Why you Shouldn’t be a Freelancer
Freelancing has its benefits, but there’s a reason why so many people still choose the corporate route. Even if they can make it as a freelancer, they simply want to avoid the troubles associated with it. And these are:
You have to be Your Own Boss. All of us dream about being our own boss, but few really know what it takes. It’s so easy for a freelancer, especially someone who mainly works at home, to let himself get distracted. With no one to answer to, only you can provide the motivation and scheduling skills necessary to get things done. Fail at this, and you’ll find yourself with an insurmountable backlog, a very deep hole that’s hard to dig out of. But you can learn self-motivation and organization.
You Won’t Have a Constant Source of Income. A salaried worker will get money every payday. Freelancing on the other hand isn’t so certain. How much a freelancer makes each month depends on how well he markets himself, how many contracts he’s won, how much these pay, and how quickly he fulfills them. There’ll be days when you’ll be earning beyond your wildest dreams, but there’ll be other days when only flies will come out of your wallet.
You’ll Miss Out on Some Freebies. Nothing beats getting something for free, and working for a company usually includes some benefits. It’s nice not worrying about how you’ll pay the dentist’s bill if your teeth fall off, since everything will be paid, or at least subsidized, by your employer. Such compensatory packages don’t come with freelancing. You’ll have to earn enough to pay for what others have for free, but this is possible.
You’ll be All Alone. Dealing with people may have its own disadvantages, but constantly relating with others in the corporate setting can be very educational, teaching you important virtues such as patience, tact and leadership. Not to mention that loneliness can easily sap your productivity. In other words, freelancers have to make that extra effort to socialize. But this is possible through dealing with clients, seeing old friends regularly, and making new friends in other settings. And if you end up marrying a fellow freelancer, you’ll be able to have more quality time together.
Even the most successful freelancers had to deal with these drawbacks, especially while they were building their careers. But their success shows that freelancing isn’t necessarily a dead-end. It just comes with its own set of obstacles, which anyone interested should be aware of.
Hopefully, you have a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of freelancing. Yet working for a company and being a freelancer isn’t necessarily mutually exclusive. Check out the next post and see why.
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1 opinion for Why you Shouldn’t be a Freelancer
contract-worker.com » Blog Archive » Should you be a Freelancer?
Nov 11, 2006 at 11:11 pm
[…] Thus freelancing can be a lucrative career choice for many people. But like anything else, it has its advantages and corresponding disadvantages. So let me begin Contract Worker by asking this question: Should you be a Freelancer? The following posts will try to provide the answer. […]
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