Whenever you read about someone talking about freelancing online, they say it’s great. They say you will have freedom. They say you will have flexibility. They say you will have time to spend with your family. They say you will be your own boss. Nobody tells you that too much freedom, too much flexibility, too much family time and being your boss is asking for trouble, especially when it comes to the source of your earning. If you relate with any of the five reasons illustrated below, run as far away from freelancing as possible!
You hate your job but…
It the source of your social life; complaining about the work load at the office and gossiping about the new employees is actually how you met your best friend. If you are not working at this job, and take up freelancing, you will be working at home alone. You will face ‘social drought’ to the extent where the lack of human contact will make you feel like normal interactions are out of a sit-com!
You love your family but…
You like your work life and personal life to be separate; you don’t want to think about entertaining your younger siblings while you are working; you don’t want to know what the next door neighbor did to their cat. You need your work space. With freelancing, since there is no regularity in the working hours and you don’t have an office to go to; your room becomes your office. You cannot stop your mother from coming in and telling you to get bread for tomorrow’s breakfast. Neither can you do anything if she doesn’t believe you are actually working and not just ‘sitting at your laptop and chatting with your friends.’ You will be missing the cubicle at your job before long!
You are comfortable with technology but…
You wouldn’t like to take your laptop everywhere with you to do work on it. As a freelancer, your laptop will not only be an integral part of your work life, but you will have to respond to your client’s demands on your phone if necessary, who expect you to be available to cater to their questions and edit the work you submitted if required. Freelancers are on call 24/7 and you will have to sit in front of your laptop for multiple hours; working and if not that, be reachable on your phone. In short, you might as well bid your plans of binge watching a TV show on your laptop good bye!
You are a hard worker but…
You are easily distracted. Since freelancing is a one-man (or woman) show, you are the one in-charge of your success and while it is far easier to pat yourself on the back at a job well done than punishing yourself at a mistake (the heart always forgives), the fact remains that you have to prioritize and reach deadlines. If you are easily distracted by the door bell ringing or you cannot go an hour without checking your profile at the social networking sites or a deadline seems more like noose around your neck, freelancing is not for you.
You like earning money but…
You are not good at handling it. Freelancing doesn’t bring a consistent flow of income – sometimes you will have multiple projects at hand, sometimes you will be sitting idle. You will need a systematic saving plan in order to manage your spending. Not only this, you will have to live without the benefits of a job; no paid leaves, no medical insurance, no bonuses…That’s right, you will need to curb those urges for shopping because you might need the money for an unexpected dentist check up! Nobody likes going to the dentist, but now you have to worry about paying the dentist too – oh, the horror.
So add this to your existing knowledge about freelancing: it is not easy. Be prepared to search for the work, do the work at any time of the day, and know that any attempts to separate your work life from your personal life are futile. In case of a job, everyone knows specifically what you do. When you are a freelancer, you will spend a lifetime making people understand that what you do is actually a ‘real job’ and that every time you open your laptop, it’s not to do ‘frandship’ with strangers on Facebook!
The only reason I prefer freelancing over regular job is the money that can be earned.
As the salaries of Web Developers in Pakistan are ridiculously low.
Average Salary of a Back End Web Developer in Pakistan is Rs 25000.
I mean seriously just $3000/ year??
Freelancers can earn this much in 2,3 months.
You could easilt get twice that amount from a single project!
Ma Sha Allah..!!! Tarkiyan..!! I don’t wanna become a doctor now :P
$3000 is possible in 1 project! Yes that project can take 2, 3 months but you can handle 1 or more projects along with that project.
please send me a resource working at Rs 25000 and can earn $3000/month working independently. Dude salaries are starting at Rs. 50-60k/month for a fresh resource who need training and stuff. But still I agree that freelancing do pays more than a regular job but more risky
Pace Technologies (G-11, Islamabad)
NineSol Technologies (F-8, Islamabad)
Advance Communications (F-11, Islamabad)
Dezinbee (Evacuee Trust Complex)
CTC – Cyber Tech Communications ( Karachi )
All above mentioned software houses are paying just Rs 25 thousand/month to their worthy Web Developers.
In Freelancing their are countless resources where you can earn $3000+ in just 2,3 months. Visit freelancing platforms and search for web development projects.
Other than that Crossover is a Giant Overseas Client paying $15/hr to web developers and senior developers are being paid $20+/ hr. Now If you work 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. Do the Math yourself ;)
Wow, Things must be different in Islamabad, In Lahore I am having trouble hiring good developers even at Rs.40k+ /month.
Developers are getting smart. They know their value these days. Many of them are switching to independent work. So, expect higher pays soon.
Pays vary with experience and smartness, the guy who commented above has no Idea of a good developer versus not-so-good developer.
Rs. 25000 is for a person who knows very little and is a fresh graduate. I’m making thrice that money and I am a fresh graduate myself!
will you teach me :P
suggest me the best freelancing site for getting started :)
You are a fresh Graduate and making thrice that money well Good for you. Their are lots of people in Pakistan who are smart enough to earn like you even more than you while being a fresh graduate.
Don’t get me wrong I do have a very good idea of a good developer and a not-so-good developer. The reason I have mentioned Rs. 25000 salary in my comments above is because I have met a lot of web developers working for more than 2 years and are BSCS graduates yet still being paid 25-30 thousand/ month only.
Now this does not mean they are not-so-good developers it’s just that they are not so smart enough to know their value and renegotiate their salaries which still takes us back to the fact that on average many software houses are not paying enough or not paying the developer what they worth.
What bullshit! I beg to disagree with several of the points, here. First off: we CHOOSE jobs we are good at. What it means is: we, then, don’t hate our jobs! Quite contradictory to what the article is trying to imply.
Secondly, issues at home are only faced when there are trust issues in the family. Mostly, teenagers, might be facing it, but to be honest – I never have.
Coming to your next point about “You are comfortable with technology…” – guess what? Clients aren’t assholes. They are usually better than the assholes you really face here in offices – who happen to be your bosses. When you work as a freelancer, you get to interact with people from around the world. And, you know what? It’s a damn good experience because people from continents such as America, Australia, Europe, etc., tend to be so much more understanding than your so-called “Boss” at your mainstream office! We are never on call 24/7. All the clients I have got, thus far, have been really great people! I’m friends with all of them. They never force you to take up work. There are no schedule problems, either. So, uh-oh! Another point full of jack-shit!
Quite surprisingly, you only got this one point right: “You are a hard worker but…” – but, not all of it. Hard work is required every where. It doesn’t matter if you’re a freelancer or not. Even at stereotypical offices, you are given deadlines, and if you fail – it’s a visit to your SV’s or your Boss’ office, and you are to take his bullshit for it without mercy! haha what a miserable life! This doesn’t happen when you’re a freelancer as the people who tend to be your clients are usually very cooperative and understanding individuals!
And, now, on to your final point: Yes, even though, the earning is not consistent, but it is so damn good that the inconsistency(more like a break from work)doesn’t affect you because, usually, you earn enough to carry on, and before you know it, you’ve got more work just in time! Oh, and don’t even get me started on savings, here. Savings are, like, automatic for us. If only you had been a freelancer on one of the freelancing websites, you would’ve known. Ah, the irony. Anyway, we don’t need plans. It’s rather our personal choice. One can have one, if he/she wishes to, otherwise, it’s not that necessary – personally, I’ve never had the need to.
Talking about getting medical and shit, guess what?
Being freelancers – we have many other options. Like, for me, I’ve started on a side business. The freedom you get through freelancing, actually, gives you the freedom to make other choices, which, you don’t get to, in a typical job. Therefore, I have never had the feel, or the need to get those kind of perks. You usually earn so damn well that these little expenses are never a burden on you. Oh, and bonuses? We get them, alright! ;) Like, I said before, these people you get to work with aren’t ASSHOLES, like, the ones people working at offices usually tend to come across and have to put up with! :D
PP, you’re getting really disappointing with the stuff you post. Jeez, from where do you hire such inexperienced lot? :/
Freelancing is paradise if you do not relate to five reason written in article. Specially if we see job situation in country freelancing is 100 times better than regular job. You just need to be skillful and passionate!
One thing that is missed in this article which is the most important aspect of freelancing is communication. You can be an average programmer and can earn handsomely if you know how to communicate effectively or you can be kickass programmer but will earn below average if you are not good at communicating your concerns, negotiating deadlines and prices and keep a personal connection with your client
Wtf PP? So, you won’t publish my comment now? WOW! Talk about your biased, shitty standards! :’D Pathetic!
Kbhi kehte ho freelancing better hai normal job se kbhi kehte ho ni, bt theak kia kren just traffic ka na soche’n, suggestions theak dia kren
your are Happy Prince why you are worry …ap prince ha ap ko kam ki khya zarorat ha zarorat hum jaiso ko ha
:/
I don’t necessarily agree with the author. Freelancing isn’t as ravenous for your time as she portrays it to be. I am a freelancer and I dictate my own schedule. I devote manageable portions of my time to working, playing and studying. So, thanks but no thanks for this list.
the best part about freelancing is you can work with your job too ;)