Pivoting to self-employment is an empowering opportunity to pursue a career tailored to your specific talents, abilities, schedule and goals. When considering making this shift, ask yourself the following questions to help guide your decision:
- What skills do I currently have that could help me pursue a new opportunity?
- What actions do I need to take in order to be qualified for this?
- What kind of benefits do I need my career to provide?
- What resources do I need in order to be successful?
- What are my personal long-term opportunities in pursuing self-employment?
- Am I prepared to take on additional responsibilities like finance management or daily business communication and operations?
If you feel ready to make this shift, here are five industries to consider when shaping your self-employed career:
Consider Owning a Franchise
Becoming a franchise owner is an opportunity to partner with a successful organization and utilize their established formula for success in order to build your own operating team to generate profit. Laura Williams, AVP and Director of Franchising for SERVPRO shared that, “in terms of identifying a great franchise opportunity, it’s important to consider your own abilities and strengths and how you might apply those to an opportunity.
It’s also important to understand what your marketplace is, whether or not you have competition and whether you are fulfilling a business need in your community.” Many companies now offer opportunities to franchise; researching each of their processes, qualifications, benefits and history will help you identify the right fit for your skillset.
Property and Real Estate Development
Careers in property management, housing and real estate offer a variety of options for self-employment, consulting and independent contracting. While a property manager is responsible for tackling responsibilities like tenant support, maintenance and ongoing residence marketing, a real estate agent helps individuals find locations to purchase or rent through research, networking and area expertise.
Freelance Content Creation
As a digital content developer, you are able to utilize your artistic talents to support the creative vision of companies through freelance contract work. Disciplines from copywriting to editing, photography, videography and graphic design are all in high demand.
As a freelance creative, you have the benefit of controlling the type of projects you take on, based on interest, capacity, pay and requirements. In many scenarios, you will be asked to provide your own resources by contract companies. As part of your preparation, ensure you have all the tools and technologies needed to produce the work required.
Trade-Based Occupations
Whether through personal hobby or technical training, trade-related occupations are often a great path to self-employment. Skills and certifications in construction, hairstyling, cooking, auto repair, carpentry, home improvement or electrical work can be leveraged to start a small business or contract with existing organizations.
With so many opportunities to consider, take time to analyze the demand of your specific skill set against available resources to determine its value–and potential for success. Conduct a competitive analysis of your industry and network with other like minded professionals to further your knowledge and create a necessary system of support.
Development and Web Design
In a digital world, the demand for technical expertise in web and app development is high. From understanding user experience to creating e-commerce pathways, applying researched data and exploring new technologies in development, there are always roles available for new talent and seasoned professionals.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in coding, development schools are opening all across the United States with flexible, yet effective, programs. Often, these jobs can be done in a consulting or contracting capacity, allowing individuals to have complete control of their schedule and workflow.
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Interesting related article: “What is a Franchise?“