Plenty of misconceptions about freelancing have circulated for years, and some people still believe them today. To clear up the confusion, we’ve come up with a list of 7 popular freelancing misconceptions that aren’t true at all. Let’s get started!
You Can Work from Anywhere
Many people assume that you don’t have to work from an office and that you can do all your work remotely. While it’s true that some freelancers aren’t chained to a desk, many of them are working hard to secure new clients and maintain old ones, which makes traveling impractical. Additionally, in some cases, like graphic design or writing, you need specialized equipment such as computers or laser printers.
It’s Easy Money
Another misconception is that freelancing is a get-rich-quick scheme. Anyone who’s spent time trying to freelance knows that many factors are involved in being successful. You have to find clients, create proposals, complete projects on schedule, and deliver quality work while juggling other responsibilities like managing personal finances and marketing your business. It takes hard work to be successful as a freelancer, but you can build a profitable side hustle if you put in enough effort.
No Way – it’s an Endless Grind!
The popular belief is that freelance writer is chained to their desks, writing away hour after hour. If you’re starting, you may be concerned that you will have to work every hour of every day as a freelancer to make a decent income. There is nothing further from reality.
Freelancing is Ideal for Everyone.
People often idealize the idea of working as a freelancer. However, just because it’s right for me doesn’t automatically mean it’s the best solution for everyone. Specific jobs, personality types, schedules, and families don’t play well with having dedicated work time at home. For example, if you’re an extrovert, it can make you miserable. It is essential to discover what is right for you.
The Pay Is Insanely Good!
The amount of money you can make by freelancing will vary greatly depending on your industry and work type. Freelancers in specific industries can earn more than $75 per hour, while others only make around $20. Whether you’re a designer or an IT professional, here are four essential things to consider when figuring out
- How much to charge for freelance work?
- What is your time worth?
- Can you do it better than anyone else?
- Do you have previous experience in that area?
You Don’t Need Business Skills.
Not true. You still need to know how to set prices, market yourself, and pitch to clients—even if you are a graphic designer or developer. It’s just not as direct as an in-house job where everything comes to you. This can be a tough adjustment for people coming from regular corporate jobs because it feels like there’s nothing that resembles work when you freelance. But with some practice and effort, it will become second nature in no time!
Freelancers Are Mostly Male
Today, women make up a significant chunk of freelancers—more than 40 percent. More and more stay-at-home moms are ditching their day jobs to freelance online, often as web designers or writers, enabling them to work from home in their PJs.
Freelancing is Completely Stress-Free
The idea that working as a freelancer removes all work-related stress for a smooth experience is ridiculous for those who do it day in and day out. Just because you’re not in the office doesn’t mean you’re exempt from deadlines, projects, performance reviews, coworker relationships, and other stress-inducing work experiences. Working from home can add stress to your day.
Since my home is my office, it would be possible to work 24/7 if I wanted to. Deciding to stop working for the day can be difficult when the deadline approaches. Striking the right work-life balance is challenging, so one needs to be vigilant when delineating work and home life.
Being a Full-Time Freelancer Sucks!
I’m going to be very frank: freelancing is not a full-time gig. If you freelance full-time, you are not doing it right. It is an illogical and silly assumption that full-time freelancers work less than their 9–5 counterparts. They have more free time at night and on weekends when they don’t have to go into an office.
Conclusion
Freelancing can be an excellent option for workers who value their time and prefer the flexibility of working from home or on the go instead of being locked into the hours required by 9-to-5 office jobs.