Feature Article: The Nuts and Bolts of Launching a Career in Freelancing or Consulting
Special Feature: Tips for Breaking Into and Succeeding in Management Consulting
A Quintet of Quick Questions: QuintZine's Q&A with
a Career Expert: Jane Pollak, entrepreneur, artist, professional speaker, and author
Quintessential Reading: QuintZine's Review of Career Books
Quintessential Site: Featured Career Web Site of this Issue
The Career Doctor: Answering Your Questions
Latest Additions: What's New on Quintessential Careers
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search
Notes from the Editor: About this Issue...
I am so excited about this issue
because of wonderful material
from three contributors. Jane Pollak,
an entrepreneur whom I greatly admire,
is the subject of our Q&A
interview, and we also review her
terrific book, Soul Proprietor, in this
issue.
Regular contributor Maureen Crawford Hentz
has written an extremely helpful
article on the nuts and bolts
of getting started as a consultant or
freelancer. And we were also fortunate to
receive an unexpected but excellent
contribution on breaking into management
consulting by Jennie S. Bev.
All of these contributors help to make
Quintessential Careers rich in content.
Our cup truly runneth over -- our site
now tallies 1,500 pages of content.
The Nuts and Bolts of Launching a Career in Freelancing or Consulting
by Maureen Crawford Hentz
"I'm going to work for myself." For many people,
the dream of independence can be turned into a
reality. Freelancing and/or consulting is the
most straightforward path toward working for a
great boss -- you. Because it is a tremendous
commitment, however, it's important to think
logically and take steps toward this career
move seriously.
The most important thing to consider is the
purpose of freelancing/consulting. Are you
looking to fill some free time? Do you want
to earn extra money? Are you looking to work
for yourself? Want to test the waters in a
new career? These are all questions central
to the issue of income expectation. Decide
whether you will freelance/consult on the
side, as a part-time position, or as a full-time
move. It's wise not to quit your full-time
position until you've been consulting on the
side for a few years and have a good sense of
the flow of your intended business.
Read Hentz's full article filled with lots of
the basics you should know if you want to work
as a freelancer or consultant:
Click here to read the article.
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Special Feature: Tips for Breaking into Consulting
Tips for Breaking into and Succeeding in Management Consulting
by Jennie S. Bev
Management consulting is one of the professions
that endures in a slow economy. Why? Because more
than ever, companies need consultants to help them
increase revenues and cut costs.
Management consulting is also known as one of the
highest paid
professions in the United States. A
recent survey by the Association of Management
Consulting Firms found entry-level consultants
earn an average of $58,000 annually while senior
partners earn an average of $259,000 (including
bonuses and profit sharing). Self-employed consultants
may earn $100 to $350 per hour.
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Jane Pollak is an internationally known entrepreneur,
artist, professional speaker and author of
Soul Proprietor: 101 Lessons from a Lifestyle
Entrepreneur (October 2001, The Crossing Press).
"I heard early on in my business sales training
that it takes six no's to get to a yes," said Jane
Pollak in the Q&A interview we did with her. "However,
it's not only asking for the business that requires
persistence."
Pollak continues: "I'll never forget exhibiting
for the first time at a trade show in Baltimore.
The gentleman in the booth behind me made what I
considered mediocre jewelry. His orders, however,
were much higher than mine. I had time to notice,
as I wasn't writing many orders myself. He made a
comment that was memorable. Several of his buyers
remarked that they had seen him at this show year
after year and never bought, but since he was
still there, he
must have something worth selling. I know
there is something to be said for longevity, showing up
and being there."
"Think about your own experiences with newspaper
advertisements, members of organizations you belong
to, or stores in your community, Pollak advises. "Sometimes,
just the mere fact that they're still there causes you to
pay attention, to even try out their offerings. Imagine
if you continue in your business, make yourself known
on a regular basis and offer quality goods what a
blueprint for achievement that would be."
Read more of Pollak's thoughts on the discipline of
the self-employed worker, the importance of lifelong
learning, reality checks of the self-employed, and
what it means to be a "lifestyle entrepreneur" in our complete
Q&A with Jane Pollak
Every one of the 101 lessons Pollak offers is accompanied
by at least one anecdote from her fascinating journey.
Each anecdote illustrates the point she is making in the
lesson. More often than not, the lessons she learned and
generously passes on sprang from mistakes she has made.
Author Daniel Pink did a very smart thing. Pink, who
became a "free agent" after serving as speechwriter to
Vice President Al Gore, updated the 2002 paperback edition
of his book, Free Agent Nation, to be much more useful
to would-be self-employed readers than the 2001 hardback
edition had been. In fact, I was all set to publish
a review of the hardback edition, which carries the
subtitle: "How America's New Independent Workers Are
Transforming the Way We Live," as a fascinating and
inspiring socioeconomic study of the new revolution
and trend toward being self-employed -- but one that
it didn't offer a whole lot in the way of practical
advice for aspiring free agents. Then I noticed that
that Pink had changed the title of the paperback edition
of the book to "The Future of Working for Yourself" and had
added a resource guide specifically to help folks get
started on the path of free agency. Smart. And the
embellishments increase the value of Pink's book
exponentially.
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and has more than 235,000 professionals available for
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Latest Additions: New Sites Added to QuintCareers
Abrade UK Job Search Engine & Recruitment Agency Directory --
a UK career and job portal, offering a comprehensive collection of UK career advice and job and work related sites. A good
starting point for a job-search in the UK. Free to job-seekers.
Hotel Career Solutions -- where
all types of hotel professionals at all levels (from new grads to executives)
can search for jobs (by location and job type), create a personal career profile (with confidentiality option),
and links to comprehensive industry resources. Free to job-seekers.
UBidContract.com
-- a contracting network that empowers professional contractors to list your
services in a professional profile section, bid for government, company, and other contracts/jobs,
and consider optional services to better market yourself and your services. Free to independent contractors.
Working Solo, Inc.
-- founded by Terri Lonier, this site full of fantastic resources for the home-based telecommuter,
consultant, freelancer, or business owner. Find resources, information, tips, links, and more.
Includes free self-employment news e-mail newsletter. Free to job-seekers.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest Additions section.
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Becky writes: "I have a question about freelancing.
I have worked for a number of years for some big employers
and have gained some great experience. I feel it's the right
time in my life to venture out on my own, and I am looking
for some guidance on how I should go about getting started."
Ruth writes: "I'm seeking an administrative assistant
position, and I'm confused as to whether my current job
title falls into the category. My current position is
operations coordinator, which focuses on the area of fleet
services, warehousing, and other duties. I possess the skills
of the administrative assistant, but wasn't quite sure if
these two titles could be interchangeable."
Lucy writes: "I am currently unemployed. I am a
certified paralegal, as well as graduate from a
major university. My BA is in
English and I pursued
my paralegal degree, having failed to find a job with my
English degree. I am now laid off and I need to find
a way to make my very sketchy work history look better.
How can I improve my chances? I am definitely getting
interviews, but no one is interested in hiring me."
Spencer writes: "I'm 16 years old and have held
jobs for companies, but am unsatisfied with the amount
of money they bring back. I need enough money to get a
car and possibly help support my family. I am considerably
smart and can learn things very fast. I just don't know where
to start. I always thought of starting a grocery business
for the elderly, but don't have a car. I also don't know
how to start with the business. I just hate the thought
of a 9-5 job."
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Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Did you know that Monster.com has a special area for
the kind of work that freelancers and consultants do?
Monster's Contract and Temporary Community is a relatively
new section of Monster that's dedicated to providing resources
and advice specifically for independent workers.
Check it out .
Surely but slowly, employee compensation is
likely to pull out of its tailspin in 2003, reports
Business Week. Fewer companies -- about 6 percent
-- are planning to freeze pay next year,
compared to the 17 percent that froze at least some
salaries this year, according to a recent survey of
1,600 companies by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
Moreover, Mercer expects base salaries to rise
3.9 percent next year on average, compared to
2002's 3.8 percent -- which was the puniest annual
increase in a decade. With the consumer price index
now running at about 1.5 percent, pay could rise an
historically healthy 2.3 percent after adjusting for
inflation. Still, the anticipated increase will be
smaller than in the 1990s, when paychecks typically
grew by more than 4 percent annually, compensation
experts say. With unemployment hovering near 6 percent,
many workers are relieved simply to be working, placing
less pressure on companies to open their wallets. People
who get shrunken paychecks are still better off than those going
without any paychecks at all, employers reason.
Read the
full story.
How can job candidates convince the hiring manager
they're an ideal match for the position? Working on a
temporary basis is a good start, suggests a recent survey.
Nearly half (46 percent) of workers polled said performance
on a temporary or trial assignment provides the best
insight into whether someone is qualified for a job, followed
by the interview (30 percent) and the reference check (12
percent). The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading
staffing service specializing in highly skilled administrative
professionals. Survey respondents were asked, "Which one of the
following provides the most insight into whether or not
someone is qualified for a job?" Their responses:
Performance on a temporary or trial basis before
a full-time offer is made: 46 percent
The interview: 30 percent
The reference check: 12 percent
The resume: 8 percent
The cover letter: 2 percent
Something else: 1 percent
Don't know/no answer: 1 percent
Liz Hughes, executive director of OfficeTeam, offers the following suggestions for candidates
using temporary work to open doors to full-time jobs:
Shift your focus: While on a temporary assignment,
think of yourself as a full-time employee. Take ownership
of projects and adopt a service mindset.
Make them an offer: During the job interview,
suggest to the hiring manager that you'd be willing
to work on a temporary basis as a means of demonstrating
your qualifications. When working with temporary services,
let them know you're looking for assignments that could
lead to full-time jobs.
It's in the attitude: Employers aren't just
evaluating your technical ability. They also want
to see how well you work with others, react to constructive
criticism and handle setbacks. Be positive and upbeat with
everyone you meet.
Don't burn bridges: If your assignment doesn't
lead to full-time work, thank the manager and keep
in touch. This person could serve as a reference for
you or provide job leads in the future.
We'd Love You to Link to Quintessential Careers!
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Web site, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* Cover letters to recruiters
* How to create and publish a Web-ready resume
* Crafting a successful e-mail resume
* The interview as sales call
* Getting the raise you deserve
* 10 things I wish I'd known before starting college
* 10 things I wish I'd known before starting my first job
* Letters of recommendation
* 10 ways to develop job leads
* Why, how, when to use a career coach -- and whom to choose
* Employer research: step by step
* Learn about careers through job-shadowing
* Balancing career and family
* 10 job-search reality checks
* Is job flexibility right for you?
* First days on the job: Strategies to get ahead
* Dealing with a bad boss
* Making your case for telecommuting
* A day in the life of a recruiter
* Don't wait by the phone: Following up on all job leads
* Dining etiquette
* Career journaling
* The relationship between personality and career choice
* What employers are really looking for
* How to resign from your job gracefully
* New series: 10 mistakes to avoid in: resumes, cover letters, interviews, salary
negotiation, career change, networking, job-search
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Don't ever want to miss another issue of QuintZine? Get a free subscription to
the email version of QuintZine by completing our
subscription form.
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