Freelancer Vs Employee

The ongoing debate on "freelancer vs employee" seems to get an increased level of attention because of several factors. There are those who are on the side of freelancers and there are those who have pitched their tent with employees. The quest is targeted at finding out the better offer between the two. In every profession, there are pros and cons. The better profession is one that has more pros than cons and vice versa.

In this article, we'd have a thorough look at the two contrasting professions, consider their pros and cons and then, come up with the better of the two.

Recommended: How To Be A Freelance Editor

Table Of Contents

• Who is a freelancer?
• Who is an employee?
• Pros and cons of freelancing
• Pros and cons of paid employment
• Freelancer vs employee

WHO IS A FREELANCER?

A freelancer is a professional who works remotely for clients from different parts of the world. A freelancer joins a freelance platform like UpMyChain, creates a profile and specifies what they can do. Thereafter, they apply for jobs and when they are shortlisted, they go about getting the jobs done with every form of dedication and expertise. Payments are processed when the jobs have been delivered. This is what the cycle is like for a freelancer.

Freelancer > joins UpMyChain > creates a freelance profile on UpMyChain > applies for jobs > Get shortlisted > Delivers jobs > Get Paid

A freelancer's career follows this path repeatedly. A freelancer has to possess marketable skills and be able to multitask since there are chances that they can get to land two or more jobs simultaneously.

WHO IS AN EMPLOYEE?

An employee is an individual under a paid employment. This is the usual and most common job system that we all grew up to know. An employee applies for a job and when they are successful following interviews, they get employed and are expected to work for just that firm. This is mostly a physical work setting and employees are expected to leave the house every day to their workplace. Sometimes, they are trained on the job and there's usually more emphasis on educational qualifications. We have bankers, sales reps and a host of other workers who fall into this category.

PROS AND CONS OF FREELANCING

Freelance is an absolutely amazing job system that has redefined human work patterns and created a better way of getting jobs done. While there are many pros of freelancing, there are also few cons.

The pros of freelancing are:

• Job security

As a freelancer, you are not working under anyone. This means that your job is completely secure. No high-handed employer will wake up one morning and decide to fire you. You are able to enjoy what you do and earn from it for as long as you want. In freelance, you can only stop yourself, no one can. 

• Independence and freedom

Freelance gives you total independence and freedom since you are not under any employment agreement with anyone. You decide when to work and when to rest. The clients just want to have their jobs done and you go about it however you deem fit and convenient for you. 

• Upskill

Freelance thrives on skills. Freelancers are highly-skilled and exposed Individuals. Freelance helps you to acquire lifelong skills that can forever keep you in the limelight of financial freedom. In freelance, you stand the chance of learning new skills every other day. That makes you better on an Individual level and also on work and earning level.

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• Good pay

Freelancers generally earn incomes that are commensurate with their skill and time spent. This is one good thing about freelance. You get paid according to the value you offer and the time you spend getting the job done.

• Comfort and convenience

Freelancers work from home, so that means they are able to enjoy comfort and convenience at work. You can work lying on the sofa or even sitting on the floor, just about anything that makes you feel good while working. 

The cons of freelancing are:

• Lifestyle change

Freelance will affect your lifestyle in very many ways. For example, you'd have to learn to stay home more as opposed to going out and you'd have to get used to staring at your system's screen for longer hours. You also begin to learn to interact with strangers and make them feel comfortable around you. 

• Risks

There are chances that you might work for someone who isn't real. By this, you might end up not getting paid after the pain of getting a job done. This is why you have to be very smart and careful. You should also identify with good freelance platforms like UpMyChain.com. This risk has been eliminated completely at UpMyChain.

PROS AND CONS OF PAID EMPLOYMENT

The pros of being an employee are:

• Government employment

Those who work for the government stand the chance of getting pension and gratuity upon retirement. However, the population of government workers is usually less than 5% of the total population of any country. This is no longer a big deal even as private Individuals can buy pension packages from insurance companies and enjoy them upon retirement.

The cons of paid employment are:

• Never enough time for self and family

Employees work like bees. They are so busy and occupied that they barely have time for themselves and their families. Some fathers have grown distant from their children because they are never around to spend time with the kids because of work, work and work. 

• No job security

As an employee, your job is not secure. You can get fired for the tiniest of reasons and you'd have to start all over again.

• Employee abuse

Most times employers use employees for very odd jobs and even overtime without doing anything to compensate the workers. Somehow, they are expected to be happy that they have a job at least rather than complain about inhuman and cruel working conditions.

• Your time, independence and freedom are taken away from you

Employers make you dependent on them, use and control your time and ensure you are subjected to their whims. You become almost like a robot to these employers.

FREELANCER VS EMPLOYEE

We'd look at 10 clear differences between a freelancer and an employee in an attempt to explain why you should choose freelance.

1. The freelancer is independent whereas the employee is dependent
2. The freelancer is paid according to the value he or she offers and the time they spent on the job while an employer decides what to pay to the employee
3. The freelancer has enough time for self and family while the employee barely has time for self not to talk of family. 
4. The freelancer enjoys work comfort and convenience whereas the employee has to manage under unfavorable working conditions
5. The freelancer has job security while the employee can get laid off easily
6. The freelancer is a professional while the employee is just a worker
7. The freelancer goes for only jobs he or she is comfortable with while the employee has no choice than to accept just about any job at all.
8. The freelancer manages his time whereas an employer manages the employee's time
9. The freelancer decides how to get a job done together with the client while an employer solely dictates how the employee should carry out a job.
10. The freelancer has freedom to learn new skills and work for more than one client at a time while the employee is restricted.

If you found this article helpful, leave a comment using the comment box below.

Easy Answers

1. The freelancer is independent whereas the employee is dependent.
2. The freelancer is paid according to the value he or she offers and the time they spent on the job while an employer decides what to pay to the employee.
3. The freelancer has enough time for self and family while the employee barely has time for self not to talk of family. 
4. The freelancer enjoys work comfort and convenience whereas the employee has to manage under unfavorable working conditions.
5. The freelancer has job security while the employee can get laid off easily.
6. The freelancer is a professional while the employee is just a worker
7. The freelancer goes for only jobs he or she is comfortable with while the employee has no choice than to accept just about any job at all.
8. The freelancer manages his time whereas an employer manages the employee's time.
9. The freelancer decides how to get a job done together with the client while an employer solely dictates how the employee should carry out a job.
10. The freelancer has freedom to learn new skills and work for more than one client at a time while the employee is restricted.

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