This month’s Info Career Trends is themed around ‘alternative careers’ and includes an article on freelance indexing by Debbie Olson. I guess all cataloguers have thought about this at one time or another, so it’s good to read a positive account:

Not only have I learned that I enjoy the detail-oriented work indexing requires, but that I also have the discipline to work on my own on a day-to-day basis. Other traits I have found helpful include strong organizational skills and the ability to work with shifting priorities from day to day. Patience and persistence are absolutely necessary to manage slow periods and develop a client base. A love of learning and the ability to maintain a fresh perspective on how to approach and balance your overall personal and business goals are also important.

…

My library background has served me well as an indexer.  The needs of the researcher/patron have translated well to the needs of the audience/reader.  Working with controlled vocabularies and metadata, and especially any computer skills, from developing and maintaining websites to using XML, will serve you well. Any experience in the publishing field, including editing and proofreading, is also beneficial, as indexers use these skills and may offer them in combination with indexing services.

There’s some good advice on how to get started, and links to further reading. Of course, Olson is writing from a US perspective … the Society of Indexers holds information on indexing courses in the UK.

Ref

Debbie Olson. Freelance indexing. Info Career Trends, September 2008; 9(5).