So, you’re READY to go full-time freelance 1099! Full-Time Freelance 1099 is where you completely take the reins, find your own contracts, make your own schedule, and name your own price. Think you have what it takes?
Let’s jump right in and look at the first 3 of 7 things you’ll need to ask yourself!
1. Can you be your own boss?
Being your own boss brings on some new responsibilities. As your own boss, you have only yourself to answer to. The buck stops with you! You must keep track of the following:
- Your own credentialing
- Your own insurances
- Corporate setup
- Understanding contracts
- Finding work
- Budgeting finances
- Navigating taxes
- Setting up your retirement
You might be saying “WOW, that sounds incredibly difficult”, but doesn’t being your own boss sound nice? Would you like to make your own schedule, decide whether or not you want to take call, work nights and weekends, and name your own price? Many of the things mentioned above sound a lot scarier than they really are. Most of them can be put on automatic with the correct processes in place and people on your team. 1MAC can empower you by giving you a fundamental understanding through in-app education, helping you know what questions to ask, as well as what professionals you’ll need on your team to make your business run smooth like butter… AND ALL FREE OF CHARGE!
2. Can you find the work?
One of the main things that scares providers is having to find new work constantly, negotiating your own contracts, and possibly having to move to get work. How do you find and spin contracts that make it worth it? Where do you start with negotiations? What’s a fair offer for both you and the facility? How do you find consistent work for a great rate as a 1099? These are most likely some of the questions spinning around in your head. This process of finding work and getting your feet wet can and should be started while you are already working a consistent job. Risk stratification is the name of the game, and this process can be started risk free. Dipping your toes in with some PRN opportunities may be the start! Beware of linking up with facilities for less then you should be getting though. You may need to go through a staffing company to get that rate you are looking for and you don’t want to be prevented from doing so. Be careful of being “claimed” by either. I’m my experience facilities are a lot more aggressive about this and will claim you with just one conversation. It is possible to find work, negotiate for great rates, do it consistently, and stay local. But don’t box yourself out of lucrative local opportunities. The more you offer i.e., skills, shift types, and consistent coverage that matches your client’s needs, the more marketable you are and the more you can charge. Don’t forget though, you’re in business and you need to provide a great service at a competitive rate to stay in business.
You should be attuned to the local market and needs in your area if you want to stay local and not be on a chopping block. In this scenario your goal should be to cost the facility/company less than what they would need to pay to get a true locum tenes (latin phrase meaning substitute). If you’re a hustler and don’t mind bouncing around then get what you can get! For some cash is king and for others it’s a give and take between cash, locality, and ongoing security. Are you the kind that would be willing to travel for great money and adventure? Or are you looking to stay local for a little less pay, lifestyle, and ongoing job security?
3. Can you make the jump?
At first, when looking at possibly making the jump you may start to second guess the situation due to all the uncertainty. As human beings we have an ingrained fear of the unknown. But, if you are smart and start by assessing the situation, gathering the needed info, and preparing yourself for the journey, the jump becomes a lot less scary. Also, as we spoke on earlier, just dipping your toes in the 1099 water may be the best way to start! You had to move out of your comfort zone when you made the determination to go back to school and learn the voluminous amount of information and skills necessary to succeed as an anesthesia provider! That jump was well worth it… right?
The jump into 1099 isn’t near as intimidating as that. It can be exciting and fun, like any new adventure. Knowing what steps to take first, understanding the necessary things to have in place and keep up with, and how/where to find consistent work helps to give you the courage you need. We will go over all of that and more in our free in-app educational section and help guide you along the way. You can also always reach out to us from your in-app 1MAC support channel for any questions or one on one guidance you need! At the end of the day, you are a high commodity anesthesia professional, so there is more security than you think. Remember, you got the skills to pay the bills but you’re going to have to be willing to JUMP!
So those are our first 3 questions to ask yourself on our list of 7!
- Can you be your own boss?
- Can you find the work?
- Can you make the jump?
You can find the final 4 questions in-app here!
I hope we didn’t intimidate you. It’s not as intimidating as it might seem at this point. However, we promise to always give you an eye-opening view of the pros and cons of the business. Make sure you download the app, sign up for a free 1MAC account and head over to the next bit of content, “1MAC’s Final 4 of 7 Questions to Ask Yourself”.
This is 1MAC, anesthesia’s most dynamic 2-sided marketplace app… built for educating, empowering, and enabling anesthesia providers to connect, collaborate, negotiate, and contract like never before! It’s time to find your freedom…
Download 1MAC Today! Click here from your phone to download or visit the App Store or Google Play Store.
