Freelancing, Freelancer and Full Time Job

Author - Nishant AgarwalNishant Agarwal
Aug 16, 2021
Freelancing, Freelancer and Full Time Job

 

What is Freelancing?

According to Wikipedia "Freelance (sometimes spelled free-lance or free lance), freelancer, or freelance worker, are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance workers are sometimes represented by a company or a temporary agency that resells freelance labor to clients; others work independently or use professional associations or websites to get work."

While I agree with the above that freelancer is self-employed and not committed to a particular employer. However, this is only one part of the coin. Why can't a freelancer be a full-time employee as well or why can't a full-time employee do freelancing?

 

Can a Full-Time Employee do Freelancing?

Why not? Does your full-time job contract say so? If not, what is stopping you from freelancing when you are not working for your employer.

You have 24 hours in a day and you work for your employer 8 hours. You still have 16 hours and you can spend at least 5 hours freelancing. Also, during your full-time work hours, you have your cell phone with you. You can chat with your freelance job client or respond to his emails. Modern smartphones allow you to connect to servers, draft word documents or excel files. You can do pretty much everything on modern smartphones as you would on a desktop or laptop.

 

What are the benefits of Freelancing?

Have you read our other blog about how to get rid of fear of lay-off? If not, read it now. That's the number 1 benefit on our list of doing freelancing alongside your full-time job.

Doctors can open their own clinics (more than 1 clinic in different localities in most cases) while working for a hospital, why can't engineers? Doctors save the lives, an engineer creates new things to make world better place to live. More the doctors work, more lives are bettered or saved. Why doesn't the same apply to engineers? More employees they work for and more they work, they create more software or invent something to make the world a better place.

If that's not good enough for you to get started with freelancing below are few more real advantages based on my experience.

  1. A new source of income for you. A wise man once said, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Why are you relying on a single source of income for your life? Create more sources of income, use your knowledge to help clients in need and yourself.
  2. You are the boss if you can deliver. No matter how good you do in your full-time job, you will never be rewarded as you would expect. But, in freelancing, you just need to start. Once you create a reputation for yourself, you can decide your own schedule, your own rates, and your own terms and conditions. Clients would be happy to go along with you as they know you deliver.
  3. Learning opportunities. In your full-time job, you have a dedicated person for each task being handled in your project or team. You have limited visibility and rights to execute things. However, in freelancing, you get more to do. In most cases, you are a one-man army. You not only get the full picture but you are the decision-maker as well. It not only increases your knowledge it also makes you more competent and a reliable employee. You will notice a change in your working style and decision-making in 1 year of your freelancing. Your decision-making capabilities will increase manifolds which is not possible in a full-time job.
  4. Royalty. If you work for your organization for 20 years, would you expect them to take care of you after 20 years? But, imagine the same for a company which you started as a freelancer. I have few clients I started working with 10 years ago. Few of them succeeded while others failed. The successful ones are hardly sending the work my way but I am still asked and involved in decisions for the company. I still get paid. Can you expect the same from your full-time employer?

 

Advantages/Benefits whatever you call it, these are real. It's up to you whether you want to better utilize the time you have or you want to regret it later.

If you feel your current skills are not good enough to get you a freelancing job then get up. Learn something new. New, which is in demand. 

Clients need freelancers like you. Freelancers they can trust. Freelancers who can deliver. Help your client's business grow and grow your career and fulfill your dreams in the process.

 

How do I start Freelancing?

Never ever do it directly with any client or with a client whom you met on social media. Even if a friend introduced you to a client, never do it without setting it up on a good freelancing site.

There are various risks associated with freelancing when you are doing it directly with a client with no payment guarantee involved. 

Therefore, we recommend you following protocol to follow while doing freelancing with any client.

 

  1. Sign-up with any freelancing site. We would recommend starting with Toogit - Top Online Gurus for instant Tech and Other Work.
  2. Set up your profile with a professional picture of yours.
  3. Never share your contact details until you are awarded the job or hired on the website. When you are hired by a client then money goes into escrow. After that only you can be assured of payment for your work.
  4. Never accept to receive payments directly. This is where most of the cheats happen. You deliver the work, the client pays you, and files for a chargeback with his bank. And, you are robbed.
  5. Would you use foul language with any client in your full-time job? If not, then don't do it with any clients on any freelancing site as well. You never know they may find a need for you later on and hire you.
  6. Never give up. I have seen most of the newbies start with excitement and within few days their enthusiasm would die and they will stop looking or trying to get their first freelancing assignment. It takes time but it works if you are firm on your decision. It took me 4 years to get my first real freelancing job. The first one is still going on. Jobs have changed, more freelancing projects were started but the first one is still on.
  7. Time = Money. It's very true. Learn to do stuff efficiently and better manage time. Because the better you are with this, the more you can deliver in lesser time and the more you can earn.

 

That's all at the moment folks if you want me to touch upon any other topic in detail or need more info, feel free to drop in your comments. I would be more than happy to reply to your queries.

 

 



Last Modified: Aug 16, 2021
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