Advantages of being a freelancer
Freelancer is a profession that has been functioning on the labor market for a long time and, contrary to appearances, more and more people are choosing this form of employment. However, freelancing still cannot fully penetrate the consciousness of the previous generation, where the mantra is eight hours a day and five days a week.
Freelancers are often seen as risk takers who always look beyond the structural framework, and even as heroes who are not affected by the brutal reality of the workforce. And there is a lot of truth in this, because a freelancer is a profession for brave people who are bored with rigid professional constructions.
Unfortunately, there are also a few stereotypes that stop the taboos of potential future freelancers - the fact that there is no fixed salary, that there is no insurance, that it is necessary to start your own business, that you have to gut your guts to earn a good income, that there will be no retirement that it is a disappointment for the lazy who do not want to stick their nose out from under the covers in the morning and finally, that this is NOT REAL WORK. Well, those literal clichés seem to be believed by those unfamiliar with the benefits of freelancing. Therefore, it is worth taking a look at these benefits.
Advantages of freelancing for the freelancer himself
The sail itself, the rudder itself - that is, no employer's supervision. A freelancer is his own boss, no one dictates how and where to work. Organizes work independently and freely. He is independent. Therefore, people who decide to freelance should remember that civil law contracts are by no means employment contracts. It often happens that people for whom a freelancer provides a given service take advantage of the lack of legal regulations for self-employment in labor law and thus bypass certain provisions. As a result, it turns out that the supposedly freelancer actually works under the terms of the employment relationship. Meanwhile, the transition from an employment contract to a civil law contract, with the simultaneous lack of actual changes in working conditions (fixed remuneration, place and time of work determined by the client), is treated as a circumvention of the law and is prohibited (regardless of the name, it will be an employment contract, and no freelancing)!
And therefore freelancers - don't get used! After all, you are yourself a sail, a rudder, and a ship!
Non-standard working time - you get up with the sunset, make yourself a cup of coffee and go to work. The gurgling sound does not wake you up at dawn, you do not have to jump out of bed in agony and fly to the company's headquarters. You went crazy at night and suddenly you realize that you don't have to be at work at 8am. These are the vain dreams of every full-time employee. Meanwhile, the freelance profession looks just like that. Freelancer is limited by only one thing: completing the assigned task. And it only depends on him whether he will do it in the morning or at night. Therefore, in the middle of the week, he may unexpectedly take a vacation (full-time employees work all year round). What's more, your own organization of time allows you to complete more orders and no matter if the freelancer will work for an hour or 24 hours - after all, the goal justifies the means.
Self-realization - a freelancer works on his own account. Each of his projects and successes is his own creation, not the company where he is employed.
Make your own ideas, dreams and plans a reality - as a freelancer is not under any management, no one imposes specific tasks on him. He chooses the clients and orders he wants to carry out himself. And once he gains regular customers, he can even become picky.
Better contract terms - the freelancer affects the terms of the contract. Moreover, the terms of the freelancer's liability are freely created, including non-competition and confidentiality issues.
Higher earnings - irregular working hours, no upfront supervision and the organization of your own work system with a little independence, self-discipline and self-denial work wonders. Because, as it turns out, being a freelancer and not having a fixed salary, you can really earn a lot, often much more than in a full-time job. In addition, all money earned ends up in the freelancer wallet. It saves on taxes and on compulsory social and health insurance contributions (they are not paid on full income, as they can be regulated on the declared basis of assessment, i.e. 60% of the average wage). In addition, it has the option of deducting VAT on the purchase of goods and services.
Loans and subsidies - if a freelancer starts his own business, he gains the right to take advantage of loans and subsidies intended for small enterprises.
Advantages for people using freelancer services
It turns out that the benefits of freelancing do not only benefit the freelancers themselves, but also the people who use their services. It is often more profitable to hire a freelancer than to create another job.
Costs related to employee rights - a person using the services of a freelancer does not pay social security, health or accident insurance contributions. Freelancers are also not entitled to paid leave, or a cell phone or company car.
Recruitment - it does not have to be organized and therefore incur additional costs.
Overtime - a freelancer has irregular working hours, so he can complete the task entrusted by the client faster. In addition, the client does not pay for overtime, because the freelancer himself decides how much he wants to work (the client does not impose it on him, but it may happen that he will pay more for faster completion of the task).
Resigning from the services of a freelancer - a person using the services of a freelancer - in the event that he is not satisfied with his work - can "fire" him much faster than a full-time employee.
Plagiarism - the client is not legally responsible for the service provided by the freelancer. Therefore, in the case of plagiarism, the freelancer is responsible for it, not the client.
As you can see, there are many advantages of freelancing and you can list them endlessly. However, those who lack the courage to take one small step forward will insist on their own and will find many shortcomings in this form of employment. Let's hope, however, that stereotypes will lose their strength and people will stop being afraid of the freelance profession and will stop treating it like the black sheep of the labor market. After all, the world belongs to the brave!
