Self-Employed

Graphic Designer

May 2019 • Tempe, AZ

What I liked

I loved growing my graphic design portfolio by creating graphics for businesses in Arizona.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Horse Trainer/Riding Instructor

February 2019 • Rexburg, ID

What I liked

I love my job! I love working with young horses and starting them under saddle. I like working with horses that have behavioral issues and building their confidence to become happy, safe riding partners. I also enjoy teaching my students and seeing them progress and grow along with their horses.

What I wish was different

I wish that I had more opportunities to work with a trainer I trust in this area.

Advice

My advice for anyone looking to get into this career is to go work for an experienced and reputable trainer to gain experience!

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Agriculture research intern

May - July 2019 • Havana, Cuba

What I liked

I was able to formulate my own experience

What I wish was different

Support from a more formal institution

Advice

Plan everything, but don't expect everything to go as planned

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Owner

June 2019 • Richmond, VA

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

I started my own online business this summer selling thrifted beach and surf-inspired clothing to a target market of teen-young adult girls. Being the only employee and having to manage all business operations, it's been a challenging experience, but my advice for anyone else wanting to start a business like this would be to stay active, above all things. An active and engaging shop is one that people will gravitate towards.

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Freelance Filmmaker

November 2015 • Wilbraham, MA

What I liked

Self-declared hours, creative freedom!

What I wish was different

More work, it was two contracted projects

Advice

Self employment is risky but it’s some of the most gratifying work!

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Digital Marketing & Business Development Consultant

April 2019 • Omaha, NE

What I liked

This opportunity has afforded me the experience to dig into a start up e-commerce shop. The company recently opened a shop in Omaha, NE where I was able to organize a technology stack used in day to day operations. Most of the technologies are able to work hand in hand with the online shop as well as the physical store front. The best part about this experience so far has been using facebook business manager, and the tools within to best target potential customers.

What I wish was different

One thing I would have done different in this experience would have been to hire a team member for my consulting services. By doing so, I would be able to bounce ideas and gather new insights that would help steer growth and assist in target marketing campaigns/tactics.

Advice

One piece of advice that I would offer anyone diving into a similar experience would be to not be afraid of any opportunities whether big or small. Before I was given this opportunity, I had always worked for someone else. With the opportunity to start my own business and help other small businesses grow, I have not only gained a tremendous amount of knowledge on what it is like to run a business of my own, however I get to work with small businesses to provide strategies for growth in their respective industries.

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Landscaping

May - September 2019 • Boston, MA

What I liked

Great to have flexibility of hours and projects. I got lots of experience in growing a business and dealing with clients.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been more selective of clients, rather than doing jobs for anyone who would pay our base rate.

Advice

If you start a landscaping company, make sure you use your other clients as leverage when acquiring new ones.

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Landscaping Worker

May - August 2019 • Vallejo, CA

What I liked

Self-paced, worked with my schedule. Reminded me why I like school.

What I wish was different

Advice

Open up your opportunities so that you can learn more than just school knowledge.

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Swim instructor

May 2015 - August 2019 • Batavia, IL

What I liked

Easy money and my own schedule

What I wish was different

Wouldn’t have worked two jobs because swim lessons are more profitable

Advice

Start your own business and work on your own schedule

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Nanny

May - August 2019 • Leesburg, VA

What I liked

I enjoyed the flexibility of our daily schedules and the opportunity to let the children experience new and exciting activities

What I wish was different

More consistency

Advice

Being creative is key

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Standardized Test Tutor

June - September 2019 • Glide, OR

What I liked

I enjoyed helping in an unrelated field to my own education. It helped expand my mind a little.

What I wish was different

I wished there had been more students with a greater variety of needs.

Advice

Try to stay ahead of whoever you are tutoring. It's a lot harder to help when you know even just a little bit of the issue beforehand.

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Nanny

June 2019 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

I like the flexibility of my hours

What I wish was different

I wish that my boss had been in better communication with me

Advice

Set up good boundaries regarding how much your employer can contact you

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Self- Employed Lawn Care

May - August 2019 • Huntsville, AL

What I liked

Lot of different experiences that will be applicable when I am on my own in the real world. Cutting grass, talking to customers, painting houses, pressure washing, etc.

What I wish was different

The heat was almost unbearable in August.

Advice

Get as much hands on experience as you can with any kind of home owner’s problems because it will save your money down the line.

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Online Sales

May 2014 • Snellville, GA

What I liked

That I can set my own schedule and work as many hours as I wanted. I am able to work around any and all obligations I have as well as control my own income based on how I work in terms of hours and tailoring my sales to my market and customer base.

What I wish was different

Being able to work with at least one other person to relate to within the work.

Advice

Must be highly motivated, organized and self disciplined to work self employed. You must be able to set your own schedule, duties and priorities on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to stay on track. It can be very easy to get side tracked and not get enough work done, so having these 3 main traits is very important when working for yourself.

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Baby Sitter

May - August 2019 • University Place, WA

What I liked

I love working with children. I also like helping their parents by being reliable and relieving their stress.

What I wish was different

Nothing!

Advice

Make sure to come up with activities to help make your day go by smoother. Having an outline of meals, naps, and activities also helps.

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Landscape

May - July 2019 • Carmel, IN

What I liked

Stayed in shape physically.

What I wish was different

I wish that the schedule would have been more defined and our work wasn't dependent on weather circumstances.

Advice

Landscape is hard and there is a tough market for it. Market share grows slowly but there's always people looking to change their services to better providers.

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Nanny

May - September 2019 • Elkhart, IN

What I liked

I loved almost everything about being a nanny. It was a wonderful experience to be welcomed into someone's home and help their children learn and grow.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have stayed with this family longer. They became a part of my family and I miss them so much.

Advice

Being a nanny is a hard job, but it is very rewarding! It's especially hard to watch children struggle with things you're not sure how you can help with. However, seeing these children overcome their challenges and be successful is a life-changing experience!

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Referee

May - July 2019 • Salina, KS

What I liked

Easy money

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

Must have tough skin

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Lawn Care Worker

April 2015 • Omaha, NE

What I liked

Freedom of being able to work on my own schedule

What I wish was different

Worked more hours

Advice

Work hard to get what you desire in life

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Private Music Teacher

June - August 2019 • Minneapolis, MN

What I liked

I enjoyed working with students on finding music that interested them and addressed the specific technical skills and learning goals set with each student at the beginning of the summer.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been able to work more with my high school aged students, especially those who were interested in exploring areas of music they did not have access to through their school music ensembles.

Advice

Teaching music lessons really is a good way to learn more about your own playing style and tests your ability to adapt, especially when working with younger or beginner students. Be prepared to keep tailor lessons to the individual students to make sure their needs and goals are able to be met in a way that doesn’t make playing a chore for them.

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