You need to create for yourself a workstation that encourages you to stay productive. Create a quiet clutter-free nook at home where you can keep your laptop and a desk. Remember to add a few plants for good measure; they boost your concentration by 15%! If home isn’t the place to work, what’s stopping you from using desk share services?  There are plenty of cozy office spaces that rent out desks with all the facilities you need. 

Your brand becomes your identity 

Companies use their unique brand and business culture to define who they are. Solo experts, on the other hand, find it a little more complicated to hide behind a logo. However, determining what your brand is will greatly affect how others perceive your expertise. In a world where there is no shortage of talented creative, your personal brand is a powerful differentiator that conveys your business personality. Creating a brand stops you from being that freelancer in a PJs and lets you become a respectable professional. 

If you’ve worked all of your life in an office environment, taking your first step as an independent professional can be daunting. But you need to build the necessary structure to be taken seriously, firstly by yourself and then by the market.

Why People Hire Me

Most of my clients who end up hiring me, don’t know me personally.

It’s usually through a reference from a friend, but mostly via online: Yelp or LinkedIn.

Once I get contacted on the phone, I ask the person what their goals are so I can tell them if I can help them or not.

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Coaching is a lot like hiring a personal trainer. When you hire a trainer, it’s his/her job to create a program to reach your goals. What I do is very similar, but instead of improving your body, I improve your mind.

I try my best to address the issues brought to me and use past experiences to prove that I’m capable of assisting.

No matter what we talk about, I normally end the call with two criteria for them to consider moving forward:

1) FitIf we don’t have chemistry, we shouldn’t work together. I can figure that out within the first 5 minutes of a call, but it’s not up to me. I want the person on the other end of the phone to feel they can share with me where they need help and trust that I’ll be professional and confidential.

2) Confidence – “If you don’t have the confidence that I can take you to where you want to go, don’t hire me.” I say this with confidence because I have confidence in my abilities to better people. It’s a bold statement, but I wouldn’t say it if I couldn’t back it up. For example, I can’t promise I can find a new job for a client, but I can promise if they follow my process it will lead them to a new career eventually. That may not sound as convincing as putting a deadline on it, but it’s the truth. I believe the pillars I use for any industry transfer very well. I mean at the end of the day, that’s why someone is hiring me right? They can’t do it on their own, so they’re asking for my help.

This system of mine is something I created over time. I saw the patterns in requests with my clients and responded accordingly. Reference is why people contact me. How I communicate to my clients is what proves credibility. But in the end my system is what helps people make a decision on whether to hire me or not. Why? Because a system creates structure and people want to know whether you have it or not.

How to Be More Confident

Who wouldn’t like to be more confident?!

It’s the most desired, intangible trait you can have. Believe it or not, it’s not overly complicated to attain.

Want to know the secret? Drumroll…

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Achieve more.

That’s it?! Simple enough, right?

Think about the last time you were confident. It probably involved you performing and getting recognized for it. A lot of the times we do what we get noticed for. Not always a bad thing, but our ego is involved.

People who are self-confident achieve more. It goes hand-in-hand.

Take for instance one of my coaching-client conversations:

Client: “I’ve been in the same job for 5 years and hate it. I want to leave, but am afraid if I do I won’t have anything else. Can you help me make the transition?

Me: “So you know I can’t promise you employment right? That’s a guarantee no one can make (unless they’re going to hire you themselves).”

Client: “Oh yeah, I don’t expect that, but I need a game plan…something to help me figure out if it’s worth taking the risk of leaving my current job.”

Me: “So you want me to help you with an exit strategy and give you tips on how to get into a new industry right?

Client: “Yes.”

Me: “So what you’re really looking for is to gain more confidence so you’re willing to chase after your dreams.”

Client: “Exactly.”

When you set and achieve goals it builds momentum. It’s like that snowball rolling down the hill in cartoons. It starts small then gets bigger as it picks up speed. Start with small goals, achieve those, then become more ambitious in your pursuit(s). The more you achieve, the greater your confidence.

At the heart of what I do as a coach is build people’s self-confidence. That’s what I tell people when they call me from Yelp!