Frustrated with freelancing

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Question
A lot of people are making the move - either of their own volition, or because of the current market - to working as freelancers, or even starting their own business. I made the move 7 years ago and after a couple of years, came to realize that it's not for me for a variety of reasons, and I'm positive that I'm not the only one.

Unfortunately, after having a couple of years of freelance experience on my resume, no one wanted to hire me. A couple of friends of mine who have been in hiring manager positions informed me that it labels me as a "flight risk", or someone who's more likely to be looking for the next big deal. How can I work around this and get back to that stable lifestyle that I've been missing while trying to get a normal job for the last FIVE YEARS?

Thanks, Bill Burcalow, Astoria

Answer
From Allison Hemming, president and founder of The Hired Guns talent agency based in Manhattan

"This is a great question and a tough one all the same. Before I get to your specific question, I'd like to highlight two words you used as goals for your next job: "stable" and "normal." I have news for you: even if you land that dream job inside a corporate setting you need to brace yourself for anything but "normal." Workers inside companies are struggling to make heads and tails of an evolving workplace - where staffs are leaner and hours are longer and more and more individuals are finding themselves cast out of the corporate mothership.

If you know you're a company guy through and through - and want back into that mothership - my recommendation is to proactively think ahead and figure out which job functions are sure to remain intact even after all of the jobs that can be outsourced have been.

I can tell you that Project Management and Sales are likely to stay in the belly of the beast but there are many other functions that will as well (like the entire C-suite).

Once you've figured out which job you want that's likely to survive a corporate Armageddon, then you need to figure out if you have the skills to do that job. If you don't, then you know you might need to get some additional training. Or, and here's where all your freelancing will pay off - you might be able to score a gig to those missing skills.

Unfortunately, there is no quick answer here. You need to build a road map starting with the job you most want to get, and the job you need next to land that dream job.

One more piece of advice. Examine your former clients who you've built a good reputation with and see if they have the job you're hankering for inside their company. Since you're a known entity you might have some additional leverage to score it. Don't be afraid to work a little cheaper than you normally would to gain new skills - because there is value in the new chops you're getting that you'll be able to merchandise later. Good luck and let us know your progress!"

Answer
From Dana Terzian, corporate recruiter with Adecco in Melville, handling placements in areas including human resources, accounting, finance, administrative, marketing.

"This is a common situation especially among IT and creative professionals. There are several points that can be used by a job seeker in response to the concerns of being a "flight risk."

Overall, the main points of emphasis when talking to a hiring manager, or in an interview setting should be the need and desire for stability and a "home base." .... While this may have been a little harder to reinforce in the past, the current economic climate has certainly left many people looking for this, and hiring managers are now much more understanding to stability being a draw to a position.

Another valuable point to bring up is your desire to find a position that offers advancement opportunities within an organization, as freelancing/consulting jobs may lack these opportunities. A staff position can provide the opportunity to take the next step in one's career and pursue aspirations of management or executive roles freelancing/consulting cannot provide.

Another suggestion would be for a candidate to tie their "freelance" experience to longevity by emphasizing repeat clients, referrals and long term projects. This can be reinforced by providing clients as professional references or even creating an achievement sheet that can highlight long term projects and repeat business."

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