Human Resource Management is an essential part of every company, regardless of its size and business sector. It’s one of the factors that can make or break a company, making this an essential part of every organizational structure. Employees are undoubtedly the foundation of one company, and this foundation cannot stand strong without proper human resource management.
HR’s main task is to handle the relationship between the organization’s leadership and its employees. This field covers many tasks and responsibilities and must oversee all departments of the company/organization.
As an example of good human resource management, Natalie Fell has more than 15 years of experience in the human resource field and different industries, such as health, software, and many others.
Currently, Natalie works at Step by Step Businesses, a website that helps you save time, money, and effort when setting up a new company of any sort. Natalia is the leader of a small group with experience in launching new businesses in past years.
Natalie decided to take a break from her job to pursue a dream as a freelance writer, using her vast experience in the human resource management sphere to educate new and upcoming HR managers, and present them with the industry’s secrets.
- Please tell us about yourself, your expertise, etc. I spent over ten years working as an HR/training and development professional in a corporate environment. My jobs were in several different industries, including software, healthcare, and financial services. After experiencing burnout, I decided to step away from my career and take time to pursue my passion for writing. I now have a full-time career as a freelance writer!
- Please describe your previous work as an employee. I spent time as a corporate recruiter, as well as a trainer and event planner. I worked onsite in an office and traveled quite a bit for client events and meetings.
- What was the point where you decided to become a freelancer? After self-publishing my first book, I was asked to take on some pro-bono copywriting projects and received fantastic feedback. I then decided to see what kinds of paid gigs were available and was shocked at just how many companies needed writing services. Over time, I gained enough experience to land a few long-term, stable contracts with some fantastic clients.
- What are the challenges you’re facing as a freelancer? Most freelance work is contract work, meaning you don’t have the healthcare and retirement benefits that come with traditional full-time employment. Healthcare (in the United States) is very expensive, especially without a full-time employer subsidizing some of the costs. Depending on your gigs, your income may be variable and fluctuate from month to month, which was a huge adjustment for me, coming from a steady, predictable paycheck.
- What can you advise a beginner freelancer? Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! I had no formal writing experience or education prior to landing paid writing gigs. I just used my confidence and the skills I already had and found amazing work. Even if the freelance work you’re interested in is totally different from your full-time career or educational background, you’ll be surprised at how transferable your current skills are. One great thing about freelance gigs is that you can quickly build a brand-new resume from the work you do. I was shocked at how quickly I was able to uplevel.
- How to handle inflation as a freelancer? Freelancing often means having a variable income, so smart budgeting is necessary. Make sure you have an emergency fund set aside for unplanned expenses. If you’ve been working with a client for a while, don’t be afraid to raise your rates to keep up with the cost of living.
- How are you getting new clients? When I was first starting out, I picked up several gigs on Upwork. Then, I started targeting more long-term, stable clients on more traditional job sites, like Indeed. I also belong to a couple of freelance writer’s associations that have job boards for members.
- Name one mistake you made as a freelancer? In the beginning, I was so excited to get writing gigs that I took on way more work than I could handle. It can be tough to turn gigs down or say no to more work from an existing client, especially when the money’s good. However, you only have so much time in a day and even just one too many gigs can upset your overall balance and cause you to start missing deadlines. Only take on as much work as you can reasonably handle at a time.
Here’s a link to my headshot. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Natalie Fell
HR & Business Specialist | Step By Step Business
w: https://stepbystepbusiness.com/
e: natalief@stepbystepbusiness.com
Not all job positions are permanent, and Natalie realized that fast enough. Knowing that there might not be any promotion coming her way, she decided to try her luck in freelancing, mainly because writing has been her passion for years now. Her shift from managing hundreds of people within her team to working by herself at home turned out to be the right choice for her.
When you decide to take such a step from one industry where you’ve been working for so many years into a completely new one, make sure to organize your time, so you can have room to finish everything else in between. You should always focus on doing your research; the rest of the way is clear.
The final advice from Natalie is to go step by step in accepting work while freelancing. She had made this mistake once by taking more work than she could handle, and the problems were quick to arrive. Always go one task at a time, and there’s no doubt that you will make it!
