A lot of people have been swayed into the freelance career path. The hours are great (you work at your own pace). You can have a pick of your clients. And you don’t have to deal with too much organizational hoopla (politics and whatnot).
While these would be more than enough for many people to give up the desk job in an organization, one thing that many overlook is the sustainability of freelance work. Here are some of those things.
Expertise. You have to be the best in what you do to be able to get a degree of sustainability. So beef up your skills and spice up your portfolio.
Timing. The nature of many freelance work is governed by seasons as well. There will be lean months and hectic months. Be sure to pace yourself well and have enough saved for the rainy day. Even some of the best will have down time.
Service. Be sure that you will be able to provide top-notch service. Be professional. Many clients will act like they own you so you have to manage them to avoid being on the end of a sucky deal (e.g. being forced to work beyond the pre-agreed scope). Still, you have to be able to make your client valued through your service.
Relationships. Some freelancers overlook the long term. Some projects might be able to give a huge payout but freelancers fail to capitalize on the chance in making one project the start of many others. Pricing concessions, top-notch service and follow-through are critical.
Compliance. Another thing that freelancers overlook is that, by working freelance, you have to deal with some things on your own. Government-mandated stuff like bookkeeping (you’re basically running a business) and tax records will be your responsibility.
