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When it comes to making a move into a freelancing career, there are many reasons for different people, from flexibility to developing a skill-set.
We asked some of the Minds in our projects network to tell us a bit more about their own motivations.
Ben
Ex-Consultant in a Global Market Research firm
Reason: Freedom and flexibility
Why did you decide to start freelancing?
“After working 6 years in a big company I felt that I needed some freedom. My work involved dealing with freelancers, so I got to learn about their lifestyle and all the benefits that came with freelancing. I always wanted to have the freedom to choose my own projects and manage my own time. I also had the experience and the network to do it, so I decided to quit and become a freelancer. It was a complete change of life style, but that exactly what I needed.”
What do you like about it?
“The freedom, of course. I don’t only choose the projects I take, but also the people with which I work. It’s also way more dynamic than a permanent job. You can constantly change topics and environment, and you are always learning something new and are free to take breaks whenever you feel it’s reasonable. Also, it’s a way that you can better focus on your work, because you don’t need to waste your time with office politics.”
Karen
Junior freelancer and entrepreneur
Reason: Whilst starting a business
Why did you decide to start freelancing?
“For a long time, I wanted to develop my own business to make an impact but with something that I have developed. So I searched to gather some professional experiences to help start this up. After working for 2 years in a top-tier management consulting and 1 year as a market manager for a small agency, I decided to quit and only focus my attention to my app. However, I still need to raise money to develop it whilst also to living in London, which is quite expensive. So freelancing was a perfect solution to conciliate my own business with my basic needs.”
What do you like about it?
“I have the freedom to choose when to take projects and when I should focus on my business. I have more time to do other things on the side and can manage my time the way that I want. It’s also a good way to gain commercial experience, build my network and raise money, which is crucial for me in this stage of my business.”
RENATA
Ex-Project Manager Analyst in a multinational pharmaceutical company
Reason:Variety of work
Why did you decide to go freelancing?
“I worked for years in big corporations, but after completing my masters I decided it was time for a career change. I wanted to test a few different projects and ways of working and have more autonomy over my job and my routine. A friend told me about Freshminds and this introduced me to a whole new world of opportunities.”
What do you like about it?
“I like working on projects for several reasons; it puts me in contact with a range of companies (from small to big), work with different management styles, experiment in new sectors, and the ability to work on many incredible projects. It’s also meant that I’ve had the chance to work in different countries and meet many people. If I decide to go back to a full time position, I will now be much better informed about what I want to work with. In addition, I have more flexibility to choose the projects I want to work with and take breaks to travel after a project or dedicate myself to my personal projects.”
EDUARDO
Research Analyst with a PhD in Political Sciences
Reason:Building commercial experience
Why did you decide to go freelancing?
“I started working on projects somewhat by accident. I learned about Freshminds through a referral from a friend and found that it was a perfect fit. After I finishing my PhD my wife was moving to London to work, but as my initial visa was only for 6 months I could not apply for a permanent role. It meant that I was coming prepared to work in a bar, but then decided taking projects would be a better option for my career. I’ve been in London for a year now over which time I have worked on over 15 projects. I now have a permanent working visa, but I don’t intend to stop freelancing any time soon.”
What do you like about it?
“I have found that I have learned a lot during this whole process and from working across various projects. I studied my whole life including a 4 year PhD, but this meant that I lacked commercial experience. Taking projects was therefore the perfect opportunity to build this part of my CV. Because each project is different, you get the chance to constantly work in different environments with different teams and doing several different tasks. It’s great if you are looking for variety, flexibility and freedom.”
Freshminds has been supporting freelancers and strategy or management consultants across Europe since the early millennium.
Find out more about the types of projects that you could get involved with here, explore active roles on the job page, or register your CV to start up to date with the latest opportunities.
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