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Are You Suited for Self-employment?

A recent poll conducted by Yahoo! Small Businessshowed that nearly 3 out of 4 Americans have consideredstarting their own business. In fact, of more than 2,200 adults surveyed, over half (51 percent) said they wouldlike to launch their small business within the next 5 years.

Clearly, entrepreneurship is a part of the American Dream.But is everyone suited to being his or her own boss?Here's a 10-question quiz that can give you a quickidea of your chance for success if you decide to go outon your own. Keep track of the score on a separate sheetof paper. Be honest. Give yourself a "2" for every "yes"answer, a "1" for every "somewhat" and a "0" for every "no".

1. Are you organized? Do you like to make lists and prioritizeyour day?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

2. Are you task-oriented? Can you focus on a specific taskuntil it's completed? Or do you frequently leave thingsunfinished?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

3. Are you comfortable working with a personal computer?Do you have good computer skills?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

4. Are you goal oriented? Do you have a 1-, 3- and 5-yearplans for where you want to be?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

5. Do you have a wide network of friends and colleagues fromprevious organizations you've worked for, or schools andorganizations you belong to?[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

6. Are you comfortable serving other people? Have you everworked in a service role before?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

7. Would you characterize yourself as friendly, cheerful, andeasy to get along with?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

8. Would you say that you have a marketable skill that is needed by other people or companies?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

9. Are you willing to work extra hours at night or onweekends to meet deadlines or to make more money?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

10. Is making money and being financially secure moreimportant to you than having "status" symbolslike a fancy office, expensive car or a big title?
[ ] Yes [ ] Somewhat [ ] No

Your score:

Okay, add up the total. Remember, you should have given yourself a "2" for every "yes" answer, a "1" for every "somewhat" and a "0" for every "no".

11-20 = You're definitely suited for self-employment.

6-10 = You may be suited for it, but should learn moreand work on your skill set and service orientation.

0-5 = Don't leave your day job.

Self-employment isn't for everyone. It often requires a highly-motivated, self-starter type of person who would gladly work long hours each day because they love what they're doing. If you're that type of person? maybe it IS time to break free and live your dream.

Barnaby Kalan is an award-winning freelance copywriter and author of Outsourcing Yourself: How to Turn Your Job Into a Business for Greater Wealth and Security. For a free chapter of his book, visit http://www.outsourcing-yourself.com

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