Freelance Pros and Cons
I love freelance life so much, I would never consider working at a regular job again.
Never.
I occasionally get offers. But I always turn them down. It’s not that the offers fall short of my current income. That’s part of if for sure. It’s really that I’ve come to see all the pros of being an independent professional.
I get to work with a wide variety of clients (over 200 to date). I get to set my own hours and take time off whenever I choose. I like being my own boss. I like working in casual clothes. I save tons of time by not having to commute. I get far more respect than in any job I ever had. I can use a broader range of skills while working for myself. The list goes on and on.
But freelancing isn’t all positive. There are some negatives too.
For example, I’m responsible for my own insurance. My taxes are higher because of the self-employment “penalty.” I have to supply all my own computer equipment and software. I don’t get face-to-face socializing every day. And while my work is really more secure than a job, it doesn’t feel that way and there’s always the stress of having to get clients and line up projects.
For me, the pros far outweigh the cons. However, everyone is different. So while I truly believe that just about anyone can freelance professionally if they are able to adjust their thinking and learn a few basic business skills, I also realize that you need to take a long, hard look at what you might like or dislike about freelancing before you walk into your boss’s office and tell him to take your job and shove it.
Working Freelance From Home or Inhouse, Pros and Cons is a brief summary of what’s good and bad about both freelancing and working full-time as a designer. Most of the obervations, though, are true for all sorts of freelance or employment situations.
What do you think? What are some other pros or cons of freelancing?
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Thanks for the mention. Good luck with the new blog
My pleasure. Your graphic design blog is a regular stop for me. Keep up the good work.