Did you know that the term freelance was first used by Sir Walter Scott to describe a “medieval mercenary warrior”? Sounds insidious, doesn’t it? There was even a time when people mistook you for a bum when you mentioned that you were freelancing as a profession. Nowadays, people are considered entrepreneurial when they present themselves as freelancers because of the evolution of the job market induced by the advent of the Internet.
What exactly is Freelance?
Technically, when you work as a freelancer, you’re not beholden to an employer for a long-term relationship. You get to choose the kind of jobs you want to do and at the time of your preference. It usually involves working within a given time frame, with or without occupying any office space, with specific expected job results and usually without the benefits granted to regular employees.
This is the basic difference from being a home-based employee, which can be misconstrued as freelancing. A home-based worker is simply an employee that is not required to physically report for work within a specific office space. He is simply doing work from the comfort of his own home but still remains tied to a particular company. He even gets the benefits attributed to any employee, such as health insurance.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Freelancing
There are many reasons why people have decided to become freelancers. One of the most common motives would be dissatisfaction with their present employer or working position. They may have realized that they may be able to do more with their talents and skills if left open to expand their wings outside of the rigid office setup. Other times, a change in their personal circumstances necessitates the shift to freelancing, for example, deciding to be a “working” student or becoming a stay-at-home mom.
Regardless of the reasons, naturally, they would have to have thought long and hard about their decision to transition into freelancing. First off, what advantages are there? The primary benefit is the freedom to choose: the scope of work, the time frame, the location of the job, the employer or partner. It can be a liberating feeling if you get to plan your life around all these dynamic choices. You finally have more control of your life than when you’re working under a hierarchical structure. Imagine, you’re your own boss, you have very flexible hours and nobody else to please but yourself and your client. You even get to dictate your own professional fees based on the requirements of the present job! Also, freelancing will allow you to work with other freelancers if the job requires it. It gives you a chance to build a network that you can easily tap whenever the need arises.
However, with every good there is a corresponding bad. In this case, the problem with freelancing is the security of payment and income. It is a risk you have to face when the projects are not coming in or when your client fails to pay your fees. That means there’s no income at certain periods. In some cases, you have to deplete your savings in order to survive. However, this can easily be remedied if you maintain a good network of contacts. If you do your job well, your clients may refer and recommend you to their other colleagues and associates. You may also opt to maintain an online portfolio of your accomplishments, sort of as an advertisement of your services, because you’ll never know just who may need your skills. You may also register with online freelance groups that serve as a marketplace to trade expertise and professional skills.
Another disadvantage to freelancing is that some of the business functions like accounting and dealing with contracts and legal issues all have to be accomplished by the freelancer himself. Sometimes outsourcing these functions will take a toll on the meager income and may be more trouble than it’s worth.
What are the usual freelancing jobs?
The “creative” industry is usually where the most number of freelancers are, such as jobs in graphic design, animation, photography, or anything involving a bit of writing like journalism and copywriting. These services are easy to set up because they can easily work on the projects at home, provided they have a computer, and Internet connection and any special programs and equipment needed to accomplish their tasks. Computer applications like software programming, engineering and web development also have a high demand. Newer freelance work involves that of back-office operations like accounting and marketing.
How to succeed as a Freelancer?
If you’ve decided that freelancing is the new lifestyle for you, how then do you guarantee that you’ll succeed in this endeavor? The most important thing to practice is a high level of work ethic in dealing with your clients and your task. You have to exceed the expectations of your client by accomplishing your job not just on time, but also ahead of time and with total client satisfaction in mind. A job well done will ensure your name will be foremost in their mind should they require your skills in the near future.
- Suggest site to related business directory categories: Jobs and Employment, Freelance Writing
