Comments on: Are you made for freelancing? http://mandagreen.com/are-you-made-for-freelancing/ Refresh your vision Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:51:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Cristi http://mandagreen.com/are-you-made-for-freelancing/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Cristi Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:49:52 +0000 http://mandagreen.com/?p=47#comment-13 Thanks for the comment Marius. You're right about most of the things, although I have to say I really met people who didn't even want to consider starting on theor own - mainly, because they would loose the comfort a job is offering. And I'm talking about big companies, not really facing the crisis yet. Incompetents or poorly trained persons exist everywhere, in every country, as freelancers or employees. Of course, as a freelancer, making money in this situation is much more difficult, but not impossible. As for the benefits of being employed,I also agree with you - the only thing I miss from my past jobs is the human interaction, jokes, serious talks and everything in between. Thanks for the comment Marius. You’re right about most of the things, although I have to say I really met people who didn’t even want to consider starting on theor own – mainly, because they would loose the comfort a job is offering. And I’m talking about big companies, not really facing the crisis yet.

Incompetents or poorly trained persons exist everywhere, in every country, as freelancers or employees. Of course, as a freelancer, making money in this situation is much more difficult, but not impossible.

As for the benefits of being employed,I also agree with you – the only thing I miss from my past jobs is the human interaction, jokes, serious talks and everything in between.

]]> By: Marius http://mandagreen.com/are-you-made-for-freelancing/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Marius Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:32:35 +0000 http://mandagreen.com/?p=47#comment-12 As you know, I've been a 'full-time' freelancer for about 4 years. Every profession and every individual is different, and will experiment different problems and benefits. Still 'freelancing' is not a profession but just a way to get out of the 9to5 cycle and allows you to take control on your live and profession. You can do whatever you want to do: work more and make more money, have more time for your family, dedicate to other projects or startups, or even turn it into a real business. I think that deep down everyone would like to be a freelancer or work for himself. Though, not everyone is doing it because they are afraid. Looking in your list of benefits for an employee (very small and I can’t think of other ones): > Stability & security - steady paychecks, well defined working hours and vacation days - this doesn't seem to be true anymore in these times; you are even more secure as a well positioned freelancer with plenty of contacts and projects that an employee that can lose its job very fast these days. > Limited responsibility > “Motivational packages” - phone/car/laptop > Paid trainings don't care ;) > Enjoying time with colleagues, team buildings - now this is the only true advantage of being employee in my opinion. In my experience isolation is the biggest downside of freelancing. My conclusion of this rambling is that everybody could benefit from being a freelancer but not everyone can do it for various reasons: - they are afraid of not having a stable income (even if you tell them they can make 10times more, there are people that prefer to have that little stable incoming without doing much). - they are not very good professionally at what they do. You need to be good in what you are doing, especially if you are competing with thousands of freelancers from all over the world. You need to always learn and be on top on your profession if not you will fail. The same should apply for an employee, but this doesn't happen like that and incompetents are tolerated in companies; eventually they will fail there also but only after a longer time. - the type of profession they do doesn't fit very well in a remote or freelancing type of environment. Finally I would like to congratulate you for doing this, as very few do it (at least in our country). You should be proud of being a freelancer and try to correct all the downsides of this as you will encounter along the way. Cheers, - Marius - As you know, I’ve been a ‘full-time’ freelancer for about 4 years. Every profession and every individual is different, and will experiment different problems and benefits. Still ‘freelancing’ is not a profession but just a way to get out of the 9to5 cycle and allows you to take control on your live and profession. You can do whatever you want to do: work more and make more money, have more time for your family, dedicate to other projects or startups, or even turn it into a real business.

I think that deep down everyone would like to be a freelancer or work for himself. Though, not everyone is doing it because they are afraid.
Looking in your list of benefits for an employee (very small and I can’t think of other ones):
> Stability & security – steady paychecks, well defined working hours and vacation days
- this doesn’t seem to be true anymore in these times; you are even more secure as a well positioned freelancer with plenty of contacts and projects that an employee that can lose its job very fast these days.
> Limited responsibility
> “Motivational packages” – phone/car/laptop
> Paid trainings
don’t care ;)
> Enjoying time with colleagues, team buildings
- now this is the only true advantage of being employee in my opinion. In my experience isolation is the biggest downside of freelancing.

My conclusion of this rambling is that everybody could benefit from being a freelancer but not everyone can do it for various reasons:
- they are afraid of not having a stable income (even if you tell them they can make 10times more, there are people that prefer to have that little stable incoming without doing much).
- they are not very good professionally at what they do. You need to be good in what you are doing, especially if you are competing with thousands of freelancers from all over the world. You need to always learn and be on top on your profession if not you will fail. The same should apply for an employee, but this doesn’t happen like that and incompetents are tolerated in companies; eventually they will fail there also but only after a longer time.
- the type of profession they do doesn’t fit very well in a remote or freelancing type of environment.

Finally I would like to congratulate you for doing this, as very few do it (at least in our country). You should be proud of being a freelancer and try to correct all the downsides of this as you will encounter along the way.

Cheers,
- Marius -

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