All of us, in one way or another, sometimes indulge in dreams of self-employment, and it is not surprising. Judging by the beautiful pictures on Instagram, people who work for themselves have not life, but a fairy tale: yachts, expensive champagne, every day is like Christmas. But in reality, everything turns out to be not so simple.
In fact, freelancing is far from being for the lazy, and what you see on Instagram is nothing more than a beautiful tinsel. Not every profession can become a freelancer. In general, in fact, a freelancer does not work 7 hours a day in the office 5 days a week with weekends, holidays and full benefits, but 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, only from home. And it remains to be seen whether the customer will pay for the work or will say: "Redo!"
Be that as it may, freelancing has its advantages. First, you will not be tied to your place of work. This is very important if you are an introvert or if you just work better alone. For example, it is very important for writers to be able to work in silence, but in the editorial office this is not always possible. Secondly, flexible working hours. You decide how long you will work, because sometimes it happens that a project takes a couple of hours, and sometimes it takes the whole day. This is very convenient, since you will no longer waste time in vain, as in the office, where, willy-nilly, you have to sit from call to call. Thirdly, you can independently choose the projects you are interested in and you will not be forced to waste time and nerves on work that does not bring pleasure. Consequently, the work process will speed up and the percentage of successfully completed work will increase, which is very good for an individual portfolio. Fourth, according to statistics, a freelancer earns 10-20% more than a full-time employee.
The most important character trait for a freelancer is discipline. It’s very difficult to get yourself to work when “big brother” is not watching you. In addition, many in your environment will not admit that you work too. There is a stereotype that working from home is not serious. It's pointless to argue with this, so you just have to put up with it. Also, be prepared for the fact that if you encounter a problem that has never been seen before, Alla Petrovna from the neighboring department, who has 12 years of experience, will no longer help you and you will have to solve everything yourself. Of course, there is the Internet, but still it is worth attending events related to your field of activity a couple of times a month and meeting with former colleagues.
However, the biggest challenge for people who have switched to self-employment is finding clients. It's one thing if, after a previous job, your clients remain yours, as a good doctor or massage therapist might, but it is quite another thing when you have to start everything from scratch. Be prepared for a great responsibility to come along with freedom.
