Independent contractors are becoming more and more ubiquitous these days. Ever since the pandemic in 2020, many individuals have taken charge of their lives and began working for themselves.
Freelancers or independent contractors have the freedom to pick and choose what they want to do in terms of work. They can also work from wherever they want. Due to this, freelancing or independent contracting is a desirable situation for many.
You might encounter unpleasant situations or clients, and some people might question your credibility.
To combat the challenges of becoming an independent contractor, there are certain personality traits you should develop. This article will summarize the top five personality traits that make an ideal independent contractor.
- Decisiveness
Making decisions can be stressful, especially if you have too many options or too few. In your tenure as an independent contractor, there may come a time when you have to make hard decisions—for example, choosing between clients due to conflicting schedules or having to reject a job because of your lack of resources.
Either way, being decisive and making good decisions is an essential personality trait every individual contractor should help. It’s a survival instinct that helps them make important choices throughout their career.
- Confidence
Confidence is critical for every professional. It gives them a sense of credibility and will give their clients the security that they hired the right person. Without any confidence, you might not be able to gain any clients.
A confident individual contractor signifies professionalism and experience. To build confidence, you must gain experience and work enough jobs to showcase your skills. Once you have enough experience, the confidence will undoubtedly show through your work and communication skills.
- Knowledge About Their Industry
Along with confidence, thorough knowledge of your industry is vital. Without this knowledge, you won’t be considered credible, and it might damage your reputation. So, it’s essential to constantly update and elevate your skills to ensure your knowledge continues growing.
You can do this by getting yourself certified and joining workshops or seminars. Today, you can join many online classes from the comfort of your own home. So, don’t forget to update your skills today!
- Honesty
Honesty is an important trait every professional should have. Be honest with customers and always have their best interests at heart. You might be tempted to increase your prices at certain times.
Also, if you have any problems or reservations, it’s essential to bring them up with your clients to avoid any misunderstandings in the future. Don’t be scared of disappointing your clients. Being honest with them is better than hiding facts from them.
- Excellent Organization Skills
Being an individual contractor means that you will be working on your own. So, it’s crucial to have excellent organizational skills. You won’t have anyone else to do it for you, so you need to be able to manage your time, workload, and clients on your own.
Organization skills are highly beneficial because they help maintain clients, work-life balance, and finances. Some people like to organize spreadsheets, while others like to keep memos. Choose different organizational styles and stick to the ones that help you best.
Final Words
Being an individual contractor isn’t easy. When you work for a company, you have other people working with you, but when you’re on your own, you need specific skills and personality traits to help you survive in this cutthroat industry. To become a successful individual contractor, you need five things: strong decision-making skills, confidence, extensive industry knowledge, honesty, and excellent organizational skills.
