What is Freelancing? A Complete Guide to Freelance Jobs
Whether you want to be your own boss, try a new career, or have a side hustle that focuses on your favorite projects, freelancing could be a great option for you. And, if you decide to pursue freelance work, you won’t be alone.
In 2019, a survey by MBO Partners found that about 41.1 million Americans identified themselves as freelancers, whether it was a few hours of work a month or a full-time arrangement. To elaborate on this a bit more, about 15 million workers claimed to be part-time freelancers, and 12.4 million called themselves full-time freelancers!
With statistics like that, 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, and the attributes needed to succeed as a freelancer.
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What is Freelancing? Definition and Meaning
Basically, a freelance job is one in which a person works for themselves, not for a company. Although freelancers work on contract for companies and organizations, they are ultimately self-employed.
Freelancers are responsible for all sorts of things that traditional employees don't do, such as setting their own work hours, keeping track of time spent on different projects, billing clients, and paying their employment and business taxes. Freelancers are not considered "employees" by the companies they work for, but rather "contractors."
What is a Freelancer? Definition and Meaning
The meaning of "freelancer" is very broad. A freelancer is someone who is self-employed, often working for multiple clients at a time and earning an income per project.
When you're looking for freelance jobs, you need to be aware of several different terms. These can help you find freelance job openings, and they're also useful when describing yourself and your work to potential clients.
Types of freelance jobs:
- Contract work: Jobs where you're a temporary contract employee rather than a permanent employee.
- Contract work: Similar to contract work.
- Independent contractor: Another common way to say freelancer, but the terms of your work are specified by a contract with another company or person.
- 1099: Refers to the IRS form that an independent contractor fills out, Form 1099-MISC, and is often used to describe the job ("This is a 1099 contract role").
- Contract consultant: Someone who is hired to temporarily consult on specific issues within a company.
- Contract-to-job: A job that starts out as a freelance, independent contractor position, but has the potential to become a regular employee position if things go well.
- How to Find Freelance Work
- Focusing on companies known for hiring freelancers can be a great way to start looking for freelance work. For example, these employers have the most freelance vacancies posted on FlexJobs:
KForce
Kelly
Ajilon
Accounting Principals
Randstad
Robert Half International
Stride, Inc.
Solomon Page
Dahl Consulting
Cactus Communications
Most Common Freelance Career Areas
As you can see from the freelance job listings on FlexJobs, a wide variety of companies, organizations, and government agencies hire freelancers. You'll find work in almost every type of career, and freelance jobs vary from short, temporary projects to long-term, full-time projects.
These are the fields that hire the most freelancers:
- Accounting & Finance
- Administrative
- Writing
- Customer Service
- Bilingual
- Computers & IT
- Medical & Health
- Editing
- Human Resources & Recruitment
- Education & Training
- Pros and Cons of Freelancing
- Every job has its pros and cons, and freelancing is no different. Being aware of the challenges can ensure you're prepared for them.
Benefits of Freelancing
Having control over your workload, the clients you work with, and your income is a significant benefit of freelancing. When you freelance, you're in the driver's seat. You decide which jobs you take, which clients you want to work for, and what your pay rate will be. Depending on your level of expertise, it's possible to work part-time hours but earn a full-time salary.
Flexibility and working remotely are also a benefit. Most of the time, working on a freelance project will involve working in your home office during the hours you choose. You'll definitely have to meet deadlines, but you'll decide when and where you work.
Disadvantages of Freelancing
With full control comes added responsibilities. As a freelancer, you're a business owner, and you need to keep track of taxes, invoices, receive payments, find your own health insurance, and purchase every software and technology you need to get your work done.
Feast or famine syndrome is another real disadvantage of freelancing. Some months you'll be swamped with work, while the next month can be a starving city. You may depend on a consistent contract with a client, but suddenly discover that they no longer need you. Freelancing requires good money management and constant sourcing of new clients.
Qualities and Characteristics Required for a Freelancer
There are certain qualities you need to possess to set yourself up for freelance success. While this is not an all-inclusive list, these essential traits will give you an idea of where to focus.
Discipline
There is no boss watching you out of the corner of your eye and co-workers are not there to judge you when you spend an hour shopping online instead of working. Self-discipline is essential to staying on track.
Persistence
Persistence is always important, but it's even more so when you're starting out as a freelancer and trying to find work.
Resilience
As a freelancer, you'll hear one word more than anyone else: no. Rejection is the name of the game