Some Business Managers decide to work as freelancers. Freelancing can be quite different to working as an in-house Businesses Manger. It has some distinct advantages, however, it also has some potential downsides. Keep reading to learn more about what it’s like to work as a freelance Business Manager, and how to become a freelancer.
Freelance vs. In-house Business Manager
When you work as a freelancer, you are self-employed. This means that you work for yourself and you choose what you work on and when you work. Most freelancers work from home, however, you can work from any location that you choose. As a freelancer, you’ll work on a contract or per-project basis, and you’ll need to constantly find new work. You’ll be responsible for some things that you wouldn’t as a paid employee, such as paying your own taxes. However, you’ll also won’t get some things that you would get as a paid employee, like paid time off.
In contrast, when you work as an in-house Business Manager you’ll be employed by a specific company. You won’t have to find new work, but you’ll also have to follow the schedule dictated by your employer. Most in-house Business Managers work in an office, however, your employer may give you the option to complete some--or even all--of your work remotely. Depending on your job, you’re likely to get benefits like access to healthcare and a retirement plan.
Benefits & Potential Challenges of Business Manager Freelancing
Freelancing has both benefits and challenges. Many people like the flexibility that it comes with. When you freelance, you don’t have to commute to an office, and you don’t have to follow a set schedule. Instead, you can work from anywhere you choose, and you can set your own hours and choose your own projects. This allows the flexibility to work around personal needs and responsibilities.
However, some people find that freelancing can feel isolating, since you can spend a significant amount of time working by yourself. Many freelancers work from home, which also comes with potential challenges including the fact that there can be more distractions at home, and that it can be hard to step away from your work at the end of the day. Another challenge that comes with freelancing is that you’ll continually have to look for new work.
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What is a Business Manager?
A Business Manager is a leader who supervises the personnel and operations of a department or organization. They work to maintain productivity, efficiency, and organization, and to help the company achieve its goals. They also help improve overall performance and find new opportunities for growth and improvement. A small company might have only one Business Manager, while a larger company might have a number of them. Some Business Managers specialize in a specific area such as marketing, sales, or administration.
A Business Manager typically takes responsibility for a wide range of different tasks. These vary depending on the industry they work in and the company they work for, however, in general, this position involves four main aspects. One is planning, which means setting future goals and making a plan for achieving them. The second is organizing tasks and resources so that business plans can be implemented. A third part of business management is leading employees. Finally, Business Managers are responsible for controlling the operations of a business, which means keeping track of how it is performing and making any changes that are needed
What is Business Management Freelancing Like?
When you freelance in business management, you’ll be responsible for continually marketing yourself. In an article titled, “How Can You Build a Freelance Business While Working Full-Time?” LinkedIn insists that an important part of being successful as a freelancer is building a professional online presence. It says, “A professional online presence is essential for attracting and retaining clients as a freelancer. You need to have a website, a portfolio, and a social media profile that showcases your work, your skills, and your personality.” It goes on to explain, “Your online presence should also include testimonials, reviews, and referrals from previous clients, as well as a clear and compelling value proposition that explains why someone should hire you.” Many freelancers also stress the importance of developing a network of professional contacts. Contacts can help you find new clients and job opportunities. They can also be a source of new ideas and career advice.
Is Business Management Freelancing Right for Me?
To understand whether or not business management freelancing is right for you, you need to consider many different factors including your personality and style of working, your personal obligations, and how well you work independently. As a freelancer, you’re likely to spend more time working alone, and you may need to make more executive decisions by yourself. You’ll also be responsible for constantly lining up future work. However, you’re also likely to have a lot more freedom, both creatively and in your schedule.
Steps to Become a Freelance Business Manager
To work in business management--whether you’re a freelancer or you work for somebody else--you’ll need to learn a broad set of skills including finance, communication, and leadership. You’ll also need knowledge of the specific industry you plan to work in. A great way to get this education is to enroll in a bootcamp or certificate course at a career training school. These types of programs are usually both comprehensive and accelerated, with a focus on helping you master everything you need for a career in business management, and doing so in the shortest amount of time possible. They are typically intended to prepare you for an entry-level job in your intended field. Most also include career support services such as help creating a resume and portfolio, and advice about applying for jobs and interviewing. In some cases, you’ll even leave the course with connections to professional networks in your field.
If you want to work in business management, in addition to education, you’ll need work experience, during which you can learn how to apply your knowledge in real-world situations. Experience is also an important part of learning the many intricacies of being a Business Manager. There are lots of different ways to gain experience. LinkedIn has an article titled, “You Want To Get Experience in Business Management Before Starting your Career. How Can You Do It?” where it explains some ways to gain experience in this field while you’re still in school. It says, “One of the most effective ways to get experience in business management is to find an internship or a part-time job that relates to your field of interest. You can search for opportunities on job boards, career fairs, social media, or your network.” Other suggestions are: joining a student organization, volunteering, and starting a side project.
Professional certifications can also be beneficial for a career in business management. Research shows that these often give job applicants an edge over other candidates, and can also increase the chances of advancement or pay raises. The specific certification that you pursue will depend on what field you plan to work in and what type of specialization you’re pursuing. Some certifications that might be useful in business management include Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP), and Certified Professional-Human Resource (IPMA-CP).
Learn Business Skills
In addition to all the skills of a regular Business Manager, future freelance Business Managers will need to learn skills for running their own business (such as finance and contract law) and marketing their business (such as web design and social media marketing). Even freelance Business Managers who plan to contract consultants to help run their small business should have a basic understanding of these areas in order to understand what kind of outsourcing they need to support their freelance work.
Learn the Skills to Become a Business Manager at Noble Desktop
Noble Desktop is a New York City-based school that offers a wide variety of business classes, both in person--at its Manhattan facility--and in a live online format. Courses include comprehensive, hands-on bootcamps and certificate programs, which are designed to help you master all the skills that you’ll need in order to work as a business manager. Noble also runs a number of shorter courses where you can spend a day or two learning essential business skills like financial modeling or Excel. This school is licensed by the New York State Education Department.
One popular Noble Desktop option is the “MBA” Business Certificate. This course is an “MBA-style” program and it includes some of the skills taught in MBA programs. In this class, you’ll learn tools and strategies for finance, project management, marketing, and data analysis. You’ll also learn about the practical applications of generative AI, and will get access to a self-paced class that covers the basics of business insurance, employment law, and business law. This class includes the option to take electives that match your specific area of interest. Finally, it comes with eight one-on-one mentoring sessions.
Another popular certificate program is the Data Analytics Certificate. In this course you’ll learn about gathering, wrangling, analyzing, and visualizing data, and you’ll work on a number of real-world projects. Both predictive and prescriptive analytics are covered, in addition to Python, Excel, Tableau, and SQL. All students also receive eight one-on-one mentoring sessions, which can be used to work on challenging concepts or for resume and portfolio advice.
Noble Desktop also runs many different business-related bootcamps. The Project Management Bootcamp is a popular option. This class is designed for students who want to learn more about project management. It is a combination of the school’s Level I and Level II classes and is offered at a discount. When you take the Project Management Bootcamp, you’ll learn the five phases of project management and will receive a slide deck that contains a variety of exercises. You’ll also learn about Waterfall, Critical Path, and Agile methods of project management, including popular Agile frameworks. You’ll receive a certificate of completion at the end of the class.
Another bootcamp option is the Chat GTP & AI for Business Bootcamp. This course is designed to give you the skills you’ll need to utilize AI in your daily business tasks. You’ll learn how to create effective prompts, manage conversations, and use advanced features like memory settings. You’ll also learn about the ethical considerations of AI. In addition, the course focuses on ways to use AI for task management, communication, and project planning. You’ll learn about automating repetitive tasks, optimizing schedules, and improving collaboration and administrative workflows.
Noble also offers many shorter classes focused on a number of different business skills. For example, it has a variety of short Excel classes: Excel Level 1,Level 2, and Level 3. Level 1 is focused on getting familiar with the interface, entering data, using essential formulas and functions, and creating charts. You’ll also learn how to format and print. Level 2 covers splitting and joining text, adding data validation, named ranges, database functions, adding logical statements, and using Pivot Tables. In addition, you’ll learn to use statistical functions and create advanced combo charts. In Level 3, instructors cover advanced concepts including cell locking, auditing, hotkeys, formatting for calculating dates, advanced functions, advanced analytical tools, Pivot Charts, and advanced database functions.