Dear Freelancers…
I understand that we are all about letting the world know that we do not work for free, and there are enough posts on the internet talking about how one must not take “free” in freelancers seriously. It’s great that we are doing this, but let’s take some time out to check in with ourselves here for a bit? It’s going to be a little uncomfortable, brace yourselves.
“I want to try my hand out at this for a month or two and see if I can manage it.”
Would you ever say this while applying to a regular job? Then why are you saying this to a client or a prospective employer? Everyone talks about how freelancers can’t be taken seriously, and a lot has to do with this attitude. If you can’t give your dedicated time and attention to a freelance client, maybe you need to take a step back and analyze if you are ready to be a professional freelancer.
But if I don’t try it out how will I know?
This part does not go down well with too many people, because it requires us to take on some responsibility (taking ownership of one’s problems is always tough, which is why I am of the opinion that freelancing isn’t just a job, it’s an entire lifestyle change.) “There is no network” “no client wants to pay” “I don’t know where to look” “ no one wants a freelancer on board” are secondary problems, the first thing that you must understand here is that you need to manage your time effectively and understand prioritization so that you can go ahead and get a client on board. With effective time management, you will be able to double or even triple your income because you will be able to prioritize work. Sorry not sorry, but it all boils down to time management and self-discipline.
At a regular job, your time is being managed by somebody else because there is a structure in place. When it comes to freelancing you are all alone and you need to find the structure in your chaos. Not too many of us are ready to take up this responsibility, which is why many people give up freelancing when they realize how tough it can get. When people say they prefer the stability of a regular job, they are saying that they like the comfort and security that a structure and regular paycheck provides, and there is nothing wrong in feeling this way. It takes a lot of hard work to manage your time, stay disciplined, form a routine for yourself, and excel in a freelancing career. So before you consider freelancing, mentally prepare yourself for all the hard work that you will have to put in all by yourself.
Just like how in a regular job you have to take ownership of your task, freelancing requires you to step up and be proactive. Just like how you would keep your team (at a regular job) up to date on any delays from your end, freelancing requires you to have honest conversations with all stakeholders, so that you enable a healthy working culture.
Freelancing is an entire lifestyle because it requires you to work on yourself. Before you approach someone with “I would like to try this out” please understand that you are belittling this entire way of life because you might be assuming this is a hobby that you can try out and give up at your own convenience.
There are too many people taking freelancing way too casually, talking about how it helps them travel the world, sit at fancy cafes, work from exotic locations, and there are a lot of impressionable minds that believe this to be the only truth. While this is a part of this lifestyle, it also requires a lot of hard work in the back end.
This might come across as blunt, but it is what it is. Let’s enable a work culture where we are all professional freelancers, yeah? As a former freelancer and now agency-owner, I understand the struggle, but I also understand that a lot of responsibility lies on us to make the freelance economy a sustainable one.
