If you are reading this, you are probably considering starting a freelancing career, which is exactly what you should do. Since COVID-19 happened, the way we work and how we work has drastically shifted to being online and remote. I started freelancing in 2017, but the year 2020 saw a huge influx of online jobs, online workers, and a shift from going to an office space to working from home.
Freelance is the future. It definitely is and if you want to be a part of this future, then continue reading this post to learn what freelance is and how freelancing works. Think of this as a complete guide to freelancing.
What is freelance – Freelance Definition
According to the Oxford dictionary, freelance means being self-employed and hired to work for a brand, company, or business on a particular assignment.
What is freelancer – Freelancer Definition
Freelancer meaning isn’t different from that of freelance. A freelancer refers to an individual offering their skills to several clients on a flexible basis. Freelancers choose who they’d like to work for and when they want to work. They are not employed by a company or committed to just one company.
What is freelancing – Freelancing Definition
Freelancing means working as an independent contractor rather than working in a company as an employee.
Why is it called freelancing?
Let’s revisit the 1800s when the word freelance was first used in English. The earliest written evidence can be traced back to a paid army of “free lances” by Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe. Then, this word referred to a medieval mercenary who would fight for whoever paid them the highest. Little wonder why freelancers choose to work with clients with the highest bid.
Other terms for freelancing
Wondering what’s another word for a freelancer? I will list the common names used in recent times. They include homeworker, out-of-house, self-employed, working for oneself, self-starting, own boss, independent, free agent, and let’s include mercenary.
What Does it Mean to Freelance?
The word freelance means the same thing as freelancing. You work based on your term; no one forces you to do what you do not want to do. You can turn down a work offer as a freelancer if it doesn’t sit well with you.
However, just like a coin, freelancing has two sides that every freelancer for hire must face. The other side of freelancing is that you don’t get to enjoy some of the things that full-time workers enjoy, like a paid holiday trip to your dream destination. You have to work your health insurance policy, and you also do not get to enjoy lots of financial benefits from a company like yearly bonuses.
Why freelancing (AKA: Freelancing vs. Regular/Day Job)
Really? What’s the buzz about freelancing, and why should you leave your high-paying regular job to start working for a lot of clients? Well, if you don’t want to work under a horrible boss who makes your work time very unpleasant and at the same time you want to earn more and have the freedom to do anything, then freelancing is for you. You also have no obligation or commitment to any company; you can always sell your service to the highest bidder without feeling guilty.
I strongly believe that freelancers should be termed unique entrepreneurs because they are in full control of how much they can earn, unlike the fully employed workers with fixed salaries that always have to wait for bonuses or end-of-the-year gifts from their bosses.
Further Read: Top 30 Most In-demand Freelance Skills.
Why are people freelancing?
People are choosing to freelance to attain a healthier work-life balance. Freelancing is the future of work. It is flexible, pays well, gives freedom, and you choose when to work, where to work, and whom you work with.
Freelance vs self employed
The difference between freelance and self-employed is in the way they work. As a freelancer, you work on multiple short-term jobs and for several clients, while a self-employed individual runs their business and has more autonomy.
Freelance vs employee
Being a freelancer is different from being an employee. A freelancer works for themselves, while an employee works for a company or business. An employee can work for a single company, while a freelancer can work for as many clients as they like.
Freelance vs consultant
Is a freelancer the same as a consultant? Well, this question is a bit tricky. Freelancers often offer consultation services but as a freelancer ( specific time, higher rates, etc.), while a consultant can work as an employee for the government, private companies, and nonprofit sectors.
Freelance vs full time
There are several benefits to starting a freelancing career and being a freelancer, and there are also several benefits to being a full-time worker. As a freelance, you can choose what you want to work on, while a full-time worker is obligated to tasks and projects. However, a full-time worker gets paid monthly or quarterly, but a freelancer is paid per project, which may not be frequent.
Freelance vs part time
Part-time workers are part of a company and are eligible for company benefits, while freelancers are self-employed and work on particular projects. Even though both jobs are not 100% involved, they are different and have their own benefits.
How does freelancing career work?
Starting a freelancing career as a beginner does not require a complex model like a business. You just have to find the perfect market for your service, and luckily for you, there are lots of freelance markets and platforms for a beginner to make it easy as a freelancer.
What type of work can I do by freelancing?
Although some services are very popular in the freelance market, you will always market for your services. You can offer services like;
- Proofreading
- Ghostwriting
- Copywriting
- Content writing
- Editing
- Web design
- Graphic design
- Video, and audio productions
- Mobile and game development
- Scripting
- Accounting
- Consultation
- Bookkeeping
- Tax Preparation
- Recruiting, and human resource management,
With any of the skills listed above, you can make a good living out of the freelance market.
How is freelancing career changing work?
With the rapid advancement in science and technology, remote work is arguably going to be on the rise, just as we have seen. Since most freelancers work remotely, freelancers are arguably the next big break we need in bridging the distance between genders in the world of work opportunities.
Freelancing is the future, I have said this several times, and it still remains true. Many women from all over the world are gainfully employed as freelancers, so freelancing will help change the world of work by bringing equal opportunities to all genders.
Freelancing also helps to fire up your creativity because freelancers get paid for being creative most time, so you can get as creative as you can during freelancing. It helps to reduce the cost of transportation, as you do not have to pay to fuel your tank or take the bus. You also get to make maximum use of your time because the time you spend driving to work can be used for something more lucrative at home.
What are the risks in freelancing career?
Just like I mentioned earlier, there is another side of freelancing that is not so palatable. Every freelancer must know how to tackle this side when the freelance market presents itself. As a freelancer, you have to go through all the hassles of buying health insurance from a broker, which may be expensive compared to a company buying in bulk for all its employees.
Your retirement plan also rests solely on you, and you have to start making plans for your retirement as non of your clients would do so for you. Every freelancer’s nightmare is not being able to secure clients, which will leave the person almost jobless and possibly broke.
Further Read:
How do I start freelancing career?
Before you start freelancing career, you must consider these two sides of freelancing to know if you can handle them. After that, establish an online presence. In this age of technology, going online is the best way for potential clients to find you. Gone are days that we sit to wait for clients to locate us. We have to make it easier for them by staying in a place where they can locate us with ease.
You can also get offline clients by sending them direct messages or sending an offer. Getting clients directly, both online and offline will help you to create a lasting relationship with the client. It will also help you earn more money as there is no middle man you have to pay.
You can decide to subcontract by working for an agency with clients, and this will help you to have work at all times. The only downfall to this is that you will also not have any clients when the agency has no clients.
One of the easiest ways to break into the freelance market is to sign up on platforms with a track record of helping freelancers get clients like Upwork, Fiverr, and lots more. You can sign up for them and create a profile for potential clients to locate you with ease. But, there are two downsides to these platforms; first, they are highly competitive. Secondly, they get to keep a certain percentage of all your earnings as their charge.
Do freelancers get paid?
Yes, freelancers get paid for delivering their services. Freelancing can make you rich, depending on how much you work and how low or high you charge per service. Lots of freelancers are earning good money and making a decent living.
How freelancing changed my life
As a freelancer, I can tell you that more than any conventional job would have done, freelancing has changed my finances. I no longer have to wait until the month ends before having money to buy some of my basic things. I even get to turn down offers from clients without any boss raining threats on me. Honestly, freelancing is one of the best things that I have ever done for myself.
Conclusion
Freelancing is as lucrative as any business idea; you just have to learn how it works and the cons to be prepared for any setback you might experience.
Further Read:
