A regular 9 to 5 job no doubt assures us of a steady income and a feeling of security but it is also true that sometimes it leads to monotony and a sense of incompleteness on our part. If you are tired of your job and plan to pursue your dreams while still making a career out of it then freelancing is the right career option for you. Certain problems you may face when choosing a freelance career are given below.
Difficult to find Clients
Finding a steady client can be the biggest drawback for a freelancer particularly when you have no work experience. You thus have to be proactive and market yourself aggressively so that clients get to know of your existence. Build contacts and network with the right people to land some good projects.
Too many Distractions
Now that you are no longer working in an office set-up chances are that you will multitask juggling your work with your household chores. But remember too many distractions can affect your work quality. Maintain a strict work schedule where you assign yourself tasks for the day and ensure that you stick to them. That way not only will your work get completed in time but you will also produce good quality work free of distractions.
Chasing Payments
Landing a job can be difficult and to top that waiting for payments can be very frustrating. To avoid a situation where you have to chase your clients for payments make your payment terms clear right from the beginning.
Fear of Uncertainty
A freelancing job is very uncertain in the sense that there is no guarantee on a regular stream of work or a constant source of income. Over time your irregular source of income might scare you and put you off. However do not get bogged down but step up and market yourself properly so that clients come knocking at your door.
Uninteresting Projects
Sometimes there is less work and in your desperation you might take up some random project which holds no interest for you. But you need to remember that you took up a freelancing job in the first place to pursue something interesting, therefore be focused and choose only those jobs which you enjoy doing.
Too much Competition
As in any other industry there is a lot of competition too in the freelancing world. To grab a particular project some freelancers don’t shy away from quoting ridiculously low rates. In such a situation you are left with no choice but to be flexible on your rates. Be flexible but never go below a particular rate. Try to convince your client as to why you are the best for the job.
Freelancing enables us to establish better control over our lives by helping us achieve a perfect work-life balance. By having a flexible schedule and setting our own goals we can not only have our cake but eat it too.
