As a freelancer, you won't have a fixed salary or a boss tracking your daily hours. How will you maintain discipline and stay motivated when facing rejection or slow months?
Why This Is Asked
The contracting phase formalizes an independent contractor setup, not employment; Sun Life evaluates if you can self-manage because they don't provide daily oversight, and high attrition comes from those who can't handle the freedom.
General Approach
Share a past experience of self-management, then explain your specific plan for this role: setting daily activity targets, using a CRM, joining advisor support groups, and keeping a financial reserve for the startup phase.
Sample STAR Answer▾
Situation
During college, I worked part-time as a freelance graphic designer while carrying a full course load. There were months when I had zero new projects and felt anxious about my income.
Task
I needed to sustain my productivity and income despite the unpredictability, without anyone supervising my schedule.
Action
I set a daily routine: wake at 6 AM, spend mornings on prospecting emails and portfolio updates, afternoons on coursework, and evenings on current projects. I joined online freelancing communities for accountability and tips. When rejections came, I tracked them and asked for feedback, then improved my proposals. I also saved a portion of each payment to cover lean periods, giving me a financial buffer.
Result
My monthly income eventually stabilized, I built a repeat client base, and I graduated with honors because my routine kept me balanced. That experience prepared me for the self-driven nature of an advisory practice.
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- •STAR Structure
- •Specificity & Numbers
- •Ownership Language
- •PH Workplace Context
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