Freelancing as a Career

What is freelancing?

Freelancing is a professional career where people work for hire on a case-by-case basis and from various people or companies, as an independent agent. It becomes more attractive lately as to modern generations. As a freelancer, you are free to sell your skills, talents, and knowledge to anyone in the marketplace. This profession often called remote jobs.

Advantages of freelancing

• Flexible hours

The first advantage of taking up freelance work is taking up work whenever you want. This way the freelance can work during their most productive hours. These hours need not be during the regular business hours as well.

• Control over Jobs and Clients

Freelancing gives you an opportunity to choose with whom you want to work. If the client’s requirements does not suit you, as a freelancer you can pass on the opportunity.

• Higher pay

Being a freelancer will give you the advantage of fixing your pay. You can go with the hourly pay option as well.

• Freelancing is the future

The freelancing numbers are growing day by day. With technology growing every day, it is only making it easier to get freelance jobs.

• Home based

Freelancing career gives you the privilege of working remotely and more importantly having a job without leaving your home and your family.

Disadvantages of freelancing

• Your clients have schedules, too. Yes, you can set your own hours for the most part, but if a client can only see you at dawn on Tuesday, you'll need to get up with the crows. You likely will need work within deadlines as well.

• The work isn't always consistent. This is particularly the case if you're offering one-and-done services, like creating a certain product. You turn the finished product over to your client, and that's the end of it—you have to find a new client who wants your product so you can create another one and be paid for it.

• You probably won't be super-successful overnight. Getting enough clients to support yourself and your family through freelancing can take a while, and many freelancers experience an ebb and flow in their work.

• Managing multiple clients and projects can be a challenge. Although some people like the variety of working on several projects at once, others might find it difficult to keep track of deadlines. You have to pace yourself to produce and deliver quality work on time. Great time management systems and organization are key.

• You're in charge of all aspects of your freelancing career including invoicing, bookkeeping, marketing. In essence, you need more skills than just the ability to the work you're freelancing.

• You'll have to pay for your own benefits. You'll lose out on perks like employer-sponsored healthcare and retirement plans. Depending on the work you do, there might be professional associations that you can join to get group health insurance rates.

• You'll have to pay self-employment tax. This is the flip side of paying taxes on less income. When you work for someone else, your employer pays half your Medicare and Social Security taxes, but now you effectively are your employer. You'll have to pay both halves. This is commonly referred to as the self-employment tax.

Most Common Freelance Opportunities:

1. Accounting

2. Bookkeeping

3. Graphic Design 

4. Marketing

5. Project Management 

6. Social Media Manager

7. Teaching/Tutoring 

8. Virtual Assistant 

9. Web Design/Development 

10. Writing 

Get Started as a Freelancer

Getting started as a freelancer can be as easy as visiting one of the freelance sites to find work and networking within your current sphere of influence to find your first client. Consider using a freelance site, such as Online Jobs or Upwork to find work.