I want to work in Self Employment

Find out how you can start a career in self-employment. Here we list potential job roles in that sector.

Job roles

Running your own business, freelance work and franchising are all ways of being self-employed. Self-employment can offer independence, the freedom to make your own decisions and to work in your own way. The negatives can be the risk of failure, often have to work long hours, and possibly having little financial reward at first.

If you are determined, motivated, take the initiative, have entrepreneurial skills, resilience, good time management, are organised, persuasive, and good at negotiating and decision-making, then self-employment could be for you!

See how you can get involved in Student enterprise here at Kent. The Enterprise Hub at Kent offers free business advice sessions to students, see their website for more information.

Further information about self employment can be obtained from the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce

Routes into self-employment

Often the best way to start your own business is to try to set it up in your spare time while still working in another job. This will allow you to test the water and establish networks of suppliers and customers while still having money coming in to support yourself. If you can work from home initially, this will avoid the costs of leasing premises until you have something established.

Sometimes, a group of graduates will get together to form a partnership upon leaving university. This allows you to draw upon the skills of the individual members. Many people will go into business for themselves after gaining initial experience and/or professional training with a larger employer: this is common in fields such as accounting and professional services.

Risks of starting a new business

Often the best way to start your own business is to try to set it up in your spare time while still working in another job. This will allow you to test the water and establish networks of suppliers and customers while still having money coming in to support yourself. If you can work from home initially, this will avoid the costs of leasing premises until you have something established.

Sometimes, a group of graduates will get together to form a partnership upon leaving university. This allows you to draw upon the skills of the individual members. Many people will go into business for themselves after gaining initial experience and/or professional training with a larger employer: this is common in fields such as accounting and professional services.

Franchising

Franchising is a way of setting up in business for yourself but with the support of another company (the franchiser) that has already developed a business brand. You run the business, but under an established trade name and under the overall control of the franchiser.
There is a huge variety of franchise organisations, from retail to fitness clubs, from plumbing services to catering and from legal services to language schools. The initial costs of the franchise can be substantial.
You are more limited than in normal self-employment: you have a contractual relationship with your franchisor covering elements such as quality and operating procedures. A good franchisor will also give you a lot of support as well.
Some organisations who may be of interest:

Find out more

Self-employment links

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