Who is freelancing for?

I have worked as a freelancer for years. Oftentimes, I hear a lot of people talk about how lucrative freelancing is and how one can earn a decent living from living the freelance lifestyle. I remember a young lad in my neighbourhood who left his regular job to go freelance and later quit after the first three months of financial instability. He shared his experience with me one day while sitting next to me at the coffee shop one evening. I reasoned all he said and made my judgments from my experience so far. Truth is, not everyone will be a freelancer. 

Now, back to our topic. Who is freelancing for? 

There's a popular saying that freelancing is for everyone, but not everyone is a successful freelancer. This means that while the door is open to everyone, only a select few experience success in their career as a freelancer. Don't be surprised because there's a reason for this. The contents of this article will help you checkmate if you're the right candidate for a freelance career. Also, this article will prepare you for a challenging career as a freelancer and also enable you decide if you are a perfect candidate handling for freelance work from home. Freelancing is for the following category of individuals: 

1. The "John Doe" with Goals 

I get asked a lot of times by folks who know I live and dine with freelance work if I ever have headaches working at home. It's really funny you know. A lot of people think that freelancing from home is a bed of roses. As a result, many people begin freelancing without any clear outline of what they hope to achieve and also, they have no goals to shoot for while kick starting their career in freelancing. This type of individuals don't want any pain or stress but want to enjoy financial freedom and work-life balance. 

Before deciding to start freelancing, you need to define why you want to be a freelancer. This will help you stay organized and focused on goals rather than wishes based on passion. To be a successful freelancer, you need to not be only passionate but also pragmatic and time conscious. Having goals and objectives to meet in your career will set you apart from all others who do the job for the sake of it. Your goals will keep you focused and self-motivated. It help you stick to your work in trying times when jobs are either scarce or there are no jobs at all. 

2. The Guy with a Backup Plan

Quitting a regular job to focus on your freelance career may sound all good and nicey, but have you considered the times when jobs would be scarce and you still have to make ends meet? You really don't have to ignore that. Living on your freelance earnings will really work for some, but not all. 

When I started out as a freelancer, I didn't buy the idea of leaving my 9-5 job. I never wanted to leave an office space. Some people just like seeing people around them. Don't drop your regular job to focus on freelancing if you can handle both simultaneously without any problems. Maybe taking up freelancing part-time could be an alternative. Just don't put yourself in a situation where you have to make ends meet with money that is not stable and secure. 

Freelancing is for individuals who have a backup plan. You need to have what to run back to in the times when there are scarce or no jobs. You need to be ready to weather the storms that will come with financial insecurity. If you've got no backup plan, then freelancing is not for you. 

3. The Loner

Freelance work involves sitting alone in front of a computer screen all the time. You can't just skip that. On the other hand, an office space means you have colleagues to chat with at intervals. At least, you've got people to interact with. But with freelance, the reverse is the case. Freelancing is basically for individuals who are okay with working alone. Most introverts best fit this description. 

Being a freelancer means that most of the time you attend to deliverables without saying a word. Your fingers, eyes and mind do the rest of the work. If you're okay with working alone as opposed to having colleagues around you, then you might want to consider freelancing from home.  

4. The Guy Who Can Manage Financial Instability and Multi-tasking 

Now, here's the catch: not everyone is comfortable with staying outside the confines of the salary cushion. Financial security is a very privy topic for a lot of people, and a very important one too. Unlike traditional 9-5 jobs which comes with many insurance benefits and a regular paycheck, freelancing from home offers zero insurance and assurance of financial security. 

Let's make this simpler to understand. You don't get any medical insurance, no sick days and vacations, monthly paycheck, and job security too.  In a nutshell, your financial stance is placed right into your hands and on your shoulders. You must seek out work, network without embarrassment, and put yourself forward for tasks that may get you overwhelmed. That means if you don't work, you won't get paid. And if you don't get paid, you won't be able to settle your bills. Now, what a life that is. Think about it. 

When considering freelance work from home, remember that freelancing is for everyone, but not everyone will be a freelancer. I hope this helps!