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I have just transitioned from freelance/self-employed back into employment. Any advice for this change of work-life?

Emi Bagshaw
Emi Bagshaw
Marketing/Communications

Replies2

  • Emi Bagshaw
    Emi Bagshaw
    Marketing/Communications
    @John McGarvey Thank so much for this thoughtful advice! Great to hear from someone further along in this journey than me and also a Copywriter.

    I have just finished my first month and training period, it's been a big learning curve after years as a freelancer in theatre production but the outlook is positive. Taking time to get to know others in my team, department and company has been great.

    It's such a change having performance targets and formal feedback after working for different employers every month or two as you will know! It's really helpful to hear what you've said from a manager's perspective and in not putting undue pressure on yourself in a new role.

    All the best,
    Emily.
  • John McGarvey
    John McGarvey
    Content Design Manager
    Hi Emily! At last, a question I'm definitely qualified to answer!

    I moved back into a full-time role four-and-a-bit years ago, after a decade as a freelance copywriter.

    These might be obvious, or might be things that you already do in your freelance role, but these were my experiences:

    Invest time in building relationships. One thing that helped me was to be really intentional about taking the time to get to know the people I'd be working with - getting coffee in between meetings, making sure I asked about their lives outside of work, etc, etc. Some of the connections I invested in at the start of the my role are still paying dividends today, even after moving teams and shifting into management. Those early connections are often a source of support now.

    Play the long game. It took me six months to figure out the landscape in the company and what was required of me. And that was ok - because when a company hires you, they're investing in you for the long term. Again, every employer is different, but I put a lot of pressure on myself to start delivering super-early, while in reality, it was fine for me to take some time to figure things out.
    Share your work early. As a freelancer, I was used to taking a brief, doing the work independently, then presenting the final version all in one go. The way I work now is the opposite - I try and bring people into my ideas really early on to get buy-in to my approach.

    Figure out what you want from your manager. This was probably the biggest change for me, and a positive one, once I worked it out. I'd recommend really thinking about how your manager can help you succeed, and talking to them about it. I sense that this is harder in some companies than others, but in general, your manager's role is to support you so that you succeed. Don't be afraid to use them. (As a manager now, it's also really rewarding to have these discussions with people I support, because it makes my job clearer to me!)

    Feel like I've rambled a ton there, but maybe some of it was helpful? Good luck in the new role!

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