Nowadays, More and more people are attracted to freelancing for extra income or maybe people don’t want to work under someone else or for getting their work done at a lower cost as compared to the market rates. According to a survey conducted by Upwork and Freelancers Union 56.7 million Americans freelanced till now in 2018 (3.7 million more than 2014). The number of freelancers was 53% in 2014 and now it has increased to 61% in 2018.
However, even after the huge growth in the freelancing industry, there are various misconceptions about freelancing. let’s discuss some of the most common misconceptions about freelancing.
- New Freelancers have to work for free: This is an extremely wrong misconception people have (obviously those who have not yet entered in freelancing and planning to enter sooner). Yes, you may have to bid at a very lower cost to get the first few projects as you need to stronger your portfolio. Anyways, It totally depends on the freelancers they may want to work for free just to add weight to your portfolio.
- Freelancing is affecting businesses: While small businesses who are struggling to get leads may hire a freelancer as per their project and requirements as they can not afford a full-time employee. so this is also a wrong statement.
- Freelancing is easy: No! Not at all! To reach “Working on your own Condition” Position you will need to keep improving your skills and work really very hard.
- There’s no competition in freelancing: There are millions of freelancers sitting with their laptops and bidding on the project. So, getting a project is a really very tough process. The numbers of freelancers are increasing every year (As stated above) so the chances are freelancers with trendy techniques may steal the opportunity. Hence it is suggested to keep yourself upgraded with the latest trends and technology.
- Freelancers work anytime, anywhere: Again NO. There is a time limit set by the client for a particular project. You have to work according to the client’s requirements. Delay in the project will definitely cost you.
- Freelancing is only a part-time job: There are people who do not want to work 9-5 under a rude boss with limited salary and want to work from their home. so instead of the traditional job, they prefer freelancing as it is one of the best work from home jobs as compared to others. According to a survey, 79% said freelancing is better than a traditional job and they can manage their social-work life.
- The easiest way to earn money: It may take several months to get your first project and even if you get your project (new freelancer) chances are you’ll be paid a low amount. yes, it is the best way to earn but not an easy one.
- Freelancers do not need to work hard: Freelancers have the time limit, they have a client whose demand is unstoppable and they also make mistakes. So, Freelancing is an industry which needs hard-working employee too, it’s not exceptional.
- You cannot earn a huge amount in freelancing: Again, It depends on your skills and experience. If you have a good portfolio you can bid for high budget projects and earn a good amount. It’s totally up to freelancers.
- The time difference is an obstacle: Freelancing gives you the chance to work with clients all across the world. It is obvious to have a time difference between you and your client’s region but this is not an excuse. You may work for your client during his off time which may be helpful for the client.
- Freelancers work under no one: Until the handover of a project, your client is your boss. If the client is not satisfied with your work, you won’t get paid.
- Freelancers are desperate to get a project and they can negotiate their rates to get the one: It is believed that freelancers are eager to get a project and they will work at your cost. The standard freelancers never put their costs low because they provide excellent service.
- Freelancers can’t get real job hence they choose to do freelancing: One of the most common misconceptions is that freelancers cannot get a 9-5 job and that is the reason they do freelancing. There are some people who give a better performance from their home’s desk. However, Freelancing is an industry which is growing day by day; more and more people are choosing to do freelancing as it maintains the balance between work life and personal life.
- Language is a barrier: Many people think that being fluent in English is just as you have to deal with international clients/freelancers. This is absolutely wrong. There’s no communication the barrier as far as both the parties can understand what either party wants to commute. All you need to know is Basic English.
The list of the misconception that people have about freelancing doesn’t end here; these are the few misconceptions people have, the list is long. However, Freelancing is not for everyone – it requires time, patience, skills and many more things to be a successful freelancer.