Introduction
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There are around 3.5 million self-employed people in the UK today. They come from very different backgrounds and are doing all sorts of things from driving cabs and child-minding to running restaurants and shops, working with computers and even inventing things. A few are making millions while, for others, being self-employed is more of a lifestyle choice, giving them the freedom to work the hours that suit them or become their own boss.
As an ex-offender, there is nothing stopping you from becoming self-employed if you want to. In fact, it’s quite a good way to get away from the prejudices that ex-offenders so often come up against when job hunting because, in most cases, there’s no need to account for your past. That said, no one could claim that becoming self-employed is an easy option. Most people who make a success of self-employment have experience, a bit of money behind them and support from family and friends. In the early days, this really helps because you’re likely to be working very hard and not bringing in much money but, as an ex-offender, you may find you don’t have much of this support available to you. On top of this, you’ll need to overcome the extra challenges that having a criminal record and time away from the job market will bring. But, where there’s a will there’s a way. If you really do want to have a go at being self-employed, don’t let the obstacles ahead put you off before you’ve even started. You’re not the first ex-offender to have goals and there are plenty of examples around of people like you who have made a success of working for themselves.
Have you got what it takes to be self-employed?
As we’ve already said, all sorts of different people become self-employed but it’s probably fair to say that most of them have things in their characters that are quite similar. So, if you’re going to make a success of being self-employed, before you start thinking about what sort of work you’d like to do, it’s a good idea to have a think about what you’re really like as a person and try to work out if you think you’ll be suited to working for yourself.
We’ve made a list of the sorts of qualities it’ll be good to have if you want to go it alone. Have a look at our list and see if you think you have what it takes but remember, you’re not superhuman and no one is expecting you to be great in all areas. There are also quite a few things in the list below that might not come naturally but that you can train yourself to do, for example getting out of bed in the morning.
| Self-motivated | Could you get up in the morning and knuckle down to work without a boss to keep you on the straight and narrow? |
| Self-confident | Can you take knock backs? There may be plenty of people who tell you your business idea is rubbish or don’t want to help you so it’s important to be able to pick yourself up and keep going. |
| Hard working | Are you afraid of hard work because, when you work for yourself, there’s no one to pick up the slack if you’re feeling lazy? |
| Organised | Being self-employed means everything is down to you. On top of whatever it is you’re doing, you’ll find yourself juggling things like paperwork and accounts, not to mention making time for your life outside work. Are you organised and good at planning ahead? |
| Professional | You won’t last long if you don’t do your job properly. Are you the sort of person who turns up when you say you will and sticks around to finish off jobs? |
| Good communicator | You could have the best idea in the world but if you don’t get out there and let people know about what you’re doing, you won’t succeed. Are you good at talking, getting to know people and grabbing opportunities? |
| Risk taker | You’ll be investing a lot of time, energy and probably cash into setting up on your own and there are no guarantees that people will want what you’re offering.While it’s not good to be reckless, can you handle the pressure that comes with uncertainty and taking risks? |
| Polite and friendly | You won’t last long if you upset people and make enemies along the way! |
- When you work for yourself, there’s no getting away from handling paperwork and accounts so it’s important to have a good grasp of reading, writing and numbers. But, if you’re shaky on any of these, don’t be put off because there is a lot of support about to help you gain these skills. Careers Advice offers free independent advice on finding a course and on careers over the phone, online and by e-mail. You’ll find its details in our Further resources section or you can also contact your local college or ask your Jobcentre Plus Advisor if you have one.
- No one knows what is going to happen to them in the future but it’s a good idea to be healthy if you’re thinking about becoming self-employed. You don’t get any sick pay when you work for yourself and your business won’t keep going for very long if you can’t put in the hours.
- It’s unlikely you’ll make a success of your work if you’re not enthusiastic about it so enjoying what you do is a priority.
| TIP:
A point to remember We’ve pulled together a list of pros and cons for you here but it’s important to mention that a lot of pros and cons aren’t black and white.What we mean is that what you see as a pro, another person might see as a con. For example, you might see being your own boss as a pro because you’re in control of your own destiny and have a certain amount of freedom. But others might see this as a con because they’d rather just turn up for work and have someone else deal with the pressure of running the business. |
As with everything in life, there are pros and cons to working for yourself so it’s important to identify these and take them into account when deciding if being self-employed will suit you.
Pros (for)
Freedom: You are your own boss, doing work that you have chosen for yourself in the way that you want to do it.
Control: You have greater control over how much you work and a bigger say in what you earn.
Flexibility: You often can chose to work hours that suit you, for example to fit around family life.
Potential: You’re in charge so you can develop your work in the way you want to and, if you’re successful, you have the potential to earn more money.
Less hassle: You don’t have to deal with the office politics and endless meetings that come with so many jobs.
Rewards: You receive the rewards for your hard work.
Unspent convictions: One of the advantages of going self-employed is that you won’t have to declare any unspent convictions to potential employers and open yourself up to possible discrimination. But remember that to do any work that brings you into contact with children or vulnerable adults you’ll need a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check, which will reveal all unspent and spent convictions. You can find out more information on the CRB by visiting their website at: www.crb.gov.uk/
Cons (against)
Lack of security: There’s no job security when you work for yourself.
Limited benefits: You won’t be getting anything like holiday pay, sick pay or redundancy money although you may still be able to claim some benefits.
Irregular income: There’s no weekly or monthly pay packet from anyone else when you work for yourself and, even if you’re successful, it’s likely to take a while for the money to start coming in.
Administration: You have to submit tax returns and take care of your own National Insurance as well as keeping on top of all the laws and paperwork that come with self-employment.
Work-life balance: You may have to work long, irregular hours and there is often no obvious divide between work and family life.
Insurance: Be prepared for personal, driving and business insurance to be higher.
