Is a career in freelance Account Management for you?

Here are some common questions and answers that should provide anyone considering a switch to freelance Account Management with some valuable information… 

What is the market like for freelance Account Managers? 

It’s buoyant! Since May 2021, there has been a huge demand for perm people across all skill sets, and it’s unrelenting today. So much so, that businesses are turning to freelance support to help them with their workload. Specific to account management, there are a number of reasons that businesses need help: 

• Simply workload and a need for an extra pair of hands

• Pitch wins, which need immediate resource whilst perm resource is sought

• Maternity or paternity leave

• Projects landing that require specialist knowledge which doesn’t reside in the existing team 

How long do the projects tend to be? 

Anything from a few weeks to months and full time 

What is a typical day rate? 

£200 - £300 per day is pretty typical for an experienced Account Manager to an experienced Senior Account Manager. It is often the case that freelancers choose to go freelance when they’ve got to a senior level (Account Director and beyond), however, the nature of work is mainly delivery focussed and rates are aligned to that level of work. In good news, as projects tend to run for weeks or months, unlike creative roles, it can reward well, financially. 

Do you need to be a Limited company? 

No. You can set yourself up as a Sole Trader which is very straightforward. However, if a project falls inside IR35, you may be asked to be paid on payroll on a salary basis. However, the salary is often calculated to align to your day rate to ensure you are paid fairly.  

What are the benefits of freelancing? 

• Variety

• The feeling of making a difference

• Time off in-between projects

• Less responsibility (team management, career development, etc) 

How would you get the work?

With such a connected world, marketing yourself as a freelance Account Manager has never been easier. Linkedin is the perfect platform, but you can also put your CV on various job boards and register with recruiters, such as us, who have a freelance service they offer to their clients. And, word of mouth works super well! Clients look for signs that they can trust you, so recommendations are hugely welcomed.  

If you would like any further advice, please email in the first instance.