Thinking About Going Freelance? Here’s What You Need to Consider ⋅ Plume

The office grind isn’t for everyone. Routine, schedules and meetings make some people want to claw their way out while they still have a chance. Mainstream offices are definitely changing but many companies simply haven’t caught up. This means a lot of people work in ways that don’t suit them.“, “For the office-bound, the siren song of going freelance conjures up Kinfolk-esque images of mindfully typing at your kitchen table, artisan coffee in hand. While the reality may not be quite so serene – especially as you near a deadline – it is a viable career option that self-motivated people should definitely consider.”, “And many people are doing just that. LinkedIn recently predicted that the freelance industry will continue to grow, particularly in arts and design industries. Indeed, most professional flexibility is in industries where you can work on a project basis.”, “So if you’re thinking of jumping the traditional ship and commandeering your own boat, here are some things you need to think about.

You’ll Be Alone Frequently

If you work in a creative discipline, chances are you already do a lot of your work solo. However, working within a company affords you the companionship of your colleagues, lunch buddies and people to bounce ideas off. As a freelancer, you’ll be the master of your own days and aside from client meetings and presentations, you’ll most likely spend a lot of time in isolation. The cure for this of course is renting a desk in a co-working space which provides not only company, but a chance to meet potential clients or people you could collaborate with.

You’ll Need To Be Disciplined

Whether you have to commute or not, you’ll still have to haul yourself out of bed in the morning at a reasonable hour. In fact, discipline is even more important when you’re working for yourself (unless you want to burn a lot of last minute midnight oil). Set up a routine for yourself and try to stick to your own ‘office hours’ as much as possible. This helps you avoid the temptation of working every available minute of the day. Setting fixed hour helps you to work more efficiently and prevents work seeping into your free time.

You’ll Have To Do A LOT of Admin

When you go freelance, you have to take care of all that stuff your employer used to manage for you. I’m sorry to report that none of it is fun. Not only will you have to invoice clients and chase them for payment, but you’ll have to do your own taxes and sort out your own insurance too. Freelance work doesn’t come with any benefits – so you have to make them for yourself.

You Need To Develop A Tough Skin

Clients will often try to lowball you when it comes to agreeing on payment. Creative freelancers in particular get told frequently that they should be glad of the work ‘for your portfolio’. \u003cinsert dramatic, exaggerated sigh here\u003e Do a little research, set a reasonable fixed rate, and don’t back down. For other people to value your work, you need to be confident and stick to your guns. Freelancing can mean dealing with irate clients, unreasonable demands and rejection so you have to learn to be tough.

You’ll Need To Always Be Professional

In every sphere of employment, you will meet people who rub you up the wrong way. That’s just life. When you freelance, you’ll probably have to work with and for people that aren’t exactly to your taste, but it’s essential that you act with professionalism and calm at all times. Deliver your work on time and without any hassle, and you’re more likely to get frequent work from that client.

You’ll Probably Be Always On

At the start, being a freelancer can be feast or famine. For that reason, most freelancers experience serious work FOMO, even when they’re actively taking a break, or totally swamped. In order to have some kind of work-life balance, you need to develop a way to deal with your clients in a timely fashion, without stressing out when you’re not technically ‘at work’.

You’ll Need Savings To Get Started

Getting started as a freelancer can be very hard at first. If it’s possible, it’s a good idea to freelance part-time, or source some clients when you’re still working a full-time job (no, not from your company’s database – you’ve probably signed contracts about this shit). If this isn’t feasible, at the very least you’ll need to have a cushion of savings while you get the ball rolling.

You Need To Be Constantly Learning

Trends and technologies change all the time, and to be an excellent freelancer, you need to have your finger on the pulse. Being trendy is no substitute for high quality, but be sure not to get stuck in a style that could go out of fashion in a heartbeat. Learn everything you can, and constantly keep up-to-date with your industry and try to stay ahead of the game.“, “When you work for a company, you’re shielded from a lot of the ancillary crap that your boss has to deal with. When you freelance, you’re the CEO of your own company and you need to embrace the fact that you have infinite control over how you perform. Freelancing isn’t always easy, but once you get into the swing of it, it can be intensely rewarding.”, “Take into account the added bonus that you can fit your work around your life, take trips whenever you want to, and have no need to stay at the desk for any longer than you absolutely have to. If you finish your work quicker than expected, you don’t have to put in any more hours than necessary!

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