That pink slip handed to you recently from your employer may not have come as a surprise, but it still hurt anyway, right? Well now that the emotional toll has almost run its course, you are ready to begin plotting your next career move.

One career option would be to start applying for a new job. Alternatively, you could try a different track and take your technology, marketing or other job-related skills and establish yourself as a business. This seems to be a growing trend today, because there is a demand for consultants, contractors, project workers and other “free agents”, particularly for technology projects or services. Companies prefer to hire specialists from the outside, as this enables them to save on the costs required for salaries and other benefits.

But before you embark on being a “free agent” you need to assess your suitability in this arena.

• Do you provide a skill or service that is marketable in today's economy?
• Do you have potential clients?
• Extremely important: Can you sell yourself?
• Do you have the discipline and patience to work at it?
• Do you have enough money to live on while you market yourself to other businesses?
• Do you know how to use the Internet as a business tool?

If you have answered yes to these questions, then you too can be a free agent. You can make money while ultimately positioning yourself for that perfect job in the corporate sector. Or, maybe you would find that working for yourself is profitable and suits you better than working at a company. Either way, here is a summary of tips that you may find helpful if you are considering becoming a free agent.

1. Brush up on your interviewing skills. This is very important because the interview you are going for is not just another interview. Your interview is a sales presentation, you are selling yourself and you need to be convincing. With the help of a professional, do a mock interview with you on videotape, and study how you fared. The investment is well worth it, in terms of the confidence you will gain as well as the advice that could help you throughout your career.

2. Recognise that your sales skills are every bit as important as your other skills. You can never stop selling as a one-man company, so you must get comfortable meeting people, shaking hands, talking about yourself, handing out business cards, eating finger foods for dinner and the like.

3. Juggle selling while serving clients. Those who succeed at becoming a free agent know that when one project ends, they have got to have another lined up. That means you can't ignore your sales role while you are servicing a client.

4. Get a professional-looking web site, but don't go overboard. Invest in a simple, professional looking Web site built for you inexpensively, where you provide only your updated Resume and relevant business and sales info.

5. Invest in a search-engine submission service. You won't get very far with the “if I build it, they will click it" attitude. If you have a Web site and want to generate traffic to it, you need a high-value and affordable search-engine submission service.

6. Contact everyone on your contact list. Make sure all of the business contacts you have developed over the years know about your new venture. Enlist their support. Nurture the relationship and develop new contacts.

7. Make yourself visible in your field and in your community. Memberships in professional and community organisations should enable you to network with people who can help you succeed on your own. It is very possible that you will meet others who need your services. Also, through volunteering for good causes, you can build goodwill for your one-person company, even if it does mean more finger-food dinners on occasion.

8. Rally the support of your family and friends. There is loneliness to deal with in being a one-person company. It certainly does not hurt to have family and friends behind you. Make sure that your family is in agreement, in synch and in tune with what you are doing. Enlist the support of your friends as well.

Most importantly, remember that not everybody has what it takes. But with optimism, determination and support, the least you can do is to give yourself a chance to be an adventurous entrepreneur and for all you know, you could be happier than you’ve ever been in years.