Based on the answers you gave, your current career is working well for you overall. Rather than throwing it all away, you want to find a way to fine-tune your situation so it suits you better. There are two main ways to do that—and the good news is that you can prepare for either without quitting your current job: 

• Make a lateral move.
  Depending on what you wish were different, you might simply move to a different team within your company or look for new work doing the same role. Or perhaps you want to switch to a job that’s related or similar to what you do now.
• Advance to a more senior level.
  Maybe it’s time to move up. In many cases, this involves gaining new skills in management or business administration. You might also need to demonstrate your suitability through experience or a professional certification.

Any career change should involve some careful analysis:

1. What exactly do you wish were different?
2. In what ways are you already prepared for the change you want?
3. What skills, credentials, or experience are you missing?
4. What do you need to do to fill those gaps?

Once you know the answers to those questions, you’ll be ready to start putting your plan in motion. You can do this!

ONE MORE THING
Before you move forward, take a moment to make sure that there isn’t anything holding you back. Here are some questions to consider:

• If a bigger career change were possible for you, would you want it? What would that look like?
• If you answered yes, what’s missing that’s preventing you from going for it?
• Are there creative ways you might try to gain what’s missing and make this bigger goal possible for yourself? 

You know your situation best, so grab a pencil and paper and start thinking through the details. Before you know it, you’ll have a rough plan to get you started.

From what you’ve told us, we think you’re ready to explore going independent. 

A freelancer is anyone who gets paid by the project or hour, rather than receiving a set salary—but someone who doesn’t have employees of their own. A freelancer typically in charge of managing every aspect of their operation, from advertising to taxes, on top of the actual work they do for their clients. They are their business, and their value proposition is often closely related to who they are as an individual.

Like anything, freelance work has its upsides and downsides. It’s less “safe” than regular employment—but the rewards are often higher. The schedule is often more flexible—but also more unpredictable. You get to choose your clients—but you also have to manage them yourself. The work can have more variety and be more interesting—but you’ll have to handle surprises and overload on your own.

When it comes down to it, freelancing is a lifestyle. It might take some trial and error, but if you can make that lifestyle work for you, freelancing could be an incredibly satisfying and rewarding direction to take your career.

COMMON PATHS FOR FREELANCERS
The kind of freelancer you might be will depend on who you are, which market you’re in, and what your experience is. For example, you could:

• Become a freelance version of the role you’ve already done full-time
• Develop your own unique processes for your work and go independent to market yourself as an innovator
• Become a “one-stop shop” that offers suites of related services using multiple connected skill sets
• Partner with other freelancers to build an agency or one-stop shop
• Use freelancing as a learning experience before building a full business

It’s always a good idea to scout out the possibilities online and by talking to people in your network, so you can make a plan before taking the leap.

ALREADY FREELANCING?
If you’re a freelancer and want to make some changes, the great news is that there are lots of ways to do that. You might:

• Add services to the range of what you offer
• Change your rates to reflect the current market
• Up your branding game to better represent yourself
• Focus on new marketing strategies until you’ve added your ideal clients to your roster
• Use software or services to automate or outsource an aspect of the business that’s getting you down

Take some time to think about the changes you want to make. What kind of results are you looking for? What’s working and what isn’t? Brainstorm what changes might get you where you want to be.

One key to making a successful change is doing good research into your target market. It’s crucial to be as sure as possible what your customers’ reactions might be before you start making changes.

Some people thrive working online, and others don’t. It largely comes down to how comfortable a person is using technology and how well they work on their own. Based on what you told us, it sounds like working online could be a great choice for you.

There are lots of advantages to digital and remote work: more opportunities with clients near and far, no commute, a near-infinite array of tools that help you do high-quality work, higher earning potential, greater independence, a more peaceful work environment… The list goes on and on.

Of course, there are downsides too. Working from home can be isolating—and distracting. The lines between work and daily life can become blurred so that you feel like you’re always “at work”. The good news is that there are ways to adjust the remote lifestyle so it works for you.

DIGITAL & REMOTE WORK IN LATIN AMERICA
In recent years—thanks in part to the pandemic—opportunities for digital and remote work have blossomed. Here are some options that are popular in Latin America:

• Remote versions of traditional work, such as accounting, sales, paralegal, administration, design, marketing, personal fitness, therapy, coaching, and customer service
• New online careers, such as digital project manager, virtual assistant, social-media manager, community manager, SEO expert, funnel builder, and growth hacker
• Turning your expertise into a product by offering consulting, courses, and social-media content

Remote employees have it easiest: their company will provide support and a system to work within. Digital freelancers have the luxury—and the responsibility—of creating their own online ecosystem to support their business, deliver their services, and connect with customers. And online entrepreneurs have thousands of options for digital tools that will help their business operate efficiently.

The opportunities are pretty much infinite. With the help of the internet, if you can dream it, you can make it happen.

It doesn’t matter how old you are, who you are, or where you’re from. With the right mindset, the right tools, some patience, and plenty of determination, you can achieve any career goal you dream of.   

We hope these recommendations spark your imagination and give you a sense of direction. Over the next few days, we’re going to email you some more ideas and resources, so that you can explore your options from a solid foundation. 

No matter which path you decide to take in your career, we want you to know that you can do this! You absolutely have it within you to learn, to gain new skills, to kick ass in a new job, and to bring something unique and innovative to what you do. We’re so excited for your career journey! And we hope to be with you every step of the way.