I say “new truth” but it’s really been creeping up on us for a while. First, companies got rid of pensions…then workers moved away from being “lifers” at companies…then it became common—if not necessary—to change jobs every three to five years. Now, the importance of freelancing is clear: you need the skills to find and land clients (and bring in income) whenever you need (or want!) to.
And then: Boom. COVID-19 and the ensuing recession. Industries (Restaurants! Travel! In-store shopping! Education and childcare!) and businesses that had seemed like dependable mainstays were suddenly, well, not so dependable. The importance of freelancing became even more clear!
A worker in the 1970s or 1980s might have thought, “Well geez, if you can’t depend on your job, what CAN you depend on?”
Well, you already know that I strongly advocate that you are safest when YOU are in control of your career and your income and that any “safety” or “dependability” offered by full-time jobs are illusory.
But what we’re facing today is the evolution of both the way we work AND the evolution of the economy as a whole.
Very simply put: Every person needs a skill they can do as a freelancer.
The Importance of Freelancing … Even If You Don’t Want to Freelance Full-Time
Now, I’m NOT saying that everyone needs to become a freelancer. There are plenty of benefits to working on-staff for companies.
But, as we have clearly seen, things can go wrong very suddenly and businesses and jobs that once seemed “safe” can disappear virtually overnight. We’ve also seen that unemployment benefits often don’t cut it or are difficult to access when masses of other people are also trying to access them.
People need to have a skill that they can fall back on when times get tough AND a proven plan and system for finding and landing clients.
This is not negotiable anymore.
I used to say that you needed “Eff You” money (wink wink) in the bank in case you were ever in a scenario when you really needed or wanted to walk away from your job. And while I still do advocate that, before you even get that cash in the bank, you need to have a set of skills to protect you if you HAVE to leave a job—or if the job leaves you. You need a parachute skill.
Choosing Your Freelance Skill
Your freelance skill could be a skill that you do full-time at your job. Or this could be something totally different that you do as a side hustle in the evenings or on the weekends every once in a while.
It doesn’t even have to be something you’re working at all that often! But the keys are that you KNOW how to do it (you’ve taken the time to learn and practice the skill) and you have to have a proven system for prospecting for, contacting, and landing clients that you can flip on when or if you need more income.
As you know, I’m still a working copywriter—I still do client work nearly every day. I’ve scaled back on my copywriting, though, since I’m building this business and since my team and I are scaling this and a few upcoming brands.
BUT, if something went terribly wrong and this business and my company disappeared overnight, I could wake up tomorrow and put into play the prospecting and pitching system that we teach our students without missing a beat.
Why Having a Freelance Skill is a Major Opportunity
All of this might sound a bit pessimistic or negative—“Nobody’s going to take care of you but you!”—but I’d really encourage you to look at all of this information as a positive thing. Now, more than ever before, we all have the opportunity to protect ourselves, protect our incomes, and protect our lifestyles.
Will learning a new skill and learning a new system take some time that maybe some evenings you’d rather spend on Netflix? Of course. But I can 1,000% guarantee that the minute you find yourself faced with extra expenses or, worst-case scenario, no full-time source of income, you’ll be glad you did it. The importance of freelancing is greater than the importance of finding out how Ozark or Yellowstone
It used to be that success came from putting in that little extra bit of effort and getting outside of your comfort zone. And while that’s still true, it’s now the case that just STABILITY requires the same things of us.
But you know what? That’s great—because what’s a life without growth and development, anyway?
Even if you’re in a full-time job right now (one that “feels” stable), I’d encourage you to think carefully about what skills you have or what skills you need to ensure that you can take care of yourself and your family no matter what happens with that job or with the economy. You’ll be glad you took the time now.
Your turn! What have been your big takeaways from the turn the economy (and, well, the world!) has taken? Are you open to viewing it as an opportunity? Let me know in the comments below.
Last Updated on July 5, 2023
I’ve worked for a global airline for 15 years and 2 years ago, moved 300 miles away from friends and family for a great promotion. Great job, record profits, new life in London and…. COVID, and the wheels fell off.
While I *just* avoided redundancy this time, I realised that I have nothing to fall back on other than applying for other jobs and relying on transferable skills, so I’ve taken the plunge and joined CCA to build up a side hustle.
Who knows, if it takes off it could become the main hustle, but until then I see it as a great insurance policy should the worst happen.
Still working through the Foundation Course, but I’m loving the new mental challenges!
Hi Stuart,
Good for you – coming up with a back-up plan is something so many people wait too long to do. And I’m so glad you’re loving the course!
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
You’ve nailed it Nicki. This is exactly where my brain has been going lately. And it makes total sense. William Bridges predicted this decades ago – he said that before the industrial revolution, we didn’t “go to work”…we had a skill or trade that we sold or bartered with others…and he said that someday we would go back to this. And here we are! Thanks for the stark reminder – i definitely view this all as an opportunity, and maybe a necessity.
Hi Linda,
Good for you for viewing it as an opportunity. When you think about it, isn’t it so much more empowering to be in charge of our own careers and incomes, rather than leaving it to whomever happens to be your boss?
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
I couldn’t be happier that I found the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy when I did. Being on a disability pension doesn’t cover the bills and finding copywriting at a time when the entire world has been forced to rethink their entire business model and working from home/remotely has become normalized has had a huge impact on being able to reach out to even just local business and help create copy for their shift to online!
Hi Shannon,
Yay! I love this! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 And you’re right – one of the silver linings of this whole thing (terrible though it is, absolutely) is that the world is fast becoming acclimated to doing everything remotely and that only gives us *more* opportunities.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
At the beginning of the year, I decided once and for all to transition into freelance work. I used to teach at a university but quit and I didn’t want to go into teaching. I wanted work that could travel with me and freelance writing seemed like a good choice.
Well, it was a lifesaver once COVID hit! I was already working from home and therefore, was “safe”. I now want to learn to be a copywriter so I can leverage what I’ve learned as a freelancer, but make a lot more money.
Great article, Nicki!
Hi Halina,
I can empathize with you wanting work that will travel with you – it’s amazing to be able to work from wherever you are, be that Cartegena or your kitchen table. (I can’t *wait* to be able to travel again!) And good for you for taking the plunge at the beginning of the year; I’ve seen more often than not that the universe seems to reward the brave. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
I am very open to looking for a good opportunity. I think that’s what you’re offering…an opportunity to learn new skills in a field that has the potential to offer me much in return for the investment. I think it will take a lot of work, but it sounds to me like it would be well worth it. Thank you!
Hi Angela,
You’re very astute – anything that’s worthwhile *will* take some work. But, it’ll absolutely be worth it! All of the best things in life challenge us to get out of our comfort zones and put in a some effort but when we do we’re rewarded with huge transformations. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
I found a great career I love in technical writing starting in 2006. But since 2008, I have been laid off 3 times. During the 2008 crash, that layoff lasted 3 years because I live in a small area far from a bigger metro and could not relocate. This last layoff put me in the same boat – I cannot relocate. I’ve worked for great management and I am lucky that I didn’t have much to complain about in any of those jobs in the last 14 years.
But THREE layoffs? I am now in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy and taking advantage of my state’s CLIMB program where I can collect unemployment while starting a business (many states offer this! if you are collecting unemployment look it up in your state).
Just like investing, diversifying your monthly income is a good idea I like. If I have multiple clients, if 50% of them lay me off in a bad economy, I still have 50% of my income. That’s not the case with an all-or-nothing job. I’ve worked remote for most of my career and would like to continue to do so.
Hi Anna,
I agree – having multiple skills (like having multiple clients) is always a good idea! And one silver lining of this whole terrible COVID situation is that even more companies than before are understanding how feasible it is to work with people remotely. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
I’m a teacher looking at retirement in five years. With an English degree, 20+ years in education, my experience as a middle school language arts teacher, 3rd grade teacher, and now technology/library/STEAM teacher, I’m hoping my “jack-of-all trades” skill set translates well into copywriting. I love to learn, read, write, consider myself pretty creative, and am self-motivated, so sounds like this might be a good fit.
Hi Meran,
You’re right – having variety in your experience will make you even more of a marketable copywriter. And, of course, having a natural aptitude for writing (as I suspect you have from reading in between the lines) will be the best base to build on.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
I have wanted to work from home for some time, and I have done so. Unfortunately, I am not cut out for a lot of at home jobs that require a lot of complicated screens and details. I failed miserably as a telephone dispatcher, for instance. It just wasn’t me. I have had some remote content and other writing gigs since then, but they either didn’t pay well, and or involved writing in a way that made me uncomfortable. There were also better paying versions of these jobs didn’t seem sustainable, because they required such a high volume of work in a short time.. I was afraid it would crush my soul and kill any desire to write for myself, even if I could get fast enough to do those jobs.. As an artistic person, I have always fallen back on in person customer service jobs. Then the you-know-what hit the fan. I got Covid, and became a long-hauler; sick for months. I soon realized I may never be able to work one of those physically demanding, feet killing jobs again. My “unrealistic” dreams of working at home no longer seemed so unrealistic, but I didn’t know what I would do. Before learning about the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy, I no idea how broad the field of copywriting was, how well it paid compared to content writing, or that free-lance copywriting was a thing. So far, it seems pretty cool!
Hi Jennifer,
You’re absolutely right, your “unrealistic” dream of working at home isn’t actually unrealistic in the least! 🙂 I’m so glad you’re enjoying the CCA so far – and I’m so glad it’s opened up your career horizons!
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki