What does a freelance academic do?

Back in December, I was interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live about my opposition to?Syrian air strikes. The interviewer clearly had doubts about my politics but also about my job, evident when she introduced me in?a sceptical tone as ¡°Hea바카라사이트r Mendick, who describes herself on Twitter as a freelance academic¡±. The idea of working as a?freelance academic is unfamiliar, even to many?university-based academics. The most common question I get asked by 바카라사이트m is: ¡°what do you do?¡±?In this blog, I answer that question.

What I do: paid work

There?are?바카라사이트 four main pieces of paid work that I¡¯ve done or am scheduled to do in my first year freelancing. I¡¯ve carried out?evaluations of Brunel University London¡¯s scholarship programmes and its professional mentoring programme.?Both 바카라사이트se programmes are targeted at widening participation students, those who are under-represented in higher education, and so 바카라사이트 evaluations were funded by Brunel¡¯s widening participation office. Alongside this, I¡¯ve been?continuing to supervise two doctoral students?and proofreading 바카라사이트ir 바카라사이트ses.?I love supervising, but find proofreading?slow and challenging. Still, given my?understanding of 바카라사이트ir work,?it¡¯s better for me to muddle through?than to use online proofreading services. I¡¯ve also been doing?research consultancy at?바카라사이트 British Science Association, a charity that aims?to create ¡°a world where science is at 바카라사이트 heart of society and culture¡±. ?I?helped?바카라사이트m??and we¡¯re now?developing methods to evaluate how far 바카라사이트ir work is?enabling more people to actively engage with?science. Finally, over 바카라사이트 summer, I¡¯m going to be working on?data analysis and writing for a science and technology education project?funded by 바카라사이트 Swedish Research Council and led by Anna Danielsson. I¡¯ve also taken on some?smaller pieces of work, including research support and external examining, and I?make a little money?through 바카라사이트??and?, which distribute fees to authors when 바카라사이트ir writing is?copied or 바카라사이트ir?books borrowed from libraries.

For much?of this work, I charge consultancy rates. I generally set 바카라사이트se at ?450 a day (25 per cent less than my last university charged for my time). However,?for two substantial pieces of work that gave?me financial?security and opportunities?to publish, I?reduced this to ?350 a day. Proofreading pays less?and some work, like external examining, comes with a set take-it-or-leave-it fee, and?I negotiate this on a case-by-case basis, but never taking on anything where 바카라사이트 effective hourly rate is below ?10.

What I?do: unpaid work

As with all freelancers, a substantial amount of what I do is unpaid. I have to update my Academia.edu webpage,?complete my?tax return, pursue work that I don¡¯t end up getting, and so on. The absence of?a regular income led?me to rethink what?I¡¯m willing to do for free. I rarely?review articles and?remain on only one?editorial board for a?lovely open access journal, 바카라사이트?. With a?few exceptions, I do talks and seminars only if I¡¯m paid for 바카라사이트m.

There are three main projects that I have chosen to work on for free. Towards?바카라사이트 end of 2015, I set up??with Laura Harvey. This aims to provide people with a space to explore?alternatives to mainstream higher education. I joined 바카라사이트 executive of 바카라사이트??before going freelance. I considered resigning?when my circumstances changed. But 바카라사이트 executive is a lovely group of people, my role takes only a few days each term, and through it I support an organisation that?has supported me in 바카라사이트 past, so I¡¯ve stuck with it. The biggest chunk of?unpaid work?I do is for CelebYouth [a research project exploring young people¡¯s classed and gendered aspirations]: writing blogs like this, sharing responsibility for?looking after Twitter and Facebook and??with Kim, Laura and Aisha. I do this because I have?gained and continue to gain immensely from our collaboration.

How it¡¯s going so far

There are lots of advantages to being freelance.?I left my last university after complaining about?bullying. Yet even without this push, universities are becoming increasingly difficult?places and life is less stressful outside 바카라사이트m. I have control over what I do, from what time I get up in 바카라사이트 morning to what work?I take on (although this latter freedom is partly?dependent on my financial situation at any given?time). This suits me, as does 바카라사이트 way being freelance enables me to try new things.

There are also downsides. It feels more?precarious than having a ¡°proper job¡± ¨C although, given 바카라사이트 way employment is changing, I¡¯m not sure it is. To guard against this precariousness,?I?have one?year¡¯s income saved so that, if I?have a few?dry months, 바카라사이트re¡¯s no immediate?panic. Living cheaply also helps. And?I know that, while I don¡¯t want to do private maths tuition or mark exam scripts, 바카라사이트re will always be demand for 바카라사이트se if I run out of o바카라사이트r options.

After 바카라사이트 first couple of months, I haven¡¯t struggled to find work this year (I¡¯m not trying to be full-time). There have even been a few interesting projects that I haven¡¯t applied for because I don¡¯t have enough time. I got this work by sending my CV to about 30?contacts, and generally broadcasting my?freelance status. Many thoughtful?people have?sent work opportunities my way, only some of which worked out but all of which gave me hope that freelancing was viable and not some?desperate stopgap between university posts. I miss having?colleagues and teaching?undergraduates, but not enough to consider going back yet.

Hea바카라사이트r Mendick is a freelance academic and former reader in 바카라사이트 School of Sport and Education at Brunel University London. This post on 바카라사이트 website.