If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money on the side, you’ve probably considered getting a part-time job. But have you ever considered becoming a freelancer? There are so many reasons to consider freelancing as your part-time work of choice! Here are 16 of them!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Offers flexibility in working hours. |
| 2. Allows for a work-life balance. |
| 3. Opportunity to pursue other interests or hobbies. |
| 4. Potential to earn additional income. |
| 5. Provides autonomy and independence. |
| 6. Access to a global pool of clients. |
| 7. Ability to choose projects of interest. |
| 8. No commuting or office expenses. |
| 9. Opportunity to build a diverse portfolio. |
| 10. Flexibility to work from anywhere. |
| 11. Enhanced personal and professional growth. |
| 12. Develops strong self-discipline and time management. |
| 13. Opportunity to explore various industries. |
| 14. Chance to network with professionals worldwide. |
| 15. Embrace a challenging and dynamic work environment. |
| 16. Potential to turn freelancing into a full-time career. |
1. You Can Set Your Hours
You can set your hours and work when you want. You don’t have to punch a clock or worry about clocking out for lunch. Your schedule is entirely up to you and all that matters is that it allows you to be productive and happy. If you want to take breaks from freelancing every hour on the hour, go for it! If you need a couple of hours off in the middle of the day, no problem!
If working from home isn’t an option for whatever reason, traveling can also be a great time saver as long as there’s good wifi wherever your location might be at any given moment (which these days should be nearly anywhere).
Setting up a dedicated workspace is essential for freelancers to maximize productivity. Learn how to create an efficient workspace in our guide on How to Set Up a Dedicated Workspace for Freelancing and be super productive.
2. You Never Have To Commute
Yes, that’s right! Freelancers can work from home. Many freelance jobs are done from the comfort of your own home office or in a coffee shop on your laptop or tablet. If you don’t want to work from home and prefer other places with WiFi access (like libraries), those are always available as long as there’s no line of patrons waiting for their turn at the computer. You could even take your job with you on vacation if needed!
3. You Get To Work In Your Pajamas.
You get to work in your pajamas Or your underwear. Or both!
There’s no dress code, so you can wear whatever makes you comfortable is the goal, after all. You can wear shorts and flip-flops if that’s how you roll, or sweatpants and a hoodie if that suits your fancy. If it gets cold outside, throw on an extra coat (or two) and stay warm while earning money from home.
4. You Can Eat Whenever You Want (Within Reason)
It’s the best. Now you don’t have to ask for permission to eat. You can do it whenever and however often you want. You don’t have to worry about keeping your boss happy or getting in trouble for taking a break during work hours, because there are no more work hours! Just like the rest of your life, eating is now free from any rules or restrictions. The only rule is: don’t get so busy that you forget to eat at all!
Freelancing has evolved beyond just writers. Discover the diverse opportunities freelancing offers in our article on Why Freelancing Is Not Just for Writers Anymore.
5. You Never Have To Deal With Annoying Hr Systems And Paperwork
You don’t have to deal with the hassle of an HR department or a payroll company. And if you’re not careful, you may find yourself in an office that requires all sorts of other paperwork, too health insurance forms, proof of citizenship, and so on.
In many cases, freelancers don’t even need to fill out any W2s. That’s right: no taxes. And if they do work as a self-employed person (which is often required), they’ll most likely be responsible for paying both state and federal income taxes on their own at the end of the year.
6. Your Competition Might Be Anywhere In The World, But Nobody Ever Sees Your Competition
You’re probably thinking, “Okay, but what about my competition? Where are they?”
Well, the answer is: all over the world. And that means that even if you do get a client from your local area and someone else gets another one from another country (or hemisphere), nobody will ever see them face to face. So no matter how much your competitor does or doesn’t do for their customer, it’s still going to be hard for them to catch up to you!
This also applies if you’re trying to land projects in different countries or continents you still won’t have any direct competitors in those places besides whoever else is offering services there.
Embrace freelancing as it revolutionizes the way we work. Find out more in our feature on Freelancing: The Best Thing to Happen to Work in a Long Time.
7. You Can Choose Your Coworkers
Being in a position to choose your coworkers is a luxury few people have, but if you’re freelancing, it’s yours to enjoy. You’ll be working with people that share similar values and passions as you do, and better yet you’ll be able to choose who those people are.
You can pick the person who inspires you and respects your work ethic. Or the one who pushes you like no other to achieve great things. The possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing those around whom you will spend most of your waking hours every day. But what about accountability? How does an accountability partner help keep us on track? Well.
8. You Have Time Left Over To Pursue Other Things In Life
For those who want to spend more time with family and friends, freelancing is the ultimate part-time job. You can work from home, schedule your hours, and take on projects that fit your schedule.
You’ll never feel like you’re missing out on family time because you had an early morning meeting or missed out on a high school soccer game because you had to meet a deadline. You can also pursue side businesses that interest you without the added pressure of having to earn money from them right away which means that if they fail at first (or even if they don’t), it won’t be too big of a deal financially.
9. Marketing Skills Are Transferable Between Freelance Jobs
If you’re a good marketer, then your marketing skills are probably transferable.
While freelancing is an extremely flexible job, it’s important to remember that certain industries may be more accepting of freelancers than others. If you want to get into freelance marketing and don’t know where to start, here are some ideas:
- Write an ebook or create a course on how to do something (impressively well) in your field of expertise.
- Develop a social media strategy for companies that need help with their online presence.
10. The Learning Curve On Most Jobs Is Short Enough That You Can Learn New Skills Quickly If Necessary
The learning curve on most jobs is short enough that you can learn new skills quickly if necessary. This is especially true if the job requires little to no specialized experience, such as personal assistant work or administrative support positions.
If your part-time job requires other types of skills, then it’s likely that the employer will provide training for you. In any case, learning new skills is always a good thing for your career and can even lead to higher-paying positions down the line!
SEO writing can lead to a profitable career. Uncover the secrets in our comprehensive post on Why SEO Writing Is a Profitable Career and take your writing skills to new heights.
11. There’s No Glass Ceiling For Freelancers If You Want To Get Paid More, Raise Your Rates Or Find More Work
As a freelancer, you’re not limited by a boss’ expectations of what you should be doing for them. If you want to get paid more, raise your rates or find more work.
If you want to grow as a freelancer and make even more money, you must set goals for yourself and reach them. The best way to do this is by setting deadlines for yourself (e.g., “I will get my client list up-to-date before the end of next month”) and reward yourself when they’re achieved (“I’ll buy myself that Starbucks coffee I’ve been wanting”).
12. Freelancers Don’t Need A Resume They Just Need A Portfolio, And A Few Glowing Testimonials From Previous Clients Will Do
When you’re on the hunt for a job, your resume is your calling card. It gives potential employers (and future coworkers) an overview of your work history, education, and other personal details that could be relevant to the position.
But when you’re freelancing part-time, recruiters aren’t going to be looking at your resume; they don’t even know that you exist! This means there’s no need to spend time putting together a document that summarizes everything about yourself in one place.
Instead of sending out resumes when clients request them (which can feel like pulling teeth), freelancers can show off their portfolios instead. A portfolio is any collection of work samples: in this case, it’s all about what you’ve done for previous clients and how well those projects turned out!
And testimonials from happy customers are also great ways for new customers to get a sense of what kind of service they can expect from individuals who have worked with them in the past which is why we recommend having some before launching into full-time freelancing career mode!
13. No Two Days Are The Same For A Freelancer; Each Client Has A Different Style And Different Needs, So Things Are Never Boring
You’ll spend your time learning new skills and improving on old ones. You can always find new clients and projects to work on, meaning there’s always something new to learn. And because no two days are the same for a freelancer, there’s no need for complacency either!
14. You Can Say “No” To Any Job You Don’t Think Is Right For You And Keep Looking Until You Find One That Is Right For You
You can say “no” to any job you don’t think is right for you and keep looking until you find one that is right for you. This is unlike a full-time job where there are only so many jobs available in the market at any given time, so if you refuse one, then that might be the end of your chances at employment.
For example, let’s say your friend asks if he can borrow $100 from you because his car broke down and he needs to get it fixed ASAP or else he won’t have enough gas money to make it home from work today. If this situation were to occur while he was employed full-time with a company and they found out about this loan, they might fire him on grounds of unprofessionalism or lack of integrity (depending on the severity).
However, freelancers aren’t beholden to such rules and regulations since we are our bosses who can determine what happens with our lives according to how we want them to look.
This means we can choose whether or not someone gets fired based on their standards instead of some arbitrary rule book written by someone else who has no idea what kind of person each individual really is nor cares about them as long as everything runs smoothly within their company structure; all because these rules are put into place without any regard whatsoever towards human life itself!
15. Your Potential Clients Include All The Great Companies Around The World, Not Just The Ones That Happen To Be Hiring In Your Area
Freelancing offers you the flexibility to work with individuals and companies all over the world. You’re not limited to working with companies that happen to be hiring in your area you can also choose to connect with other freelancers or even larger corporations.
With freelance writing jobs available on websites like Upwork and Fiverr, it’s easier than ever before for people from all over the world to gain exposure as expert writers without having any formal training in journalism or communications.
Looking for success on Upwork? Discover the unconventional strategies in our guide on The Secret to Getting a Job on Upwork: It’s Not What You Think and increase your chances of landing exciting projects.
Final Thoughts
There are so many reasons to love being a freelancer, but I think my favorite is that the work never gets boring. Each client has a different style and different needs, so each project is its adventure. But don’t just take my word for it — try it out for yourself!
Further Reading
The Benefits of Freelancing: Explore the advantages of freelancing and how it can transform your career.
16 Reasons Why Being a Freelancer Is the Best Job in the World: Discover the unique aspects that make freelancing an incredible career choice.
Reasons to Become a Freelancer: Learn about the compelling reasons why freelancing might be the right path for you.
People Also Ask
What Is Freelancing?
Freelancing is the ultimate part-time job it’s flexible, it can be done from anywhere in the world, and it offers a lot more freedom than a traditional nine-to-five gig. It’s important to understand that when you’re freelancing, you’re not an employee you’re an independent contractor. That means you’re responsible for everything: managing your taxes, taking care of your insurance, and setting up your retirement accounts.
How Do I Start Freelancing?
The best way to get started as a freelancer is by taking advantage of our free resources on unleashcash.com. We have everything from step-by-step guides on how to become a successful freelancer, to tips on how to find clients and manage your finances. Start here today.
Why Should I Freelance?
Freelancing has some big benefits: You can make more money than working at a traditional job; you can choose your schedule, and you have the freedom to work wherever you want.
But there are also some downsides: You have to pay for your health insurance and retirement savings; taxes are complicated, and time management can be tricky when there isn’t anyone else telling you what you should be doing during the day (or week).
Why Should I Become A Freelancer?
When you’re a freelancer, you can work from anywhere you want. This means that you don’t have to go into an office every day and deal with the same people every day, which can be stressful. If your job is stressful or you just want to make more money, becoming a freelancer can help.
How Do I Become A Freelancer?
The best way to become a freelancer is to start small. You don’t need to apply for an entire company all at once if you don’t want to; instead, find something small that needs to be done and start there. Once your reputation grows and people know who they can count on, they’ll tell others about it and soon enough your business will grow exponentially!
What’s The Best Part About Freelancing?
The freedom. You get to choose when and where you work, which is great if you need some flexibility in your schedule. But it’s also wonderful because it means you can work from anywhere you don’t have to be tied down by a 9-to-5 job or office space. And with so many people working remotely these days, there are lots of opportunities to find clients who are open to hiring remote workers.
How Do I Find Clients?
There are lots of different ways to find clients. If you’re just starting, consider offering your services on platforms like Fiverr or Upwork they’re easy ways to get started with clients without having to spend any money on marketing and advertising yourself!
How Much Does It Cost?
Most freelancers charge about $20 per hour for their services (though some charge more), so if you want to make $100 per day on average, that would mean working four hours every day (or five hours on weekends).
Why Should I Make The Leap From Full-Time Employment To Freelancing?
Freelancing gives you the freedom to take on new challenges in your career and even make more money! You can control your workload, choose your clients and projects, and work when it’s convenient for YOU.
There are no formal schedules or dress codes involved! Plus, when you work as a freelancer, you get to do what you love every day (or at least most days).
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.