Freelance work is a form of transition that requires flexibility as time and technology evolve. Especially in the pandemic COVID-19 situation, freelancers are increasingly being sought by companies. What is a freelancer?
Anyone who does freelance is referred to as a freelancer. They can work anytime anywhere and are not bound by working in an office. With that, location is no longer an obstacle because activity can be done without actually being present in the workplace. However, there are several things that you need to know before becoming a freelancer. Check out our summary below.
What is freelance?
Basically, freelance is a freelancer who is not attached by a long-term contract, but instead a contract per project that is agreed upon. With their flexibility, they can work without being attached to space or time.
Difference between freelance with an ordinary worker
If becoming an employee requires you to work on specific working days and hours, then you could consider life in the freelance world as freer. A freelancer does not have an ‘’office’’ and is not tied to a hierarchy like working in a company. Therefore, the contracts given are mostly short-term, in contrast to full-time workers.
Regardless of the flexibility and freedom that a freelancer has, the income from this job will be varied each month. It can be greater or lesser depending on the contract received. This is what mainly differentiates them from ordinary employees who get a monthly salary on a regular basis and must comply with the bound office’s rules such as regarding leave.
Requirements to start freelance work
Before you decide to jump into the freelance industry, don’t forget to consider the conditions that you need to fulfill. Here are some of the requirements:
You need to ace a particular skill
One of the terms that you need to have is a specific skill that you can offer because it is going to be your selling point for clients. So make sure, you’re able to offer a variety of skills in order to attract multiple clients
Professionalism and commitment
Given that the freelance world is not bound by office rules, a freelancer must be able to manage their own time to complete their projects. Commitment is also required as one of the driving forces to fulfill any client’s request.
Time management skills
As a freelancer, the ability to manage their time wisely is a must, considering they need to work on several projects at the same time. This skill is important to ensure that they can finish their work on time.
Adaptation skills
In addition to time management skills, a freelancer is also required to be able to adapt quickly and work under pressure. Not to forget, the projects being worked on will be varied so it’s important to be able to adapt.
How to find a freelance job?
Before finding a job, a freelancer needs to ensure that they know what kind of career that’s suitable for them. Take a look at some examples of freelance jobs below!
- Private tutor
- Digital marketing service
- Content Writer
- Business consultant
- Tour guide
- Ghostwriter
- Barista
- Photographer
- Desaigner
- Translator
Recommended sites for a freelancer
For those of you who want to start a career in this field, here are some sites that will help you to find jobs according to your abilities:
- Sribulancer
- Freelancer Indonesia
- Projects. co. id
- Sribu
- Gobann
- 99Design
- Upwork
Advantages and disadvantages of freelance
Every profession has its own advantages and disadvantages. What about freelance work?
Advantages of freelancing
Able to work in any locations
Considering this job doesn’t have a specific, freelancers can work anywhere as long as they’re supported with a stable internet connection then the job can be submitted according to the deadline. So you don’t have to worry much about being absent.
Flexible working hours
Being a freelancer means you don’t have to be present in the office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Instead, they can work anytime according to their preference and schedule, making this job suitable for individuals who have constraints with time.
Variety of job options
Being a freelancer could be a demanding job as you’re required to be able to work on a variety of projects with different tasks. On the other side, this can also be an advantage as you can choose to do different types of jobs as you wish.
High prospects
In an era filled with the presence of smartphones, the entertainment industries such as social media can’t be separated from the services of freelancers. Whether creating animations, images, or content writing is often created by them.
Right now, there is an increasing number of platforms that provide a place for freelancers to work. So it is actually a good prospect.
Disadvantages of freelancing
Difficult to socialize with others
Usually, freelancers choose to socialize through social networks. They could also distance themselves from other people in order to focus on doing their job. This is because gathering can hinder their work time and they end up sacrificing their time to meet the closest ones.
Loss of inspiration
A high number of clients interested in your ability as a freelancer can also be a drawback. Mainly in the form of boredom or even loss of inspiration when working.
Not to mention in this pandemic situation, where mobilization is limited and saturated feeling often comes. As a result, it hinders you from working optimally.
Lack of facilities
What does freelance mean? Not getting supporting facilities is one of the means that happened in the freelancing world. In contrast to ordinary employees who received support facilities such as life and health insurance. Therefore, a freelancer must fulfill their needs independently.
At a first glance, freelance may be a dream job for a lot of people as you can sit anywhere and do your work without being bound by a contract.
However, it is important to remember that being a freelancer still takes commitment and time management skills in order to be a professional.