When the office is already unbearable, the schedule from 9 to 6 is boring and the desire to send everything to hell, the bosses are rude and obnoxious…. I mean, how can I not consider freelancing?
On the one hand, I want to give up everything, on the other hand, I’m scared. The Internet is full of revelations of freelancers who have lost a good job in the office, and now bite their elbows.
“I left the office literally to nowhere — everything got me,” Tatiana writes. — But for the first month of freelancing I earned only 10 thousand rubles, for the second — 15. In the office, I received 40. As a result, I stumbled around and came back, only this time to a less paid position. Now I realize: what an idiot I was!”.
In order not to repeat other people’s mistakes, let’s look at all the pros and cons.
How to quit the office for freelancing without losing your sense of reality?
— Freelance police! All those who earn extra money on the side, while working in the office, get ready to go out!
Pros and cons of the office
Pros:
Stability. You can always count on an advance and a salary in a fixed amount.
Career growth. Even if not up to the CEO, but with due diligence, several steps up the career ladder are usually available to everyone.
Official employment, paid sick leave, and pension funds are included. Employees typically have the right to at least a minimal social package, even with a modest wage.
Recognition of society. You can argue with this, but the truth of life is this: if you have a stable job in the office, in the eyes of society you are smart and appealing.
Cons:
You work for your uncle and are forced to fulfill all the wishes of the boss.
You adapt to the system, even if you don’t like it.
There’s a good chance that you don’t like your job. You’re burnt out, exhausted, and tired of everything.
You cannot comfortably plan personal affairs that imply absence from work during working hours: trips to the polyclinic, visa centers, etc.
How to quit the office for freelancing without losing your sense of reality?
— And freelancing is nothing like that. Finally, there is no need to listen to colleagues’ enthusiasm about their children and cats at the cooler every time.
Pros and cons of freelancing
Pros:
You are your own boss: you decide who to work with, when to work and for how much money.
You allocate your time yourself. If you want you work, if you want you rest.
You become free. There are no more vacation schedules, two days off a week. All 365 days of the year are yours. Since freelancing usually involves remote work, you can work anywhere in the world, whether it’s Goa or a village near Krasnodar.
Ideal for introverts, providing a minimum of communication.
Cons:
We have already written about the pitfalls of freelancing — we recommend reading and removing rose-colored glasses.
How challenging it is to choose! For you, we have created a checklist. Determine for yourself whether going freelance is worthwhile or if it would be better to wait and prepare for this important step.
You’ve already decided on the industry in which you’ll be a freelancer. Preferably one — to constantly pump in it and improve skills. And it’s foolish not to take a little bit of everything.
Your earnings on freelancing ALREADY exceed the salary in the office. You work both in the office and you are engaged in freelancing and earn good money. Don’t be under any illusions that your fees are low right now, because work eats up all the time. Oh, not a fact! You will spend your free time searching for customers, and earnings will remain the same.
You have formed a reliable pool of customers. And regular customers, not one-time ones. The kind that will provide you with a job for months ahead. Only in this case you can be sure that you will not die of hunger. Alternatively, in parallel with the work, register on the freelance exchange and slowly begin to form a base of regular customers.
You have created a cash airbag for several months ahead. Unfortunately, regular customers often “fall off”, so a cash reserve is needed for a painless transition.
You have a well-developed self-discipline. It will not be difficult for you to work in the same mode (or even more), only from home. If you are distracted all the time, it’s better to stay in the office, it’s safer.
A grumpy mother-in-law, a noisy neighbor with a drill, hyperactive kids, etc. are not present at your place of employment. Believe me, there have been several cases where people have given in to the temptation to work from home only to realize that doing so has dramatically impacted their productivity.
In any case, think carefully, do not burn all the bridges at once.
Have you ever had such a choice in your life? Write in the comments, what is your choice — office or freelance!?
