5 Jobs to Ignite Your Independence
Are you stuck in a job you hate? It wouldn’t be a surprise, since market research by Gallup has revealed that 85% of people hate their job. Maybe it’s time to declare your independence!
But even if you don’t hate your job, you may feel trapped where you are, and long for some more freedom in your work. Well, we’re here to help you out – we’ve put together a list of jobs which will give you buckets of independence and send you on your way to not only developing your career, but developing yourself too.
Photographer
If you have an artistic eye, photography is a great way to gain some well-deserved independence. There are two ways you can opt for photography – working for a company or magazine (like National Geographic), or selling your works at markets, in a gallery or even over the internet.
You can either choose to specialise in a particular type of photography (portrait, landscape, wildlife, abstract, etc.) or do a mix of everything. Not only do you have freedom over the kind of work you do, but the amount you charge per photo if working independently, as well as your hours and even where you work – the beauty of photography is that it allows you to visit plenty of different places and explore the world, rather than be stuck in an office all day.
Accountant
Accountancy is one of those areas that many people rarely seem to consider, but it has the potential to give you a lot of freedom in the work you do. Starting your own freelance accountancy business is the perfect way to get back some independence; you choose your hours, clients and rates.
It does take quite a bit of training to get you there, of course, but somewhere like the Open University will offer courses that you can fit into your life, and before too long you’ll be on your way to widening your independence – and your salary.
If you’re a logical person, enjoy working with data and a variety of different people and clients, it’s certainly worth looking into.
Taxi Driver
Becoming a taxi driver is a great way to gain some independence in your work. Our suggestion is starting out working for a firm to gain some experience, before starting out on your own and even potentially hiring some drivers to work for you.
Even working in a firm, your work is autonomous and you really only report to yourself, as usually in taxi companies drivers are trusted to work on their own as long as they keep a log.
Starting out by yourself is even better as you get a choice over the hours you work, the type of service you offer, the vehicles you use, your spending and rates. Just remember, if you are setting up a taxi business, there will be a few things you need besides a car – for example, you need to apply for a licence to be able to work as a taxi driver, and you need taxi insurance. We recommend Quotezone for this – it will help you search for the best taxi insurance for you from the top UK providers.
Writer
As a writer, you have the potential to go almost anywhere you want. Whatever your forte, whether that’s story-writing, journalism, or if you have knowledge in a particular subject, there are plenty of options. The most obvious is, of course, becoming an author – this takes time to earn a bit of money from, but there is a lot of freedom in the hours you work and what you actually write, whether that’s fiction or non-fiction, or even a guide. Other options you can take as a writer are starting up your own website or blog, or opting to become a journalist, either for a local paper (and eventually a national paper) or writing articles for an online news website. Working alone, choosing your topic area and choosing the hours you work are all you need to improve your independence.
Graphic Designer
If you are a creative person, graphic design is definitely something to consider. Graphic designers create everything from logos to posters to any kind of design imaginable, giving you a ton of flexibility. Working as a freelance graphic designer means you can offer yourself to clients, as well as taking on only the clients you want to work for, meaning you can also decide how much work you do. It also gives you the opportunity to use your imagination in your work and come up with different innovative ideas which have the potential to be used anywhere, mostly in advertising – meaning your work could appear anywhere, from the internet to billboards to even TV.
Hopefully these five jobs have given you a little bit of inspiration into broadening your horizons and giving you a little more satisfaction in your work. Good luck!