Love the work, hate the aquarium
August 1, 2011 2:19 PM Subscribe
I love what I do but I don't love the way my organization functions. I want to go solo. Help me figure out how to become a freelance data analyst/researcher
I love working with data and I am great at what I do. Without going into too much detail about everything that is wrong with my particular organization, can you help me figure out how I can continue doing what I do for other companies?
- Do organizations hire freelance (off-site) researchers and/or data analysts? All my googling has resulted in jobs looking for an on-site freelancer. I realize there's an inherent fear of letting anyone who isn't a permanent employee get too close to any of an agency/company's data. Does my dream job even exist in this paranoid century?
- How do I approach an organization and offer my services to them? I can't offer my services as a freelancer to any of the stakeholders I work for now (since I'm bound my company's rules), so how do I pimp myself out to companies? I can start a website advertising my services, but do organizations really seek out freelancers via that route?
- Are you more-or-less a freelance researcher or analyst? How did you get started? Do you work with one client or many?
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Throwaway email: wannadataresearch@gmail.com
I love working with data and I am great at what I do. Without going into too much detail about everything that is wrong with my particular organization, can you help me figure out how I can continue doing what I do for other companies?
- Do organizations hire freelance (off-site) researchers and/or data analysts? All my googling has resulted in jobs looking for an on-site freelancer. I realize there's an inherent fear of letting anyone who isn't a permanent employee get too close to any of an agency/company's data. Does my dream job even exist in this paranoid century?
- How do I approach an organization and offer my services to them? I can't offer my services as a freelancer to any of the stakeholders I work for now (since I'm bound my company's rules), so how do I pimp myself out to companies? I can start a website advertising my services, but do organizations really seek out freelancers via that route?
- Are you more-or-less a freelance researcher or analyst? How did you get started? Do you work with one client or many?
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Throwaway email: wannadataresearch@gmail.com
How do I approach an organization and offer my services to them?
Through a trusted third party. Or to put it another way, you need someone to pimp you out. Who have you worked with that will promote you to others? Who can speak to the quality of your work, and your trustfulness? Look for senior advisors and statesmen.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 2:50 PM on August 1, 2011
Through a trusted third party. Or to put it another way, you need someone to pimp you out. Who have you worked with that will promote you to others? Who can speak to the quality of your work, and your trustfulness? Look for senior advisors and statesmen.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 2:50 PM on August 1, 2011
This question is so vague as to be impossible to answer. The answer would be totally different depending on field.
There are some management consultants who do data analysis. And some people who leave big firms to do it more or less independently. But you will have a hard time striking out on your own in this vein without a proven track record. I doubt anyone is going to look for your web site.
posted by grouse at 3:31 PM on August 1, 2011
There are some management consultants who do data analysis. And some people who leave big firms to do it more or less independently. But you will have a hard time striking out on your own in this vein without a proven track record. I doubt anyone is going to look for your web site.
posted by grouse at 3:31 PM on August 1, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by quodlibet at 2:36 PM on August 1, 2011 [1 favorite]