Freelancer gets to work with diverse talents | Jul 31st 2006
by Jacqueline Dooley
As a freelance consultant, I have the opportunity to peek into the windows of many companies. There are many benefits to this, not the least of which is making friends and contacts in a variety of disciplines.
This is the best part of my job. I’ve made some good friends and had the opportunity to meet and work with some online marketing thought leaders. I doubt this would’ve been the case if I remained at one company, in one cubicle, working on a handful of the same accounts year after year.
A drawback of having my foot in the threshold of many doorways is instability — in my day-to-day responsibilities, my project list at any given moment and with the colleagues and companies that are part of my work week. The constant goodbyes can make me feel more than a bit anxious.
For example, last week a client I have worked with since May outsourced some of my responsibilities to another freelancer. I worked for this company as a full-time employee for eight months before opting to reduce my hours and become a freelancer — something they were not happy about.
In giving up my full-time role as director of Internet marketing, I also gave up the right to complain about companywide decisions. I understand it was a business decision. I did not have much time and they needed to find another solution. Still, it stung.
As I was grappling with that news, another client brought on a full-time Web site marketer, ending my stint there.
I loved working for this company. This gig was why I quit my full-time job to enter the unstable waters of the freelancer after having a solid full-time position with (gasp) benefits and everything!
Sometimes losing a good client can be just as hard as losing a good friend. When you are passionate about your work, and believe in the product or service you are promoting, it makes you feel good about yourself. This company in Seattle got started for all the right reasons and I will miss being a part of it.
When I spoke with their new marketer and heard her enthusiasm and the lack of any hesitation in referring to herself as part of this organization, I admit I felt a pang of jealousy.
Everyone wants to be part of something — but when you are part of a lot of things, it is too easy to feel like you’re not really a part of anything. Most days I am glad to be part of so many companies and have the opportunity to work with many great people, but it can be tiring to always be the outsider, though I chose to take on that role in the first place.
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This article was published in the Poughkeepsie Journal on Saturday, July 30, 2006.