Vicki on Careers: Successful freelancing, but I'm lonely

Q. I'm a freelancer -- pretty successful, but it's lonely. I work in graphic design and at this point want a full-time job so I actually have coworkers. How do I explain this on my resume without looking like a failure since I'm not?

A. First, congrats on having specific goals in mind. Second, you're not alone in feeling isolated. Unfortunately, the loneliness epidemic is real and prevalent. Last year, the United States surgeon general indicated in an advisory that approximately half of American adults are lonely. Ramifications are stark: Social isolation and lacking social connections can spike the risk of premature death by 60%! Social isolation may increase risks of heart diseases, stroke, dementia and more.

Supportive and collaborative work families can help lessen the isolation. The wrong work environment and its people, however, such as a toxic workplace can be downright alienating and gaslighting, so choose wisely.

Regarding your resume and job interview question, you may want to articulate the exact thing you mentioned above in your question: You're successful, love what you do, but it's incredibly isolating — you miss having colleagues and being part of a team. That's the truth and also shows the employer you're team-oriented and would likely contribute to the organization.

That said, as you're job searching, you may want to focus on hybrid or full-time office locations rather than working remotely because the latter will be more challenging to establish those connections you're craving.

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