Becoming a freelancer is just as easy as ordering something over the Internet. You visit sites that offer freelance jobs and tasks and take them on. Different websites offer freelancing like Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancing.com, and much more. This is a wonderful way of starting and getting your name out there.
THE PROS OF FREELANCING
FLEXIBILITY
The first and most important benefit is the freedom and the flexibility it allows. Freelancing, depending on your mood, will allow you to set your own time of work, how long you want to do work, and where you want to do work. This can be a huge benefit, allowing freelancers to be able to spend time with their families while still being able to work.
MONEY
When you are an employee, you will likely only see a small increase in your salary every year, if that. However, when you are a freelancer, you can demand more. Of course, you need to have competitive rates but if you establish yourself as an expert in your field you can make more money. It will also mean that the more you work and the bigger projects you take on, the higher your income will be.
BE YOUR BOSS
You are your boss, and if being an employee feels like being confined in your role, then freelancing may be for you. You make all the decisions, from the hours you work to the project you choose to work on. This can be liberating for some people and allows them to flourish. You will need to be confident, eager to learn, and able to handle running a business if you want to succeed as a freelancer.
BUILD SKILLS
As you will be your boss and the owner of your freelance business, it will push you to build on your skills. This can be a great way to expand your abilities and generally increase your skills. Also, if you focus on a niche, then you can build skills in your niche and become an expert.
NO COMMUTE
Depending on your industry, you will likely have the choice of working from home. This can be another incredible advantage of being a freelancer. You can eliminate lengthy commutes to the office and save that time for work or anything else that may require your time. Some commutes can take hours out of your day, they can be long and stressful and put you in a bad mood before you even get to work. The benefit comes with the responsibility of making sure that you work productively and effectively from home.
RUN A BUSINESS
When you become a freelancer you will be running a business. You will need to either set up or register yourself as self-employed with HMRC. Running your own business can be a reward, however, it is a big responsibility that you need to take on board before you go freelance. Being responsible for all parts of your business though does mean that you will be the only one reaping the rewards of your hard work and effort.
CHOOSE WHO YOU WORK WITH
As an employee, you have little to no choice of who you work with. Your boss will hire employees they think is right for the business. You don’t have to work for clients you can’t stand working with or deal with a horrible colleague. As a freelancer, you can set your own rules and work with people and clients that fit with you. However, this does not mean that you may on occasion have to work for a demanding or annoying client. But you will have the option of not working with them again if they make your life difficult.
THE CONS OF FREELANCING
NOT FIXED INCOME
This is probably one of the biggest negatives of working as a freelancer. Freelancers always have to think ahead and potentially worry about the next job. Freelancers will need to always be actively engaging with potential clients to get work. Therefore, freelancers always keep on trying to find new projects So, they can maintain their income.
ADMIN TASKS
As a freelancer, you may expect to only be working for clients and doing the work in your field. For example, if you are a writer, you can accept only jobs related to writing. However, when you are a freelancer you are essentially a business owner and will need to carry out the admin tasks too. This includes dealing with business finances, chasing invoices, etc. In freelancing, you have to complete your admin’s tasks at any cost.
LONELINESS
Most of the time it depends on people’s nature either they like loneliness or get irritated by being alone always. When you work by yourself as a freelancer it can be lonely. The office can be loud and full of distractions in the form of colleagues etc., however, you may find that working by yourself isn’t much fun. Sometimes colleagues can play a great part in your support system.. As a freelancer, you will need to actively build your own network and support system instead of it being provided for you. So, it sometimes might be difficult to build a strong network in a freelancing career.
LESS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
This is another huge disadvantage of freelancing. If you want to take a holiday or are forced to take time off because you are sick, you won’t get paid. This means that freelancers need to always have an emergency fund that they can use if they are not able to work or want to take time off. Other employer benefits may include pension schemes, private healthcare, etc. which freelancers will also miss out on.
So, like everything, freelancing also has benefits along with some disadvantages.