Every little thing in this world has its own pros and cons. Just as there are upsides to being an independent worker, there lies downsides to this kind of work. But, when you look at it from the perspective of an employer, hiring an independent worker is much more cost efficient than hiring full time employees. On the employee side, being an independent worker means that you don’t have to work under a boss. Having to answer to no one for your work can be a liberating experience for some. Not all people are suited to freelance work. Some have personalities that are not compatible with the freelance lifestyle. Some people are just so lazy that they will simply not be fit enough to take charge of their own work.
A freelance worker operates a sort of business where he is both the manager and the owner of that business. You need to be in charge of acquiring clients, negotiating pay rates, setting deadlines, as well handling payments. Although this is fraught with challenges, it also means that you are in charge of setting your own price. So, in a sense, you can determine the salary that you deserve and let go of work where you feel you are not offered good money.
Being an independent worker means that you have certain freedoms which you might not have enjoyed if you worked for a company. The freedom and flexibility means that you can choose when to work, and when to take a day off. This allows an individual more scope to grow their professional careers and expand their horizons in an efficient manner. You will also be in charge of your taxes as well as your work contracts. The freelance lifestyle pushes an individual to bring out the best of themselves and thrive in a free and fair work atmosphere.
Being an independent worker also means that you can have a healthy work/life balance and you can afford to give yourself enough time to have a better social life. If you have a family, it also means that you can spend more time with your family while working on a schedule that is best suited to your lifestyle. Although the freelance lifestyle means that there is no guarantee of payment, if you are vigilant enough and only work with reliable clients, you will have a better chance of forming better working relationships with your employers.
Another major perk of being an independent worker is that you won’t be limited to a set salary, and you can earn more than what you traditionally would have earned if you chose to work under a fixed employer. If you can manage to acquire skills that are in hot demand, you can charge top dollar for your services, and people will be bound to buy your services because of your skill level and your reputation. Being a freelance worker also means that you will get enough time to enjoy vacation or learn a new skill while working to earn a living. This means that you will be constantly updating your skill set and your experience, such that after a few years you can start earning double the amount of money for the same amount of work. Compared to being a permanent employee, this increased freedom and flexibility will allow you to grow as an individual and improve your skill set. If you have management skills, becoming a freelance worker may be the ideal kind of work for you, as you will be able to manage your work flawlessly.
