9. AI and Your Career: Explore Self-Employment & Freelancing with AI
Introduction
More and more professionals are considering self-employment — whether that’s freelancing, consultancy, building a portfolio career, or starting a business.
It’s exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Common questions include:
“Is this the right path for me?”
“What services should I offer?”
“How do I find clients?”
This is where AI can help speed things up. AI can support you with brainstorming ideas, researching markets, creating content, and even automating admin.
But — just like with job searching — AI is a tool, not a decision-maker. The choice to work for yourself requires clarity about your strengths, values, goals, and lifestyle. That’s where career coaching adds huge value.
💡 AI helps with the “what” and “how.” Coaching helps with the “why” and “when.”
1. Use AI to Explore Business Ideas
AI can help you generate ideas based on your skills, interests, and market trends.
Example prompt (ChatGPT):
“Based on my CV, top skills, and interests, suggest 5 freelance or consultancy business ideas I could start in the UK, with insights on likely demand.”
Useful tools:
Perplexity.ai → Check UK market demand in real time
Google Trends → Track UK-specific service demand
2. Research Your Market & Competitors with AI
Understanding demand, competition, and pricing is essential before diving in.
Example prompt (Perplexity):
“Summarise the UK freelance market for [service] in 2025, including demand, competition, and pricing.”
👉 AI can also scan freelancer platforms (like Upwork or Fiverr) to see:
Which services are popular
How they are packaged
What clients are willing to pay
3. Plan Your Pricing & Business Model
AI can provide benchmarks for realistic UK pricing strategies.
Example prompt (ChatGPT):
“Research UK market rates for freelance [service] consultants with 10+ years’ experience. Suggest three pricing models — hourly, day rate, and package-based.”
This helps you position your services competitively while making sure your business model is sustainable.
4. Build Your Marketing with AI
Getting clients is often the hardest part of self-employment. AI tools can help you:
Create branded graphics → Canva AI
Plan LinkedIn content →
📌 Prompt: “Suggest 5 LinkedIn post ideas to promote my new [service] consultancy.”
5. Automate the Admin with AI
Running a business means juggling multiple tasks. AI can free up time so you can focus on clients:
QuickBooks AI → Bookkeeping & financial summaries
Calendly (with AI features) → Automated scheduling
Notion AI → Track leads, proposals, and projects
Coaching Advantage: Why Human Support Matters Here Too
AI can provide data and ideas — but it won’t tell you if self-employment is right for you. Coaching helps you:
Through my Career Change and Career Development programmes, I work with clients to:
Test whether self-employment fits their goals, values, and lifestyle
Work through fears and unhelpful beliefs about “going it alone”
Gain realistic feedback on business ideas and viability
Build a plan for services, pricing, and marketing
Stay accountable and supported through the highs and lows
👉 This mix of AI insights and empathetic human guidance ensures you don’t just launch something — you launch something that works for you.
Conclusion
Thinking about freelancing, consultancy, or starting your own business? Don’t do it in isolation.
👉 Use AI to generate ideas and insights — then combine it with career coaching to ensure your self-employment journey is aligned, sustainable, and successful.
✨ Explore my Career Change Coaching or Career Development Coaching programmes today to build a plan that plays to your strengths and gives you confidence in your next step.
About Diana
I’m Diana Dawson, Accredited Master Coach and Career Psychologist. Many of my clients explore freelancing or self-employment as part of their career journey.
At Working Career, I help you:
Test business ideas realistically
Evaluate options with confidence
Prepare strategically for self-employment
✨ Coaching adds the human support, empathy, and accountability that AI can’t replace.
👉 Learn more about Career Change Coaching here.