How to Go From Freelance to Full-Time Work
As attractive as freelance freedom is , it is also a problem , and sometimes you find yourself wanting to stay with one of your freelance clients forever. Company culture, the ability to focus on one client, camaraderie with colleagues – there are many reasons for moving from freelancer to employee. But how do you convince them that you should be on the staff?
Whether you’re doing minimal part-time freelance projects for this client or working almost full-time as their freelancer, there are a few specific steps you can take to turn a freelance client into a full-time employee. employer.
1) Shift the customer focus from your results to the whole package
One of the key differences between a freelancer and an employee is how employers view your work. Freelancers are judged on performance only, while employees are judged on commitment, method, personality, teamwork, hours worked, and more.
“Freelance work is often results-driven, while with full-time positions, managers want to make sure you are fully committed to doing as much work as it takes to get the job done,” says Catherine Hawkins, co-founder and director. at Eucalypt Media . Early in her career, Hawkins went from freelancing to working for gimundo.com , a positive storytelling site that she and her husband have since bought and are now launching.
Hawkins advises freelancers who want to be employees to take a deep look at the assignments they are given to prove they are reliable and valuable for more than just results. “Before talking about full-time work, make sure you complete all requested tasks, complete them on time, and do whatever you can to make the manager’s job easier,” she adds.
2) Treat their team like your own
After you’ve made every effort to complete each assignment, treat the team as your own. If you want these people to be your colleagues, do so. Get to know them – their hobbies, interests, families – as much as possible. Offer your help, experience and guidance if needed. If you’re invited to a casual work event, such as happy hours Thursday night, come along.
And don’t forget to let them get to know you better – be prepared to share your interests with the ultimate goal of building strong working and friendships. While that doesn’t have to be your goal, one of the big benefits of communicating with your freelance client’s team is getting inside information about the staff and hiring in the organization, which brings us to step number three.
3) Pay attention to the internal staff changes of the client
Whether you see someone leaving their position, or you start to notice that your client’s team is overwhelmed with work, pay attention to the key details that signal a potential opening for a full-time job.
Hawkins advises: “If you find out that an employee is leaving, this may be a great time to mention the opportunity to intervene. But even if you don’t have that clear sign, keep an eye on how much work remains to be done and how overwhelmed the internal team is, and consider sending your contact person a suggestion of what you could accomplish as a full-time employee. The best time to get started is before the list of vacancies is drafted, so act quickly. “
4) Conversation
After you post the first three components, schedule an appointment with your client to discuss the possibility of moving to full time. Approach this conversation carefully – they may not be aware of your interest and may not be able to respond as quickly as you would like. Consider this as the beginning of a longer conversation, because it will probably take a few discussions before finally being offered a permanent position. The goal of this introductory proposal is to instill in you the idea of moving from freelance to full-time work, and then give your client time to digest what you have to offer.
Hope Alcoser , a New York-based marketer who transferred one of her freelance clients to full-time, recommends: “It’s important to have an honest and open conversation before moving on because both parties need to be happy. You won’t go out of your way and give 110% if you’re not happy with the customization. ” In 2014, Alcocer went from freelance to marketing manager at Korrect Music Software.
As the conversation unfolds, be open about your hopes for a full-time job and be prepared to discuss details. What salary range do you mean? Do you want to continue working from home or move to the office? What will be your rank and who will you report to? There are many details to be worked out before a final agreement can be reached.
Be realistic about the process knowing that it will take time and commitment on your part. Set your ultimate goal of proving your worth by taking on more projects, offering help, joining their team, and starting a conversation with your client. The more you “act like” you are part of the team, the more your client will see you that way, eventually realizing that it is in their own best interest.
Realism is the key to success: you can grab a client’s attention as a full-time employee by following these steps, but there is no guarantee that they want to hire.