Ask a Mentor: How Do I Adapt to Corporate After Freelancing?

Compiled and edited by Julie Tereshchuk

Dear Mentors,

How do I reconfigure myself and adapt to working in a corporate environment after freelancing with multiple clients?

Yours, Ms. NeedALifeHack

Dear Ms. NeedALifeHack,

Making the shift from being a free agent to having a J-O-B can feel confining – you may be moving into a stricter schedule and a hierarchical reporting structure (with an actual boss). You may even be moving into an office – or a cubicle!

Making the adjustment is not so much a matter of reconfiguring yourself, but of setting up your life logistics to support you as you take on your new role.

Number one is to make sure you’ve gracefully transitioned out of your client projects. Next, scope out your situation as an employee. Will you telecommute at least part of the time? What resources are available to you through the company? Is there a fridge and microwave? What do you need in your workspace to make you comfortable? Music and headphones? Photos, décor and toys? On the home front, who can let the dogs out at lunchtime and let the repair guy in if you’re in a meeting? What routines will help you get to work on time, wearing office-appropriate attire? Line these details up, and you’re in for smoother sailing.

Payoffs are likely a steady paycheck, benefits, a consistent team of workmates and an opportunity to make a longer-term difference in an organization you care about. And as a former freelancer, your entrepreneurial perspective brings considerable value to the company. And don’t forget your Rolodex of other freelance talent – those contacts may come in handy!

Yours, Julie Wickert

“What Happened Next: Ask a Mentor Follow-Up”

[Editor’s note: this is a real-life WCA mentor story, although we’ve withheld names to respect the privacy of those involved.]

Discipline Leads to Job Offer

Back Story: 

My mentee was seeking to transition to a new career after leaving graduate school. She impressed me with her thorough follow-up skills. After each session, she emailed to confirm her next steps and our next meeting. Going over each of her action items and progress then drove the agenda for our meetings. We also looked at action items she chose not to do, and how her intuition—or other circumstances—led her to do something else or focus more heavily on a specific task.

What Happened Next:

After we met a couple of times, I learned that if she didn’t find a job soon, she was going to have to move out of state to live back home with her parents.

After our fourth meeting, she emailed to let me know that she had been offered a full-time job doing the type of work she wanted to do. While I was so proud of her attaining her goal, I don’t know how much my involvement helped her other than providing accountability and a sounding board. I’m betting that it was her tenacity and discipline that got the job, and I know those skills will continue to serve her well.