How Did I Get Here?
So how DID I get here (sitting in a high school classroom, taking attendance and handing out bathroom passes...)? After wading my way through the aforementioned stages of unemployment grief, it was time to admit and face my mistakes:
- Relying on a handshake agreement
(What NOT to do 101) - Operating on blind trust
(Self-evident red flags) - Working in a shallow pool
(No eggs in the basket)
On paper, we (should) all know these are risky ways to work as a freelancer. In fact, I called myself a contractor (since the nature of the work was closer to full-time than freelance) but I was working without that very thing—a contract! As sideline observers, it's easy to see the lights blinking their warnings for "Dangerous Curves Ahead" that eventually make way to "Danger: Falling Rocks." But when you're living it, especially when things are good, it's easy to fall prey to false feelings of security.
Trust is one thing. Blind trust is another. Who was I to question business decisions? I followed direction and offered feedback when asked. (How very Gen X of me.) In hindsight, there were things I could have said and/or done at first notice of a red flag or, at the very least, acknowledged how it might affect my own sense of stability or comfort. Admittedly, I don't like rocking the boat if I can help it. However, a few protective boundaries are in order for any freelancer who doesn't want to find him or herself out of work entirely. For example, if I had taken on less work here and maintained some of my other working relationships, I wouldn't feel the loss as acutely right now.
Finally, there's the matter of personal characteristics. We're all different and, as such, manage situations differently. I know this about myself: I have a hard time operating in the world of black and white. I see gray all over. I am trusting (to a fault) and desperately want to believe in the good of others. I am a giver, not a taker, and easily forget (or overlook) the reality of survival, where the givers ultimately fall to the takers, when they've traded those necessary protective boundaries for short-term harmonious comfort.
And so these are my lessons learned:
- Always separate friendship from work. Get a contract in place. It's not a matter of personal trust. It's business.
- Speak up when the red flags fly—if not with the business directly, with yourself. Critical thinkers ultimately reap protective rewards.
- Ensure a safety net. For freelancers, that means maintaining more than one revenue source. At the very least, see point 1 (have a contract).
