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1. #19550 Becoming Your Own Corporation: Boon or Bust? Writers today are being advised to stop thinking in terms of building a life-long career with one employer, and instead view themselves as a one-person corporation offering specialized services to whomever is willing to pay the highest price. Zvalo, Peter. Writer's Block (2000). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 2. #19556 How to tell your client the truth even when a project isn't working out as planned. Holland, Anton. Writer's Block (1995). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 3. #13184 Consulting and Independent Contracting The Consulting and Independent Contracting progression will focus on both beginning and advanced topics relating to independent work. Independent work requires attention to two main areas: maintaining professional standards and practices; and building a successful contracting or consulting business. As the role of contractors and consultants continues to evolve practitioners face issues articulated in the topics below. Individual topics addressed are: choosing between contracting and consulting, marketing a business, and addressing legal issues. For those already established we look at ways to expand the consultant’s personal resource network and issues of incorporation as a growth alternative. Barker, Thomas. STC Proceedings (2001). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 4. #19871 In the 90’s, contingency staffing (also called temporary staffing) has become a way of life for businesses that have had to streamline operations and reduce fixed costs in order to compete. Consequently, contract employment and independent contracting have become a way of life for many technical communicators who can’t — or prefer not to — find a full-time job. Cheirrett, Peg A. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 5. #30312 Contracting as a Career Alternative The technical contracting industry provides a unique career opportunity for experienced professionals in most technical communications disciplines. It also provides a possible alternative to unemployment in view of the continuing 'down-sizing' and restructuring activity going on in today's marketplace. Randolph, Brett W.F. Boston Broadside (1991). Careers>Consulting>Freelance 6. #19872 Contracts that Don’t Bite: Contracting for Technical Writing Services in the Real World The presenters examine all aspects of contracting from the viewpoint of both the contractor and the employer/client. The focus will be on the contract itself which provides a clear starting point for maneuvering through the critical issues, including what constitutes a legal contract and topics a contract should cover. The ensuing discussion will cover the different ways that writers work and are paid, managing the inevitable changes to a project, and a closer look at the pros and cons of working on an hourly or term contract compared to fixed price contracts, or contracts with an upset limit. Forsyth, Diane and Duncan A. Kent. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 7. #30357 Focus on Consulting: When Home is Where You Do Your Job The freedom to be a consultant or independent contractor (C&IC), to work on your own, to work at home, to 'tele-commute' has become one of the principal aspects that entices otherwise happy, healthy, sane people to leave their jobs and hang out their shingles. But like nearly every other aspect of being independently employed, working out of the home presents advantages and disadvantages in such areas as lifestyle, professionalism, and tax considerations. Boston Broadside (1989). Careers>Consulting>Freelance 8. #22056 Freelance, Independent, Contractor, Consultant... If getting into the technical writing business is a challenge, and it assuredly is, defining our employment status often poses a few questions too. Naturally, there’s the common full-time employee status we all know and understand fairly well, but when we find ourselves dealing with a technical services or technical consulting firm there can be some murky waters, and more than a few aberrations of the “traditional” understanding of the term. So, we need to define some “terms” of employment since the majority of technical writers will ultimately encounter variations. 9. #23663 Growing Your Practice by Managing Business Relationships Independent contractors and consultants know the value of working cooperatively with other professionals to complete complex projects. 'Other professionals' includes subcontractors, other independent contractors and consultants, and business partners. The formation of these kinds of strategic relationships can help meet the demands of today’s diverse markets and clients. This paper outlines some of the basic issues that surround business relationships, including planning (estimating and bidding), formalizing project-based contractual relationships, and exploring more permanent partnership arrangements. Barker, Thomas, Ryan Bernard, Melanie G. Flanders, Rob Moschak and Nicole Wycislo. STC Proceedings (2003). Careers>Freelance>Consulting>Collaboration 10. #30757 Offers comprehensive advice to information professionals considering taking up self-employed freelance information consultancy. Draws attention to the risks associated with leaving the protection offered by corporate employment, alongside the benefits of empowerment through being self-employed. Emphasizes the need for prior business planning and offers advice on business name, web presence, logos, business cards, professional subscriptions, the need to have an accountant and register for value added tax, and dealings with banks and with the local Business Link. Advises against acquiring company status, joining trade groups, untargeted advertising, brochures and mailshots, and professional indemnity cover. Suggests ways of seeking work through networking with contacts, advises on the risks associated with imprecise agreements with clients, and emphasizes that the most important aspect of successful self-employment is self promotion. Newgass, Oriole. Business Information Review (2007). Careers>Consulting>Freelance 11. #15164 Offers tips for independent contractors on staying efficient and productive. Frick, Elizabeth A. 'Betsy'. Intercom (2000). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 12. #27834 Moonlighting: A Guide for the Part-time Freelancer (How to Keep Your Head While Wearing Two Hats) Working as a part-time freelancer in addition to holding down a full-time job can certainly have its drawbacks: telling a friend you can't go to the movies with her this weekend because you have a deadline, or turning down a large job you would love to do because your schedule just won't allow it. But in today's financial climate, more and more of us are finding it a necessity, and we're learning how to work it into our lives. It can be a way to supplement income or, for some, a way to test the freelancing waters. Whatever your reasons, the overall message is to get out there and do it. You'll never know if you can until you try. Penney, Beth. Editorial Freelancers Association (1997). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 13. #19527 So You Want to Get Paid on Time? Here's How to Make It Happen 'I love everything about being self-employed--except for waiting to get paid! My paychecks never seem to arrive on time. Sometimes my clients forget to send my invoices to Accounts Payable or the invoices get misplaced; other times the process just bogs down and takes forever. Whatever the reason, I'm stuck waiting for checks that don't come.' This article addresses the question: How can I get my clients to pay on time? Fugate, Alice E. TECHWR-L (2003). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 14. #24301 Successful Independent Consulting Workshop To succeed as an independent consultant, technical communicators must master basic business concepts. These include properly setting up the business, marketing, and understanding basic contracts. When setting up their business, independent consultants must consider the legal form of their business, required licensees, insurance, retirement plans, and industry going rates. Marketing methods are divided into passive and active techniques. Independent consultants must know how to market to two main channels: agencies and direct clients. Florzak, Douglas. STC Proceedings (1998). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 15. #28194 Surviving Life as a Contractor One of the biggest temptations as an independent is to watch the money roll in and just focus on the number in your bank account. If you are incorporated, then you know the importance of strict accounting; out of that number, you have to take into account corporate taxes as well as personal income tax. However, if you are a sole proprietor or undeclared, you only have to take into consideration personal tax withholdings and the other associated costs (insurance, retirement, etc.), right? Wrong. In both cases, it's important to set aside a portion of your earnings in a savings account for rainy days. Torres, Derek. TECHWR-L (2006). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 16. #15217 Trends in Technical Communication: An Independent's View Responding to articles from a previous issue of Intercom, Frick reacts to professional trends that affect her independent consulting business. Frick, Elizabeth A. 'Betsy'. Intercom (2000). Careers>Freelance>Consulting 17. #26229 When You Are Your Own Client, Who Are You Going To Make Fun Of At The Bar? Should your blog have a business? Jim Coudal shares insights into the adventure of transitioning from client services to product creation. Coudal, Jim. List Apart, A (2005). Careers>Freelance>Consulting>Web Design
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