From making your own hours to setting your own fees, freelancing has tons of benefits.

But what many startup ‘lancers don’t know is that freelancing can also be costly. You are, after all, essentially starting a business. Plus, you’re moving from steady paychecks to the unknown territory of a variable (and, sometimes in the beginning, nonexistent) income.

So before you jump in head-first, take this financial checkup to be sure you’re ready for the freelancing life:

1. Check your startup costs

Starting a freelance business is pretty cheap, as far as startups go. You don’t have to rent a huge office building, buy your own high-tech software system or even hire employees. But that doesn’t mean starting a freelance business won’t cost you.

If you want to land great clients and make decent money, you’ll have to invest in your startup. Before you go full-time, find the money for common startup costs. In fact, it may be best to go ahead and pay for these things out of your paycheck now, before you even jump ship!

Common freelancing startup costs include:

• Website design
• Website hosting
• Business cards and other marketing materials
• Memberships for online services (such as bookkeeping services, etc.)
• Memberships for helpful professional organizations
• Other necessary equipment and tools

If you can cover these expenses, great! Move on to the next step in your checkup. If not, hold up. Take time to save enough money for your startup costs before you freelance full-time.

2. Assess your budgeting skills

Money management skills are important no matter what your job. But for freelancers, they’re even more essential.

Right now, you’re used to a steady paycheck. Sure, if you’re an hourly worker, there might be some variance. But you probably get a check on a set schedule and know ahead of time about how much you’ll make.

When you’re a full-time freelancer, you can kiss that consistency goodbye!

While many of us eventually nab steady, long-term clients that give us an even-keel base pay, this isn’t often the case for newbies. You may deal with a roller-coaster income for quite some time.

So be sure you can prioritize your spending. See where you can cut back on your budget for months when you may not make as much money.

3. Examine your backup plan

We all would like to think we’ll be six-figure freelancers within months of launching our businesses. But that very rarely happens.

Many freelancers have to work hard for months (or maybe years) before they steadily earn a decent income. This is normal, and you should expect it — even as you hope for a better, easier outcome for yourself.

Before you start freelancing, form some sort of backup plan. (Click here to tweet this thought.) This could include a part-time job or side hustle to pay the bills while your business gets going, a well-funded emergency savings account or even the option to move back in with the ‘rents while you get on your feet.

While you don’t necessarily need a fully funded six-month emergency fund to safely transition to the freelance life, you do need some sort of financial backup plan just in case!

4. Understand your ongoing expenses

Often, you’ll hear new freelancers exclaiming in excitement that they’re earning $20-$30 an hour on a job. That’s much more than they made at their old $12/hour gig. Or so they think.

Freelancers have many more expenses than typical full-time workers. You’ll have to pay for everything from printer paper to health insurance, and those costs add up.

And then you’ll have to pay your own taxes. In fact, you’ll pay at least 15 percent of your income in self-employment FICA taxes, and that’s not to mention income taxes.

Don’t forget you’ll no longer get paid vacation or sick days, either. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. So you need to be sure you’re getting paid enough so you have the luxury of a vacation or a day out with the flu.

All these costs quickly add up and turn your $30/hour gig into a minimum wage slog. While your hourly rate goal will certainly depend on your industry, experience and cost of living, Carol Tice says most freelancers should aim to make at least $100 per hour.

Did you make it through the checkup? Do you understand your startup costs and ongoing costs? Do you have a backup plan for your finances, and are you prepared to live on a variable budget?

Excellent! You may be ready to start freelancing full-time.

If you’re not quite there yet, don’t worry. Take some time to prepare financially, and your freelance career launch will go much more smoothly in the long term.

Abby Hayes is a full-time freelance blogger, copywriter and journalist. She’s also the founder of FinanceforFreelance, a blog dedicated to helping freelancers make the most of their money. Check out her freelance tax guide, 42 Money Saving Tax Deductions for Freelancers, if you’re ready to make the most of your freelancing income at tax time!

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The post Full-Time Freelancing Could Cost You: What to Know Before Leaping appeared first on Brazen Life.

After the stressful process of looking for a new job while you’re still employed, you finally got an offer. At last, you’re free! You probably can’t wait to share your good fortune with the world and tell your boss where she can shove that evil assignment she gave you last week.

You might think that because you’re leaving, you don’t have to worry what people think of you anymore. This is not the case. Unless you want to erase everything you’ve accomplished since your first day on the job, your departure must be as strategic and deliberate as your arrival. (Click here to tweet this thought.)

Don’t jump the gun

This starts with your resignation. Under no circumstances should you let on that you’re leaving before you have a signed agreement and official start date from your new employer.

If you blab to everyone and your job offer falls through, your best-case scenario is that you’ve got egg on your face. The worst-case scenario, of course, is that your boss is insulted enough to fire you.

Follow these drama-free departure musts

Here are some other suggestions to make a smooth exit:

• Tell your supervisor first. You want your boss to hear the news from you, not from someone else in your department.
• Give two weeks’ notice. Stay for the entire two weeks, unless your company requests that you leave sooner.
• Be modest. Don’t alienate your colleagues by bragging or chattering incessantly about your awesome new gig.
• Don’t insult anything or anyone. Whether it’s true or not, make a point to show your regret at leaving such wonderful people behind.
• Stay on top of your responsibilities. Remember you’re accountable for your work until 5 p.m. on your last day.
• Continue to adhere to office protocol. You worked hard for that professional persona, so leave them with the right impression.
• Review your employee handbook. Understand what benefits and compensation for unused sick or vacation days you’re entitled to.
• Organize your files. Make it easy for your colleagues to find materials so they can more easily transition your work and won’t need to call you at your new job.
• Train your replacement well. Your organization paid your salary for as long as you worked there, and you owe it to them to leave your job in good hands.
• Don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you. This includes office supplies and any work product you did not personally develop.

Beware of the exit interview

Many companies request that departing employees do exit interviews with HR. The person conducting the interview, who probably doesn’t know you from a hole in the wall, will usually expect you to divulge why you’re leaving and how you feel about your experience with the company.

When it comes to exit interviews, stick to official business as much as possible, provide constructive criticism and proceed with tact and caution.

Although it may be tempting to use the meeting to spill your guts about the company’s difficult personalities and insufferable policies, hold your tongue. Airing your grievances won’t do you a drop of good. The risk of offending people and burning bridges is too great.

Resist the urge to “burn, baby, burn!”

Your most important move when you leave your job is to fireproof your bridges. It’s a smaller world than you think. You never know when might need these people again (or they might need you).

And who knows? Maybe you won’t even like your new job and will want to come back someday. At the very least, you want to be able to count on one person in the organization to serve as a reference for you in the future.

During your last few weeks, do everything you can to leave behind a squeaky clean reputation. Be conscientious and thorough as you’re wrapping up or transitioning projects. Even if you’re leaving because you can’t stand your department, act like a team player and keep your negativity to a minimum.

If your colleagues take you out for lunch or throw you a going away party, congratulate yourself. It means you’ve handled your departure in exactly the right way.

Alexandra Levit is the author of They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to the Business World (new 10th anniversary edition out February 2014). Her goal is to help people succeed in meaningful jobs and to build relationships between organizations and top talent.

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The post Resignation 101: The Dos and Don’ts of Quitting Your Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

Then you got that fresh-out-of school fellowship or perfect first grownup job. Perhaps you knew it was just a stepping stone, that you were gaining experience for your next big move. You may have even promised yourself you’d just do it just for a year or two. Then you’d jump ship and start your own thing, write that book, live that dream.

A year goes by, and they promote you. The money is pretty darn good. And a second year goes by, and then five. And then it really hits you.

Bureaucracy is slowly killing you.

All of the meetings. All of the webinars. All of the templates. All of the TPS reports.

No matter how idealistic and creative you think you are, it gets zapped out of you the moment you walk into that beige world. The eeriest part is that so many others don’t seem to mind.

But you feel stuck in a rut, immobilized by the seeming spiral of success. What do you do?

Here are some things to think through if your soul is dying in your bureaucratic work environment:

1. Think back to the last time you were driven and dreamy and idealistic

Was it during undergrad? What did you want to do with your life? What did you want to be when you grew up? What impacts did you want to make on the world?

Write all this down. Take a good long look at it.

2. Decide if it’s still worth a shot

(Hint: the answer is usually “yes.”)

3. Determine how much longer you plan to stay at your current workplace

Set a timeframe and stick to it. This can be anywhere from one month to 20 years. Sometimes just having a plan and a light at the end of the tunnel can be magical. (Click here to Tweet this thought.)

4. If you decide to stay in your current work environment for more than six months…

Determine ways you can create meaning and fulfilment in your life as it is now. How can you infuse more of yourself into your workplace?

If you’re into yoga, get certified over the weekends and start teaching yoga to your colleagues during lunch breaks. If you love Star Wars, start incorporating a Jedi Knight theme into your office decor and your memos. If you feel like your creativity has languished, start advocating for out-of-the-box thinking whenever you can; make it your mission to bring color to the beige.

(Note: No one will get hurt if you insert some mindfulness or joy or creativity into your work life. After some initial jealous resistance, your colleagues will likely thank you. Besides, eye rolls don’t kill).

5. If you’re ready to leave your job…

Begin to envision what you want your life to look like and chart out a plan. You can even find a friend or hire a coach to help you develop your plan and stick to your goals.

Start getting the wheels in motion. Determine how much money you’ll need to save, when you’ll put in your notice and how you’ll set yourself (and your office) up for success through the transition.

Be careful not to jump into another opportunity that’s going to put you right back in the same situation. Anytime you’re feeling tempted, refer back to step number one, and remind yourself of your plan to follow your passion.

6. Thank yourself for staying true to you, however that looks

Whether you decide to jump ship or stay the course, the most important piece of advice is to find a way to be engaged and on fire again. Don’t let the beige bring you down; find an occasion and rise to it.

Have you found ways to bring joy and meaning to a bureaucratic work environment? Or are you planning your next bold move? Tell us in the comments.

Sara Harrier is a coach and communication expert who works with intelligent and highly sensitive individuals to help them harness their strengths and revolutionize the world. She has a Masters in Social Work, and one of her specialties is working hands-on with women to map out their next creative career move or entrepreneurial dreams.

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The post What to Do When Your Job is Slowly Killing You appeared first on Brazen Life.

As she danced to Kanye West’s Gone, Shifrin made it clear to her boss that she was done sacrificing her “relationships, time and energy for this job.”

The video went viral and now has 15 million views and counting. But it didn’t stop there.

Her former employer, Taiwanese animation company Next Media Animation, posted a spin-off video to announce they were hiring. A few days after she posted her original video, Shifrin made a guest appearance on The Queen Latifah Show — and received an on-air job offer.

In general, we recommend quitting your job gracefully without burning bridges. After all, you never know when you and your employee might cross paths in the future. But Shifrin received an overwhelming response for her video, and now that she’s in the job market, her resume will definitely stand out.

Her “take that!” message to her former boss may have been a good move for her. But does that mean we should follow her lead?

Have you dreamed about a dramatic resignation from your job? Do you think Shifrin’s move was a wise one, or will it come back to bite her later in her career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Betsy Mikel has been reading and writing since she was a TV-deprived bookwormy kid. Visit her website and connect with her on Twitter.

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The post The Best Way to Quit Your Job? Or the Worst? appeared first on Brazen Life.

I was 23 years old and passionate, but hated working for someone else and longed for adventure.

So I jumped.

And I’m not going to lie: you’ll learn more from jumping than you will from reading this article. However, there are some things that I wish I’d known before I skipped across the Atlantic with a suitcase full of dreams.

You deserve to live a life as adventurous, colorful and full of joy as you desire. If that means buying a one-way ticket to Paris, I say go for it!

But here are the 10 things you need to know before you jump:

1. It’s vital to have basic knowledge of and respect for money

And we’re not just talking about knowing the numbers in your bank account (which you should know). Spend some time working on your relationship with money. Here’s why:

If you knew everything about money, then you’d have exactly as much money as you want. Do you have as much money as you want? Neither do I. So let’s start learning more about it!

Ask yourself: What hangups do you have about money that could prevent you from making as much as you want? (Manifesting coach Denise Duffield Thomas can help.)

2. Blogging isn’t a career

Very few people get paid to blog. If they do, they’re writing for someone else’s blog. In your own business, blogging is a marketing tool, not an income stream.

If you want to live a fabulous life and never have to get a j-o-b ever again, then let’s talk about business models. If you don’t have one, you don’t have a business.

A business model asks the question: “How do you make money?”

Ask yourself: What solution are you providing that people will pay you money for?

3. You’re going to have to work, so figure out how it fits into your dream lifestyle

You can 4-Hour Workweek it up all you want, but you still have to do the work. (Following Tim Ferriss’s advice requires a whole bunch of self-discipline, so don’t think you’re getting off the hook by following his tips).

Here’s the thing: even if you do find a way to earn passive income, you’re going to get bored quickly if you don’t do anything productive with yourself.

Ask yourself: When you picture your ideal lifestyle, how do you picture working? What time of day? With whom? Doing what?

4. Results take time, so you need to want it bad

There is no such thing as overnight success.

The people you believe have struck overnight success have actually been hustling their bums off for months or years. It could take years for you to see the results you want with your lifestyle business.

Ask yourself these questions: Can you muster up the willpower to hustle after your day job? If not, are you willing to vastly reduce your cost of living?

5. If you’re remotely rebellious, being your own boss will test every cell in your being

Hands down, the number one thing people ask me about is self-discipline:

How do you do it all?

How do you stay focused?

How do you follow through with projects when new ideas seem so much more enticing?

It’s hard for rebellious personalities to stick to a program for long before it starts to feel forced. The funny thing? Most entrepreneurs and lifestyle designers are rebellious by nature.

Ask yourself: Why do you want to design your own lifestyle? What are you willing to sacrifice?

6. Boundaries. Period.

People who live a conventional lifestyle often assume that working from home means sitting in your PJs eating peanut butter off a spoon while watching Ellen.

Your family members will start asking you to do them favors in middle of the day.

You’ll get invited to lunch when you should be working.

Ask yourself this question: Can you stick to a schedule 80 percent of the time?

(My advice? Work when you say you’re going to work.)

7. Treat yourself like a CEO would treat you

If you think that means mani-pedis at 10:00 a.m. on a Tuesday, you’ve got another thing coming.

Successful CEOs are results-oriented and profit-conscious. That’s how they got to where they are.

They don’t let their employees do whatever they feel like. If you’ve ever had a job, you know the boss expects you to arrive at a certain time every day. They even expect you to dress appropriately. (Shock!)

Ask yourself: If a CEO of a Fortune 500 company watched you work for a day, what comments and critiques would she give you? How would she do things differently?

8. However, you should indulge in some perks

If you just reached a big goal, and you have the money to blow, go ahead and get a mani-pedi at 10:00 a.m. on a Tuesday.

It’ll feel mischievous and a little rebellious. (If playing hookie becomes habitual, however, it’s time to get back to work).

I have to confess: It’s possible to find me in my PJs eating peanut butter off a spoon while watching Ellen. I do it because I can. But I don’t do it every day. It’s a treat!

Ask yourself: What are your favorite perks of designing your own lifestyle? What are you excited to do now that you couldn’t do before?

9. Your new best friends are vulnerability and discomfort

When you work for yourself, you’re 100 percent in charge of your reputation 100 percent of the time. This will cause anxiety. (Why do you think Oprah meditates so much?)

Risk-taking is, well, risky. Especially for perfectionists. You’re going to have to put yourself out there. You’ll feel naked. Just keep swimming.

Ask yourself: Can you get comfortable with discomfort? Are you willing to put yourself out there?

10. Routine isn’t the devil, mon ami

It seems everyone from Mark Twain to Oscar Wilde thought that routines were the curse of modern society. But routines are so necessary.

As a rebellious entrepreneur, you’ll need to cultivate routines and systems that facilitate your work.

Ask yourself: How do you spend your time? How could you use routines to be more efficient?

If you take these tips to heart, you’ll become better at lifestyle design faster. If not, you’ll wind up learning all of these lessons the hard way. If that’s the case, welcome to the club!

What tips do you have for newbie lifestyle designers? What do you wish someone had told you about lifestyle design?

Courtney Johnston is the creator of The Rule Breaker’s Club, where she helps people get really good at being self-employed and teaches them how to write for the Web. This summer, she’s launching her next ebook, From Amateur to Professional, and drinking margaritas on the rocks.

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The post 10 Things to Know Before Quitting Your Job and Embracing a New Lifestyle appeared first on Brazen Life.

The reality was, I was miserable.

I hated practicing law. I hated it every single second of every single day for five years. (And given my workload, that included weekends, too!)

It was on the eve of my 30th birthday that I finally quit. I was sick and tired of hating my work. And I didn’t want to live with the same gnawing sense of career anxiety in my 30s that plagued my 20s. I knew there was something better out there for me. But at the time, I couldn’t imagine what it was.

Running from the law to do what I loved

Without any real plan in mind, I did the only respectable thing I could think of: I packed my bags and went off to graduate school. I’ve always loved learning and had been a great student, so going back to school was the perfect escape from Alcatraz (a.k.a., the law).

I earned a degree in Human Resource Management from Cornell University and went straight on to Goldman Sachs, where I started managing corporate learning and development for technology executives around the world.

My job was all about helping people be their very best at work: team building, performance management, leadership development and coaching for success. I loved it right from the start!

To go so quickly from work I hated to work I loved was just incredible. All the negative energy I once spent on worrying myself sick and complaining about my job was transformed into positive energy and boundless drive. Even though I was making less money, work went from being drudgery to a joy. I could see the positive impact of my efforts on people’s lives every day. And I wanted to do more, more, more.

So after a couple of years, I left Goldman Sachs to start my own consulting firm to help other Wall Street firms manage people more effectively and maximize the potential of their employees.

I couldn’t have been happier. For a good eight months or so, things were literally perfect. I had great clients, I was doing work that I loved—and, I was making more money than ever before.

Then came 9/11. And right alongside the World Trade Center, my business crumbled, too. With the whole city in mourning, it seemed that team building and leadership development were the last things on anyone’s mind.

Not knowing what I wanted to do, but doing it anyway

“Now what?” I thought long and hard. But no clear answers emerged.

Instead, a million Ideas for businesses I could start, products or services I could sell, websites I could create and more flooded my brain. For each idea I had, I bought the related Web address (domain name). Before I knew it, I owned more than a hundred domain names.

One day, someone called me and wanted to buy one of my domains. That day changed my life, because I learned that domain names are like pieces of digital real estate on the Internet and can sometimes be extremely valuable.

My domain addiction only grew from there. Hundreds of domains turned into thousands. And at an average renewal price of $10 a year, owning thousands of domain names came with a hefty price tag! It’s fair to say I had become a full-fledged Internet junky. I was working around the clock to learn how to sell and trade domain names, develop websites, blog, use Google Adwords and Adsense, write Web copy and more.

While I was making some money between a few high-paying consulting gigs and domain sales, in those days, my spending typically outpaced my earnings by a pretty good margin.

Brushing off the career exploration naysayers

Everyone around me worried that my career still hadn’t gotten back “on track.” When I would excitedly brag to my friends about my latest domain name conquests and Internet marketing exploits, they could only roll their eyes and admonish me to “get a job.”

And my poor parents—they were so disappointed. My dad gave me pep talks about how my old law firm would surely love to hire me back. (How comforting!) And my mom, bless her heart, urged me regularly to “find a job with the government, because they have such good benefits.” (Perhaps the DMV or the Post Office could use someone with my skill set?)

While my income during much of my 30s was wildly inconsistent, I was somehow never worried about my career. Whether I was making money or not, I knew I was on the right path. A path to where, I still didn’t know. All I knew was that I loved what I was doing, I loved what I was learning and I loved all the ideas, opportunities and possibilities I was exploring every day. I was happy and confident that one day it would all make sense.

And then, one day, it did.

Becoming the master of .CO domains

I had just turned 40 when I met Juan Diego Calle. We hit it off famously. He had this big idea about turning Colombia’s .CO domain extension into the world’s next great Web address.

Given all my years in the domain space, I knew better than anyone the frustration people felt with the lack of good domains. I also knew how exciting it was to find the perfect domain name for your business, brand or blog. The project captured my imagination like nothing ever had before. Although I’d never held a marketing job in my life, I convinced Juan that I could get the job done. And I’ve been doing it ever since.

We launched .CO to the world three years ago. Since then, people in more than 200 countries have registered over 1.5 million .CO domain names. In my role as VP and brand strategist, it feels like every odd skill, bit of experience and piece of knowledge I’ve ever learned is put to work on a daily basis. My work is filled with purpose as I get to work with an incredible team of professionals to help people all over the world bring their ideas to life online.

For those of you who are feeling stuck doing work that you hate, or who simply have the sense that you’re traveling down the wrong career path, I’d like to share a few words of advice:

1. Listen to yourself

If you feel anxious about going to work every day, chances are something’s wrong. Listen to your gut. If it’s giving you clues that you’re in the wrong job or pursuing the wrong career path, then you probably are.

Do something about it. You never know what incredible opportunity could be waiting for you just around the next corner.

2. Open your heart

Forget the notion that you’re supposed to be climbing some pie-in-the-sky career ladder to success. Instead, open your heart and your mind to new people, experiences and opportunities.

When you let your interests, instincts and passions lead the way, you never know what you might discover about yourself—or what interesting new twists and turns your life may take.

3. Don’t let your degrees dictate your choices

Just because you have a law degree doesn’t mean you’re sentenced to a lifetime practicing law. The same goes for HR, finance, medicine or any other field.

It’s normal to deviate from a plan you may have made when you were younger—or even one you made just yesterday. It doesn’t matter what your degree says. What matters is how you apply your education and seize the opportunities that life throws your way.

4. Tune out the naysayers

Be wary of self-appointed career advisors who may not fully understand you or your choices. It’s your life!

My friends and family thought I was crazy when I started my love affair with domain names—but it turned out to be the greatest career move of my life. Although they had the best intentions for me, had I listened, I might still be a sad and deflated lawyer.

5. Keep moving forward

Your life and career are going to be filled with mistakes and failures. Don’t get hung up on them. After all, it’s the collection of your experiences—especially the hard knocks—that make you uniquely you.

I hated practicing law, but quitting that job taught me there was work out there that I could truly love. I absolutely loved being a management consultant, but it was only when my business failed that I stumbled upon my true career passion.

Have faith in yourself, learn from your mistakes and stay focused on your strengths and passions. Most of all, keep moving forward. You can always correct course from a wrong turn; just don’t let yourself stall out.

Lori Anne Wardi is Vice President of Brand at .CO. Responsible for all matters involving brand strategy, business development and global communications, she spends her time traveling the world and preaching the bible of .CO.

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The post How a Burned-Out Lawyer Quit Her Job and Discovered Her Dream Career appeared first on Brazen Life.

It’s no secret that Generation Y isn’t scared to quit when their reality doesn’t fit their expectations. After all, why should you stay at a job you hate?

Grit

It seems like the logical thing to do when you’re not happy somewhere is to leave, right? However, in a TED Talk, Angela Duckworth, a psychologist who studies achievement, attributes success to a trait she calls grit. She defined grit as passion and persistence for very long-term goals, having stamina, sticking with your future day-in-and-day-out—not just for the week or month, but for years, and working really hard to making that future a reality.

Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It is being able to persevere in situations that are less than ideal on the path to success. A big part of grit is being able to stick with a job you hate. In most cases if you’re not happy, I think it is a good idea to find a way out. However, when it comes to careers, I believe that patience is a virtue. In most situations, you’ll find that you have more to gain by sticking through it than quitting.

Everyone has to start somewhere

Before Amanda Palmer became the star she is, she stood on a carton as a bride on the street exchanging flowers for money. At night, her band would ask the crowd for donations. Jay-Z’s rap career took off in 1996, but he had been trying to break into music for at least 10 years. His first album was sold out of the trunk of a car.

I could go on about these humble beginnings; everyone has to start somewhere. The beginning is never glamorous. It’s rough, challenging and usually doesn’t pay very much. This is a part of the process; embrace it.

“Where you are is just as important as where you’re going”

Last September, I attended a conference on advertising and marketing in DC where Richard Kirshenbaum, a well-renowned pioneer in the industry, was a keynote speaker. He said something that I hear in my head everyday: “Where you are is just as important as where you’re going.” As tough as they are, these early experiences are full of intangibles that will come in handy one day. Too often, people refer to these experiences as “stepping stones.” I’ve never been too fond of the term as it downplays the importance of the present.

These humble beginnings are where we prepare for the future. As tedious as they may be, entry-level positions are where we learn to master things such as details, deadlines and data, among other skills that we’ll need to execute our dreams. The beginning is also where we make some of our most valuable relationships. People don’t become mentors and friends overnight. Relationships take time to build. The relationships, experiences, lessons and skills we have to gain from this first job we can’t stand won’t manifest if we quit too quickly. We can’t develop if we don’t take the time to focus and succeed in our current jobs before moving to something better.

Take time to explore

When you start a new job, it takes about a good three months to really learn the role, company and environment you’re working in. In the time that follows, you are in the process of building trust, showing your colleagues what you are capable of and getting a sense of where the organization is headed. By quitting in less than a year, you are selling yourself short. While it’s important to be well-rounded and have many different experiences, you can’t reap the rewards of each experience if you leave before the right time.

Quitting your job too quickly has consequences far beyond the regret that follows missed opportunities. By quitting a job you don’t like in less than a year’s time, you’re sending a message that you are a bad decision-maker. Future employers can read into this easily. When you quit a job while you’re unhappy, you set yourself up to make more bad decisions. Most people make poor decisions when they’re unhappy, often thinking of immediate gratification without considering long-term consequences.

When I first started my job, I had doubts. I wasn’t sure that I made the right choice and thought about all of the opportunities I had passed up. A lot people probably don’t like their first job. When talking to others about how I felt, I got the same advice that many people my age hear: “Get the experience and quit after a year.” As tempting as it might seem to quit quickly, something about that mentality didn’t feel right, either. It’s been 10 months, and I can say that I am happy I didn’t quit. In addition to gaining a solid understanding of the future opportunities available to me, I’ve encountered a lot of pleasant surprises and new opportunities—opportunities that I would’ve missed out on because of impatience.

The minute you realize the opportunity you have to grow where you are, your feelings about your job will change. Your feelings of disappointment and fear of missing out will turn into gratitude and drive. When it comes time for you to leave, you’ll look for new opportunities from a position of strength, not a position of weakness. After all, if you can excel in tough situations, imagine what you’ll be able to accomplish at your dream job.

Note: I want to give a special thanks to entrepreneur and George Washington University Alum Dan Simons of VSAG. If it weren’t for him taking the time to share his experience, I wouldn’t have been able to write this post.

How have you handled jobs you didn’t like? Should you quit or not, and how can you best manage a position you don’t like? Share with us in the comments!

This post originally appeared on Levo League.

Alix Montes is a recent graduate of George Washington University, where he studied marketing through a concentration in International Business. Someday he would like to start his own business where, ideally, he’d get paid to come up with great ideas. Currently, he works as an Account Coordinator at LM&O Advertising, Washington DC’s largest independent ad agency. He likes to learn, laugh and think.

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The post Why You Shouldn’t Always Quit a Job You Hate appeared first on Brazen Life.

I’ve quit a couple jobs in my short career (hopefully I’ll never have to have another “job” to quit again), and I can tell you that if you’re thinking about quitting your job, there’s one question you need to ask yourself:

Do you want to become your boss?

The way most organizations work is that you’re promoted over and over again. If you do it right, eventually you’ll end up “becoming” your boss. So you might as well take a look at your boss and ask yourself, “Do I like what I see?”

What’s your boss like?

In my own work history, Boss #1 was definitely someone I looked up to and wanted to emulate. I didn’t always agree with his vision or see eye-to-eye with him on every single topic, but he was someone who helped me grow as much as I could where I was.

Boss #2 was a different story. He was like a lost little puppy with very little direction and no actionable guidance. It wasn’t just him, either. As I looked around, I saw more people interested in maintaining their current status than pushing the envelope and seeing what they and the company could become.

I found myself asking myself over and over and over again: Do I want to become him?

I started thinking about what he had coming down the line. Sure, he probably could count on a nice promotion, pay raise and job security for a good long while. But he also got to look forward the same job and same schedule for the next 40 years and a relatively lengthy bureaucratic process to get anything done. Maybe that’s what he wanted.

All I know is that I did not want that. Period.

So I left.

It made the decision so much more clear-cut than I ever thought possible.

A question to ask yourself

Do you want to become your boss?

This question is a little hack that lets you see two, four or even 10 years down the road and get a glimpse of what your life might be like if you stay on the same track. It wakes you up to seeing the reality of your future rather than accepting that “someday” you’ll make a change.

So, if you’re wavering over whether you should stay or you should go, ask yourself: Do you want to become your boss? Because if you stay on the path you’re on, you’re likely to do just that.

And, if you don’t want to become your boss, what are you doing to make sure that doesn’t happen?

Joel Runyon is the author of Impossible HQ, where he started to change his life with an impossible list and a blog about challenging himself. Start your own and check out his step-by-step guide to starting a blog.

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You have a lot to think about before taking the leap. If you haven’t considered all the factors that go into breaking out on your own, take a look at what you can expect. Use this as a guide to see if you have what it takes to become your own full-time small business owner.

1. Budget for an inconsistent income every single month

One of the most obvious factors to consider is your budget. Do you have enough money to actually pull this off, or will you be starving after your first few months? If it’s the latter, you may want to wait a little bit longer. Save up before severing ties with your solid income source.

If you do have some money saved up, consider if it’s enough to really float you if you get stiffed. You may have encountered this unpleasant reality of freelancing before, but if a client decides they don’t want to pay for whatever reason, the consequences will be more serious. Before you had your steady W-2 income to fall back on; now every second you’re not paid means you don’t get to eat.

Even if everything goes right and everyone pays, you still need to consider taxes. Since you don’t have an employer, you have to pay your own taxes—including extra to cover the self-employment tax. Quarterly estimated taxes will become your life. Every few months, you will have to pay up to the government. These payments are higher than taxes you paid as a salaried or hourly worker when your employer threw in to help you.

Take the following budgetary actions before taking the leap:

1. Make sure you have enough savings to pay your necessary expenses for at least six months.
2. Cut back on unnecessary expenses and stick to your budget.
3. Understand self-employment taxes and plan to set aside enough to pay your quarterly estimated taxes.

2. Set your business goals and stick to them

Why do you really want to get into full-time freelancing? There are a thousand reasons why you might be interested in making this leap, and everyone has a different motivation. It’s just important that your reasons are true to your vision. If you don’t have a solid reason and strong goals for your business, you may be in trouble.

Everybody needs an end point and something to aim for as they perform day-to-day tasks. It could be to retire early, to spend more time with family or just to stay out of the rat race. The important thing is to keep your ultimate goal in mind. If you forget, you may end up betraying your business.

For example, if the vision you have for your business is to stay independent, selling it off to a larger company probably won’t make you happy. Once that money gets waved underneath your nose, though, it’s a difficult thing to keep in mind.

 Take the following business goal actions before taking the leap:

1. While this decision is ultimately up to you, speak with key players in your life. Your spouse and kids may have totally different ideas about the future than you do.
2. Get it down on paper. A business planning app like Enloop helps you write your exit strategy—and the rest of your business plan, too.

3. Prepare for the psychological challenges of going solo

Now for the real true test of the freelancer and independent business owner: loneliness and motivation. With a few exceptions, this isn’t a role for someone who craves constant attention and human interaction. Sure, you may talk to people online or on the phone occasionally, but those events are few and far between. Most of the time you’re at your desk, kitchen table or comfy chair staring at your computer.

All this alone time means you have to keep yourself motivated. There’s no “Bob in Accounts” to compete with and nobody to bump into at the water cooler. If you’re not constantly checking where you’re at on your assignments, you can easily get behind. If you get behind, you risk going over your time limit and making a client mad. When this happens, you risk losing money, which means…that’s right, you don’t pay your bills this month.

Other questions to ask yourself: Who do you turn to when you have a problem? What happens if a client suddenly says they don’t feel like paying you as much as you quoted them? (Free tip: make sure to get a contract!) Unfortunately, there’s nobody to turn to in these scenarios. You can seek advice from other business owners, but you’re the only one to make executive decisions. It’s your company, and you have to defend it!

Take the following actions to prepare yourself psychologically before taking the leap:

1. Schedule play dates. Seriously. Schedule a time to work from a coffee shop or coworking space. Make several lunch dates with colleagues (or better yet, potential clients). Sign yourself up to a networking group or two. Many full-time freelancers report being surprised by their sense of isolation. Don’t let that happen to you.
2. Trick yourself. Allot yourself 15 minutes to work nonstop on that task you’ve been putting off. An advanced version of this trick: don’t allow yourself to brush your teeth or shower until the task is done. For whatever reason, the motivation of getting to refresh yourself after finishing up an unpleasant tasks usually works. So does changing your socks when you’re feeling stressed! Little psychological tricks can go a long way to keeping you motivated and on track.

Think you can handle all this? If this all seems like a piece of cake and you’re not worried about a few hunger pangs when you start out, then you may have what it takes to be a successful small business owner. If you’re even a little unsure, do some more client-building and wealth-amassing before taking the plunge.

Jennifer Dunn is the blog editor for WePay, the easiest way to accept credit cards online.

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The post 3 Smart Ways to Prepare for Your Leap to Full-Time Freelancer appeared first on Brazen Life.

Of nearly 3,200 freelancers worldwide who were interviewed as part of the new study, “Millennials and the Future of Work,” 72 percent revealed that they’re keen to quit their 9-to-5 and strike out on their own. More than 60 percent said they’ll likely make that move within two years, citing a desire for freedom to pick and choose where and when they work.

It’s not just a question of working from home and shunning the 9-to-5 lifestyle. While flexibility undoubtedly appeals to freelancers, 69 percent of respondents saw freelancing as providing more freedom to work on more interesting projects.

Take note, employers: your employees want to spread their wings sooner than you might think.

Redefining entrepreneurship

The survey also generated some interesting findings when it comes to what people mean by the term “entrepreneur.” Only 10 percent of those who responded defined an entrepreneur as “someone who starts a company,” while the overwhelming majority considered entrepreneurship as a certain attitude or mindset. When asked to define what this mindset might be, the terms “self-starter,” “risk taker,” “visionary” and someone who “spots opportunity” all came to the fore.

“This signals a major shift in our economy and how we manage our careers,” said Dan Schawbel, founder of Millennial Branding and author of Promote Yourself. “Entrepreneurship is now accessible to everyone regardless of age or occupation. You don’t need to own a business to be an entrepreneur, but you do need the entrepreneurial mindset to be successful in business.”

Talking ’bout my generation

With this in mind, many of the respondents classify themselves as entrepreneurs—nearly 60 percent, in fact. But will they all follow through on their entrepreneurship dream? Or is Gen Y getting too big for its boots?

“Narcissism is markedly higher among college students in the 2000s compared to those in the 1980s,” says Dr. Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University who runs studies on Millennial attitudes. Yes, this generation has seen the likes of Facebook’s and YouTube’s rise to stratospheric heights, witnessed the birth of the smartphone and the unbridled popularity of the app—yet is Gen Y somewhat delusional?

And will the 72 percent who say they intend to quit their jobs and forge their own paths make good on their promise? It’s easy to announce intentions, but far tougher to see them through, especially in challenging economic times.

Are you one of these freelancers who plan to transition to working for yourself? How will you make that dream a reality?

Amy Noble is a freelance writer, copy editor, proofreader and general grammar-obsessive living in London, England.

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The post Freelancers Who Work 9-to-5 Jobs Say Quitting’s on the Horizon appeared first on Brazen Life.

• You outgrow your position or the company.
• You get poached by a growing company who wants your skills.
• You get so good you need to freelance to keep up with the demand.

No matter why you decide to leave a company, winners leave their workplace better than they found it and arrive at their new job with clean karma. Follow these tips to resign from your job like a pro:

Give informal notice, then formal notice

Are you one of those people who relish giving their two weeks’ notice? (You do know to give two weeks’ notice, right?)

Take a deep breath. Instead of waltzing into the office and shoving your letter in the face of HR, show respect to your coworkers and direct supervisor by giving them a private head’s up about your decision. Surprises can be fun, but spare your teammates some drama (and shock) by sharing with them first.

Offer to help with the transition, but don’t expect a consulting gig

If your company suspects you’re leaving them in a lurch intentionally so that you can sell them on your consulting fees, it’s likely they won’t take you up on that offer. No one wants to feel blackmailed! Politely offer to provide transitional training, but leave the final decision in their hands. Play hard to get; if they want your expertise, they can have it, but you are fine with taking your hard-earned knowledge with you when you go.

You can be honest in the exit interview, but you need to stay positive

When it comes to facing an exit interview, here’s something you may not want to hear: either HR knows what’s wrong with the company and they aren’t planning to do anything about it, or they don’t know what’s wrong and they darn sure don’t want to hear about it from you. If you think you’re going to change an entire company in an hour’s time, you might want to reassess your approach—but that doesn’t mean you can’t offer a little advice.

Instead of trying to cover too much, offer positive insight on one or two carefully chosen priorities. For example, instead of providing an analysis of the market rate salaries and how the company is shortcutting their employees, let them know they’re underpaying by sharing something like “I know better compensation would go a long way toward helping people feel recognized and appreciated.” It’s honest, it’s not accusatory and it may just get your former coworkers a bump in pay.

No, really: stay positive

You may actually be leaving the worst job on earth. But even if everyone knows it, it only reflects poorly on you to go out saying so.

Professional, classy individuals don’t express extreme emotions on the job. That includes the sentiment that everyone you worked with is crazy and deserves to be fired. This is your opportunity to practice your win-win reasoning muscle. Use it!

Sarah Greesonbach is a content and communications expert with a lot on the back burner. She manages and writes for the lifestyle and personal finance blog Life [Comma] Etc and launched her first ebook, Life After Teaching, in April 2013.

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The post How to Resign From Your Job Without Burning Bridges appeared first on Brazen Life.

I quit my first full-time job two short months after my start date. I’m pretty sure my parents felt this the way one would feel an impending apocalypse.

I quit because I didn’t like the job. I was bored. There weren’t any windows. I wasn’t used to staying inside in one spot all day. Also, I didn’t know what the hell I was doing with my life, but I was pretty sure that data entry was not my true calling.

So I quit.

It felt great to be able to make that decision and execute it.

Yet there were definite consequences to my choice, since I didn’t have a backup plan. I wound up moving home with my parents (who are lovely people—thank you!) and landing another job in the field I’d initially left.

Even though I wasn’t enamored with this new job, I stuck around for a bit longer. While working there, I explored other fields and began pursuing my own business part-time.

I had learned a lesson that my 21-year-old self would have outright rejected. You may, too.

Don’t quit a job just because you want to

Quit with a plan. Quit with the purpose of moving toward something better. If possible, quit with your next job offer in hand. And in the meantime, learn to endure a less than ideal situation.

I realize this is not the most fun piece of advice to offer.

And I’m aware that there are plenty of toxic work environments where my tip to stick it out is rendered completely moot because of the ill effects your job is having on your sanity or well-being.

But for the majority of you who are dissatisfied with your work because you’re living in a place of existential misery, elevated stress levels or a cubicle that’s visible from the main walkway, I want to offer to you that the ability to put up with crap is part of growing up.

In fact, the more you improve your skill at coping with a temporarily unpleasant situation for a long-term gain, the better off you will be—not just in the workforce, but in other adult-like things like saving for retirement, doing home remodels or raising kids.

Here are four tips to help you hang in there with your current job while you’re making your moves toward a new and improved work situation:

1. Acknowledge your choice to stay

(And it is a choice. You could also choose to quit. I’m clearly not one to judge or begrudge you this decision.)

It’s a funny thing, but there is a big difference between “I have to go to my job today” and “I’m choosing to go to my job today.”

2. Make a list of the benefits of your current job

Focus on what you’re getting from sticking around. This could include salary, health insurance or being able to add one more project’s completion to your resume.

3. Keep a long-term perspective

In the scheme of things, staying at your current job for another three months, or even another year, really isn’t that long. Remind yourself that your current situation is temporary and that you are doing what you can to change your employment for the better.

4. See if there’s anything you can do to make your day-to-day at your job better

Listen to your iPod. Meet a friend for lunch. Take a break during the day to walk outside. Or consider adding a delightful pursuit to your life outside of work. Having something to look forward to at the end of the day may help to pull you through.

It takes a certain type of maturity to stick around at a job you dislike, and it takes a certain amount of bravery to leave a job without knowing where you’re going next. While experience has taught me the value of enduring a less than ideal job, I don’t believe you should take my word for it.

Lessons are most powerful when learned firsthand. Take stock of your own situation, do what you think is best, learn from what happens and go from there.

What’s been your experience? Has it paid off to stick with a job until you’ve found a new one, or did it work out just fine to leave when you wanted to? Leave a comment sharing your experience below.

Alison Elissa Horner specializes in helping adults in their 20s and 30s figure out what the hell they’re doing with their lives. You can sign up to receive free tips on navigating your career at www.alisonelissa.com.

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For decades, powerful leaders like Vince Lombardi and John Rambo have uttered these words to their young pupils. Their point is clear: cowards never prosper.

But let’s give quitters a chance to win just this once. In fact, let’s create a game. Here are the rules:

• The sections below outline the top five reasons to leave a job.
• If the situation applies to you and your current gig, give yourself two points.
• If it doesn’t ring true at all, that counts for zero points.
• If it applies “sometimes,” mark down one point.

Enough about the rules. Let’s begin:

1. Your job interferes with your personal life and goals

There’s no way around it: a full-time job sucks hours out of your day. But that doesn’t mean work should inhale your leisure activities as well. Similarly, your schedule shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your big-picture goals.

Has your job significantly cut into your personal life, like spending time with your friends? Hobbies, like starting a blog? Long-term goals, like applying to grad school? Your health, by leaving you little time to work out?

If so, chalk up two points on the scoreboard.

2. You’ve sold your soul to your employer

This one’s tough. On the one hand, your job pays for everything in your life that requires money. By the same token, though, you don’t want to swap your pulse for a paycheck.

Even if your company doesn’t force you to lie, cheat or sacrifice fuzzy animals, it might feel like your job has turned into an eight-hour, unfulfilling chore. You can deal with the stress, commute, busy schedule and occasional unwanted assignment, but sometimes you wonder if you’re showing up more out of obligation than interest. If so, perhaps it’s time to hang up your dress shoes.

3. You’re not learning anything new

Similar to life as a student, having a job gives you an opportunity to learn and grow on a daily basis. You pick up new skills and add to your bank of knowledge by interacting with coworkers who are experts in their field.

But maybe you’ve stagnated over the past year and feel underutilized and bored. Your tasks have become monotonous, you’re not being pushed hard enough, there’s little room to move up and you’re forced to seek out new challenges on your own.

Brain turning into cotton candy? That’s two more points.

4. You don’t care about the company’s mission

Even if you enjoy your everyday tasks, it’s hard to invest yourself for the long haul if the company’s goals don’t align with your personal interests.

It can take years of job-hopping to finally land the perfect position, but even if you haven’t yet reached this point, your job shouldn’t conflict with your values. Ideally, you should believe in—or at least “buy into”—your company’s overall mission. If not, it’s hard to imagine staying put for years to come.

5. Your gut tells you to quit

Sometimes we ignore the best career counselor out there. After all, who knows your situation better than you do? If your instincts are screaming “This job isn’t right,” listen.

Never write off an opportunity too early, but don’t disregard your gut reaction, either. It’s often right.

Survey Says…

Okay, the results are in. It’s time to plot your number on a parabolic graph, apply the quadratic function to calculate where you fall on the “arc of happiness” and…

Screw that. Let’s keep it simple. Add up your points and find your score below:

0-1: Your job is awesome. Stay put.

2-4: You have a good job with a few solvable issues. Walking away would be very gutsy, but if these problems are really plaguing you…make the call.

5-6: You’re trapped in employment purgatory, stuck between staying and leaving. If you think things could change for the better, ride it out. If not, free your soul.

7-8: You might be able to hang on for a bit longer, but quitting looks like it’s on the horizon regardless.

9-10: You probably have moments at work where you fall into a trance, stare at a fire alarm and weigh the pros and cons of unleashing a horde of sprinklers onto your office so you can go home for the day. Don’t. Just quit.

Rocco Brown-Morris is the Content Team Manager for www.livecareer.com, America’s # 1 Resume Builder. Check them out at www.facebook.com/livecareer or on Google+ for advice and tips on all things career- and resume-related.

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The post Should You Quit Your Job? 5 Solid Reasons to Pack it Up appeared first on Brazen Life.

Considering the state of the employment market in recent years, having to pick between two jobs is a good problem to have. But choosing to stay put or jump ship can present quite a conundrum. After all, your decision will have lasting career repercussions.

Carefully consider the following questions as you weigh the pros and cons:

1. Am I taking a good job or just running away from a bad one?

Many workers who felt stuck in less-than-enjoyable jobs during the downturn are now exploring their options. Some are heading for exits the first chance they get without much reflection.

Big mistake. To make an informed decision, you need to know what appeals to you about the new opportunity—not just what you don’t like about your current company.

Take a long, hard look at your motives before you leap. If you primarily view the new job as a lifeboat that will enable you to escape the one you hold now, you might want to keep searching. In short, don’t settle. The goal should be to find a role you’re truly excited about.

2. Do I know what I’m getting myself into?

Receiving a job offer is flattering, and employers obviously accentuate the positives when they’re trying to recruit you. As such, it’s easy to form idyllic notions about the wonderful situation you’ll walk into. But do your visions of a pleasant work environment, rewarding projects and an overly appreciative supervisor dovetail with reality?

While the grass may indeed be greener on the other side, it still pays to do your homework. Hunt for as much insight as you can find on the firm’s corporate culture, financial stability and leadership. Thoroughly researching the Internet and tapping into your own network can help you understand what it’s like to work for the company or your future boss. If questions arise as you’re mulling over the offer, don’t be shy about asking the hiring manager for clarification or more information.

3. Will I be paid what I’m really worth?

Don’t make the mistake of only comparing the salary offer to what you presently earn. Your paycheck isn’t necessarily the best benchmark. You might be underpaid now and not realize it, which means you could still end up underpaid even after accepting a new position.

Research the going rate for your position, given your experience level and geographic region. Plenty of resources can help you with this, including the newly released 2013 Salary Guides from Robert Half. The Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics is another great resource.

4. What does the total compensation package look like?

Yes, salary matters. A lot. But don’t fall into the trap of focusing solely on that one element. A better benefits package, more generous retirement savings plan and bigger bonus opportunities, for example, can boost your bottom line.

Likewise, factors such as extra vacation time, telecommuting options and a shorter commute can enhance your work-life balance. While these perks won’t necessarily fatten your wallet, they could make you a happier person.

5. Which company offers more room to grow and advance?

At the end of the day, only one person is responsible for your career: you. But it’s certainly beneficial to have an employer that supports your professional development. Options like formal mentoring programs, training, tuition reimbursement and opportunities to attend industry conferences can keep you moving forward professionally.

Ideally, you want to work for a company that is committed to helping you grow your skills while growing with their organization. Be strategic and think long-term when comparing your current company against a potential employer. Which one offers a more clearly defined career path? Pay and benefits are important, but professional development and advancement potential should also be priorities.

6. Am I letting fear drive my decision?

Just as it’s unwise to impulsively leave a job for the wrong reasons, don’t allow fear of the unfamiliar to hold you back from accepting a new one. Clinging to the comfort of the status quo is like playing not to lose.

The bottom line is that changing jobs always carries some degree of risk. But if you’ve thoroughly analyzed the situation and your gut is telling you to make a move, trust your intuition. At some point, you need to stop second-guessing yourself and embrace the new opportunity. As the sage humorist Will Rogers once said, “You’ve got to go out on a limb sometimes because that’s where the fruit is.”

Paul McDonald is senior executive director with Robert Half International, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm. Over the course of his nearly 30-year career with the company, he has spoken extensively on employment and management issues based on his work with thousands of companies and job seekers.

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Does Monday morning give you a sinking feeling in your gut—a combination of dread, fear and strangled hope?

Is your optimism and desire to make a difference gone? Feel like pointless emails, anxiety, depression, bitterness and just getting through the week are all that remain—that and your stubborn willingness to continue on your tortuous crusade even when you know you should break this destructive cycle by working for yourself?

If you answered yes, you’re probably a hop, skip and an F-you from throwing in the employee towel. But before you jump ship, honestly answer the following questions to determine whether becoming an entrepreneur is truly the best path for you:

1. How valuable is comfort to my life?

Even if you “make it,” working for yourself never comes with a guarantee. Money varies from month to month, and it could cease at any moment; you just never really know.

Although corporate jobs aren’t guaranteed, either, knowing how much income you’ll receive every month is. Entrepreneurs face things like vender backouts, Adsense account problems and niche competition—all stressful and scary.

Ask yourself whether it’s really worth the headache.

2. Is your new business compatible with your past?

Right before I started my first corporate job, I thought, “I’ve never been able to stick to a rigid schedule. How am I going to do it now?”

All my life, I’ve been erratic and unpredictable. That didn’t change when I started working. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get rid of a lifelong habit of living on my own terms.

Are you passionate enough about your new business to overcome ingrained characteristics of your personality?

3. How sentimental are you?

You will make mistakes. Whether you choose the wrong product or pursue a bad affiliate channel and have to scrap months of work, it’s going to happen.

And when it does, you can’t sit around performing CPR on your business.

You have to cut bait and get out. You need to be willing to do this fast without looking back. The only things you’ll take with you are lessons learned.

If you can’t make these kinds of decisions, you’re going to have a hard time staying in business.

4. When was the last time you learned something new?

Entrepreneurs are perpetual learners. Not only out of natural curiosity, but because if they don’t seek knowledge every day, they’ll be left in the dust by their more knowledgeable competition.

It’s up to you to decide what to study, which trainings you should go to and what knowledge you need to advance your career.

You can’t learn everything, and making a choice about what to focus on—and when to focus on it—is critical to your success.

Are you an active learner, or is your training determined by someone else?

5. How would you do in the middle of a foreign country with no money and no idea how you got there?

When you first start, you will have no idea what you’re doing half the time. Everyone will be talking about PPC, backlinking, SEO and other words from a foreign language you weren’t aware you had to learn.

Your environment will change, too; your workplace will become your living room or a cafe. All of a sudden, you will find yourself stoically walking by the TV when you go to get a snack so you’re not tempted to watch reruns of Lost.

You’ll learn to build relationships in a way that’s alien to you. Your coworkers will no longer be in the same building, and they may not even be in the same country. Talking to your peers on Skype will turn into the equivalent of a quick stop by a coworker’s cubicle.

The changes are swift and unapologetic. You need to be able to keep up with them and not get overwhelmed when you don’t understand everything you’re doing, where you are or exactly how you’re going to get to where you need to be next (wherever that is).

Could you talk a cabby into taking you to the nearest bus station in exchange for a song and dance? Or would you find the situation hopeless and resign yourself to weeping softly in the corner of the nearest alleyway?

6. Do you really just want to get rid of your boss?

What if you’re lazy and think owning your own business is an easy way out? You may not think these exact words, but maybe, deep down, you feel like life would be much easier without a boss.

Well, boy, have I got news for you!

Working for yourself is the opposite of easy. It’s hard. It’s arguably the hardest job on the planet.

You don’t get to come home from work and leave the office behind you. You’re always at the office.

There’s no “zoning out” every night. You always have to think and plan.

You don’t get to look forward to payday. Everyday is payday, potentially (hopefully).

If you are looking for an easier life, this isn’t it.

7. Am I prepared to die for my business?

Okay, no one is going to die for their business.

My point is, you have to be all in. Your business has to mean more to you than any immediate comfort.

A true entrepreneur can’t imagine living a life any way other than on their own terms. Their success is, metaphorically, a life or death situation.

If you feel the entrepreneur inside of you screaming every time you’re forced to suppress an idea, then it’s a matter of life or death for you. Every time you suppress your inner entrepreneur, a piece of it will die.

If you panic at the thought of living the rest of your life as a tool for achieving the goals of others, you need to get out before it’s too late.  Because once your spark dies out, all you can do is watch as all of your dreams die right in front of your lifeless eyes.

There isn’t anything you can lose today that’s worse than losing the desire to make your dreams come true.

So, if you have a dream, or if you’ve ever had a dream, or even if you remember what it’s like to have dreams and aspire to something more, there’s never been a better time to start than now.

Go do it, because the world has waited long enough for you to realize that you’re capable of so much more.

Liz Seda runs the blog A Life on Your Terms, where she writes about using your individual potential to live the life you were meant for. You can find her on Twitter or Facebook.

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The post The Wannabe Entrepreneur’s Quiz: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Quitting Your Day Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

Ever dream of chucking the stability of your corporate job to follow your passion? Picture yourself basking in the benefits of the freedom and serenity that comes with being your own boss?

It’s a good dream, one that’s becoming increasingly popular. But before you decide to make the leap to full-time entrepreneurship, know that there’s more to successfully following your passion than enthusiasm—a lot more. Especially if you actually want to earn money and support yourself (and maybe even your family).

During a decade working in a human resources department, I had a front row look into the reasons why employees join or leave an organization. And what type of person did I see again and again? Those who wanted to return to the traditional workforce after trying unsuccessfully to make a living by following their passion.

The reason they couldn’t make their ventures work almost always had nothing to do with passion, and everything to do with lacking critical business knowledge.

Here’s what I learned from studying these folks—let’s call them “paused entrepreneurs.” Let their missteps help you decide whether now is the right time for you to strike out on your own, or whether you should stick it out a bit longer in your traditional job to gather some critical business skills.

1. Working for someone else teaches you how to be a boss

Working as an employee in a company that’s owned and managed by someone else helps you understand the annoyances of being an employee and teaches you how to manage work-flow processes and balance competing demands. It also gives you the opportunity to test your own work capacity levels and expectations, without risking your business falling apart.

When you have a boss, you’re also learning how to be a boss. That means you’re learning about how you best take direction, leadership actions you would like to emulate or forget, how efficient delegation works and how to bite your tongue when speaking with a superior.

The paused entrepreneurs I interacted with often said they were completely unaware of how much work it takes to build their own business; they didn’t know their own capacity. When their workload piled up quickly to the point of them needing assistance, they were unable to effectively manage the responsibility that comes with additional staff. Many tried to hire an assistant and found they were even more miserable being a boss, as they had no prior experience managing someone.

The lesson: if you haven’t spent enough time as an employee, you might find it difficult to succeed as a manager.

2. Understanding office politics will make you a better communicator

Office politics exist in every work environment. Yes, take a deep breath. Those politics will provide you with ample opportunities to hone several business acumen muscles, such as how to influence others. Be sure to learn how to get your point across without stepping on your colleague’s toes—an essential component to business success.

While you’re at your traditional job, figure out how to work with the most difficult person in the office. It may not be fun while you’re doing it, but it will provide you with a preview of all of the different personalities you’ll come across when you’re on your own.

When difficult customers cross your path down the road, you’ll be prepared to handle them under pressure with class and grace.

3. Observing how a business works (rather than working with your head down) will help you and your business in the long run

You can learn so much more about how a business works by asking questions, observing your surroundings and seeking out new experiences.

Instead of simply punching a clock, figure out:

• How is the company you work for profitable?
• What do they spend money on?
• How do they generate recurring income?
• How do they find their customers?

Put on your spy hat while you’re in a safe environment and seek out the decision makers, idea generators and budget keepers to get a full scope of the business model. Then copy what you can by applying the lessons you learned to your own venture.

Creating a profitable business was one of the biggest challenges that sent paused entrepreneurs back into the traditional workforce. Understanding how to generate sales and maintain profitability was the biggest stumbling block—and it’s one you can avoid by learning on the job.

4. Try out entrepreneurship before committing full-time

For many paused entrepreneurs, the idea of being their own boss was more liberating than the reality. Before making the leap, take a week or two of vacation days and act as if you’re already running your business full-time. Being your own boss does come with expansive freedom, but it also comes with wide-reaching responsibility, isolation and plenty of regular office job menial work—like creating invoices and replacing the printer cartridge, tasks someone else might do for you when you’re an employee at a big company.

If you start your business on the side at first, you can turn it into a side hustle while giving yourself time to test your sea legs and generate income. You’ll be able to weigh your business model and levity of decision making and figure out a work environment that works for you.

Following your passion is a huge step into the unknown and includes all of the scary and exciting things that come with being your own boss. But to make your first leap your last one, be sure you have gathered as many business skills as you can from a profitable, stable and established business. Your firsthand experience working for someone else will be invaluable for succeeding at your own business.

Melissa Anzman is a career coach, blogger and author of Stop Hating Your Job. A former human resources insider who helps people fall in love with their jobs again, Melissa lives in Atlanta and blogs at Loosen Your White Collar.

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The post Learn These 3 Lessons Before Ditching Your Day Job to Follow Your Passion appeared first on Brazen Life.

That’s both the beauty and the beast of at-will employment: you can leave whenever you decide to.

So which type of quit are you considering? Which might you accidentally act on? Check out these dozen ways to quit your job:

1. The Heat of the Moment Quit

Your frustration level reaches a boiling point. Papers are slammed on desks. Harsh words are exchanged. “I quit” is left ringing in the air as you gather your things. There’s no backup plan, and you’ve just blown any goodwill you may have had with your employer.

2. The Awkward Holiday Party Quit

You’ve done something at your company holiday party that you’re infinitely embarrassed by. You would rather leave your job than face the music on Monday. Your quit is akin to running into a bathroom stall and covering your head in your hands.

3. The Too-Challenging Quit

The work is too hard. You feel like you’re making a ton of mistakes. Your boss’s expectations seem to be sky high. You quit because your brain hurts.

4. The Naïve Quit

It’s your first job out of college. You’d rather be back in your old routine with classes, free time, friends and the decided lack of an eight-hour workday spent in a cubicle. You quit after two months, not realizing that the lifestyle you enjoyed and became accustomed to in college is gone forever.

5. The Dream Quit

You leave your day job to pursue a dream that until this moment has existed solely in your imagination. Only as your savings dwindle do you realize that your dream is more difficult to attain than you thought, and you don’t really know how to make it viable. You crawl back to the 9-to-5 world with your tail between your legs.

6. The “Heads Up, You’re About to Be Fired” Quit

Your boss kindly gave you notice that in the next few months you are going to be fired. With that motivation in mind, you send your resume out into your network and, hopefully, leave on your own terms.

7. The Personal Life Quit

Your significant other is heading to grad school in a new city, and you’ve decided to tag along. Or a family issue comes up that requires your full attention. You may have a new job lined up or not, but you’ve decided to put those you care about first.

8. The Ethical Pangs Quit

A situation at your job becomes so out of sync with your sense of right and wrong that you quit, both for your conscience and to send a message that the situation is not okay.

9. The Side Hustle Quit

You’ve been working on your dream project on the side for awhile. It’s now a viable, or very nearly viable, option. You jump from corporate and land on the foundation you’ve already built for yourself.

10. The “I Could Do Better” Quit

Your boss, your pay grade or the backstabbing culture at your office are getting old. While your current job is familiar, and it’s easy to assume everywhere else will be the same, you decide to take a chance that a new job could be better for you.

11. The Bad Fit Quit

You’re coming to the realization that you don’t particularly care about your current profession or enjoy any aspect of the work you do. Perhaps you’d rather be a (fill in the blank). You leave your job to take the first step onto a new career path.

12. The Unicorns and Rainbows Quit

You’ve got a decent thing going at your current job. You’re happy and productive, yet your goals for yourself are bigger. You’ve got your next job lined up and are leaving your current company on good terms.

I pass zero judgment on these quits, having experienced a few of the more cringe-worthy ones myself. Live and learn, baby.

Have a good quitting tale? Leave a comment about your experience quitting below.

Alison Elissa Horner specializes in helping adults in their 20s and 30s figure out what the hell they’re doing with their lives. You can sign up to receive her free Career Unstuckinator at www.alisonelissa.com.

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The post 12 Thrilling Ways to Quit Your Job appeared first on Brazen Life.

For many recent graduates, the decision to leave their first post-college job is happening earlier and earlier in their careers. In fact, according to a recent study, 55 percent of college graduates only expect to stay at their first jobs for 1-3 years.

Some say the reason is because GenY gets bored easily, while others speculate that we’re eager to get as much as experience as possible. Regardless of the reason, young professionals are moving on from their first jobs, and since it’s their first time making this transition, many have no idea how to go about it the right way.

I’m the first person to raise my hand and admit that I had absolutely NO idea how to leave my first job gracefully. When I accepted an awesome new job in November, turning to Google proved futile in finding the answers to questions like, “How do I give two weeks notice?” and “How do I write a resignation letter?” I quickly turned to a few trusted mentors for tips and relied on my professional instincts to get me through the dreaded day when I had to break the news to my boss and colleagues.

While I’m sure I could have done some things differently, here are six tips I found particularly useful for leaving a job gracefully and with your network intact:

1. Your immediate supervisor should always be the first to know. Out of respect, be sure to break the news to your immediate supervisor first, and preferably in person. Depending on the type of office environment you work in, you may need to request a meeting or simply ask if they have a moment to talk in private.

I’d recommend giving notice in the morning, to give your supervisor the chance to absorb the news and get the ball rolling on the resignation process. Also, have your resignation letter drafted and ready to submit.

2. Break the news to the rest of your colleagues in person, if possible. In person is always better. Avoid sharing the news of a new job in an email. You’ll find that most people will be happy and excited for you, and will appreciate the fact that you took the time to tell them personally.

3. Create a “how to be me” document. My first order of business once I gave two weeks notice was to create a master document of every single project I was working on, outlining point people, processes and deadlines. This document ended up being close to 10 pages long and extremely detailed, but it was worth spending the time; I wanted to offer a resource for whoever would take over my responsibilities.

4. Do what you can to make the transition as smooth as possible. After creating the “how to be me” document, I set up a meeting to review the document and allow my colleagues to ask questions and get clarification about all of my duties. I purposely scheduled the meeting mid-way through my final two weeks to ensure there was time to schedule a second transition meeting, if needed.

Additionally, if your supervisor is looking to fill your position quickly, do everything you can to help replace yourself. Spread the word on Twitter and LinkedIn, help review resumes, recommend people you think could be a good fit. After you leave the job, let your supervisor and colleagues know that you’re still happy to answer any lingering questions they may have about your responsibilities.

5. Show your gratitude. Buy a big box of thank you notes. And prepare to have your wrist hurt after handwriting multiple notes of appreciation for colleagues.

After spending a year and a half at my company, I knew I couldn’t leave without showing my supervisor and colleagues how much I appreciated that they took a chance on a fresh-out-of-college new professional, and most importantly, for their mentorship and friendship.

6. Keep in touch. This is perhaps the most difficult tip to follow, and one I’m still trying to figure out. We all know that staying in touch is key to creating a lasting connection and maintaining your network.

If you aren’t already, connect with your former colleagues on LinkedIn. Ask for a recommendation while your skills are still fresh in their minds – and be sure to return the favor! Stay in touch via email; share useful articles or send a note to say hi and ask how they’re doing every once in awhile. You don’t want to be a pest, but you also don’t want to be easily forgotten.

What other tips do you have for leaving a job gracefully?

Jessica Lawlor is a public relations professional in Philadelphia. In her free time, she manages a book review and writing blog and is currently writing a novel.

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The post 6 Ways to Leave Your Job Gracefully (and with Your Network Intact) appeared first on Brazen Life.

by Rebecca Thorman

This post isn’t about if you like your job. So please don’t write in the comments that you love your job and your boss so you would never burn bridges. Obviously.

People burn bridges when they don’t like their jobs and their bosses. Or work with totally lame people or are completely bored. So you get fired, or laid off or there comes a time when your job just isn’t what it used to be, so you leave.

You shouldn’t just walk out. You should give notice and finish your projects and be polite (if for no other reason than your own sense of pride and accomplishment). But there’s no point in continuing a negative relationship once you’re out the door. The advice to not burn bridges is outdated.

Here’s why it’s okay to cut ties:

1. You’ll change careers too often for it to matter

Most likely, you’ll change jobs six to eight times before you’re 30, and 40 million people relocate each year, while 15 million make significant moves of more than 50 or 100 miles, reports Richard Florida.

The old rule was that workers would move to another job in the same industry in the same town. This encouraged politics and the necessity of kissing butt. But work is changing, and now you’ll change careers and locations so often it won’t matter.

2. Your old boss won’t help you

“Healthy relationships, whether personal or professional, are formed on the basis of give and take,” LaTosha Johnson argues. It’s rare that someone will help you if you can’t help them. And besides, you won’t benefit from forcing a relationship with someone who doesn’t share your values. When push comes to shove, these people will not help you. Why would you want to be associated with them, anyway?

3. You won’t need a reference

If you’re leaving your job, you’ll probably be looking for a new job that is more fun and more challenging. Most cool jobs don’t require traditional references. Instead, they require that you know someone to get you in the door and vouch for you. That’s usually never your current employer.

It’s quite easy to prove yourself and your work ethic in other situations like blogging, volunteering or side projects that show your worth and capability. Networking outside of your career and company is a great path towards success and is your best safety net.

4. You can have an enemy (or two)

But probably not more. Caitlin McCabe says that competition is motivation. Having competition and people who remind you of who you don’t want to be is actually healthy.

In a playful but entirely useful article, Chuck Klosterman argues for both a nemesis and an archenemy: “We measure ourselves against our nemeses, and we long to destroy our archenemies. Nemeses and archenemies are the catalysts for everything.”

5. You can start over

Whenever you start something new, ask yourself: “If the worst happened, would you be okay? Can you accept the worst-case scenario? Can you fail and survive?” Because you might just ruin your reputation, bankrupt your organization and turn an entire city against you. It happens to good people every day. Really.

Failure is an option. And it’s your best negotiating tool. That is, the ability to start over gives you unlimited opportunities.

None of these reasons excuse you from doing a superior job or give you an excuse to be a dick or a slacker. But there’s no reason to hold onto baggage that isn’t healthy. Remember, there’s a reason you’re leaving.

Blazing victory.

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The post “Don’t Burn Bridges” Is Bad Career Advice appeared first on Brazen Life.