16/06/2022
Hi folks! Here I am, Nora (she/her) and I am one of Gorgo Consulting's team.
When people ask me how and why I became an independent consultant I have mixed feelings.
My story is that in 2019 I moved to Brussels to seek better economic opportunities, and there I started working in a think tank. In the meantime, Covid happened and my contract came to an end.
At that moment, professionals from my network asked me for different collaborations as an independent. And there the impostor syndrome entered the scene! How could I work as a freelance being so young? How could I manage everything on my own? Will I be able to grow as a professional without a boss?
Now that it's almost two years on this path I can tell you a few things:
1 - It doesn't matter what is your age, if someone is hiring you to do a job, it means you can do it! There are consultancies available also for young professionals.
2 - Being freelance means having skills in communications, advertising, outreach, project management, administration, accounting on top of your expertise and skillsets. I won't lie, it is not an easy job to manage everything! Having Emma as a partner in the business has been a big plus, as some of our skills are complementary and we learn from each other. If you don't have the opportunity or willingness to partner up with another independent, you could also consider chatting about challenges and best practises with fellow freelancers.
3 - Also being an independent, you will still have the opportunity to learn, both from your experiences and from other colleagues you will collaborate with. Having said that, finding a role model or a mentor available to support you, it's always a good plus.
Are you a freelancer? Would you become one?
