I\u2019ve recently completed an interim role as a freelance \u2013 not something I\u2019d anticipated when I started but I was lucky to secure it last summer when I started out. It\u2019s been something completely different to all my other contracts, so what did I learn?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Freelancers are a great option for flexible cover. This particular organisation needed interim cover to bolster capacity in a particular area of the business and using me as a freelancer meant a quick onboarding. It also meant flexibility to end the contract whenever suited on both sides with only a week\u2019s notice. It\u2019s made me think of all the times in an organisation when a boost of short-term capacity from someone independent with expertise in the area, would have been invaluable and how freelancers can be an incredible untapped resource in the charity sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I started on a 3-month contract to support them to bridge a capacity challenge, and I\u2019ve just completed 13 months with them. A number of changes internally and externally meant I was extended four times in total, I think, so that initial short term contract proved to be something much more involved and valuable. It\u2019s also an organisation where I\u2019ve made a number of friends and fantastic professional contacts, enabling me to continue to broadening my network and opening up to the potential for other opportunities in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As temporary support, and as someone who also remains somewhat external to the charity, clarity on priorities is critical. Similar to covering parental leave \u2013 you to be clear on your mandate, are you holding things, or are you charged with making change? What are your key areas of focus and how are you assessing progress? What\u2019s critical, especially in interim roles, is establishing what\u2019s achievable in the timeframe you\u2019re working within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re never intended to be an employee, but the longer you stay with an organisation, the more you have to be careful on that boundary. Training opportunities, socials, working groups, team meetings – what\u2019s the purpose and are they a good use of your time? Are you invited to that all-staff email? Who covers the cost of attending? They\u2019re all things that ideally need good honest communication about as they arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was lucky enough to attend a number of training courses with them, adding to my knowledge of their area of work. They\u2019ve easily converted me to a champion of their cause and the vital nature of their work now, and their efforts to affect system change. I was also challenged, for some of my time, to work in a specialism that I hadn\u2019t focused on in a while. There\u2019s nothing like the live challenge to update your skill set and re-invest in your professional development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While it\u2019s sad to say goodbye, it\u2019s brilliant to hand things over to a new permanent team. I will be watching\/stalking with interest to see all the wonderful things this charity does next. It was a privilege to be part of their development, and a fantastic intro into what can be gained from interim roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photo by Juan Gomez<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve recently completed an interim role as a freelance \u2013 not something I\u2019d anticipated when I started but I was lucky to secure it last summer when I started out. It\u2019s been something completely different to all my other contracts, so what did I learn? Flexibility on Both Sides Freelancers are a great…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[34],"tags":[13,11,12,10],"class_list":["post-550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-contracts","tag-charity","tag-consultant","tag-freelance","tag-start-up-2"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t