1. Guide to Freelancing Things to consider before you embark on a freelance career Claire Owen May 2011

3. Explore why clients uses freelancers and what kind of traits you need to make a real success of it

4. Going about getting the gigs

5. Prepare CV and online portfolio

6. Understand the many routes to market

7. Getting Paid?

9. Upside for clients:

10. More flexible over hours etc. than permanent staff;

11. Easier to hire and fire - and are not a long term commitment;

12. Available at short notice

13. Provide skills the in-house team may not have;

15. Being you own boss - which can be extremely enjoyable and satisfying

16. More money - freelancers are usually paid more than employees working alongside them on a project;

17. Freedom - e.g. Freelancers can, to varying degrees, choose when and where to work, when to take holidays etc.

18. Variety - by moving from contract to contract and company to company, freelancers can develop very varied experience and an impressive CV;

20. Less security - freelancers are not protected in the same way as employees;

21. Uncertainty - there are usually no guarantees of another contract when your current contract ends;

22. Hassle - because you will be running your own business, there will be forms to fill in, rules to obey and accounts to keep;

24. Knows what they want to achieve from being in business and have thought through the financial implications of going it alone

25. Is decisive and self-motivated.

26. Easily adapts to different conditions, tools, culture and ways of working.

27. Gets on with other people and makes new relationships easily

28. Feels comfortable in a leadership role.

29. Has the ability to know when their advice is wanted and when it is not

30. Is always aware of a potential business at a client's site.

31. Looks own work rather than just lets agencies look.

32. Will have a database of potential clients, with those he or she has worked for before, near the top of the list.

33. Will keep potential clients up to date with contact information when it changes

35. Portfolio

36. Website

37. CV

38. Social Media – Twitter, facebook, blog, flickr, Youtube

39. Google yourself

40. Step 2 – Routes to jobs

41. Network

42. Direct/Speculative Application

43. On-Line job boards

44. Trade press

45. Recruiters

46. Step 3 - Interview

47. Preparation

48. Professional

50. Easy for you, money paid with all tax/NI deducted

51. Not all companies want to take on freelancers this way – can be a hassle for them and concerns over ‘employment’ rights

52. Self Employed

53. Relatively easy to set up

54. Small regular NI Contributions

55. But employer could be contravening HMRC rules – see ESI

56. Administrative responsibilities

57. Limited Co

58. Relatively easy to set up

59. Never an issue for a company to accept your invoices

60. Potential risk under IR35

61. Administrative responsibilities

62. Umbrella Company

63. Protects you from IR35

64. Removes admin burden

67. Businesslink - www.businesslink.gov.uk

68. Online accountants - www.crunch.co.uk/

69. Freelancing sites/blogs

70. http://www.freelanceuk.com/become/set_up_freelance_company.shtml

71. http://creativeagencyfreelancing.com/getting-started/setting-yourself-up-as-an-agency-freelancer-uk

72. http://www.freelanceadvisor.co.uk/money/freelance-questions-how-do-i-set-up-a-limited-company/

73. http://www.freelancesupermarket.com/featured-articles/setting-up-a-limited-company-in-3-simple-steps.aspx

74. Recruitment Agencies

75. www.becomeuk.com

76. www.the-creamery.co.uk