Students That Freelance

So what exactly happens when you graduate where it comes to your freelancing business? I’m glad you asked. First off, you no longer have the excuse of “I’m a student.” Admit it, there has been times where you have told yourself “it’s ok that I am not making that much right now, because I’m still a student.” Well once you graduate, you are no longer a student. You now have all of this free time that should be filled with something productive (not saying that you shouldn’t take the time to enjoy the summer too after a long college career).

There stands the ultimate decision: continue freelancing or find a part- or full-time job.

No matter which one you chose, the fact that graduation has happened/about to happen will change how you go about your freelancing. But exactly what could change? While some of the below is obvious, others may be things you haven’t thought about before. Let’s talk about them.

Having more available time on your hands

No matter if you decide to continue freelancing or seek employment, you inevitably will have more free time on your hands. But what can you do with all that free time? It depends on what your long-term goals are.

For instance, if you are planning to continue freelancing and want to make it a nice-sized business, then you could spend some of that time looking for new business, learning new skills or becoming an expert in the ones you do have, or even learning more about the business side of freelancing. Anything you can do to help your freelancing business, now that you are out of school and need to start making a serious income, can only help you accomplish your goals.

But what if you have decided that freelancing as your sole source of income isn’t your thing, but wouldn’t mind taking on freelance projects in addition to your new-found employment status? Things you can do that will not only help your freelancing but your new employment as well is continue to develop your skills, possibly even until you become an expert at that particular skills set. Not only will that help you in your new-found employment (if your job is doing the same thing you do freelancing), it will establish you as an expert in the freelance world, making it easier for you to find clients to work with.

Changes at home

I’m sure this has crossed every graduate’s mind, but there could be changes at home now that you have graduated that could change how you freelance. Are your parents wanting you to move out now? What about all those student loans that will start asking for repayment in six months? These are things that are major changes to your life that impact your freelancing.

If your parents are wanting to you to find your own place, can your freelancing support that or will you have to get a job to help pay the rent? If your student loans start kicking in soon, will you be able to build up your freelancing business enough to pay for an additional bill?

Taking yourself more seriously

With graduation behind you (or soon to be behind you), now you are able to make decisions and focus more on your long term career. How will this change your freelancing status? Most any decision you make now that school is no longer a concern will affect most of the other things in your life as well, including your freelancing.

Now that you see clearly your future career, you will more than likely start taking yourself more seriously as a professional. Where it comes to your freelancing, this can only help your career, as you become more focused, more driven, and more able to achieve your career goals without the worry that school starting back in the fall will kill that momentum.

Money

Mostly everything now that graduation is done with will come down to money. Can you make enough freelancing to support yourself? Will you need to get at least a part time job to help pay the bills while you continue to build your freelancing? Or is freelancing something that can be done on the side while you develop your career as an employee?

All these questions and many more will be driven and answered on the basis of your income and what you estimate you could make. Something else that may make those questions even more complicated is time. Do you have alot of time to make your freelancing business a full time one to help pay the bills, or do you have very little time to start making serious money because you are needing to move out of your parent’s house soon? Decisions decisions…

Ultimately every situation is different, and graduation changes all of that. Especially for the student freelancer. While freelancing may be the answer to alot of questions, is it feasible for what you are wanting to achieve, and with your current, very dynamic situation?

Lastly, congrats to all the recent student freelancers who have graduated or will graduate this year!