Are you trying to be your one boss, trying a new career path, or just want to have a side hustle that earns you money, then freelancing is the way to go.
What is Freelancing?
Freelancer is a person who works for themselves rather than a company. Freelancers do take work from companies and organizations, but they are self employed. Also freelancers are not considered employees, from the companies, rather they are called contractors.
Characteristics Needed as a Freelancer
There are some traits you should possess to set yourself up for freelance success. While not an all-encompassing list, these essential characteristics will give you an idea of where to focus.
Discipline
Self-discipline is necessary to stay on track. While freelancing you don’t have a person over your head monitoring you all the time, so it is necessary for you to discipline and motivate yourself to finish the work in time.
Organization
You’re in charge for a lot of different tasks. It’s up to you to keep track of your income and expenses, reply to client emails without delay, stay on top of your deadlines, keep your files sorted, and make sure your workload is streamlined.
Determination
To be a determined person is always important, but even more so when you’re just getting started as a freelancer and trying to track down work. Determination is the key, especially at the beginning. Resilience There’s one word you’ll hear more than anything as a freelancer and that is NO.. Rejection is part of the game, and you’re going to need to let it roll off your back and not take it to heart and keep going.
Communicative
Being a freelancer involves a lot of communication that is the way you can land clients. You have to be willing to do the hard conversations—like negotiating a higher rate or breaking up with a client—and handle them professionally. You are the one to handle and do the whole work as a freelancer. You don’t have a boss or a colleague to do the dirty work for you.
Pros and cons of freelance work
Before becoming a freelancer, it’s important to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of freelancing. Some of the advantages of being a freelancer are: Flexible work schedule: You can set your own schedule to fit around your other commitments. Choice and variety: As a freelancer, you can pick your projects according to your one desires. More control: you can set your own goals and will have more say in the direction of your business. On the other hand, there are also several disadvantages to consider: Less stability: because freelance work depends on reaching enough clients, many freelancers have less financial stability. Fewer benefits: many companies offer benefits for their employees, such as insurance or pension plans. Self-employed freelancers are responsible for their own perks and benefits. As you can see freelancing is an alternative way of working, which can be very beneficial and now it’s up to you if you find it a right career path.
