Those of you that may know me personally are aware that I am currently undergoing a change in my employment status. It has been a hard road leading up to this decision, but I feel that I am ready to get back out there and seriously look for a new job. My delusions of wanting to be a freelancer and work on my own blog and projects has come and gone. Simply put, I have three mouths to feed including mine and a son who I will be soon putting through college. I have to have stable income each and every month to meet the needs of my family. Checks from advertising on my blog and published articles help, but in all reality, I have not made enough to handle all of my bills. And even though I know all of that, I still do not want to give up on my dream or my goals of launching TheCubicleChick.com as a full fledged media service, but something has to give. So I ask, to have a job or not have a job? That is the question my friends.
I have been blessed with a remarkable career in property management, human resources, communications, and executive assisting. I have been in the workplace for many years honing my craft and getting experience under my belt. The time has come, however, for me to move on. The economy in my industry has tanked and I don’t want it to hit rock bottom before I see the forest for the trees.
The job market is a fiesty one. I know of several people that have been unemployed for over a year. Jobs that were easy to get two and three years ago are in high demand, and I know from my own experience as a manager that human resources at most companies are inundated with resumes from folk looking for work. So why would I stick my hat into the ring? Because it’s time.
How does one work on their craft full-time AND make money? That is what I want to know. If it were just me, I could seeing this being an easier task. My blog earnings may be able to sustain one person. But as a mother with two kids, I need to have more income. Is working full-time the only way that I can achieve this for now?
I would like to hear from those of you who are currently self employed, or blogging full-time. How did you do it? How does one attempt such a feat? And to those of you that have suggestions on how I could bridge the gap, please let me know.
I feel that if I don’t jump on my chance right now, I never will. But at what risk?
My situation is so different from yours as for as responsibility is concerned, I don't want anyone to mistake me just putting my ideas out there as giving advice. But there is a dearth of black bloggers, brown bloggers, and (what I really mean to say) Black single mothers who blog. I really would hate to see this become just another dead domain name with content that never gets updated. At the same time, I feel you. I can't afford sanity wise to let owlasylum go down, but I know I have to hustle harder in other areas to maintain that vision,hope, dream, whatever. I know you are going to make sure your seeds are able to grow into strong trees, I also hope your intellectual seeds are able to be nourished as well…
-Owl Asylum, Corporate office…
Excellent post, inquiring minds want to know this as well! And blessings on your new venture back out in the job search. I'm right there with you my friend! : )
Here is my silly (but serious) question…are you able to do both? I understand that there is a lot of time needed to acquire advertising revenue but I'd hate to see the site completed vacacted.
Oh, thanks for your kind words. I can do both, I have been doing both, but one of them suffers. I think if I was able to concentrate full time on my writing and projects, I would have a chance. Working disables me because I am not able to travel and network the way I want. I do see others juggling both, so maybe there is hope for me!
I understand exactly where you are coming from. I would love, love, love to be able to maintain a stable living writing, blogging and eventually doing graphic design. All things that I am passionate about and that would allow for me to have flexibility. Unfortunately, I am currently chained to the (wo)man, helping someone else (my supervisor) live her dreams of entrepreneurship, while I'm nickle & dimed at every turn. Still, we must find a way to press on. I also have two children, so I feel you on that front, as well. I really am interested in seeing responses from full-time bloggers – how do you make the jump?
Hi Nikki,
I recently quit my job as an accountant to focus on writing (copy-writing and editorial) full time. I've been writing since I was like 7 or 8, and I've always secretly felt (okay not secretly) that I was destined to become a writer. I've had some luck. Like a little bit. I have been fortunate enough to build up a growing list of clients with consistent (though not really rent-paying work) so I am looking for a job in the communications field where I can que up my marketing experience. If I had to give you any advice, and it's advice i'm sure you already know, it's that building a brand/business takes investment of both time and money. You can go balls to the wall, quit your job and go hard or you can put up with a few more months of four hours worth of sleep. Have you considered freelance work? Do you have any clients? Do you have any connections in your network on linkedin or who read your blog that you can contact for work or references? I'd start there. May I also mention, that I too am brown and I'm a full time student and I blog for two other clients in addition to my personal blog? I am NOT tooting my own horn but as Denzel Washington once said, "You do what you gotta do until you get to do what you wanna do." Or something like that. To bridge the gap, I would start yesterday on getting some paying clients.
This is really great advice! Thank you so much! I have been blogging for other sites, some for pay, some for not, but I really need to get my weight up in this area as well as networking more. 🙂
Wow! This blog never ceases to INSPIRE me! Go Danni Go! Cheerleading aside, I understand the struggle. And I also know that doing both is not ideal with two kids that will (rightfully) tug on your time and attention. Is part time work an option? It would still provide benefits (part time benefits beat NONE) and a regular income you could rely on. Or maybe a position that offers flex time? It would mean a few long days in the office, but it would also give you the chance to network and continue to grow TCC. I LOVE this site. LOVE it and I really believe it will keep growing. I also know the single mommy game of priority shifting.
Hey Dani! I just love your blog and I'm one of your biggest fans. So let me share my little (mid-size) story with you.
In 2005, I was laid off and I started getting unemployment. I have always hated corporate America because in my heart I am so not the cut-throat type but I was making good money with no degree. (Those were the days.) So in fall of 2005 I went back to school. For a minute I was getting unemployment, taking out the max on my student loans (to have money to live on) and then I was doing freelance work with my now mentor doing pr work. Then in fall 2006 I went back to work as a night auditor in a hotel while still in school, still freelancing, and volunteering for any and every event I could just to network. In 2007, my job was literally making me sick. I came to the conclusion that I hate working for others. I love to control my own time. Period. So I continued to live off of my loan checks and I maxed them out every semester and my freelance work that my mentor helped me get. She literally took me under her wing and teaches me everything she knows. After I left the hotel I sat at home for a long time just doing school full-time. I didnt have the money I was used to but I had peace of mind. I am a journalism major so I continued to write for the campus paper, write for the local AA owned paper just to get bylines. Then when the paper had special projects for pay they called me. In addition, to that I joined AmeriCorps (americorps.gov). The money is not a lot but it brings in about $12k for the year (and an education award), then another $10k in I get from loans reimbursement yearly and that is not including freelance work. Let me say I dont have kids so I cant speak from that stand point but I sacrifice like heck for my peace of mind. With my AmeriCorps assignment I work my own schedule. It takes me about 10 hours per month to get my work done (everyone may not be that lucky so dont tell nobody), I go into my site once a week to show my face, I do my freelance, I started a virtual book tour company, Books And…, I recently got a local contract for social media and now I'm adding a social media branch to Books And….
I guess the moral to my story is be creative in what you do. Think extra hard about how to get money if you really dont want to enter the work force again. I dont intend to sell space on my book blog but I will on Books And… I now have two clients I am about to start tours for. Check the web and find what people need and make it happen. We have so many resources via Google that we can learn how to do anything that people want. Find a mentor. Join the National Association of Black Journalist (NABJ) to network (on our listserv for members I get to literally email and ask people like Roland Martin and other journalist, magazine editors, etc questions and advice.), the National Urban League Young Professionals in your area, start volunteering at non-profits and some events you can take the kids to volunteer too. You will be surprised at the important people you'll meet. Also, find other young professional organizations in your area to network to get some plugs in and see what people need. In my community, I find that many older entrepreneurs dont understand social media so I am cashing in on it. Many dont know and dont want to know either which is fine with me.
Lastly, I will suggest you find a non-profit cause. My cause is infant mortality. I am educating myself and networking and in May '09 I got the chance to work with Tonya Lewis-Lee on a documentary, Crisis in the Crib and the Office of Minority Health. This week the OMH is flying to DC via an all expense paid trip to participate in a focus group. I am not bragging but I'm saying all that to say before you do anything PRAY! Ask God to order your steps, reveal the desire of your heart if that includes not going back to work so be it and TELL God you really want this and you need Him to open some doors that only He can open. He can do it and He will do it only if you ask Him and tell Him what you want. In the meantime, I'll send some prayers up for you too.