Pros of freelancing
- It offers flexibility in terms of time, you can work whenever you want.
- It offers flexibility in terms of place, you can work from anywhere in the world.
- It offers flexibility in terms of type of work, if you don't like a project, you can reject it.
- It offers flexibility in terms of people, you can decide who to work with. If you don't like a client, you don't have to work with them.
Cons of freelancing
- Freelancing sites can delete your account whenever they want. So it is a bit unsteady.
- It is difficult to get regular flow of projects.
- You might earn less on one month and more on the other, so there is less predictability.
- You might not make enough money initially.
Cons of a full time job
- People can be mean, bossy and act as though they own the company even when they don't.
- No flexibility in terms of what projects you work on.
- Fixed time of working.
- Long exhausting commutes.
- Office politics.
Pros of a full time job
- Fixed income makes you more financially stable.
- Benefits like health insurance.
- Events where you can socialize like outings, trips, functions, parties.
- Rewards, promotions and recognitions are given which motivates people.
Which do you prefer and why? Leave it in the comments!
Top comments (9)
I don't need to be employed to have most pros of a full-time job, and for me it's not about full-time vs. part-time (you can find some part-time dev jobs here) but about employed vs. self-employed.
Some pros are irrelevant to me as a senior
Pros of being employed by a company
But for a junior, things might be different.
Pros of being employed by a company as a junior
training on the job: mentorship, apprenticeship, working student jobs are great opportunities to get some practice and experience right from the start!
coworkers that you can ask for help and advice
contact to projects and customers that would have never booked you otherwise,
Cons of being employed by a company as a junior
I saw many young coworkers got assigned stupid assistant work without the chance to learn and take responsibility,
I saw many senior coworkers reluctant, too busy or not even allowed to help juniors,
I heard juniors being told to accept a dysfunctional status quo as normal
I heard juniors getting told off for suggesting helpful innovations
I saw seniors and team leaders take the juniors' work and promote it as their own ideas. While that might be legal and acceptable for all the pros that you get, it's still not what I would call recognition and innovation.
Conclusion?
It depends! Many people seem to love their job and their office, others pretend to do so because the need the regular income. But many people hate their jobs, get bullied, get sick in a toxic environment, get paid less than they would earn as freelancers and get pushed back and have no time time to learn anything new.
I think it's a good time to freelance if you have enough
Enough might be less than you think. If you can save some months' salaries and have at least one person you can work for as an individual, it might be enough to start and try! Communication skills don't have to be great, just learn to answer requests on don't be too shy to advertise yourself now or then. Experience will grow, just like connections, and both might grow faster outside of a company. But again: it depends!
Really good insight.
I have about 5 years of experience and Im trying to get into freelance. Can you suggest some platforms or tricks that worked for you when you started?
Fiverr worked well for me, you can try it!
Exactly mine thoughts.
Thanks for your insights, they were very helpful!
Fixed income for financial stability is the only one factor for me to choose a full-time job; so, otherwise, freelancing is my choice.
Same here!
What is the question here?
Which do you prefer (freelancing or full time job) and why?