There are some who are okay with a 9-5 job. Others prefer what they call the “Freelancer Life”. The Freelancer Life is having yourself not tied to a desk but instead being able to work anywhere and everywhere you want.
Sounds cushy right?
But the Freelance life isn’t always that easy. Here are some things to consider before going Freelance:
Money
When it comes to going into Freelance, you have to make sure you have some money to sustain yourself. Some jobs don’t immediately confirm that they want you. Some companies undergo a bidding session in order to find the best one for the job. Other times, companies do that just to see ideas and take the ideas from the freelancers free of charge. So, make sure you have enough money first so you can easily sustain yourself while waiting.
Unlike a corporate job, you don’t have a stable amount of income so you always have to look for work in order to maintain the flow.
If you have a common skillset, it’s going to be hard for you to find work.
Most people would do writing or graphic design as a freelancer. Check your skillset first: what is it you can offer people? Can you offer something that is high in demand? Some skills that fall under that include programming, database management, writing, and graphic design.
One of the problems of being in freelance is that you might end up having a hard time finding work. Since a lot of people would prefer the Freelancer life, some of them may have the same skillset as you.
Flexible work schedule
If you’re someone who doesn’t like being tied to a chair then, the freelancer life might be something you’ll enjoy. As a freelancer, you don’t have to tie yourself to a chair and work 8-9 hours. All you have to do is gather the requests and finish it up. The fact that freelance work is more output-based is something many professionals prefer due to them being able to work on their own time.
Little to no employment benefits
In every company, they have two rosters: full-time and part-time. The part-time roster doesn’t receive benefits like full-time employees. However, they do have more money for themselves. Sometimes, staying in a company can cause more damage to your health. For example, if you’re full-time, you’ll have to dedicate 8-9 hours to a company that may or may not have a toxic environment. Most companies don’t allow their employees to take a short break or walk outside as their argument is that, “we’re not paying you to take a break”. However, if you’re freelance, you’ll be able to distribute the time for yourself depending on how you want it.
Paying taxes
If you’re a full-time employee, you have to pay taxes. Alongside with the benefits, you get medical insurance and also other things that are meant for an employee. But as a Freelance, you don’t pay taxes unless you declare it. Most freelancers hire someone to help do their budgeting and their accounting so they can pay their taxes. However, some amounts are just so small that they can’t be taxed so many freelancers don’t bother anymore since it’s so small that there’s not much of a difference. However, companies have asked made a gateway by looking only into registered freelancers but some of the more talented freelancers don’t register themselves as they understand how erratic the money flow can be.
Should I go for it or not?
Some people are not meant for the freelance life. Parents of young professionals also find freelance life rather unstable due to their children having to go everywhere in order to find work. However, some people have made livings out of it and have survived. But it’s also highly up to the young professional if they really want to go freelance instead.