Comments on: The Downside to Freelancing

By: Richard

Richard — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:41:55 +0000

Yikes! Thanks for this. I’m glad there’s an upside, too.

I’m working as an urban planner, and I write on the side. Both have ample opportunities for freelancing, but I can see how you need to hustle and at the same time draw borders between work and personal.

All told, you still seem to enjoy it.

By: Tiang

Tiang — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:50:03 +0000

Hi Gary, Great posts, and I’ve heard you mention these before at barcamp.

Just want to point out that Business Appearance can be used as a positive selling point. Freelancers can have a “can do” attitude that other companies cannot provide.

“The web is a great equalizer. A tiny business can have a better website than a huge one. A tiny business can do better customer support than a big one. A tiny business can write a better newsletter than a big one.”

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/07/should-small-bu.html

Maybe someday

By: Vishal harma

Vishal harma — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:34:05 +0000

Good points Garry, Freelancing is a hard gig. I have found that by branding it “Independent” its little bit easier to sell as compared to “Freelancing”.
Some of yr points r dead right.

By: Shai

Shai — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:27:21 +0000

Imho, you forgot one or two things:

1. Your mistakes carry on so much more weight when you’re “a business” and that’s because people tend to fuse blame on people. In a small business people who make critical mistakes can be fired in order to preserve a client – you don’t have the luxury to make mistakes.

2. You have to have the work ethics and be able to will yourself to work on things. This may sound far-fetched but it does come to pass when you work on long-term projects and your payment plan relies on your own personal work (due to reputation, etc) – and the project suddenly becomes very boring. (If, like me, you went to freelancing so you wont get too bored doing the same thing)

BTW. A very good article :]

By: rborn

rborn — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:34:27 +0000

@David
what real job? come on, get serious, of course is not a real job,
you do not have a boss to stress you, and to show you how smart and powerful he is,
you don’t have to get up early in the morning to go to the office,
you don’t have to make tasks that you simply hate it
is not a real job….

now seriously, i am a freelancer for past 3 years now, and that allowed me to change the country, to work when i want, at what project i want
of course there are drawbacks, lot of them, but my freedom is more important.
is true that sometimes i am thinking to get hired, because with my skills i would get a nice salary( not sure if bigger then what i earn now ), but after this i just think of what i said before…

By: Gary Barber

Gary Barber — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:24:18 +0000

@David. I have been doing this that long that I have never considered that. I do get the “freelancing is a transitional phase for your business – right” looks from time to time. Then I explain I have been doing it for a while.

By: David

David — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:06:09 +0000

Not a serious observation, but there is another down side. It is that awkward moment when you try to explain to some-one that you do have a ‘real job’.

By: Gary Barber

Gary Barber — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:36:01 +0000

@Zuzu – there is an upside, that comes next, but if you are not ready for the downside it can be a surprise. Freelancing is not for everyone. And even then over time freelancing may not be suited to peoples general needs etc.

@Josh – thanks.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:07:29 +0000

Hi, I’ve submitted this to digg.
http://digg.com/programming/The_Downside_to_Freelancing

By: zuzu

zuzu — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:53:03 +0000

Great article Gary. With all my complaints of my current government workplace, people have often asked why don’t I freelance? You have answered for me. It’s not as easy as it sounds as you have very clearly outlined.