Freelance as a career path

When everyone says I am a doctor, engineer, lawyer, artist, photographer, etc, one must think about the freelancer. Who is he? What does he do? How does he earn a livelihood? Freelancer doesn’t mean that you have no job or you don’t have any degree or professional skill, that’s why you are doing random work for others. It is a passion or we can say a profession in itself. It doesn’t require any professional degree but one must have the courage, entrepreneurial spirit, a high degree of motivation, and skills in which one really excels.

‘Freelancer’ is a word that you can write or explain but cannot explain or describe the hard work it takes to become a freelancer.

Benefits of pursuing this as a career

When there are so many high profiled and secured jobs, why should one prefer to become a freelancer? There are so many reasons behind that but let’s have a look at the most considerable facts:

1)Lack of jobs 

Sometimes we have the skill but still, we are unemployed because of the inadequate ratio between jobs and job seekers. And in this pandemic of Covid 19, we are facing the same problem. Many people have become jobless and insolvent. In such cases, freelancing is the best option to outshine your talent and earn a livelihood.

2) Flexibility in the schedule 

Work schedule and timings are important aspects for employees. In many companies, the work schedules are so tight that we feel demoralized. Then the morale and the interest in work decline. In freelancing, we get the required freedom and flexibility in your work pattern. You decide what you want to do and when you want to do it.

3) Be your own boss 

In this career, you are the master of your own ship. All the decisions taken are yours, no one can interfere or question them. You are free to do any work of your own choice and in your own individual style. No one controls you or asks you to do everything as per his/her will. You can choose which project you want to do and which client’s project you want to do.

4) Passion 

Sometimes we get stuck, such that our work becomes only a 7 am to 6 pm job for us and we lose our passion somewhere in between. Many times we also have to choose a job over our passion. But freelancing provides us with a platform to develop our passion and outshine our hidden talent. And the happiness and satisfaction you get in developing your passion as your profession is nowhere else. There are only a few people who get the chance to do what they want to do.

Why I should and why I should not?

When choosing a career the first thing that comes to mind always is, why should I choose it? And if I do so then will it always generate benefits for me? There are so many

questions that come to mind and the answer is “we don’t know”. We don’t know if we will be successful or not. We don’t know if we will get any work or not. That’s why it is important to know every fact carefully before entering into a new occupation.

One must choose freelance as a career because it is flexible, there is freedom of client and work and most importantly your passion will be your profession. One should not choose freelance as a career because it lacks opportunity, you can work only when someone gives you the work and the rest of the time you will be unemployed. One also has to face cash flow issues and if you work alone you also lack team spirit and coordination with others.

Choosing freelance as a career requires a wise choice. If you have the determination, courage and willpower to change your fate by your hard work then you should and if you lack this essential then you should not.

By Anjali