Working as a freelancer online has its pros and cons. Today, the labor market offers many remote vacancies in various fields. Increasingly, employers are posting advertisements looking for employees remotely. After all, as you already know, to earn money you don’t have to visit the office every day and get up at 7 am.
The word “freelancing” is no longer a new word. A freelancer is a freelance worker. He can work on one or several jobs at the same time.
Pros of freelancing
- Free schedule. One of the most significant advantages of remote work. The freelancer independently decides what time he will get up and start the project, how much he will take on and what time he will go to bed. Even though a freelancer may not have to worry about waking up early, the work hours required are no less than those of an office worker.
- Work from anywhere in the world. A freelancer is not tied to a location and can work wherever it is convenient for him. The main condition is a stable Internet connection.
- Lack of management. A freelancer is his own boss.
- No extra costs for travel to work and lunches. Earning money remotely allows you to save on travel and work lunches.
- Combination of several professions and projects. With several skills, you can easily engage in completely different activities. For example, you can be an avid programmer and a skilled artist.
- Impossibility of dismissal. Unlike the usual work with a superior person in the form of a boss, every employee is afraid of being fired. In the case of freelancing, this is impossible, since a person works for himself.
- Independent choice of employer. The freelancer himself searches for projects and employers. He does not have to work in a boring team with unpleasant colleagues and ferocious bosses.
- Setting your own prices for services. Based on skills and experience, the freelancer himself sets the price for certain services. Good specialists cannot be “cheap”. The employer has a choice whether to agree to the service at a particular cost or not.
- Earnings have no limit. A freelancer's income directly depends on how much he works. A freelancer can’t just sit back and get paid for it.
- The opportunity to do only what you love. As you know, it is in what you love that you can achieve success. By doing what you love, it is easier for a freelancer to strive for professionalism and move mountains.
Pros and cons of freelancing, making money online and working remotely
Tim, “you” comes from my upbringing. Mom taught all strangers to call you. Unfortunately, due to the large number of comments, I don’t remember who I agreed with, so here it is. So no offense.
You know, they left me a comment on one of the previous articles and there was a good thought - Man is not his own enemy and he wants to make himself better. I think so too. Anyone who chooses freelancing, or someone who works in an office, they want what is best for themselves. Therefore, the discussion, of course, is a bit of a dead end; everyone will have their own experience, their own preferences, and their own choice. Yes, there is a certain dependence on public opinion, and a person can choose something simply so as not to be different. And that is why there are articles like this.
“Both are not entirely reality. Well, people have long noticed that every sandpiper praises its own swamp. There are always disadvantages. For a fair number of people, the downsides of freelancing outweigh the upsides. For example, it’s no secret that many people return to work after trying to earn their living.” Yes, that’s exactly it, that’s why I write about the disadvantages, that you have to work, that there is no freebie, that if you didn’t know how to earn money, then you won’t be here either. And the fact that in the comments everyone began to defend freelancing, and the fact that I defend it, how could it be otherwise, if for me and for most readers this was once a way out? By the way, for me it’s better to try both in the office and in freelancing, and make an informed choice, than not to try at all. By the way, freelancing in Europe is very developed and is no longer a controversial topic, it is already banal and familiar, and also stable.
“And stability and healthcare and the opportunity to maximize the likelihood that tomorrow and the day after tomorrow everything will be fine.” I say again, travel around the country. An engineer's salary is 15-25 thousand. In freelancing, you can earn 30-50 with the same effort. This is amazing growth, provided that you manage your own time. No matter how long I read the various blogs of SEOs and others like them, they are all from the regions. It really depends on the standard of living in the country; in Europe you could live on benefits if you were unemployed. My French friend lived like this for several years. And then he finished his studies at the expense of the state and got a good job.
“Offline businesses and offline self-employment such as shops and ateliers are not suitable here. “Re-read it again, I meant any work for myself, I just didn’t list everything in the title. But yes, my experience is related to the network, not offline. But so far among my friends, everyone who switched to working for themselves is all happy.
“I just don’t accept the message “let’s not go to the office and happily work for ourselves - after all, this is freedom and there are no disadvantages.” There was no such message. Where did you see him? In “no freebies”, “no stability”, “starting from scratch”? I always write to everyone that I work a lot. But my most important difference from my previous life is that I enjoy the process itself! This is very cool! Well, what can I do if I found myself in the activity that I have now. And in general, it’s quite strange to understand my article in the sense that this is suitable for everyone. I write primarily for people like myself, who doubted and were afraid to try. And this article was generally about the disadvantages. For those who doubt too much, it should help to doubt even more 
“The key words here are “smart” and “in the right place,” and not a list of professions.” That's what we're talking about! Depends on a person. I know examples of smart bloggers and stupid managers. And what? I also know when it’s the other way around. If a person wants to help, he will, if he doesn’t want to, he won’t. It's no secret that many people work only for money, and it doesn't depend on their profession. If I hadn’t received a bunch of thanks for our articles in my time, I would have given up on the blog a long time ago, but there are benefits from it. Other sites we use also have it. And this is someone’s work, someone’s time. As a blogger and website owner, I will now defend my colleagues
“If everyone goes online, then who will bake bread and repair cars” - this will never happen. I hear this stupid example all the time)) Okay, what if everyone became bank employees? Or will everyone become engineers? A? This will never happen, people are all different, so there will always be many professions. Moreover, I believe that most of them will become remote. It is not profitable to pay for an office and a computer if a person can work at home. And robots will soon bake bread and repair cars. Here ))
“That there is no point in saying ‘I don’t work for my uncle’.” This is a well-established expression, otherwise how can it be defined? Actually, this is nitpicking. I'm sure everyone understands that they work for someone. The problem is different, that people do not know that there is a choice! If a person is in place and he’s happy, that’s great, but sometimes it’s not like that. A man has money, but he has something else that he needs. I am sure that our past is to blame for this, when everyone worked in production, the party ordered it so. If you find yourself in other countries, in Europe, in Thailand, you will see how many entrepreneurs there are))) A lot! This is already in people's mentality.
Phew, it turned out long, and I can write for a long time. If I could somehow summarize, I would do it like this: It is important not to lie to yourself, to look for your place, to choose a profession based on your inner desires, not public opinion, it is important to be useful, and not to idealize any work and lifestyle. In general, you misunderstood my message, the article was about the disadvantages, but I started to defend it because I couldn’t help but do it, for me it was a way out))
Cons of freelancing
- Not a stable income. Despite the possibility of high earnings, freelancing is not a stable income. It can be crowded today and empty tomorrow.
- Lack of communication. To be productive, a freelancer usually works alone. This can lead to a lack of communication. But everything is subjective here. Loneliness is better than a hated team and an annoying boss.
- Irregular schedule. Not everyone is suited to work without strict boundaries and schedule. Some find it difficult to set themselves up and show self-organization, and this is precisely the catalyst for productive work.
- Lack of social package. A freelancer works without official employment. This means that he does not have mandatory vacation, maternity pay or sick leave. This is the main disadvantage of this type of activity for many people. However, this problem can be solved by registering as an individual entrepreneur.
- Distractions. When working outside of the office, there are many distractions, such as television or the Internet, that greatly interfere with successful work.
- Opinion from others. Until now, a freelancer is considered a person who does nothing. Lack of recognition from others, and especially from loved ones, can reduce motivation and desire.
- Not suitable for every profession. Remote work is not compatible with all specialties; for some, the presence of an employee at the workplace is mandatory.
Remote work is the dream of many people. In the modern world, remote earnings are not a myth. Many remote workers have achieved great success and high income, becoming professionals in their field. Knowing all the pros and cons of freelancing, you can make a choice for or against this type of activity.
Who is a freelancer?
In English, the word “freelancer” is translated as “mercenary” or most often as “free artist”.
A freelancer is a person who works for himself and performs certain tasks and work without entering into an agreement with an employer.
Freelancers place advertisements for their services in newspapers and magazines. For example, tutors, translators, builders and others. However, most often the concept of “freelancing” means performing work via the Internet.
Mostly freelancers include:
1. People who no longer want to work for hire.
2. People who couldn't find a job.
3. People who, for various reasons, cannot work full time (for example, mothers on maternity leave).
4. People who have already realized that working for yourself can earn much more money.
5. People who combine work with their hobby.
Freelancing is quite common in Western Europe and America and is developing rapidly in our countries (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, etc.)
Today, the most common areas of freelancing are:
1. Programming, web design, website building.
2. Photography services and video shooting.
3. Copywriting, rewriting, translation of texts.
4. Various construction works.
5. Providing designer services.
6. Consulting.
Freelancers themselves find customers by placing advertisements in newspapers, magazines or on the Internet through freelance exchanges. Freelance exchanges are sites that connect customers with performers, for which they receive a certain reward.
A freelancer can count on high wages if he is well versed in his specialty, which is in demand on the Internet and has good work experience and a well-designed portfolio (that is, the real results of his work).
Working as a freelancer, you can fulfill the orders of not one, but many clients. Employers themselves know that there are freelancers who are incompetent and dishonest. Therefore, the performer is chosen extremely carefully. Most often, they work through freelance exchanges, because there is a very low probability of being deceived. Because freelance exchanges provide a guarantee that all tasks taken will be completed by freelancers.
I think we have figured out the concepts of “freelancing” and “freelancers”. Let's look at the pros and cons of working as a freelancer. And to make it clearer, let’s consider them in relation to the freelancer and the customer.
Benefits of freelancing for employers
The presence of remote employees often plays into the hands of the employer and is a positive aspect for the development of the company. Therefore, not only the performer, but also the employer has the benefits of freelancing.
The employer benefits financially with a remote worker, since he does not have to purchase office supplies (computer, chair, table, notebooks, etc.). A remote worker does not need to prepare a workplace and fulfill social obligations. Unlike full-time employees, freelancers do not have to make payments in the form of maternity benefits, vacation pay or sick leave. At the same time, the employer does not pay tax deductions for the remote employee, which is also a huge savings.
Often professionals work freely in the form of freelancing with their work in their portfolio. They don't have to be trained. You can get a ready-made professional. Freelancers do not need total control and management. Responsibilities consist only of a well-written task and communication with a freelancer.
A freelancer is a motivated worker. For the employer this is a significant advantage. Such an employee does not need to be pushed to work and given instructions. In this case, payment is made specifically for the work performed, and not for just working time.
You are 100% responsible for the results yourself
“Oh, I couldn’t get it done today!”, “Oh, it’s Vasya’s fault from the neighboring department for submitting the documents at the wrong time...”. There is nothing like this in remote work and freelancing. More precisely, there is, but a remote worker with this approach very quickly returns to the office.
And all due to the lack of total one hundred percent responsibility for the work done or not done! I know from myself: how difficult it is sometimes to admit that you are wrong and step on the throat of a false ego. But we have to! And no beautiful stories about “broken Internet”, “cut out lights”, etc. Even if you die, do it! Because a reputation built with such crazy hard work can easily collapse from one small irresponsible mistake.
Who is freelancing suitable for?
Freelancing is free swimming and if you catch the wave, you can achieve great success. Freelancing is a lifestyle and it’s not for everyone. The advantages and disadvantages of remote work depend only on the character of the person and his individual characteristics. For some, freelancing will seem like paradise, while others won’t last a week at such work.
Some people need control to be productive and advance in their careers. Other people don’t need such a push; they themselves can get motivated and take big steps towards their goal. The main thing in this activity is desire. The main enemy of freelancing is laziness, and if you overcome it, then this is already a small step towards success.
A person knows how to adapt. However, adapting to a free schedule is not as difficult as achieving real success and becoming a good specialist in a particular field.
It is impossible to say exactly who is suitable for remote work and who is not. If you wish, you should definitely try yourself as a freelancer and perhaps this will become your calling in life. Moreover, we have step-by-step instructions on how to make money freelancing.
Unstable income
Minus number one. Quite controversial, in fact, especially for a freelancer with a portfolio and experience. When sometimes you have to put customers in a queue, and sometimes even transfer them to competing companies. However, this point is most often cited as the main argument against remote work.
I WILL SAY FOR MYSELF: yes, there are periodic periods when the flow of orders subsides. However, if you know how to work like a gentleman (and not like 80% of the regulars on freelance exchanges), work will find you on its own. This was also confirmed by Max Sokolov, one of my most important teachers and guides. I encountered the same thing in my practice. A little attention to the customer, a few bonuses for the sake of establishing business relationships and contact is established. It would seem simple? But no, people continue to walk across the field with rakes...
If your entire freelancing practice is a constant struggle with hunger and stability, it’s time to think “what am I doing wrong?” . The course on remote work helped me a lot . Follow the link - a small book! Read recommendations and motivational transition stories. Mine is there too
