Freelance workers have increasingly become the new economy with the internet. How to navigate your career on the web while understanding the pros and cons.
With the advent of the Internet, an opportunity arose to search for the right information. A particular interest is the current topic of employment through the World Wide Web. It’s about freelance. If you’re already a freelancer, here’s an interesting list showing which countries are the best to work in as a freelancer.
What is freelance? It is a remote type of work. The point is that a representative of a company or an intermediary between a customer hires a virtual contractor for a fee. Such an employee is called a freelancer. The name “freelancer” is taken from English, once the so-called freelancer, who was hired for military service for money. Below you can read some features and advantages of freelancing from ResumeGet career experts.
Freelance Features
- The main distinguishing feature of this type of work is that the employer and employee can be at any distance, at any geographical point, even in different countries.
- Another feature follows from this: the customer and the contractor may not know each other by name, but this does not prevent them from cooperating.
- Freelance is characterized by a free attitude to work in terms of managing personal time. A freelancer is a subject who has the right to decide for himself how much and when to work.
- Anyone who prefers heavy workloads is looking for an appropriate employer with whom he agrees in advance on the deadlines. Equally important is the responsibility on the part of the customer, who undertakes to provide uninterrupted work.
- There is an unspoken ethic of relationships in which subjects establish their own rules. The employer does not press the hired employee, but expects timely execution from him. If for some reason he cannot meet the agreed deadline, it is necessary to warn about this in advance and ask for a delay.
- Such relationships are capable of self-regulation. If the employer is interested in a competent employee, he will try to create a comfortable conditions for him. Having found out who a freelancer is, the concept of remote jobs becomes clearer.
The benefits and challenges of freelance work
- Perhaps the above features can be attributed to the benefits. In addition, freelance is a state of freedom, the absence of a direct boss nearby and the ability to quickly leave an objectionable employer.
- A significant advantage is the lack of investment, here you can get income without investing your own funds.
Along with the pros, freelance has its dark sides. To understand how to make money on freelance, you need to know about the basic principles.
- This work is based on trust and integrity, but this is not inherent in all people. Based on this, there are likely risks of getting into an unscrupulous employer who may leave a freelancer without payment.
- A similar situation can be on the part of the employee, who will make you wait in vain for the task, the failure of which can result in big losses.
- The verbal agreement is not reliable enough, and this is the main minus of the remote work.
The disadvantages of freelance are also instability.
- The employer may terminate the employment relationship when he wants.
- Although there is a comforting moment: you can find another job when you want.
- Lack of insurance experience. In this regard, such work is more appropriate as an additional part-time job or, if you have experience, you can switch to full-time earnings.
- Career growth could only be virtual. For example, in the Kiev freelance exchange, an employee earns points and growth from a novice to a pro or a master. Salary growth is possible depending on professionalism.
How can you avoid mistakes?
To recognize how conscientious the employer is, you need to know some of the features that are common to a commonplace crook:
- Promises of unlimited amounts of work on various topics.
- Any form of payment (webmoney, Yandex money, qiwi wallet, bank card, etc.).
- The offer is clearly overpriced.
- Payment is not more than one time per month.
- The first task in large volume.
Such kind of proposals should arouse suspicion, and it could be justified when, after the completion of the first project, the employer simply disappears and there could be no question of any payment. It would not be superfluous to look for information on the Internet about the employer.
As a rule, an experienced freelancers are not indifferent to their colleagues and try their best to secure others, leave their feedback and give a negative assessment to dishonest employers. In order to avoid such unpleasant situations when working as a freelancer, it is recommended to make safe transactions through official sites such as freelance exchanges.
Virtual Opportunities for Freelancers
Anyone who wants to become a freelancer can perform a search for a remote job at his discretion. You can place a free announcement of your intention to engage in a free style of work in a particular direction. Interesting enough is the creation of your own website or blog that would popularize your abilities, it can attract a potential employer. You can also participate in forums to discuss relevant projects.
Perhaps the most effective would be contacting the freelance exchange, where there is an opportunity, firstly, to find a suitable job. Secondly, to complete a transaction, the security of which is guaranteed by the administration of the exchange website, which is interested in attracting a large number of customers.
How to become a freelancer?
If you are interested in the work of a copywriter, you should start by searching for the exchange by making a request. Having registered on one of the services, go in search of a suitable topic and payment size.
According to the specified contact information, you might contact the customer (via e-mail, skype or ICQ) and discuss the conditions. Usually, the employer offers to pass the test task, it could be free or paid. According to the test results, the customer may refuse or agree and offer cooperation. From this moment, you could say that you become a freelancer.
At first, as soon as freelance appeared, its main characteristic feature was the ability to work without leaving home. To a certain extent, this was a serious advantage; young mothers can become freelancers on maternity leave or people of retirement age who do not want to leave their native walls once again.
On the other hand, for an ordinary young man, such a way of life becomes boring, there is a certain rejection from society, and less time left for communication. As a result of these reasons, a new form of labour organization appeared co-working. Its meaning is to create a joint office in which freelancers rent a workplace. Despite the differences in the areas of activity, no one bothers them to get to know each other, communicate with each other. There is an interesting process of integrating the interests of people of various professions, this can become an incentive for the birth of new ideas. Especially useful are new experiences for creative people.
Popular areas of freelance activity
In addition to the fairly common remote work on writing text discussed above, freelance for translators is no less popular. The need for translation is high, but having an official stationary office for a translation company and having permanent translators on staff are an expensive pleasure. Therefore, translation agencies most often have a virtual format.
The situation is similar in other areas: freelance is also appropriate for lawyers. A very convenient form to use legal knowledge to consult with virtual clients. Some jurists earn extra money in this way, others create their own law firms and turn their work into a real business, attracting experienced, highly professional lawyers to collaborate.
Freelance is a real find for programmers. For them, the virtual way of labor relations is very convenient and understandable. The same applies to web designers, layout designers, and advertising specialists. Freelancers programmers have the right to choose to work at home or in co-working centers. It depends on their personal preferences.
The emergence of new ways of earning, new forms of offices, a variety of activities all this confirms the endless development of human society. The most remarkable thing about this is the positive trends in the fight against unemployment. If you are a professional, there is an opportunity to apply your knowledge and abilities. A large cohort of freelancers is a solid confirmation of this.
