by infonista | Feb 19, 2019 | Creating a Rewarding Career, Freelancing, Independent Info Pro, LIS Career Strategy, Uncategorized
One of the questions that comes up frequently when talking about LIS career options is freelancing. Does it make sense to pick up freelance work if you already have a job? The answer very much depends on your individual life circumstances, but for me, freelancing has been integral to my career growth (and opportunities) from the beginning.
Benefits of freelancing
Freelancing – also known these days
as side-gigs, side-hustles, and project work – can be a great career “add-on.”
It can give you a modest source of income in addition to your full-time job
salary, it can help you build out your professional portfolio to include
demonstrations of additional skills, and it can help you expand the network of
people who have first-hand knowledge of those terrific skills.
(more…)
by infonista | Apr 17, 2018 | Creating a Rewarding Career, Freelancing, Independent Info Pro, Lifestyle Careers, LIS Career Options, LIS Career Strategy, Rethinking LIS Retirement
Recently I’ve had a number of conversations with colleagues thinking about their post-retirement options. Most of them don’t actually want to retire, but want to transition to a career option that better fits their encore lifestyle goals.
The good news? One of the terrific things about LIS skills and experience is that they so easily lend themselves to these types of work arrangements. (more…)
by infonistaadmin | Jan 10, 2017 | Creating a Rewarding Career, Freelancing, Independent Info Pro, LIS Career Options
Workforce experts are saying that by 2020 four of every ten workers will be a member of the “contingent workforce” – that is, freelancers, contractors, or temporary employees. How directly this trend impacts the LIS profession will probably in large degree depend on where you work and the type of work you do.
But in the meantime, what if you’d actually like to accelerate this trend and perhaps have an LIS career with a bit more flexibility right now? (more…)
by infonistaadmin | Aug 9, 2016 | Creating a Rewarding Career, Freelancing, Independent Info Pro, LIS Career Strategy
When I recently asked a young MLIS student about her career goals, she very matter-of-factly laid out a future of LIS work comprising multiple employer/clients based on her various skill sets.
Kate possesses a rich suite of in-demand skills, ones that might previously have led to being quickly hired by a lucky organization. But as a realistic monitor of today’s LIS employment environment, she’s hoping for the best (she’ll find a great job) but planning for the worst. If no job materializes, she’ll be able to create multiple revenue streams to support herself based on her LIS skills.
In fact, Kate is actively seeking out work projects and courses to broaden and deepen the skills she may be able to offer to a diverse range of employers – or clients. She’s positioning herself to be able to contribute value over a lifetime of information work. And one of the most effective ways to do that is to consider adding freelance work or projects to your worklife and portfolio. (more…)
by infonistaadmin | Feb 22, 2016 | Freelancing, Independent Info Pro
Whether side gig, side hustle, freelancing, or moonlighting, doing work on your own time in addition to your regular job is a terrific way to build some resiliency into your career – and finances. The place to start? Kimberly Palmer’s The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life (AMACOM, 2014).
According to Palmer, solid, sustainable side-gig ideas usually have the following characteristics: (more…)
by infonistaadmin | Aug 13, 2010 | Freelancing, Independent Info Pro
One of the questions that comes up frequently when talking about LIS career options is freelancing. Does it make sense to pick up freelance work if you already have a job? The answer very much depends on your individual life circumstances, but for me, freelancing has been integral to my career growth (and opportunities) from the beginning.
(more…)
