Do you aspire to be your own boss, as an entrepreneur, or to work freelance?
This may work out brilliantly for you if you have the skill, ambition, discipline, network, funding, and luck to get you there. However, in some cases, you may need to work and save first to follow this dream.
So, let’s take a look at the Benefits of Having a Job and what doors it can open!
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Gain Experience In The Process
It is extremely hard to make it as an entrepreneur or freelancer if you do not have enough skills. The type of skills you will need will not only pertain to exactly what you are doing but the know-how of “how things are done.”
Those who will invest in your business or make use of your services will expect you to be an expert, anticipate their needs, correspond in a certain fashion, and meet their deadlines. Above and beyond this, they will want it at the lowest price possible.
Know your industry and pricing…
There are countless forums of those newly graduated or just starting, asking their peers, “how much should I charge a client for this?” Not only because they do not know the market value of their services, but also because they don’t know what value they hold.
This can lead to your customers taking advantage of you by low-balling you on offers. Should anything go wrong, you may lose the client altogether.
Investors won’t part with their money…
Investors often see their investments as a flagship of their financial wealth first before recognizing your endeavor as a high-reward prospect. You will not likely persuade investors if you cannot prove that you have the experience needed to turn rags into riches.
During your time in the field, you will learn key elements of business, how to spot unforeseen risks, and how to handle a crisis, should it come to pass.
Have Time To Plan Your Future
While you are working a stable job with set hours, you normally have a good work-life balance. You have the time to plan your venture and still live. The first few months or years of working for yourself will likely leave you with no time to yourself. You will have to plan things as you go instead of having a strategy ahead of time.
In this time, you can set some goals, perfect your plans and go ahead with your new career once you are completely ready to do so.
If you gonna do it… do it right!
Working for yourself out of necessity can often limit your options too. You may be hasty on finer details such as your brand identity, standards of procedures, and your finances and bookkeeping.
This could lead to you agreeing to a logo you hate within three months, costly mistakes in your process of performing services, and the need for a costly professional accountant to make sense of all your unfiled invoices and expenses.
Network, Network, Network
When you have a job, you will rub shoulders with others who are more skilled, experienced, and have a network of people who can open doors for you.
For example, say you start as a journalist. You learn from your editors all that you can. After a few months, you are sent by your editors to corporate events to cover for the social pages. Once there, you meet a few corporate highflyers, celebrities, and bankers. Later, one of the people that you met asks you to cover a sporting event at their child’s school.
Be patient, it will take time…
Over time, you build a rapport with many members of your community. One may ask for your resume at a later date. Before you know it, you are an in-house copywriter.
Once you are ready to start your own marketing company, you will have a reputation in the community. Those who know you will endorse you, possibly invest with you, and be the first to make use of your skills and refer you to their friends.
A Consistent Income
It is very difficult to make it on your own as you have no idea when you will be able to earn the paycheck you need to survive. Having a job will help to bridge the gap until you can either jump into your side hustle full time or have managed to save enough to start your business and work at it, knowing you have a safety net in the bank.
Most financial experts will say that everyone should have an emergency fund of at least the amount you will need to cover monthly expenses for three to six months.
Expect the unexpected…
You will also have to consider that there will be business expenses and unforeseen bills that you will have to cover as well. This will include possible rent of property, equipment, utilities, service providers, licensing fees where applicable, business meetings that may include meals and drinks, and possibly, employees.
You will also need to consider your credit score. You may need a car or equipment on credit to visit clients and to provide services. Saving up for this could be futile, and a secured loan will only be available if you have a steady paycheck.
Getting A Job Takes A Great Resume!
Whether you’re looking for your first job or changing your current one, an immaculate CV is always expected! So, let’s take you through the steps with our How To Address A Cover Letter, our How To Write A Letter of Interest, as well as our Achievements To List On Your Resume and how to list Job Titles On Resume.
Furthermore, I also have my Motivation Letter Writing Guide and my Most Important Skills To Put On A Resume, or perhaps you’d like to know How To List Education On A Resume, or How To List References On A Resume, and finally is my Hobbies Interests To Put On Resume, to get that resume to shine!
To help you get noticed even more, take a look at how to Optimize Your Resume: DOs and DON’Ts the SamNova Way, the English for Academic CVs, Resumes, and Online Profiles, or even How to Write an Amazing IT Resume, the Resume Formats book, along with the Resume Format Guide, all available online in 2023.
Final Thoughts
This is not meant to discourage you from doing your own thing. In fact, no company in existence would be here if not for someone with a dream and a great execution plan. Without entrepreneurs, you would have no one to work for to start with! However, there are benefits to having a job, and you should use the opportunity to work if you can.
Just remember, it will contribute to your success as an entrepreneur or a freelancer later.
So, if you don’t have a job yet… get out there and find one, and use it as a springboard for your entrepreneurial dream!
