Freelance to Fulltime: Two and a Half Months Later
August 22, 2008 by Deb Ng
Filed under Freelance Writing
By now you’re well aware I left freelancing to become the full time community manager for BlogTalkRadio. Every now and then I receive emails requesting another follow-up or report on how the full time life is going for me and I’m happy to oblige.
So am I still digging the full time job two and a half months later? Yes, though there are things I’m missing.
What I love about working full time:
- The support and congeniality of an awesome team.
- Interesting work at an interesting place.
- Talking with and helping amazing hosts and listeners
- Reaching out to the community
- Creating my own weekly talk show
- A steady salary
- Set hours
What I miss about freelancing:
- Being able to hop from project to project
- Being creative
- Working for a variety of different people
- Making my own hours
- Taking days off whenever I like to go to the Jersey shore or an amusement park
- Grocery shopping at 10:00 a.m
It’s all good. I love my job and I’m happy. Transitioning to full time work turned out to be a bigger adjustment than I thought. Many of my personal projects are on the backburner as all of my weekday work time is devoted to my job and I don’t have the freedom to take days off or set my schedule any way I choose.
I do enjoy working from 8 to 5 or 6 though. I like closing up shop and knowing I don’t have to go back to work at the end of the day if I don’t have to. This summer, instead of my husband taking our son into the pool after dinner so I can work on my freelance projects, we all swam together. Instead of waving bye as they drove off to a weekend activity while I worked on freelance projects, I’m joining them on hikes, trips to amusement parks and fishing expeditions (which I can really do without, to be honest.)
I’m adjusting and I have no regrets. There are things that I miss but I think that happens when you leave any job to start another. I’m still positive I made the right decision. I think the key to success for any situation is to find your inner happiness. I found mine.
Tell me, if you were offered full time work would you take it?
I’ve just accepted a position as associate editor of a regional parenting magazine. The cool thing is, I will be sharing the position with someone else so we each work 20-25 hours a week. I’ll work in the a.m. while my kids are in school and still be able to pick them up every afternoon! I’ll probably keep my highest paying freelance client in addition as long as things don’t get too crazy. I’m pretty excited about the whole set up and know how lucky I am for such an opportunity!
Full time for someone else? No way!
I am disciplined enough to stick to a pretty set schedule (8 to 6 with 2 hours off for the gym and lunch). I don’t beat myself up if I “take leave” to go on a hike (or go to the market at 10 a.m.) because the leave is figured into the rate schedule.
I did full-time for one company for 27 years. Working for myself, turning down gigs that don’t pay enough, putting in a little time for nonpaying projects for nonprofits I support – that’s just right for me. I don’t make as much as I did before, but that’s OK – we’re surviving well without the extra that was going into savings.
Very fortunate, and thankful. That’s me!
I too made the leap this year, but in the reverse direction. I’ve been a professional writer for a long time, but I’ve also had a full time job in another realm. This year I cut the cord and became a full time freelance writer. The stability of full time is the one thing I don’t really miss. Not that it isn’t a good thing, but I’m fine with not having it. I DO miss the camaraderie that you develop when you work with others. After you leave college for the real world your interactions with others don’t lend themselves as much to new friendships as they once did, so those seem to come from co-workers or through co-workers.
But full time? I don’t think I could do that again. At least not yet. Something part-time or even a job share type thing like Renee has above would definitely be something I would consider, but not full time
Between having health problems and being a single parent, for me its not about full-time job as much as it is ’stable’ work and income.
If I had the chance to take a job that was writing/doing the same kind of thing over and over, but stable income and work vs juggling multiple gigs/clients and writing/doing a wide variety of things, I would (for the right job).
I have to have flexibility with my hours so I can work around my health flare ups and have time with my teen, so ‘full-time’ usually isn’t going to work for me. For creativity, I have my personal blogs and other ‘write what you want and if we like it we’ll buy it’ resources to quench my need for creative writing and topic/style freedom.
A perk of a ’stable job’ would be that I would have more time to pursue writing articles and finishing the books I have started (in my free time). When you are the sole income provider, the focus is income to pay the bills NOW.
Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever take a full-time job again. I’m been self-employed for nearly seven years, and I can’t see myself sitting at a desk day after day. Right now I have a good schedule, and I rarely work past 3 p.m., and I don’t work weekends, which lets me spend quality time with my husband. Of course, my situation is different from others. I don’t have children, so if I get behind or need to play catch up I can usually do so in the evenings.
Thanks all. You know, I said I’d never return to full time work either!
I work out of my home though – would that make a difference?
To answer your question, Deb, NEVER! LOL But your blog *did* make me remember and recognize the good points about it. After reading your post, I have to say, I may not answer “never” so quickly. Especially if it was a telecommuting position, that I could handle to some degree.
One thing I like (believe it or not) about freelancing is the job security. Yes… that’s right… With multiple clients, if I lose one, I know I can hunt quickly and find something to make up the income. It’s a scary world out there with the economy and I don’t like putting all my eggs in one basket.
Nevertheless, Deb, it sounds like you totally made the right choice for your and BlogTalkRadio is thriving under your command! Congrats once again and thanks for the update!
Dear Madam,
I am going to start my writing work as a full-timer. I am searching for a job which can fulfil my dream.
somenath
“I’m adjusting and I have no regrets.”
That’s awesome. Good to hear.
I don’t know if working full-time from home would make a difference. I guess I should never say “never.” Anything can happen in the future. I could have a kid or my husband could injury himself, in which a steady paycheck could offer some peace of mind.
BlogTalkRadio seems like a great gig – I am looking for some steadier work like that, too. (After the summer is over!) But, I would definitely miss freelancing. A lot. A good compromise for me would be to go part time with a steady salary.
I do work full time and write part time. For now, I don’t have an option as my husband is still looking for work, or a scholarship for graduate education. We also have a teen graduating from high school this year. Ideally, a full time writing position that incorporates teaching, writing, learning, editing and variety0 would interest me. Who knows what may happen in the future.
Deb, I’m so glad that you are enjoying your family time with your new full time position.
Thanks for another update Deb. Is this what Dave meant yesterday by being “transparent?” This is why you will always be my favorite blogger. You show all sides of the coin.
Thanks for keeping it real!
@Katherine – there are so many full and part time jobs available for working at home now. Bet you find something great when you’re ready.
Jenny B. – I wish you like in finding your dream, full time writing job.
@Karen – You’re very welcome. This blog is a success because I’m honest with my community. I’ll always give you that.
@valencia – We make the choices that work best for us, I think. What works for me, might not work for you and vice versa. I wouldn’t have considered taking on this full time job if the hours weren’t some what flexible and I could work at home.
@Dave – Thanks! And I’m so glad to see you here more often!
@Dawn – I was very secure as a freelancer too. I had some good steady clients and I knew that I always had at least *some* money coming in. And you’re right, whenever I lost a gig I never had trouble finding a new one to make up for it. I still freelance here and there, but it’s for fun now.
One of my lawyers recently offered me a full time (telecommute) position. I like him, but after giving it serious thought I offered a part time compromise. I already work daily part time for another firm and didn’t want to give that job up. Plus I earn about three times more not working on an hourly/salary basis. Mostly though I get bored too easily to spend 8 hrs a day doing just one thing. I like being able to take frequent breaks to blogsurf, go for walks, play with the rabbits, write at my own blogs, etc. If I was on a full time salary or hourly pay, I would feel tied down and feel guilty for taking those frequent breaks, even though they make me more productive. So my answer is no. At least for now. But we are all different. I can see how it works for you, Deb, and I am happy for you.
@Deb,
Thanks Deb. Actually my husband jokes about having worked his share of 20 years and now it’s my turn. I’ve worked half of that between part time or full time. I did appreciate being home with my girls when they were young. Family is important to most of us that hope to/ or do work from home.
@Deb –
Good to be here.
If the right offer came along, I’d work full-time. The one thing I’d worry about is that boredom would set in. That’s probably one of the things I like most about freelancing – the variety of projects I get to work on in a given week. However, for the right amount of money, and the option to work from home, I’d definitely consider it.
Interestingly (to me, anyway), I had a situation similar. I’ve been freelancing full-time for about 4 years. This summer I was offered a contract writing/editing job that was essentially full-time, go to work out of my house. It paid really (really, really) well and even offered health benefits if I had wanted them.
I lasted 2 weeks before I told them it wasn’t working out.
It was mostly mental, but I worked too long and too hard to get to where I could freelance for a living to chuck it all and go work for someone else. Do I regret it? Well, I regret not having the money and I’m back to being more nervous when work is slow rather than cocky (versus confident) that work will come along. But I don’t think in 2 or 3 years I’ll look back and wish I’d kept it, although I might. It’s always possible that I’ll actively pursue something similar to it in the future. In this case it fell in my lap when I wasn’t looking and I shrugged and said, Well, let’s give it a shot.
But there are certainly days when I think steady, good-paying work would be nice.
My goal in life is to enjoy every minute of it. Would I take a full time job? I don’t know, it depends on how fulfilling the job is.
When it comes to writing, it’s not about “full time” or “freelance” for me. It’s about the intoxicating thrill of doing what I love for a living.
You’ve found your inner happiness, Deb, and for that I say, “Go You!”