Sprout Media

ok, I’ll say it first - it’s scary going out on your own. Some do it by choice because they can’t take the cubical land anymore and right now many are doing it because they have no choice. I’m finding more and more that the workforce I once knew 5 years ago is changing 180 degrees. There’s really no such thing as a 20 year tenure with a pension anymore; I’m not even sure that existed within my professional lifetime. There is no such thing as stability, everyone is “at-will”. Where does that leave people with real marketable skills? To me, the answer is freelancing. Gaining your own clients, being your own boss.

It’s time for freelancers, contractors, and small companies to step it up. This market is perfect for the entrepreneur that’s not afraid to give up benefits for freedom and the chance to work on really amazing projects.

As of today I’ve been doing this for 2 years without regrets and thankfully with plenty of work. My only beef is being under-insured. This more than anything scares me and I think this is the #1 reason why more people don’t go out on their own. It’s not about pay or needing a routine, they’re just afraid of what the health care system might do to them if something should happen to their health. A risk many are not willing to take.

But for those that have solved that problem (and please share your solutions!) get ready to dive into the new employment model. Here’s what you need to be a part of the new project based workforce.

1) Define your brand: who you are, the skills you have. Do this clearly and concisely.

2) Everyone is in sales. Partner with others, assemble virtual teams, or sell one by one; you’ll have to be a finder and a closer.

3) Be flexible. In an economy, geography or industry you might have just the right skills – but things change (and fast) so be ready to shift those skills.

4) Stay informed/educated. Keep up and expand skill sets. Know what’s going on in your industry (locally and globally) and in industries yours touches.

5) You’ll be HR, PR and tech. You’ll need basic skills in benefit protections (health and savings), marketing yourself, and troubleshooting your tech problems.

It may sound scary – but it’s really an opportunity in itself. At least you are ahead of the rest already.

It’s here, the very first issue of the Journal of Information Architecture was published yesterday, after much dedication and tirelessness from contributors around the world.