Choosing a Career in Freelance Audio Engineering
Make the right business connections in the world’s
fastest-growing freelance marketplace.
Almost everyone dreams of becoming their own boss, and sound technicians can make a fine living doing freelance audio. In fact, most of the top in-house technicians fantasize about the day they'll break free and go freelance – but it's a major decision, and your success will depend on a lot more than your talent (or lack thereof).
One of the biggest considerations that audio/visual engineers have to look at when choosing to take the risk of a freelance career is whether or not they have a family to support.. For some audio engineers, the risks are just too high to gamble their financial future on their dream, but hundreds of others in the industry make the jump to freelance audio every day. Some of the decision depends on your own confidence in your work, your determination to succeed, and the clients you can line up as a freelancer If you have a full time, in-house job and intend to leave it for a freelance audio career, the best thing you can do is plan for it as carefully as possible before hand – then make the jump.
One of the first things that will help you is to build up a reasonable nest egg in your savings before transitioning to your freelance audio career. Ideally, you'll enough money in savings to tide you over of you should go as much a whole year without getting paying work – that way you know you'll be covered no matter how lean the early months may be. If you're working as part of a successful team before going freelance, you should have been making a decent enough salary to allow for some savings – and picked up a few bonus checks, to boot. Use this money to build up your savings take care of your bills and your family while establishing your freelance audio business. There's a lot more that you'll need to do, of course – but having money in savings in crucial.
It may be a little scary to strike out on your own as a freelancer after working with an established company for a long time, but if you've socked away money in savings and have a number of jobs under your belt that will net you clients, you have as good a chance as anyone else as an independent contractor. Take a look at some of the many opportunities for freelance audio engineers available, and get started on your own freelance career with the help of Go Freelance!
Testimonials
"I took a chance one day when I was flush and sent a few bucks to gain access to the Go Freelance Professional Edition. Since then, I've edited a sales letter, a follow-up letter, an 11-page Web site, and a brochure. I'm 'on call' to do pinch-hit proofreading for a medical newsletter editor in Florida ..and I've landed a gig editing a new Canadian magazine coming out this fall. All this from taking a chance on Go Freelance."
Karyn Martin
"Once again, you guys have come through with incredible results. Our job post definitely produced the type and quality of person we needed, and we found who we were looking for quickly. From now on, you're my first choice when I need to hire someone."
Steve Brownrigg, The Newsletter Company