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Signs You Should Be Working for Yourself

Feeling bored at work? Getting pushed around by folks who don't get you? Check for signs you should be working for yourself rather than the boss.

By Sasha KonikovoPublished 6 years ago 6 min read
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There are two types of people out in the career world: entrepreneurs and employees.

Employees tend to be the people who work best under the command of another person. They love the predictability of a steady paycheck and tend to fare best when they are doing something routine. While they may complain from time to time, the fact is that they know they fare best in a job.

The others are entrepreneurs. They are trailblazers who tend to fare better working for themselves rather than anyone else. Individualistic to the core, they have talent, people skills, and also are disciplined enough to lead on their own.

Not knowing who you are can cause huge problems when you are trying to figure out your career. If you don't know whether you'd fare better in a job, it may be best to check for signs you should be working for yourself to get a better grip on yourself.

You are a natural "people person" who knows how to set boundaries while still being reasonable.

One of the best signs you should be working for yourself is that you know how to deal with people—and how to get their attention. When you're an entrepreneur, you are going to have to learn how to stand up for yourself and your prices.

Some clients will do whatever they can to lower your prices to an unreasonably low standard. If you want to fare well on your own, you will have to know how to deal with sob stories and clients from hell. You also will have to know how to network with others for new opportunities, too.

Self-starting is kind of your thing.

One of the best signs you should be working for yourself is that you are able to be productive without a boss breathing down your neck. If you regularly get written up at work for slacking on the job, you won't fare well as an entrepreneur.

Being a self-starter is the only real way to succeed when you own your own business. After all, you won't make money without having done some kind of work.

Aspiring entrepreneurs should have the drive to match their goals. Are you a goal-getter, or are you just waiting for someone else to tell you what to do?

You are good at planning and following through.

A solid work ethic is obvious, but there's more to this than just being able to be a hard worker. One of the best signs you should be work is for yourself is your ability to come up with a plan and follow it through to completion.

Leaving things only half-done is a good way to end up losing money or turning into a failure when you work for yourself. That's why the best self-employed people tend to be the ones who are great at planning—and following through on their work.

You're willing to put together a safety net, just in case.

When you work at a job, you have some semblance of stability. You're given a steady paycheck and while you could lose your job, there's still a good sign that you will be able to handle your own life predictably for a while after.

Stability is something often taken for granted until you don't have it.

The best entrepreneurs are able to put together a safety net so that they can survive during times when their business slows down. If you aren't dedicated enough to do that, you should likely stay at your job.

There's nothing wrong with feeling happy about job security. If you're not willing to give up security, it's okay to just stay an employee. Security is a job description perk that's definitely worth considering, especially since so many people who start a business fail.

When it comes to getting the job done, you're willing to stay late so that deadlines can be met.

Employees have one perk that they do not typically think about: work can end once the clock strikes 5. Entrepreneurs? Not so much. It's a 'round-the-clock endeavor. If something needs to be done by a certain time, you will have to stay and make it happen.

One of the hardest parts of working on your own is the fact that you never really have anyone else to take your shift. If things have to be done, you will need to be the one to do it—always. No one else can be held accountable.

If you were honest, you hate working under someone else.

A lot of people who are employees could be great as business owners, but choose not to because they legitimately love their jobs. If you are happy working for someone else, there's no need to change that.

However, on an emotional level, one of the more obvious signs you should be working for someone else is your reaction to being an employee. Do you regularly buck authority? Does it feel confining? Do you regularly switch jobs hoping it'll be better, only for it to never really improve?

Yeah, you might be happier working for yourself.

Risk doesn't scare you.

The hardest part about being self-employed are all the risks. Anything can happen, and to a point, that's what makes most people back out of the self-employment lifestyle. You can lose everything when you are an entrepreneur—and it often can happen faster than if you had a job.

A good indicator that you're ready to go your own way is when you know how to handle risk, how to reduce loss, and are thick-skinned enough to take it in stride.

People have regularly told you that you should start your own business.

Assuming that they aren't saying this while they're handing you a pink slip, it's one of the best signs you should be working for yourself rather than a company. People tend to say this when you're a great worker but clearly aren't living up to what your potential could be.

The upside of being self-employed is that you will be able to handle a lot more work, and also reap more rewards. People who notice that you're under-worked at your current job will be quick to tell you that there's a lot of money to be done solo.

You already have an inkling of what you'd want to do as a business owner.

A lot of the best entrepreneurs out there already had an idea of what they wanted to do with their company and why. One of the best signs you should be working for yourself is the feeling that you know you should be doing something else.

Working for yourself, with a sense of purpose in what you're doing, is something that calls a select few. If you feel that calling, giving yourself a side-job to start out can be a great way to begin your journey as an entrepreneur.

You're willing to sacrifice a lot to become a business owner—and take up the lifestyle you need, too.

The entrepreneur lifestyle is alluring to many, but people don't really talk about the sacrifices you have to make. You might have to spend time away from family, lose time with friends, and also have times where you face bankruptcy.

If you aren't sure whether you should go your own way, ask yourself how much you're willing to give. One of the signs you should be working for yourself is when you know you'd do anything to make your dream happen, job be damned.

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About the Creator

Sasha Konikovo

Born in the Ukraine and currently a citizen of New York City, Sasha Konikovo has become obsessed with makeup, fashion, and anything that keeps her svelte figure looking sharp. She hopes to marry a billionaire and have a lifestyle like Paris Hilton soon enough.

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