I’m increasingly hearing stories of extensive redundancies among former colleagues in various agencies. News that can put the willies up you if you work freelance. So far, however, I am relieved to say that I have actually had more work than ever. A sample of one is meaningless of course, but when people are reluctant to hire full-time staff it’s logical to think this could be opportune time for freelancers.
Obviously being able to network well is essential, and thanks to networking sites and the Internet this is easier than ever. A glib truth I was happy to parrot until my friend Anton pointed out that you can do all the networking you like, but unless it is accompanied by some kind of reputation it is unlikely to be successful. Anton works for IBM, who of course have traded on their reputation for generations.
This no time for smug complacency of course, but remaining optimistic is the only realistic option. And at the risk of sounding like something out of the I Ching, it’s worth remembering that times of change always present opportunities too.
Peter Kenny: a writer's notebook 