Getting Work Done Among Olive Trees.

By Nora Marketos • Published on September 15, 2024

I just recently read a thought-piece here on LinkedIn about the different types of major transitions a professional can go through. And that there is need for a dedicated community support for each of these types of transitions. Among them were those involving changing from 9-5 job to flexible work, changing from in-person office work to remote set-up, changing countries and language contexts, changing from salaried employee to independent freelance and moving from an urban to a rural context.

With my change two years ago I did all of these changes at once. And I don't regret it. While it took me about a year to accommodate to the new set-up and testing out what worked for me and how I felt most comfortable, it energized me a lot. And it opened up new professional and personal horizons that I would have never imagined existed for me.

A lot of people that have witnessed my journey have asked me about how I manage to work remotely as a strategic advisor in a rural Greek village. Both in a financial and in a work-life-balance sense. That's why I share today key elements and reflections of my current professional set-up. Again, as in previous editions, these might serve you as an inspiration to see how it works for me. But it might also be that it's not at all relevant for you. Everybody needs first to know his or her own purpose compass and take into account the life circumstances. Only then you might want to consider some of my reflections for your career.


Change from in-person and hybrid work to fully online work

Before: At my previous 9-5 job in the office, I used to do a lot of virtual collaborative work such as using Zoom or project management tools such as Monday.com even before COVID hit, as I engaged with team members and grantees across different time zones and languages. Nevertheless, I very much enjoyed attending in-person exchanges, social gatherings and workshops or selected conferences whenever it made sense.

Now: I moved from a hybrid to a complete virtual set-up. As you might have seen, I am very active on LinkedIn. I use it for targeted networking, to get updates on trends, reports and key initiatives, to find consultancy roles and be visible as a professional in my field.

So what: This gives me the sense that I am still (or even more) part of a professional community despite working as a freelance somewhere far from any cosmopolitan capital where money moves and ideas are created. I would say I was able to broaden and deepen my network in the specific fields of interest.

How to start:

1. Follow interesting persons, institutions or #hashtags.

2. Comment and engage with interesting content and persons.

3. Post on your own. Tag key persons or institutions that might have an interest or are experts in this field.


How to stay up to date

Before: I used to stay up to date reading reports, talking with partners in my work and going to conferences.

Now: I can't meet engage in-person at conferences nor meet them easily for an informal chat. That's why I use wherever possible virtual formats.

  1. Read reports and resources from followed persons and institutions of interest. Engage on interesting content for strengthened learning. Share interesting material with key reflections.
  2. Participate in free webinars and virtual conference sessions.
  3. Organise informal virtual chats with key persons or others that might have a common interest area or from whom you could learn.


How to land consultancy or fractional work roles

Reflecting on my personal experience, I am using a combination of visibility on LinkedIn, active outreach and recurrent review work.

  1. Visibility on LinkedIn: From the moment I started to become a freelance consultant, I made an announcement on LinkedIn that I am available on the market. I also specified in which areas I'd be interested and capable to work in. I continuously engage on the content that are of interest to me so that I am visible on the platform. That's how several current clients from my larger network got aware of me and reached out to me. Usually starting with a discussion, this led in several cases to some small initial and growing mandates.
  2. Apply for interesting jobs: As there is quite a limited set of openly accessible consultancy roles in my space, I tried to keep my eyes open on interesting job ToRs in key organisations that interest me. And I applied to them, even though I wasn't planning to take on a permanent role, nor was it fully compatible with my set-up (remote, out of Greece, part-time). While I didn't get those jobs, I was able to put my profile in front of the right people in interesting institutions who referred me or got back to me on other occasions.
  3. Apply as an expert to advisory committees. I am an expert in 2 committees (city of Zürich, Innosuisse) where I am regularly asked to review applicant proposals. While I couldn't live only of that small income, it is a regular income that opens up my horizon on relevant initiatives, new players, new approaches. It also broadens my network through my peers and applicants that I get to know quite well.


Conditions to make this happen

Now, this sounds all very nice and easy to implement. It requires though some basic settings and mindsets that I think are key.

  1. Fast and reliable internet connection. No comment needed. :-) I am surprised how often internet has connectivity issues or electricity cuts here in Southern Europe.
  2. Minimum and regular online presence. I usually reserve my mornings for calls and LinkedIn presence.
  3. Self-discipline and interest for motivation. I do this because I enjoy the causes and the people I work with. That strengthens my self-discipline during bad days. It is still an essential skill.
  4. Finding the right balance between in-person and online life. There is the real danger that one spends too much time on online platforms or in the various initiatives, and loosing touch with the real, in-person life on the ground. Going daily to the beach in the morning and village square in the evenings (in summer), getting kids from the school with other parents and engaging in local associations such as the Greek dance association helps me to balance my active online presence.

So, overall, I gained a lot in becoming a freelance consultant in a remote set-up: I could significantly grow my network, am able to exchange regularly with people on my focus areas of interest and I am visible to potential collaborators and clients. At the same time, I continuously have to find the right work-real-life balance to making sure I also meet real persons in real life!