are most of the freelancers doing what they are happy to do?
Why do you choose to be a freelancer? I think happiness and extra income are the two main reasons. But do you really get what you want from freelancing? and are you still keen to be freelancing if you have a full-time job? I would love to know your opinions. Thanks guys
Good Answers (11)
Esther S
Computer industry writer and editor
Best Answers in: Software Development (2), Freelancing and Contracting (1), Small Business (1)
I've been a full time freelancer. I've been on staff. Currently, I'm on staff -- but with a wonderful job that gives me most (maybe all) the benefits of freelancing. (These things are rare, ya gotta appreciate them.)
The best thing about working for yourself is that you can get up at 4am and go to work. The *worst* thing about working for yourself is that you can get up at 4am and go to work.
Among the benefits of freelancing:
* You can fire a client who really annoys you (as long as you're smart enough to work for several clients).
* You can take off in the middle of the week, for an hour or a couple of days; as long as the work gets done, your clients don't care.
* You have a lot more control over the sort of work you do. If you hate to work on such-and-so projects, nobody makes you pitch them to clients.
Among its horrible aspects:
* Cash flow. You will inevitably reach a point where you are owed 5-figures by clients who _will_ pay, but you don't have enough cash to pay today's bills.
* Similarly, you will find yourself owing 5 things on the same Friday.
* You must be completely self-determined. There's no time clock to say "get to work now!""
* You find yourself in one of two states: Not Enough Time and Not Enough Money. Getting yourself to take a vacation is extremely difficult because you are not billable.
* Medical insurance is terrible. Be sure to marry someone who has a salaried job and medical coverage. (In fact, a $4600 medical emergency is what made me say "I gotta get me one of them real jobs.")
* It's hard to learn new skills. Usually you're paid for what you already know, but few clients pay for your time to learn about a new subject. So it's easy to go stale.
I suspect you were really asking about freelancing while having a regular job. I've done that too; in fact I had two allegedly full-time contracts as a freelancer and wrote additional articles too. (See above: "not enough time/not enough money.") I've also had a lot of people with full time jobs write for me, either for extra money ("ooh, I can buy that iPod now!") or for resume reasons (aka glory and bragging rights). That does work... except that it's just as hard to juggle deadlines as it is for a fulltime freelancer. If your real job has a time crunch, the commitment to the freelance gig is in jeapardy. (With some freelancers, that means they deliver way late, and I don't assign to them again... or at least I don't believe their due date. Not all clients are so forgiving.) If your family wants to see you, it's hard to say, "I have this freelance gig to finish, honey!" -- unless it's the spouse who wants that iPod, but mainly you have to have the family's acceptance before you take on something like this.
Terry M
Interim Manager / Service & Operations Specialist
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Interesting question Rick - In my case it is to have an increased level of control over what i do and a greater feeling of independance when i'm doing it. That doesn't always translate into being happy with what i'm doing at any given time.
Dave F
Manager, Consultant & Web Developer
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My most basic requirement is to have fun (pretty much the same as being happy) in my work. Freelancing gives me more choice of what I do, and the opportunity to leave if/when it is no longer fun.
The extra income argument is not actually valid. When I work, I get paid more than an employee, but I get nothing for vacations, sickness, training, etc. I get no pay between contracts. Also, more and more, clients want "all inclusive" rates, that mean that I have more expenses (travel, accommodation, etc.).
Max H
M.S., CCP, CSP; Consulting Software Architect / Developer [High-Assurance Systems]
Do you differentiate between freelancing and contracting? I do; some don't. I have done freelance work, but generally I am an onsite contract engineer. I really have no great preference for one over the other; the added freedom of freelancing from home is offset by the social and infra-structure advantages of working on-site. I do prefer to have a "full-time" work schedule, which can be more difficult in a freelance environment.
I became a contractor to alleviate stress. I had 3 "permanent" type jobs, and each one terminated in a high-stress layoff. On the last of the three, the threat of layoff loomed for 3.5 years prior to the actual event.
Personally, I find it much less stressful to have a clue going in as to when the position will end; and even on an open-ended contract I am certain it will end. Add to that the high income, and the technical challenge of a new development environment on a regular basis; and I LOVE this life.
Most contractors I've met find it just the opposite. Most use contracting as a filler; until the right full-time permanent job comes along. Many, especially with families, have great difficulty with the instability of temp work.
I started freelance editing a decade ago, when I couldn't stand being in an office environment any longer - pointless meetings, endless socializing by unmotivated employees, constant distractions, business politics. I often went to the office at 2:00 a.m. to try to get some work done. If I was going to be up all night trying to finish a book, why not work in my pajamas, safely at home? Now I can't imagine ever returning to an in-house job. I love my work, I'm good at it, and when I'm freelancing I can actually get it done.
Robin D also suggests these experts on this topic:
I enjoy doing freelance work. I'm able to work the hours that I want and still do many of the things that I enjoy doing like helping coach lacrosse in the afternoons, take a break and walk the dog during the summer days and take college courses if I feel like it. I feel more in control of my life as well. When I worked at other major companies, I didn't feel at all in control and didn't have an balance in my life like I do now. Hope that helps, DM
Nadine T
French Freelance Translator & Conference Interpreter OpenNetworker.com LION
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I've been a freelancer for almost as long as I've worked, more than 28 years. I have no other job, and I do it for a living. I worked for two months in a company after university, and I realized then that paid employment wasn't for me at all.
What I like in freelancing is the total freedom: to organize my time around my workload (and the other way round), not having to get up every morning, face the traffic, and work in an office. I can go to the movies and do my shopping in the afternoon if I want to, I have the added pleasure to meet different people all the time. And it was very convenient when the children were young.
The flip side is of course the need to be ready to accept contracts and assignments at very short notice, to be on the lookout for opportunities. And to have to pay those bills, after all.
David C
Motivating Dream Job Career Coach - www.davidcoupercoach.com
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I have been self-employed and employed. The benefits of being self-employed or freelance are:
- control - you have more choice about where, when and how you work.
- independence - as a freelancer I didn't need to go to company meetings, complete appraisals, go to lunches with high-ups, as an employee I did.
- money - if you can offset not being paid vacations, sick leave etc, you can make more money but that's not a driving factor for me.
- creativity - As a freelancer I could be different in fact I was paid to be different from other people. I call it the Successful Misfit syndrome.
- specialization - work on the things you really like and avoid the others. As a manager internally it is hard to do that.
FLIP SIDE - as an internal employee
- be part of a team - get invited to the holiday party, go to all the meetings
- have ability to move up the ladder
- develop your career - get your employee to pay for training and education
- get stock options (when companies used to give them)
- live a regular life - have some predictability in your work - 9-5 etc. (though I agree with the person who said he got laid off and wanted to be freelance to take control himself)
In the end I think it comes partly down to your nature and personality. Some people can't do corporate and some people can't do freelance.
Links:
I started my freelance career in 1990 and haven't looked back.
I like the idea that I get paid for what I do, not whether I fill space in a cubicle every day. I work harder now and get more satisfaction than when I had the big corporate job with the corner office.
Sometimes I work my butt off to get a job done on time. Sometimes I have multiple jobs requiring my attention. During these times, I work far more than 40 hours a week. But I'm getting paid for doing REAL work. And I'll get more work based on how well I get each job done. I earn my pay and my job security.
When there's nothing lined up that requires immediate attention or I'm taking a break between projects, I have the freedom to take time off and do the things I want to do. In my very flexible spare time, I learned to fly, I take road trips, I goof off. If a friend calls with an idea to spend the day and there's nothing important on the front burner, I go. That makes freelancing worth it.
But there's no such thing as a weekend anymore. If a job needs doing and the only day to do it is on Sunday, I work on Sunday. Simple as that.
You ask if we're keen to be freelancing if we have a full time job. Don't fool yourself -- freelancing can be a full-time job. And don't think about a freelance job if you have another full-time job. Isn't your life more important than working 60 to 80 hours a week? Instead, let a freelance career replace a full-time job. Use it to improve your life, not to make more stress.
But be prepared. When you're your own boss, you'll quickly learn the importance of getting the job done and making the client happy. If you screw up, there's no one to blame except yourself. And there's no one to rescue you, either.
Adrienne G
Headhunter/Diversity Recruiter/Author/ Trainer/Consultant
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I have been a freelancer and contractor and I love them both. Over the years, I've learned the art of contingency planning which allows for me to put away adequate savings for the down times. I love the freedom of being able to control who I work for and how long. I don't care about the traditional perks of being an employee. I have my own benefits, 401K, disability, etc. I get paid a lot to do what I do. I carefully evaluate each contract I accept and fortunately, most of them allowed me to be "part of the team". I loved that the most. Most importantly, contracting allows me to continue developing my skills and building my network. Also, I get to take 2 month vacations each year! So I would never trade all of that for a full time position. Ever.
By the way, freelance is different from contract. I have done freelance or piece work and I like that as well. It takes a skill and a patience to be a contractor and a freelancer.
Mohammad D
CRM consultant & Information Technology Business Development Professional
Best Answers in: Using LinkedIn (5), Career Management (2), Job Search (1), Mentoring (1)
Intresting question, because they are doing something they love and make money out of it. Yet the have to do other things that they are not hot about.
For eaxample I used to do alot of web develoment, which I liked and enjoyed making money of, but back then I had to interact with customers who had no idea about the internet and kept asking me to do things I dont belive are the best way to do things.
Now I learned that I can be selective in my customers and interactions, but this take alot of learning.
what I am trying to say is unless you are vey selective in what you do, you will end up doing things you don't like doing and the freelance job would lose it's fun.
