Being self employed – what a great decision for your career! You’re finally in charge of what you do and where you go, as well as the money you get to make, and that kind of control is invaluable in the modern working world.
But in the moment, being self employed is something you can panic about. Once you make the choice, it feels like there’s no going back and way too much uncertainty in front of you! And that’s why we’ve put this little starting guide together. Use it if you’re feeling unsure about what to do next now you’re the one with all the power.
Get Your Website Running First
As a self employed person, doing anything to make money, it’s best to have a website ready to go. This is the place where you’re going to sell your products or consult for your services, and the sooner you’re up and running, the less stressful everything else will be. So, either get in touch with a digital web agency or use a website builder yourself and get to designing a homepage you can be proud of!
Understand Your Tax Obligations
Now comes the hard part – what are you going to have to pay in tax once this financial year is out? As a self employed worker, it’s up to you to chase down the legal leads and find out what applies to you.
Make sure you spend a good amount of time doing this, and double check your research at least twice. You can also reach out to an accountant if you’re really confused, but it’s good to get a handle over your own obligations as soon as possible.
Create a Reliable Working Space
Working from home, as most self employed people do, is absolutely lovely. However, it can also be incredibly distracting, and you might find it hard to separate your home from your workspace. So to get the ball rolling ASAP, create that workspace ahead of time.
Make sure to carve out a desk area where things can be quiet and calm for most of the day, and where you can be a professional. This might mean clearing out a spare room, it might mean putting up a room divider – it’s up to you.
Start Posting on Social Media
Social media is the best place to be self employed. After all, it’s the one place where you can find all of your future clients! However, you need to attract them first and build a following. To do this, think out a content calendar.
What do you want to post about and when? What platforms would be best for it? And how can you diversify to keep your content interesting? These are good questions to answer now, otherwise you could be waiting months for any attention at all!
If you’ve just become self employed, don’t overthink it! Just start with the areas above and go from there; a focus is much needed right now.