In most cases, freelancers can’t collect unemployment insurance, since they are not actual employees of the company. If things aren’t working out, you can let a freelancer go with pretty much no obligations, restrictions or regulations.
What is Freelance Work? A Guide to Freelancing
Whether you want to be your own boss, test drive a new career, or have a side hustle that focuses on your passion project, freelancing can be the way to go. And, if you decide to pursue freelance work, you wouldn’t be alone.
In 2019, an MBO Partners’ survey found that nearly 41.1 million Americans identified themselves as freelancers, whether it was a few hours a month or a full-time arrangement. To break that down a little further, nearly 15 million workers claimed to be part-time freelancers, and 12.4 million called themselves full-time freelancers!
With these kinds of numbers, it’s imperative to prepare yourself to freelance and freelance well. Use this guide to understand what freelancing is, how to find companies and jobs hiring, and the characteristics needed to succeed as a freelancer.
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Where can you find freelancers?
With dozens of freelance marketplaces and websites scattered all over the internet, finding a talented freelancer isn’t as challenging as it used to be. Popular websites like Upwork, FreeeUp, and TopTal, come with deep talent pools that business owners can easily tap into.
Depending on how involved you want to be in the hiring process, these websites provide you the option to either let you interview each candidate or send you pre-vetted ones you can choose from.
What makes hiring freelancers so appealing to business owners is how easy it is to do it. Unlike hiring full-time employees which takes a couple of weeks to complete, bringing in freelancers takes less time. In fact, you can be working with a freelancer you hire within 48 hours.
Hiring freelancers is an easy and convenient solution that business owners need to take advantage of. The good news is, all of them are just one click away!
Why are there so many freelancers?
If you have heard of freelancing before, you might think of it as something more common to writers or graphic designers. While these fields indeed boast numerous freelancers, so do many others, like statistics, web development, and accounting. The truth is, if you have a business interest, there is likely a freelancer who does work in that area.
Why do so many people work as freelancers now? The answers vary. Many cite the flexibility as a huge draw, particularly those who have family situations they need to work around. Others like being their own boss or not having to deal with a painful commute. Still, others enjoy the variety of working with different companies on diverse projects.
There’s no question that freelancers are now in popular demand, rather than being regarded with suspicion. None of the previous factors would be enough of a draw if freelancers weren’t getting hired in the first place.
In many ways, freelancing is a win-win situation. It provides advantages to the contractors, but also to the businesses they choose to work with. If you are interested in saving on costs and growing quickly, using well-placed freelancers may well be the key to a winning business strategy.
Benefits of being a freelancer
A greater sense of independence: Freelancing often gives you greater control over your workload, as opposed to a full-time employee. You can decide which projects to accept, clients you want to work with and how much you want to be paid.
A more flexible schedule: You can decide where and when you work on your projects. You often have the opportunity to work from your home office and set your own hours. As long as you meet your deadlines, you can organize your schedule according to your preferences.
A potential for increased income: Since you can negotiate your pay rate per contract, it’s possible to attain an increase in salary more quickly than if you were a full-time employee and generally only able to secure annual raises. It’s also possible to take on freelance work while you still have a full-time job so you can earn extra income.
Easy to begin: You can begin freelancing with very few start-up costs, assuming you already have the necessary equipment and skills for your chosen field. Some people even quit a full-time job to work on a contract basis with the same company, just to get started.
Start your freelance career
Are you ready to begin freelancing in 2022? It’s up to you. As a freelancer, you’re in control, and you get to make the decisions for your business. Clients are actively looking for new ways to address their problems, and your freelancing services could be the solution.
By following the seven steps in this article, you can get started on the path to becoming a successful freelancer in 2022. Don’t get stuck in the planning phase. You must take action to make your freelancing career become a reality. Sign up for a freelancer account on Upwork and gain access to millions of freelance opportunities.
References:
https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/what-is-a-freelancer
https://freeup.net/blog/business-tips/what-is-a-freelancer/#:~:text=A%20Freelancer%20is%20someone%20who%20works%20on%20a,own%20hours%20and%20managing%20their%20own%20work%20lives.
https://freeup.net/blog/business-tips/what-is-a-freelancer/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-be-a-freelancer
https://www.upwork.com/resources/how-to-become-a-freelancer