The Great Office Escape

10 Reasons Why Self-Employment Beats Traditional Employment

Written by Mike on March 11, 2010 — Leave a Comment

In a very “employment-centric” economy where people are, on average, far more concerned about keeping the jobs they have or finding a job, the idea of going solo seems scarier than ever. But the truth is, self-employment can be a wonderful solution to dealing with a job loss or suffering economy! It’s sometimes strange to see people cling desperately to their jobs when there really is a better way of making things work. I know I sound brash – but there are many benefits to living the life of an entrepreneur. Read below for more…

1. Your Work is Flexible

A surprising part of self-employment that many new people who have decided to “take the plunge” have found is that their work lends room to a lot more variety. If you are selling garbanzo beans and doing well, you might add lima beans to your inventory to see if you can increase your sales.

Try convincing your boss to add lima beans to the company inventory.

The point is – if you feel like “shaking it up” and going in a different direction with your business, you don’t have to report to some faceless HR person to do it. You just do it.

2. Your Earnings are Unlimited

I’m going to risk being mercilessly attacked by some of my “employee friends” when I say this:

The only way you can really make a lot of money before you get old and grey is through a self-employed or business venture. (Or winning the lottery, I guess.)

Sure, you can invest in a retirement portfolio, but that’s defeated by my “old and grey” statement (not that I plan on acting old and grey when I’m in my sixties!) Most careers have this terrible blockade in the way of earnings. This blockade is almost impossible to work around once you are under it’s clutches. It gives you a false sense of security and prevents you from financial growth. It’s called a salary.

If you are self-employed, you don’t need a salary. You don’t need to ask for a raise. You can just go sell more garbanzo beans, or expand your business, or start another business venture.

3. Entrepreneurs Usually Love Their Lives and Their Work

Don’t believe me? Check out this article. Or this one. It’s true – most of us are happier than the average 9-to-5er. I can tell you from experience that my quality of life has increased dramatically since I started my own business.

And yes, I am busier. But I’d certainly rather be busier on a challenging, exciting venture that I enjoy doing than sitting in an office with fixed hours and no power to take my business where I’d like it to go. The truth is, professional happiness is often a product of the feeling of being in control combined with productivity. Most people don’t have that much autonomy in a 9-to-5 job, even if they think they do. There is always someone higher-up that they need to report to, or some company loophole that they need to work through.

4. Your Social Life isn’t Dictated by Your Job

This one might surprise you a bit.

I’ve spoken with quite a few friends over the years who have told me that the idea of working for themselves sounds attractive, but that one thing they would miss is the office comraderie. Fair enough. But I can tell you from experience that many office relationships are just relationships of convenience and sanity. Sanity to keep you going through the day, so you aren’t alone. And just as misery loves company, joy thrives on independence.

The point is, I can be happy not being around co-workers all day because I love what I am doing. On top of this, some of the relationships I have formed in the past few years have been with other entrepreneurs – like-minded spirits who I no have a lot in common with. I find that most business-owners are passionate, fascinating people. And we can meet at a coffee shop or the park at 3:00pm on a Wednesday without having to ask for time off

Office relationships can actually be stressful and demanding. Because you are forced into a tight space with others who might not share your interests or way of doing work, conflict is bound to arise. Normally, when personalities mis-match after meeting someone for the first time, both parties can say “nice to meet you” and go on their merry ways. Not in the office. At work, you are stuck together worse than the glue-stick is stuck to the inside of your drawer.

To make matters worse…

5. Being Employed Means Being Part of a Hierarchy

Have you ever been to Sweden?

I actually haven’t either – but I would love to go. Did you know that Swede office social environments are known to be “flat playing fields”? What does that mean? Well, it means that most managers don’t act like managers. There are very few “hierarchies” in a Swedish company.

This is a wonderful system where workers are recognized that no matter what work they do, it is equally valuable to a company. Employers recognize that a janitor is just as valuable as an administrative assistant, who is just as valuable as a web designer…

It’s a lovely system. Too bad we don’t have it over here (and in probably most other countries.) Until the day we do, right now being employed means being part of a hierarchy. It means saying “Yes, boss” and sitting down, shutting up, and doing what you are told. It means that when the all-important company shareholders plan to come into the office, everyone must be on their best behavior, feel intimidated and dress to the tens.

What a load of avskrade. (swedish for garbage)

If you are self-employed, you are on your own level, and if that’s good enough for your customers/clients, then it’s good enough.

6. You Don’t Have to Struggle Just to See the Dentist

While you can insert an obvious comeback here about health insurance, I always marvel at how silly it is that so many businesses are open during the exact hours most people work. Why is it only possible to make a dental appointment from 9 to 5 Monday through Friday? How come the ****ing DMV closes at 4:30 on weekdays? I have no idea either.

But if you work for yourself, your time is your own. Nobody you work with can tell you that they’d rather you didn’t go in for your Gynecology exam on Tuesday (and instead, could you push it to next week? We have a company meeting.) None of that nonsense. If it’s a beautiful spring day outside (these seem to always happen on weekdays, don’t they?) then get out and enjoy it for a bit! Sure, some business owners keep regular business hours. But they can still put someone else in charge while they take their dog for a walk if they feel like it. Why? Well, because they own the business!

7. It is More Secure

What? Doesn’t this totally fly in the face of conventional wisdom? Of course it does. But when you really think about it, self-employment is more secure than traditional employment. Why? Because instead of working for a company, you work in an industry.

If you are a great plumber and your work is freelance/contract, you can’t really be “fired.” If one of your customers ends up with a flooded basement because you installed the L-pipe instead of the N-clog and they don’t want to speak with you again, you can just find more customers. Of course, I’m making it sound easier than it is – but if you become well-established, you’ll be able to find more work pretty easily. Your income resource pool is your entire city, or maybe even your entire state… or, in my case, the entire world (the internet is a marvelous thing.)

When you are working for Jake’s plumbing doing a specific type of repair over and over and Jake decides to close shop, what are you going to do?

Being your own boss is, when looking at the big picture, more secure. It may be less secure at first, but taking the brave initial leap to entrepreneurship is possibly the last professional risk you’ll have to take, if that’s your game.

8. If You Grow, you can Hire Others

And this will save you a lot of time. As an entrepreneur, if you find yourself saddled with work that you lack the skills to perform (or don’t have the time/your daughter is getting married/name your excuse) you can always hire someone else to do it for you. And, if you are clever, you can make a profit doing so. This is the beginning of the principals by which the basic idea of “business profit” is founded.

If you really want a hands-off business, just hire everyone to do everything for you, remove yourself from the equation entirely, and do what you would like. Also, this sounds easier than it is, but there are intelligent business owners who abide by this philosophy and have essentially created automatic income streams where they no longer have to trade their time for their money.

Try doing that at your job. See how long you last.

9. You Can Customize Your Own Routine

Adapt. Get in line. Do what it takes to make Mr. Whipple happy.

You’ve been hearing these words your entire life. Always making sacrifices, bending over backwards, acting the part for your superiors. Don’t like waking up at 7:00am to get to your job (which is an hour away)? Tough. Need to move to rural Kansas away from your hometown to find work? Oh well. You’ll get to once a year during your annual allotted vacation time.

If you work for yourself, your wake-up time, where you live, how you dress and even your work habits are dictated by you alone. It’s your life. It’s also your work. If you are not a morning person, feel free to sleep in until 11:00am every day and go to bed late. Like working with all the windows open in your “home office?” Be our guest.

You aren’t a child. Sometimes in the 9-to-5 world you are treated like one.

10. It is the Wave of the Future (and Present!)

Something interesting has begun to happen, and it isn’t just in the US, or the UK, or one country alone. People are starting to do things on their own that they formerly relied on a company, or middle man to do.

Do you remember 15 years ago when you used to call a travel agent to help you plan a vacation? Remember how you had them “map out” your road trip for you and find your hotels? Today, it’s as easy as going to Travelocity or some other website.

In the United States, people are struggling with an abominable healthcare system because a political party in power is unable to make significant headway because people in the other political party refuse to join the 21st century. This has made it very difficult on employers, who are struggling to pay healthcare benefits to many of their employees. It’s become much easier (and cheaper) for them to hire freelance contractors to do the same work.

There are signs all over the place that the opportunity for people to work for themselves are increasing. It’s the beginning of an era where the individual takes responsibility for his income, relying on an employer to do it for him/her less and less. It seems that everyone has his/her own website with a “side business” these days. Some of these side business are doing quite well.

This doesn’t mean that traditional employment will go away entirely. But don’t be surprised to find a 25-30% self-employment rate in ten years. You might find that companies will be more likely to hire your services for increasingly popular “project based work” in the near future than full-time where they are wising up to the fact that you can sit at your desk all day, work an hour and 20 minutes and collect a paycheck.

These days, it’s about the work – not about the company you work for.

Don’t be afraid. Join the wave! Being self-employed is worth it. I hope that I’ve helped convince you. Feel free to disagree if not! Leave a comment below

Posted in Self Employment

The Greatest Networking Secret

Written by Mike on March 9, 2010 — Leave a Comment

Raise your hand if you are looking for work.

Ok, great. Now raise your hand if you are looking for better ways to network.

Ok, you can put your hands down. You are sitting at your computer (or looking at your iPhone) and I bet you look kind of silly.

Either way, the road to your goal isn’t easy. Networking is definitely an acquired skill that doesn’t come naturally to most people – some of us are not even fully aware of just how useful this skill is until we have an idea, business or product to market!

When I was getting started on my business I applied for freelance jobs on craigslist, perused e-lance, and just about any other online community I could find. Looking back on this, it wasn’t a bad idea: just a bit misinformed. – browsing the net like a madman throwing my application and a link to my (incomplete at the time) portfolio to anyone out there who might listen.

As I sit here today and take a good, hard look at my clients, I can tell you where about 60% of them originated.

From the same 3 or 4 people, actually. My friends.

Why Your Friends are Your Greatest Networking Asset

Even if you don’t have a lot of friends, chances are good that one of them is well connected.

Say for example that you tell your friend that you sell skeleton keys. Your friend will likely store that information away (after having a good laugh.) Then one day while bowling at the local bowling alley, your friend might just happen to remember your skeleton key business. The man in the lane next to him might just be telling a sad story about how nobody can open the rusted-out lock to his tool shed at home. That he’s given up, and has nowhere to turn. Your friend might just mention your business to this distraught individual.

Friends are wonderful. While they are obviously not only to be used for networking purposes, they know you (and like you) a heck of a lot better than the mysterious stranger in the HR department or the faceless internet ad poster from Moscow, Idaho. And they are usually more than happy to put in a good word for you.

My Friends

As a web developer, I find that probably 75% of the population either needs a website, or needs their website updated. The other 25% are missing out.

When I started my business I offered some of my services for a reduced price, or even for free, because I was more concerned about networking. Many of those original clients are people I met through friends and family, and those clients have mentioned my work to other prospects who in turn have given me quite a bit of work. It is truly amazing that I can trace so many of my clients back to just a few sources!

This is something to really keep in mind if you are hitting a wall in your networking habits. Remember your friends – they really can help you out. Don’t be afraid to slip them a couple business cards when they aren’t looking.

“Wow – How did that get in there?”

Posted in Self Employment

My Last 9 to 5 Job

Written by Mike on March 8, 2010 — Leave a Comment

I’ve had a few people ask me what my last traditional office job actually was like. Where did I work? What did I do? Was that the job that pushed me over the edge?

The answer to the last question is a resounding “yes”. In fact, the day I lost that job, I sought solace in this site (The Great Office Escape) almost the minute I got home. I needed to write, and to vent. My good friend “jobot” made a comment in the comment feed that day that immediately put me in a better mood. As it turned out, my getting fired from that job was the best thing that ever happened to me.

So, what was the job?

Helping Rich People Get Richer

There is nothing quite like being kicked in the head day after day than being paid $13 an hour to help millionaires add to their portfolios. It isn’t even about the money, really. More about feeling like your talents are going completely to waste. The truth is, I was like a lot of you: I simply didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, and so I chose to work as an Administrative Assistant to make ends meet. This was in the fall of 2007.

I spent my days doing what good admin assistants do – keep track of files, organize drawers, fold documents on the dotted line, tear documents on the dashed line, send mail to clients informing them that the yearly company wine tour was upon them once again and make large rubber-band balls in my spare time.

Watching the last, beautiful days of autumn in Portland tick by while I was wasting away in a depressing office was hard enough. But doing work that will certainly be replaced by computers and automation (and it should) soon is humiliating. To make matters worse, my co-workers and employer were the biggest bunch of uptight prudes I’ve ever worked with (save for the CEO of the company – he was ok.)

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I was allowed a 30-minute unpaid lunch “hour” and if I wasn’t back by 1, the company henchwoman (I will call her Prudence) would get upset. I’m not talking back at 1:15 – I’m talking back at 1:01! Prudence was an interesting breed – the physical representation of everything that I believe is wrong with many middle-aged people in this country. She liked to spend as much money on her toys as possible (car, house TV etc.) while working 9-to-5 every day to “get ahead.” She seemed to define her self-worth with by prestigious college her son was thinking about applying to and bragging about the upcoming marriage of one family member after another, day after day until I wanted to tear my eyes out with the letter opener.

Prudence treated me like a lackey, constantly double-checking my work, undermining my efforts and making me feel like I couldn’t do the job up to her standards. She was a bad boss personified.

One day I came back from a rare excursion to the outside world during company hours (trip to the post office) and caught her on my computer “looking for a file” when I knew for sure that she was actually checking my browser history. Who the hell does this?

“Don’t you have anything better to do? Do your damn work, then go home to your fifty-five engaged family members,” I felt like telling her.

I actually did a pretty good job with my work, all things considered. I worked fairly hard and kept things together for the firm. I just think Prudence didn’t like me because I was too interesting.

The Day I Got Canned

Friday, November 9th, 2007 was a particularly nice day in Portland – it was sunny, a rarity that time of year. I came to work nonchalantly, expecting another day of cold-calling forty or fifty clients and reminding them to make an appointment to have their portfolios examined when Prudence called me into her office.

Sensing something important, I walked in, sat down, and she let me go immediately. First words out of her mouth. I remember the moment well, because my first reaction was interesting. I was happy.

In that moment I wasn’t worried about how I was going to pay my bills, or how I was going to find more meaningful work, or anything else. I was happy that life had given me a kick in the pants to get out of that awful place. But then something interesting happened. Prudence said the following to me:

“You can stay to work out the day if you’d like, or you can leave now. But if you leave now, write down the number of hours you worked today so that you can be paid accordingly.”

You are kidding, right? Not only do I not get any kind of severance, but I don’t even get paid for the day unless I sit around in your mildew-filled office? There was no work for me to do at this point. I wasn’t about to call a bunch of company clients after I had just been fired. I had never felt so insulted. At that moment I swore I would never work a 9-to-5 job that I hated again, and I’d never work for such a selfish, stuck-up clown in my life, no matter what it took. I left Prudence’s office immediately, muttering something about how I wasn’t happy working for her anyway. Didn’t say goodbye.

The Journey Begins With the End

My entire life eclipsed. I left that company with a new resolve and determination.

Days became weeks, and 2007 became 2008. I worked for a great company for a year, fine-tuning my web development and design skills. I would study HTML, CSS, PHP and web code late into the night, fueled by the awful memory of my last 9-to-5. I wanted to be good at understanding the web – the best. Soon I began to pick up clients of my own and started doing freelance work. I formed my own web develpment solo business that year and have been doing it ever since. Today I love the people I work with – I have interesting clients from all over the country who treat me as the professional I am, and I’m thrilled to do business with them.

Sometimes the most beautiful situations can come out of the worst. I have no regrets about working for the financial firm in Portland because it represented the bottom of the barrel for me. Perhaps I would not be where I am today; a happy, energetic business owner and budding entrepreneur if not for this awful work experience.

Trust me; There truly is hope for all of us, no matter how bad things look.

I urge you to look at your job. Do you hate it? What’s the worst that can happen? Maybe getting fired is good!

Posted in 9 to 5 Culture

Don’t Like the Weather Where You Live? Move!

Written by Mike on March 7, 2010 — Leave a Comment

Five years ago I lived in the frozen north. Minneapolis, Minnesota isn’t just cold. It is frigid. Winter there eats away at you over the course of six brutal months, sapping your energy, making it difficult to get out of bed in the morning. It’s impossible not to get sick at least twice a winter there. Call me crazy, but I think influenza is the real state bird. Usually by February I craved the sun more than I craved food. I always used to talk about moving somewhere warmer, but made excuses for myself for years – never actually considering the fact that it just might help change my life.

Today I live in the sunny, beautiful southwestern United States. It’s early March, and it’s been in the 70’s for four straight days now. Never mind the fact that this kind of weather makes it fun just to be outside – it actually has helped make me more productive! Working with the windows open and a warm breeze blowing through my home office puts me in a mood that I can’t explain – I just feel energized. I wake up early (7:00-7:30 is my usual rising time now) excited to see the sun again.

Sure, warm weather isn’t great for everybody. Maybe you have the reverse issue: you hate the heat! But the point is this: living in a climate that feels good to you will actually help give you more energy and in turn, make you more productive. Ever heard the phrase “wherever you go, there you are?” Usually it’s in reference to the fact that we bring our problems and issues with us wherever we travel. I don’t actually agree with this, which I’ll explain a bit later.

Wherever You Go, Make it Somewhere Ideal

Many of us live in a specific location by default. It’s usually work, school, or where are friends are. Our location is determined by circumstance more than by choice. If this weren’t the case we’d all go to school in Hawaii or the Bahamas!

After awhile the reason we are living in this location will change – usually it goes from something like “I live in Delaware because I go to school at Delaware State University” to “I live here because I work at the Delaware Deli” or “I live in Delaware because I’m used to it.”

It doesn’t matter that I’m picking on Delaware. It could be any place.

Maybe we are happy where we live. If so, that’s great! But if you are complaining about your location, about the snow, the cold or the rain, what’s to stop you from just packing up and moving? Let’s face it: it isn’t really about the weather. You are just upset that you are stuck having to deal with the weather because you aren’t ready to make a major move, or the tradeoff isn’t worth it.

The Act of Moving Will Help Change Your Life

It did for me, and it did for quite a few others I know. Moving is a difficult thing – it forces you to stand on your own in a place that you don’t know, walking the streets of a city that is foreign to you and meeting strangers. You also have to deal with how the move will affect your work and your finances. It’s exotic, challenging… and thrilling. I can’t think of a better way to “start fresh.”

But moving is such a challenge that it can improve your confidence in other ways. Having to adapt to a new environment can make you stronger and feel better about your ability to make major changes in your life. If you can pull it off, things that once seemed difficult may not seem like such a big deal anymore.

Choosing a Place that is Right

If you have been on vacation to Alaska and love the beauty of the wilderness and the mountains (believe me, they are amazing!) then why not try life there? Don’t like the cold? You could move to the Caribbean, where it’s in the 80’s(F) all winter long. Sick of crowds? Why are you living in India?

Generally the “right” place is a place that makes you feel good. It isn’t that hard to find. So many of us spend so much time analyzing a place to determine if it’s a good fit. Will our kids like it? Are the people nice? Is it safe? These are all valid questions, and it’s probably wise to put some time into them. You don’t want to move to Baghdad just to escape the winter.

But really listen to your heart. If somewhere makes you feel “right” you will most likely love your time there. And if it doesn’t work out, you can always move back, right?

Moving isn’t irreversible.

The bottom line is this: the environment we live in does affect us. It effects the way we feel, think, act, and work. The act of moving is challenging enough that wherever you go, things may seem a lot easier once you are settled in anyway. And it makes you stronger, more open to new experiences, and happier that you actually did something for yourself that you’ve been wanting to do.

What are you really doing in Delaware?

Posted in Travel

Self Employment for the Myers Briggs Types: The Artisans

Written by Mike on March 6, 2010 — Leave a Comment

Note: If you don’t know your Myers Briggs Type, click here for a free, quick test to find out.

Fun-loving Artisans (SP) like to play first and then work if there is time. Not fans of working for “the man” the SP would rather be hanging out with his buddies watching the game (or better, playing in the game) or chilling at a cool party where the action is than sitting in a desk all day as the clock mocks him.

An SP would be happy as a self-employed person, relishing in being able to set his own hours and come and go as he sees fit. The person freedom that goes hand-in-hand with the entrepreneurial lifestyle will suit this type well. The only problem is getting there. SPs are notorious for wanting to be out where the action is, which means that it’s essential that some level of their business gives them the scope to have a good time. Many SPs like to work with their hands, so small businesses that allow them the freedom to do this on their own watch might be ideal.

The biggest hurdle to self-employment will be discipline. It may be hard for the average SP to give up spending time with his friends or going hunting or fishing to put in the long hours required to begin any successful business venture. But if they can get through these difficult times and have chosen a field that meshes well with their skill set, they can do very well.

It might be good for an SP to work with an N or a J (or better yet, both) so that they don’t have to worry about long-range planning and seeing the “big picture” of business, something that they often struggle with.

ESTP – The Promoter

These outgoing, gregarious types love to be where the action is. An ESTP is not shy, and certainly not always tactful! One of the best types of “telling it like it is,” they may not make the best salespeople, but they certainly can run an effective business, as they have a great deal of realism and common sense. And when I say “common sense” I mean “street smarts.” An ESTP is good at making a seemingly complicated situation very simple, and this has it’s place in the entrepreneurial world. They would be good at running a small business with a few employees in a hands-on field.

How ESTP can flee the rat race

If you are taking the time to read this article, congratulations! Not many ESTPs have patience for “wishy-washy” things like personality types, but it’s good that you are willing to come here and gain some self-insight. That’s the first step. Know yourself. You are going to be happiest working directly with people, probably in a hands-on and/or outdoor setting. Secondly, you’ll need a few good employees who are good at a trade. Hire some people, make sure that you can live on the profit, and watch your business grow.

Figure out the kind of business you want to run. Stick to something simple, basic, and hands-on.
Work with people that you can trust. Friends who are in the same line of work are a good place to start
Make sure that you have plenty of supplies to do your job. If you run a roofing business, find a good manufacturer that will charge a fair price for your tools
Remember to keep your laborers content. Don’t work them any harder than you’d be willing to work yourself!

In the end, an ESTP can be a fun person to work for – they know how to relax and have a good time with their buddies at the bar at the end of a long day. And if they are running their own show successfully, they can be wonderful business owners who have a lot of common sense and a knack for getting a lot done with few resources.

Areas of Self-Employment for ESTP

Electric/Plumbing/Home Repair
Sports Medicine and Health
Automotive Repair and Body
Travel and Leisure

ESFP – The Entertainer

An ESFP is a lovable, charming and fun person. They are usually the “life of the party” types who are not afraid of being in the middle of things. Usually immensely popular throughout their lives, the ESFP can use their extensive knowledge of “what is in” and their people skills to be great salespeople and charming business owners. It’s important that this type not be chained to a desk or working alone for too long. They’d get very bored.

How ESFP can flee the rat race

And speaking of “boredom,” it is your enemy. If you are starting a business, you’ll need to learn some discipline, or it will be tough going. In order not to burn out, you should look into fields where you are working with exciting and interesting people and doing something that is a bit different every day. Owning a restaurant or running a theme park would be far more interesting to you than working as an investment banker, for example. Choose your business venture wisely, and base it upon your interests, or you’ll never get there.

Make sure you are going into a business where you’ll be working with people
Use your charm and outgoing personality to win clients and new contacts
Consider hiring someone else to manage the financial and operational pert of the business while you get to do the promotion/sales/direct work with clients
It might be hard for you to work “two ventures at once,” so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that your type will fare best just quitting your day job cold turkey and going head-on into your new business

ESFPs usually don’t mind working a 9-to-5 day job if they enjoy what they are doing and like their co-workers. This type isn’t the most suited to self-employment because the business end of things will provide difficult for the ESFP to get a grasp on. If they can learn to see the big picture, the “light at the end of the tunnel”, not get bored and distracted, they can get there, but it may take some time. The people skills will help, but some ESFPs end up with a lot of great possibilities and then don’t know what to do with them!

Areas of Self-Employment for ESFP

Sales
Event Planning
Travel/Tourism Guide
Arts and Entertainment
Restaurant Franchising/Ownership

ISTP – The Crafter

ISTPs are quiet, effective people who have a very realistic, hands-on and down to earth approach to life. They do not like to be bothered with nuance or theories and would rather just get down to action. This makes them great at working with tools, appliances and fixing things. Everyone should have at least one ISTP in their lives to be a “handyman” around the house. And speaking of handyman, what a great business idea for this type!

How ISTP can flee the rat race

You will likely want to build your business around one central theme. It should be something that you are well accustomed to doing yourself. In other words, don’t hire a bunch of people to perform a task that you know nothing about. You should, however, consider hiring someone to take over the financial part of the business – and potentially anything else that you are less inclined to enjoy. But make sure that you do these things yourself first so you can see how they run. ISTPs learn best by experience.

Build your business around something that you are good at yourself
Sit down with someone that you trust (make sure that this person is a “J”) to go over the financial operations of the business if you can
Even better, work for a small business owner doing something hands-on, learn how this business is run, and then start one yourself
Keep good records and track every piece of business you perform for every client

It’s important for the ISTP looking to go freelance that they formulate some good structure and planning. Most ISTPs like to jump right in and tackle a problem, and much of the time this is a good approach, but when running a business they’ll have to learn to deal with the nitty-gritty details like financial planning, taxes and what to pay people. These aren’t the most exciting tasks, but knowing them well is necessary to run a good business.

Areas of Self-Employment for ISTP

Automotive Body and Repair
Home Repair
Painting and Roofing
Product Development

ISFP – The Composer

While often very gifted, ISFPs will sometimes struggle with self-employment due to high sensitivity and a tendency to avoid problems. Still, they often do find themselves in positions of business ownership by default. This is because they are multi-talented people, and usually have at least one area where they really shine. It is a bit of a paradox that they can be so “artistically inclined” yet often settle for mundane day jobs. An ISFP will also need to learn to look at him/herself honestly and assess his/her weaknesses and strengths before making the leap.

How ISFP can flee the rat race

You’ll want to pick something that you are good at and simply turn it into a business idea. It sounds easy on the surface, but having to keep track of taxes, payments, insurance, clients and records can be overwhelming at first for your type. You will also need to be very careful to be honest with your clients. Don’t promise more than you can deliver, and don’t be evasive and not get back to people. At the base of your evasive behavior is sensitivity, but you’ll need to get over this or your clients will learn not to trust you. On the positive side, you want to help people and you really do want to make a difference in the world. If you go forward with this attitude, nothing can stop you!

Build your business around something you are familiar with. Like the ISTP, you learn best by experience
Practice being honest and frank with people before you take on any clients
Keep good records
Hire an ESTJ or an ISTJ to run the business end of things (preferably the former) but don’t let them take over completely!

ISFPs are often really good at performing and visual arts. They make great actors, dancers and often good writers. Sometimes these can be translated into really great business ideas, especially if they are promoted well. An ISFP starting a theater or dance company, or something else for the common good may end up very happy and successful.

Areas of Self-Employment for ISFP

Performing Art, Dance and Theater
Photography
Writing
Film

Posted in Personality Types

Self Employment for the Myers Briggs Types: The Rationals

Written by Mike on March 5, 2010 — Leave a Comment

Note: If you don’t know your Myers Briggs Type, click here for a free, quick test to find out.

Rationals (NT) are probably the most adept of the four temperaments at brainstorming ideas. In fact, if you get a big group of them together, have them sit at a large, round table, and give them a topic, they’ll be able to talk at length for hours and hours, coming up with some amazing and insightful ideas that are both unusual and effective.

The only problem? It takes more than good ideas to get a business off the ground! This is where Rationals will need to focus the most of their energy – in follow-through and taking action. It is very easy for your average NT to get caught up in his or her brilliant schemes but then not actually follow through and make it a reality. Usually NTJs are a bit better in this area, as they instinctively realize that a good idea is meaningless if it isn’t put to some use.

Still, an NT can be a brilliant and strategic business owner. They will conceptualize, problem solve and troubleshoot (and rather enjoy this process) to no end, and for this reason often make great planners when working with a large company. NTs do often become disillusioned working for others, especially if they don’t respect the intellectual capabilities of their “higher ups.”

For these reasons, NTs can be great entrepreneurs. Some of the best new business ventures are undertaken by Rationals every day.

ENTJ – The Fieldmarshall

Most ENTJs start out working for other people. This never lasts more than about five seconds. An ENTJ is second to none, and they are not afraid to let you know it. They quickly become great business leaders with vision and determination. ENTJs are unafraid to take on responsibilities and are fearless when making decisions (and unafraid to step on someone else’s toes if necessary!) It isn’t a matter of “how” an ENTJ can escape the rat race. More a matter of when.

How ENTJ can flee the rat race

Did you know that your type has the highest average salary of all the myers briggs types? (According to Typology Central) Why is this? Well, perhaps it’s something about the way you convince others that you are worth more. You have high self-esteem, so don’t be afraid to show it on the job. Come up with a business plan of action, use your great networking capabilities, keep accurate records and you should have no trouble running your own business. You and entrepreneurship are made for each other like butter to toast.

Strategize and plan. Brainstorm some good ideas
Network and use your contacts to create business
Let others know that you can be counted on to get the job done and deliver as promised
Once people have faith in your idea/company, continue to grow and be mindful of competitors. What are they doing that you can do better?

It would be difficult to conceive of an ENTJ content to work in a lowly job or be bossed around. They are much too intelligent and hard-driving to ever let this happen. It seems almost like an afterthought writing this guide for this type, as most ENTJs have all the tools necessary to be wonderful entrepreneurs.

Areas of Self-Employment for ENTJ

Small Business Startup
Franchising
Investing
Business Consulting
Sales
Product Design and Distribution

ENTP – The Inventor

In the outset of this article I asked you to image a room full of Rationals (NT) sitting around and brainstorming ideas. Remember how I said that nothing might get done? Multiply this problem by about ten and you will have a room full of ENTPs. This type loves to sit around, brainstorm, invent, create, and conceptualize. But once the project has begun, an ENTP can easily lose interest. For this type, the idea is far more exciting than the follow-through of their creation! It can be a real struggle for an ENTP to see a project through to it’s completion. This will be a stumbling point when building a business, but it’s not insurmountable.

How ENTP can flee the rat race

Focus, focus, focus. When you come up with a great new idea (and it certainly will be great, for you have the “genius” gene) write it down. Keep doing this with as many ideas as you get. Done? Good. Now, choose the idea that you feel has the best chance for success in the business world. Focus on nothing but this until the idea fails, or it succeeds. No quitting. No in-betweens. Get it done. If you have more of your brilliant and attractive ideas along the way that are unrelated to your original idea, keep a notebook and write them down, or share them with friends. Do not get sidetracked!

Choose one good idea to turn into a business venture
While focusing on your one good idea, if you get more, write them down for later
Generate contacts and clients by generating excitement for your idea. It will help keep you passionate and focused
Hire an SJ to keep records and keep track of your financial operations for you. Your type is sometimes bad with money.

ENTPs are brilliant people. A little bit out there, sure, but bloody brilliant. Others will marvel at your ideas, business ideas and conceptions for a better world. If anything, you owe it to the world to see that your ideas see the light. Do not get lost in idea-world and forget about reality!

Areas of Self-Employment for ENTP

Product Design and Sales
Internet and Web Design/Marketing
Travel
Arts and Entertainment
Sales
Event Planning

INTJ – The Mastermind

While a bit more cautious and careful than some of the other NTs, an INTJ is still a wonderful “ideas person.” The difference between INTJ and, say, and ENTP, is that INTJ has the enviable ability to focus and put their ideas into action. Because they are diligent and hardworking as well as brilliant and original, an INTJ can do anything they set their minds to. They are actually very astute business owners, great at planning and without too much trouble following through. The challenge for an INTJ is in marketing their skills. They are observers by nature: often shy, reserved and humble, sometimes a bit hesitant to share their skills with the world.

How INTJ can flee the rat race

You need to gain confidence in yourself and your abilities. Your ideas are wonderful! Get out there and market them to others! By nature you like to sit back and observe, taking things in and formulating your own opinions and reactions slowly. In the business world, you’ll have to get better at making quick decisions and going on instinct. Learn to be comfortable with your ideas “exposed for the world to see” and you will go far.

Come up with a great business plan
Perfect and analyze this plan to your hearts content, until you are very comfortable and confident in its eventual success
Take this plan into the world and force yourself to market and network (difficult for your type, but necessary!)
Hire an extravert if necessary as a marketing director
Build your business slowly over time so you can continue to strategize and change direction if necessary

Because INTJs are so observant and have penetrating insight to people and concepts, they are often great at running their own businesses. They will never take on a project that they cannot complete, and they will never under-deliver to a client. If you are looking to hire a freelance contractor for a project that is open-ended, an INTJ would be a good bet to exceed your expectations.

Areas of Self-Employment for INTJ

Accounting and Financial Consulting
Product Development
Business Development
Web and Information Design and Architecture
Technical Writing

INTP – The Architect

INTPs are so creative. This uncommon type has one foot in and one foot out of this planet – they are dreamers and conceptualizers, full of ideas and with a unique perspective on the world. As children they often become disillusioned with life early, not really liking school and not really able to fit in with others. If only they were confident enough in their abilities to share them with the world…

How INTP can flee the rat race

Your type will have a bit of a difficult time becoming self-employed due to a combination of introversion and some difficulty reading other people’s needs and desires. In order to get into a business mindset you will have to learn to get inside the heads of others. What are people motivated by? What trends are popular? This goes against every fiber of your being, but you can’t run a business with you as the only customer! You will also need to learn to focus and plan. Spend some time with a Feeler (especially an INFP or INFJ, who will understand you) who can help you get a grasp on what others are looking for from a business sense.

Make a list of other people’s needs. I know it sounds silly. Do it anyway!
Do any of these needs call to you? If so, select this need as a formula for your plan
You are creative and artistic! Use these skills while building a business
Hire a Feeler (ENFJ would be perfect) as a marketing person if you can, or at least work with one
Make sure to balance your business needs with your personal needs. Your type can burn out if you feel too “distant” from yourself

INTPs are full of brilliant ideas and have a lot of interests. It’s important to stick with these interests if you want to keep the passion alive in your business. But it’s even more important to sense the needs of your customers. Your quiet and perceptive demeanor will give you an advantage in the business world if you have confidence in your ideas and a good plan.

Areas of Self-Employment for INTJ

Web and Internet Marketing
Design and Art
Writing
Product Development

Next in the series: Self Employment for the Myers Briggs Types: The Artisans (SP)

Posted in Personality Types

Self Employment for the Myers Briggs Types: The Idealists

Written by Mike on March 4, 2010 — Leave a Comment

Note: If you don’t know your Myers Briggs Type, click here for a free, quick test to find out.

More than the other temperaments, Idealists are likely to want a career which makes them feel that they are giving back to the world. They also desperately seek meaning in their professional lives, which isn’t always easy to find in the 9-to-5 world of pushy managers, schedules, rules, and number crunching.

This is why so many NFs are drawn to self-employment. They often see it as a means of self-expression and seek to make their careers an extension of who they are. Many artists, entertainers, performers, and writers are NF Idealists, and many more own successful and interesting businesses. Because they are so good with people NFs make wonderful salespeople, though they sometimes lack the necessary “abilty to lie” to really make the big bucks in such a profession.

An NF will struggle in a traditional job unless they see it as meaningful and worthwhile. Often they will get caught up in crusades against “the bad guys” like big corporations, big business and other authority figures. Sometimes this can be carried a bit far, as the NF will lose sight of the facts in exchange for the big-picture ideal of a perfect world. However, this visionary trait will serve them well if they want to start a people-oriented business that will help change the world.

NF Idealists really can make a difference.

ENFJ – The Teacher

Passionate and focused, ENFJs are great “people people.” While some may find their gregarious and helpful nature a bit overbearing, they are wonderful at winning friends and providing for others. If an ENFJ wants to start their own business, they should use their people skills to their advantage. They make great teachers, counselors and advisors. Once an ENFJ finds the right group of people, they can begin their enterprise fairly quickly.

How ENFJ can flee the rat race

First, choose the type of business you would like to run, and use your organizational and networking skills to get your clients interested in your idea. Your powers of persuasion and ability to win people over are almost unmatched, so it will not be hard for you to get new clients! Make sure that you leave room open for new possibilities within your plan – if you think too far ahead and get too caught up in sticking to your original business idea it might make you a bit less flexible to see alternatives.

Find a business ideas or career path that feels meaningful to you
Network like crazy
Make sure that your new network is aware of your availability and mission
Hire someone else to do the practical end of the business, and who will “wake you up” when you are stuck in a rut

An ENFJ is probably less concerned about running their own show than they are about connecting with helping people. I can’t imagine a worse profession for an ENFJ than sitting in an office all day as a bill collector or helping a big company get a bit more money out of their customers by being sneaky. ENFJs need to put good into the world, or their business will feel empty and meaningless.

Areas of Self-Employment for ENFJ

Tutoring
Counseling
Coaching and Business Development
Social Work
Freelance Journalism and Reporting
Politics

ENFP – The Champion

Champion of the cause, the ENFP is passionate, effervescent and charming. Whatever undertaking they choose, you can be sure they will do it with their whole heart. This becomes a problem when the ENFP changes his or her mind. Again and again. Yes, focus can sometimes be difficult for this type. But if they can master the art of concentration and hold on to a business idea long enough to get it moving and at least bear some fruit, no type will have more business success than the ENFP.

How ENFP can flee the rat race

As a bona fide “idea person”, you need to learn to balance your ideas with practicality. It’s wonderful to have so many passions, but passion is empty without some kind of application. Your idea is no better than a discarded light bulb without action. To escape your 9-to-5 pick an idea that you think really has potential, pick a time period and tell yourself that no matter what, you are going to focus on your idea, and nothing else! You have all the tools necessary. What are you waiting for?

Make a list of all your great business ideas
After giving them some careful thought, pick the best one
Get to work on your idea, working at night if you need to maintain a day job while doing so
Consider hiring the help of an ISTJ or ISFJ to help you balance your budget and manage the details of your business
Work with an accountant if you can
Once the business has taken off and seems to be doing well, outsource where necessary and start another! But learn to focus on your current business until it is doing well first

I have yet to meet an ENFP who is happy in the rat race. This type will be miserable working in a stuffy office. They need to get out, to breathe fresh air, and to work with interesting and other fun-loving people. Fortunately, ENFPs can be among the best at starting their own businesses, as they are full of ideas.

Areas of Self-Employment for ENFP

Travel and Vacation Packages
Writing
Entertainment/Nightlife
Counseling and Coaching
Small Business Coaching
Event Planning

INFJ – The Counselor

An uncommon type, the INFJ is highly attuned to the needs and feelings of others. They are great at watching, observing, and deducing the motivations of everyone around them – but you would never guess that this is the case, as they seem private and quiet people. INFJs are passionate, but this is tempered by a cooler exterior that gives an essence of practicality and realism. They are ideal counselors and teachers, occupations which can be suited to self-employment, especially today. INFJs are not the most likely types to seek out self-employment, as they are more interested in feeling that their careers have meaning rather than freedom.

How INFJ can flee the rat race

There is a wonderful new career out there that has taken hold in recent years. The professional coach has now encroached on the territory once reserved for psychologists and other professionals with fancy-looking titles. Today it is possible to be a coach of almost anything – career, relationship, lifestyle, health, racquetball – you name it. As long as you have expertise in a field and you can build trust in others, you can be a coach. I can’t think of a better self-employed path for an INFJ.

Ask yourself what type of audience you would like to help
Work a regular job in this field for awhile, while building some clients of your own on the side
Begin charging rates for your time (of your clients) that you feel is fair
Spread the word – network the best you can
Voila – you are a professional coach!

An INFJ can also succeed in other business endeavors, but like most idealists, they will be happiest in a profession where they are making a difference in the world. It is hard for an INFJ to feel passionate about a career unless they feel really connected with what they are doing, and can be really difficult for INFJs to feel justified in charging people for a service they give to their friends for free. Self-employment may not be right for this type.

Areas of Self-Employment for INFJ

Coaching and Counseling
Writing
Performance and Visual Art
Education and Law
Tutoring

INFP – The Dreamer

The INFP definitely has it tough. Sensitive and imaginative, this type isn’t cut out for the 9-to-5 world at all. There can also be real barriers to self-employment for the INFP, including shyness, a general lack of assertiveness and an easygoing personality. However, if these barriers can be overcome, there is probably no type better suited to working for themselves. INFPs will work tirelessly on something they believe in. They are highly creative, intelligent and can see the big picture of a business idea.

How INFP can flee the rat race

An INFP should actually make it a priority to leave the rat race, even though it might not be easy! With plenty of talent and a dearth of ideas, you should have no trouble brainstorming ways to make your escape. But what you need is to focus, follow through, and assert yourself when necessary. Learn to ask clients to pay you what you deserve. Learn to network and reach out to others within your business. Learn to market your skills. If you can develop these essential business tools, you’ll build a great business that will be your own.

Brainstorm business ideas until you settle on one that both puts you in a role where you are providing for others and is realistic
Teach yourself the business skills stated above
Build your business on the side while planning to quit your day job
Don’t be afraid to work long hours – keep visualizing your ideal life (at the end of the tunnel)

As an idealist, an INFP should choose a business idea or profession where they are helping other people. Surprisingly, they can make some of the most interesting and successful businesses happen if they can overcome some of their perceived limitations. This is a type that should definitely consider self-employment even if it is a challenge. I promise you that it can be done - if I can do it (I am an INFP) so can you.

Areas of Self-Employment for INFP

Writing
Art and Design
Tutoring/Mentoring
Coaching and Counseling
Travel

Next in the series:Self Employment for the Myers Briggs Types: The Rationals (NT)

Posted in Personality Types

Self Employment for the Myers Briggs Types: The Guardians

Written by Mike on March 3, 2010 — Leave a Comment

Note: If you don’t know your Myers Briggs Type, click here for a free, quick test to find out.

While it was a bit brash of me to do this, yesterday I wrote that Guardians (SJ) will have trouble becoming self-employed/starting a business/escaping the rat race. Why would I go and shoot myself in the foot, considering that almost half the population fits into this category? Am I mad?

Well, perhaps the latter is true, but you can’t deny that the Guardian type is known for working within established structures to maintain order. The Guardian (SJ) type loves to fit into a good team, know their role, and perform in an exemplary manner. They are great at doing what they are supposed to to. They were the kids who got straight A’s in school, went to college and excelled there, got married, had a loving family etc. etc…

In order words, the world is cut out nicely for this type. Why would they feel the need to carve their own path when the path that is out there for them seems more attractive and realistic?

Well, there are some Guardians who are tired of working for people they don’t respect. They may also grow weary of working for a company that seems to have little sense of security, or working with a bad team of people. Nothing will drive your average Guardian crazy quite like working with a room full of iNtuitives!

At any rate, the Guardians may have their reasons for wanting to go solo. Are you an SJ? Check out your type below for your escape guide!

ESTJ – The Administrator

Of all the Guardian (SJ) types, the ESTJ is probably the best suited to self-employment. They make wonderful leaders and great salespeople, though they can be a bit overbearing and brash at times. And good luck trying to convince an ESTJ that he is wrong. To this type, there are two ways to go: my way or the highway. This can come in handy if they are running a sales business with difficult clients. It comes less in handy if they are running a business as a grief counselor.

How ESTJ can flee the rat race

It will help if you already have experience working with a company where you have a reputation as a good decision maker. You will want to start out by engendering the trust of your co-workers and higher-ups. You’ll also want to be patient. When the time comes, do take action. Strike while the iron is hot and take on many responsibilities to rise up in the company. Once your leadership abilities and persuasiveness become apparent, you’ll rise to the top, or at least to a higher position within the company. From there, you’ll make your escape by taking control of a major department.

Work your way up in the company
Become the source of information and decision making in your sector of the company. Make sure that everything goes through you
Tell your superiors (if there are any left) that you will be working for them on a contract/freelance basis and that you intend to stay with the company
Those that report to you can contact you via e-mail while you are at home/wherever you’d like to be

The bottom line is that an ESTJ will need an existing structure already in place to create their self-employed lifestyle. It isn’t in the nature of any Guardian to just start a company out of thin air. But an ESTJ can use their reliability, purposefulness and stability to engender trust in their higher ups to their benefit.

Areas of Self-Employment for ESTJ

Sales
Marketing
Finance
Business Consulting
Real Estate
Investing

ESFJ – The Provider

One of the least likely types to go into business for themselves, the ESFJ Providers are really much more suited to working in a traditional environment with “higher ups” and some structure. This is also the case because ESFJ gets some measure of joy in pleasing their superiors, and managing those “beneath them.” They do tend to make good management candidates. Therefore, in order to break free of the 9-to-5, this type will need to learn to get pleasure from pleasing their clients. On an unrelated note, ESFJ’s make great mothers.

How ESFJ can flee the rat race

Like the ESTJ, the ESFJ will need to be working in a company with a supportive, caring team of people and a consistent client base already in place. Once they have enough clients through their company, they’ll need to make the decision to work with these same clients but on their own terms, or with more flexibility by going freelance. An ESFJ who goes this route will want to maintain an open relationship with their company at all times so they don’t get accused of “taking clients” away.

Establish good client relationships from within a company
Learn how to gain your own client base doing the same work that you do through the company
Tell your superiors that you will be working for them on a contract/freelance basis but that your clients will be first and foremost the company’s clients
Start gaining your own clients while going freelance

An ESFJ will absolutely need to feel that their job is secure before going self-employed. If there is any error this type is likely to make, it’s that they will wait too long before taking the risk of working for themselves, even waiting until they have more than twice enough steady work to begin. Being security-oriented can be great, but some risk is necessary in the entrepreneurial world.

Areas of Self-Employment for ESFJ

Sales
Consulting
Real Estate
Home Decorating
Furniture Sales
Wedding Planning

ISTJ – The Inspector

ISTJ are excellent at fixing things, getting their ducks in a row, being useful and being stalwarts of society. They love to feel like they are being efficient, and are not big with grandiose displays of any kind. In other words, they would not make great salespeople. What they do make is an honest, straightforward, no-frills kind of person that you can depend on. If they have the drive to run their own business (and they would actually be quite good at it) they will run an honest business.

How ISTJ can flee the rat race

An ISTJ will be hesitant to strike out on their own unless they see it as a lower-risk venture (for higher gain) than what they are currently doing. If they are happy with their careers, they’ll probably stay there. If they are dissatisfied and/or they can see that going solo would help them to advance to a higher place, they may choose this route. To be successful an ISTJ will want to build their business around a trade or skill. This type of worker is great at learning a skill gradually over a period of time.

Learn a trade and/or skill
Use this skill in a traditional work environment where you are working for a company until you get really good at it
Formulate a good business plan
Try to work with someone with good long-range business forecasting ability
Slowly start up your business

ISTJ’s can be good business people, though they may be reluctant to make the plunge unless they see a good reason to do so. It will help them immensely to work with an iNtuitive (N) type who can see the big picture of the business.

Areas of Self-Employment for ISTJ

Vehicle or Home Repair
Accounting
Electric/Plumbing Maintenance
Law

ISFJ – The Nurturer

Sensitive, caring and loyal, an ISFJ makes a great employee! It is difficult to write this section for this type, as many ISFJs have little interest in taking the time to “go it alone” and start a business. Their Introversion especially makes it more difficult than average for this type to attract clients, and their sensitive nature can make it hard for them to run a business (where people are not always nice.) Still, where there is a will, there is a way.

How ISFJ can flee the rat race

Very slowly and with a lot of support and planning. But you can do it! As an ISFJ, you will need to formulate a good business plan (much like an ISTJ) and then immediately find a few trusted Extraverted iNtuitve (EN) types to be the main “go-to” people for finding good leads and seeing the big picture possibilities of the business. Oh yes, and the business almost definitely needs to be helping others in some way, or you will lose interest!

Come up with a business plan
Work with a good group of people or other person who you will appoint for specific parts of the business that you don’t feel comfortable handling on your own
Slowly phase your 9-to-5 life out of your life while putting more and more time into the business

ISFJs are security-oriented, caring and nurturing people. They will actual do well running a business if they can get over some of the very traits that are normally their assets! For one, they need to be a bit less “security-oriented” or they’ll never get their feet off the ground. And they need to learn to be a bit less sensitive to criticism, which is a normal part of running a business.

Areas of Self-Employment for ISFJ

Childcare
Wedding Planning
Teaching/Tutoring
Home Care (Nursing)
Physical Therapy

Next in the series: Self Employment for the Myers Briggs Types: The Idealists (NF)

Posted in Personality Types

Self Employment for the Myers Briggs Types: A Guide

Written by Mike on March 2, 2010 — Leave a Comment

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a very popular personality-assessment tool that can teach you quite a bit about your temperament, style, and lifestyle. While it doesn’t have the psychological/scientific backing of the Big Five (OCEAN) assessment, it is very revealing, popular, and helpful as a self-exploration tool.

If you have not taken the test, (or don’t know your type) you should go here first before reading the article ahead.

Temperament and Self-Employment

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator groups everybody on the planet into four separate temperaments (from the main 16 types) and there are 4 personality types within each temperament. (Don’t worry if this is confusing to you, and it all looks like just a random mess of letters – you can read a bit more about how to find your temperament here.)

The temperaments are:

While not all the types are drawn to making The Great Office Escape and building their dream careers, I have put together a handy guide for all 16 types to make the leap. (For the few, the proud ISFJ entrepreneurs out there – hey, you never know!)

Generalities

Yes, I know generalities can be dangerous. But while none of the following rules are hard and fast, they are a pretty nice place to start if you want to get to know the temperaments and their potentials for self-employment:

As a general rule the SJ temperament is going to be less drawn to self-employment than the other types.
The NF and NT temperaments are the best at creating new systems and new business ideas
The SP temperament is the best at taking an existing system and turning it into a profit (franchising, for example.)
Perceivers (P) are usually a bit more entrepreneur-minded than Judgers (J) though this isn’t an overwhelming trait
Because Judgers (J) are more organized, their business startups are often more successful than Perceivers’ (P) startups
Introverts (I) might have to get over some of their “shyness” in order to learn to network in the business world
Feelers (F) have a great advantage when it comes to winning clients over and can be charismatic salespeople

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And Fear not, SJ’s! This does not mean that you cannot create your dream career! It just might be a bit more difficult for your type – let’s face it – you are most adept at working within and perfecting existing structures.

In the following 4-part guide, grouped by temperament, I’ll have a nice guide for each Myers Briggs type on how to create a dream career and become your own boss!

Part 1: SJ – The Guardians
Part 2: NF – The Idealists
Part 3: NT – The Rationals
Part 4: SP – The Artisans

Posted in Feature, Personality Types

How to Ask for Time Off From Work

Written by Mike on March 1, 2010 — Leave a Comment

His door is slightly ajar. You can almost feel the hot coffee-laden breath and steely eyes of your boss bowling you over as you tip-toe gingerly into his office. 100 thoughts flash through your mind. “Maybe I don’t need the time off. What if he fired me for asking? No, that’s crazy. He wouldn’t do that. But he might accuse me of taking too much time off after I was out sick last month. What if he throws a stapler at me?”

Does this sound like you?

Asking for time off is one of the hardest things some of us must endure at work, next to asking for a raise and/or straight up getting fired. If this is you, don’t feel bad – it’s pretty normal. The good news is that it usually isn’t a big deal to you boss to ask. Just another blip in his day. The more you tell yourself this, the easier it will be for you.

Still, I’ve presented a nice little guide below on how to ask for time off.

Give a Reason

While it is often not helpful (and sometimes counterproductive) to go into graphic detail when you are calling in sick to work, it’s actually almost required when you are asking for time away from work. Why is this? When asking for time off you’ll be doing it in person. When you call in sick, you are nothing but a disembodied voice on the other end of the line.

This is why it’s important to come prepared with a reason. (notice that I didn’t say that it’s important to come prepared with the reason – the truth isn’t necessary!)

Asking for time off without a reason prepared is like going to the golf course with a bunch of tennis balls. You aren’t shooting par today.

But what should your reason be? Here are some good ones:

I’m going to be on vacation in (random cool-sounding location)
I’m getting my (body part) replaced.
I have a doctor/dental appointment (note: use this if you only need a few hours off)
I have an all-day business seminar to attend. (Note: if you use this reason, it better be true – there is a chance the boss could look this one up.)
My (family member) died and I’m going to the funeral (Note: this reason also should be true. You don’t want to say “my father passed away” more than once, or you’ll arouse suspicion, to say the least!)

And, here are some bad reasons:

I’m going to be sick
My (family pet) died
I’m stressed and need a day off
I have an interview with another company

You don’t need to tell the whole truth, but you should always give your boss a reason that you are taking time off, and you should be completely prepared to answer questions your boss might ask about that reason. He may be curious!

When to Ask for Time Off

In general you should tell your boss as soon as you know you’ll need the time off. Don’t delay too long – the closer it gets to the date(s) you’ll be absent, the less cordial he is going to be. You are probably going to get the best results if you ask on a Thursday or a Friday, mostly because the week is winding to a close and your boss will have the bulk of the week (and stress) behind him.

Also, try to ask toward the end of the day. Psychologically, if your boss has the entire day of work in front of him, he’s not going to be feeling as good about losing one of his employees for x amount of time in the not-so-distant future. However, if you catch him on a Friday evening right as he is about to walk out the door, go home, and spend time baking cookies with his family and watching reruns of Miami Vice he might give you a breezy, “sure, no problem” when you ask.

One more thing: don’t ask for time off when he is very busy. If he looks agitated or has been on the phone with angry customers all day, it’s best to wait.

So, ask for time off Friday afternoon, right before he goes home to watch Miami Vice. I hope that helps.

Remember

While this may seem like a significant event to you, asking for time off isn’t really that big a deal. In the end, all your boss will really care about is how your time off will affect his day/the company (probably in that order.) If you try see things from his point of view, and you have a good idea what his workload is looking like on the day you will be skiing in the mountains, you’ll be able to successfully negotiate for your time off without too much trouble.

Good luck!

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How to Ask for Time Off From Work

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