Prospective employers might ask if you prefer working on a team or independently during interviews to find out your personal preference or which type of office might suit you best. While both work arrangements have distinct benefits, working independently can be an important skill to improve upon as technologies change and more offices transition to remote work. In this article, we explore what working independently is, several benefits of working independently and how to improve your ability to work independently.
What is working independently?
Working independently is the ability to work self-sufficiently on assigned tasks. You might receive direction on projects from a supervisor or manager, but they can then trust you to accomplish tasks with little to no supervision. Working independently can involve a sense of responsibility and self-reliance as you work to finish projects and assignments.
There are many jobs that might suit someone who enjoys working independently, including consulting, education or roles in the entertainment industry. Consultants often own their own business and can make their own schedule. They also can work on projects of their choosing separately from a team. Educators often make their own lesson plans and work independently in the classroom. Roles in the entertainment industry might include musicians, artists or producers. Some of these roles might operate on a freelance basis, and some might work independently while performing on a touring schedule.
Benefits of working independently
Some benefits of working independently can include:
Increased focus: Without outside distractions, it can be easier to remain centered on projects. For example, you could use headphones while working by yourself and focus on an assignment without outside noise or interruptions.
Making progress on assignments: Making progress on assignments might be easier when working on your own. Your productivity level could increase and you also might see a higher output when are focused on one task by yourself.
Working at your own pace: You can set the pace of working on assignments and tasks while working independently. For example, you can work on one project and decide you’d like to switch to another task. While working by yourself, you can move over to another project at your own pace rather than checking in with other team members.
Understanding working remotely: Working independently can prepare you for the possibility of working remotely. As technologies improve, more offices might move to remote work, partial remote work or flex schedules. As you work independently more, you can transition to remote work easier if applicable.
[Read More…]
