Freedom through Freelancing

Image: Internet

So you've finally graduated, got yourself a decent job, and become part of the workforce: congratulations! But are you really independent?  Maybe it's too early for you to realise what impact you'll bring with your work - right now, you're probably just concerned with earning enough to pay for the bills. You surrender all your efforts to the boss who will either accept or reject your work. Soon after, you begin wondering if the company knows that you exist, as you get trapped in the never-ending circle of 'commute-work-routine-surrender-wait'.

Eventually, you'll realise that this isn't independence in the truest sense. Being independent means you get to choose and do own your work, without having to miss out on important things in life. And this is where freelancing slides in. Being a freelancer beats the blues of the 9-to-6 work cycle. Whether you are a student ready to earn some cash, a fresher trying to make an identity, or an experienced professional, freelancing can help you live the life you want. With all the charms of entrepreneurship, freelancing lets you cut the extra administrative chores of startups.  Simply signing up for free at www.freelancer.com gives you access to the millions of jobs available in the global marketplace.

There's a common myth that you need to be an IT geek to be a freelancer. The truth is, you can be a graphic designer, an HR consultant, or an engineer - and still choose to be a freelancer. Freelancing is not a profession by itself; it is only a format you can conveniently choose to work from. Once you visit www.freelancer.com you will find categories of projects you never thought could be outsourced online.  However, the benefits of freelancing cannot be taken for granted as there is an element of luck and external forces involved. Let's look at the things you'd have to face as a freelancer.

Bossing on Yourself is one where you will not have anyone bossing over you. However, being one's own boss is not very easy either! If you lack managerial and sales skills, you may not be comfortable being your boss.

No Colleagues is another factor. Teamwork is not everyone's piece of cake. If any member of the team you were dependent on fails, the entire synergy collapses. And that calls for a blame game followed by lower productivity level. As a freelancer, you are free of any such prejudice and can fully concentrate on the assignment.

When you are a freelancer, you are independent. You decide which projects to take. You pick what you like. You decide when to work. Freelancers are free to make their own decisions without having to wait for approvals and judgments from peers. However, you may have to start with what's available before moving on to choose your work.

Freelancing will empower you to earn more money for the same amount of work assigned in your office. And money will grow faster than any job you have applied.

Some say that time is money! If commuting takes one and a half hours in each direction, that's three hours a day lost on the road. If you cut out the Dhaka traffic from your daily life, then life can be dramatically peaceful!

Freelancing can set you free if you are an independent person by heart. However, you need to promote yourself continuously in order to reap maximum benefits of freelancing. But with hard work and determination, plus a bit of talent, anything can be possible.