Working for yourself is a popular career choice, with over 4.2 million self-employed people in the UK. Self-employment can include creating a start-up, running your own business (you may even employ others) and freelancing (delivering work, projects or contracts on a self-employed basis to specific clients). Being self-employed requires not only business acumen and a valuable product or service, but it also takes a specific set of skills \u2013 we call these entrepreneurial skills. These skills are vital if you want to work for yourself, and many are also important transferable skills that are highly sought after by employers.<\/p>\n
There are lots of reasons why people choose self-employment. For example, you might found a start-up because you have a unique idea that you want to bring to market or you might become a freelancer because it gives you more flexibility with your working hours. You could even be employed and self-employed at the same time, for example working in your free time on your own business or start-up. Whatever your motivations for choosing self-employment, it\u2019s important you consider the benefits and negatives involved \u2013 Prospects<\/a> has a handy guide to help you decide if self-employment is right for you.<\/p>\n Enterprise and entrepreneurial skills are essential if you want to become self-employed, and they\u2019re also highly desired by graduate employers! They are a set of skills we often associate with entrepreneurs, but in fact anyone can develop and demonstrate entrepreneurial skills. They include things like creativity, the ability to innovate and problem solve and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n Entrepreneurial skills include:<\/p>\n You will notice that many of the entrepreneurial skills listed here are some of the top skills sought after by employers<\/a>. Spending time developing these skills whilst at university will allow you to excel in any career you choose, not just self-employment. Being innovative, enterprising and commercially aware is also one of the six graduate attributes<\/a> you are actively developing whilst at Cardiff University.<\/p>\n We have lots of support to help you develop your entrepreneurial skills and work for yourself, from starting a business to becoming a freelancer.<\/p>\n You can work through our comprehensive online pathways at your own pace. Join our start-up and freelance pathway<\/a> via your Student Futures Account and unlock subsequent pathways on building your start-up business and becoming a freelancer.<\/p>\n We also offer:<\/p>\n Find out more about the support we offer to current Cardiff University students<\/a> on the intranet and for our recent graduates<\/a> on the Cardiff University website.<\/p>\n \n\n Developing entrepreneurial skills<\/h4>\n
\n \u201cStudents and graduates often think that they only require entrepreneurial skills if they intend to become an entrepreneur and set up their own business as a graduate. But employers often seek an entrepreneurial mindset in their graduate recruits. These graduates are an asset because they will be able to spot gaps in the market and innovate, and because they are commercially minded. Graduate job seekers can showcase their strengths in this area by demonstrating a capacity for independent work and original thinking, as well as sound business sense and an interest in the market that their potential employer operates in.\" <\/blockquote>\n
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Enterprise support from Student Futures<\/h4>\n
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