Freelancing is better than formal full time employment

"It's better to cross-the-line and suffer the consequences than to just stare at the line for the rest of our life"

I always knew the reasons why I wanted to move from formal full time employment to full time freelancing or consultancy. Though the reasons where very clear and valid according to me, I did not know when I would make that move. The timing was always the challenge. Now that I have finally crossed the line (crossed from full time formal employment to full time freelancing), let me share with you the reasons why I believe freelancing is the best way to go and why I have chosen to take this path.

1. More Strategic Position
I believe that freelancing offers one a more strategic position. One is in control of his resources (especially time and place) and can decide when to work and where to work from. I believe I can work on a US project while seated in Kabale (thanks to the internet) and while I work, when I need a break, I can go check out the poultry to ensure the workers have put enough water in the troughs - something I cannot do when I am in formal full time employment since I will be seated in some office in Kampala from 8:00 AM to 5:00PM.

2.  Being More Well-Rounded
Freelancing allows  one the options to grow in all areas, I am personally able to do  sales, marketing and   even support. In a full time employment, one is just a cog in the big machine. But when your freelancing, you become your own accountant, your own Human Resource, your own sales rep , your own customer care rep to mention but a few. You thus grow in all those areas. In full time employemnet, you are likely to stay in just one section and never appreciate the work done by other sections. Freelancing gives one the  opportunity to appreciate such diversity and engage in deeper understanding of different fields. Growth is all round and more interesting(at times chalennging too)

3. Becoming a More Progressive Worker and Less Reactionary
When working for a company, we tend to always point fingers when things go wrong. You know that famous statement of “Blame it on someone” when a project goes bad, the boss pins it on the developer, the developer then accusses the client and the cleint accusses the boss for having a  fake team of developers that do not understand the client’s needs. And the  cycle continues. In  freelancing, you have only yourself,  you have to do all it takes to make it work. You become more of a progressive worker than a reactionary. And plus your next job only depends on how good the last one was done. Freelancing makes you more responsible and more progressive in the long run.

4.  Creation of a Stronger Network of Contacts
When Working for a  compnay, your contacts are limited to the few people you meet and most times, you may not know the value of networking and building a list of contacts. Freelancing exposes you to meet lots more people. And the great thing about freelancing is that you will appreciate and respect each contact  lead  you get for you know  what they each mean to you. Any of those contacts can get you, your next project. In a corporate environmnent, contacts are not really important to you since they may appear as company contacts. Plus the sales department will always  have a list of company contacts anyway.

5. Becoming a Better Negotiator
I find it funny that some people don’t even know  how much they are worth per hour.  This is largely because the company sets the salary and all the other benefits that come with it. Most people negotiate only  when they are buying a car or land or a house – since they mostly shop in  supermarkets. They find it stressful and demeaning. Freelancing will enable you to know how much you are worth per hour. You will negotiate better and become  good at it. This is because you are always negotiating offers and with time, you become less attached t it – you just become good at it.

6.  Better Ability to Control Your Income
What most people dont know is that companys hire people so that they  make profits. And most times the highest percetage of that profit goes to the boss. If you are doing great work for the company, you cannot just raise your income, you still have to ask your boss to raise the salaary. Chances are that you will get a low deal since as mentioned above, your negotiating ability is low. The boss will ask you to give a reason why  you deserve the pay, and most likely subject you to a review. After showing you how you have  not made any large profits, the boss will then add a little increment to your salary to keep you motivated and you retrun to your desk to toil and slave for the company (the profits you make will enable the boss to buy a new car and send his kids to a better school, house weekend birthday parties while you  work throughout the weekend to keep the job)
Freelancing on the other hand, allows one to increase his income whenever they want. Just increase your hourly rate. You don’t need to give anyone a reason why you need to get a raise neither do you have to sit through a review. And all your efforts come back you in form of profits – they dont go to earn your boss another quartely bonus!!!  Freelancing for life!

7. Doing and enjoying Better Work
As a freelancer, you will always be passitionate about the job that you are doing. This results in better work. And you have a choice to turn  down any work that you may not like. In  corporate organizations, your boss determines what you do, whether you enjoy it or not, and most times when you dont like it, you do it poorly. Freelancing results in doing better work since you do what you like and  do it better – definately remembering that your next job is only as good as the last one, you get motivated.

8. Growth
The statement that “You will learn more by working with people that challenge you in one year than you would in  4 years of university”   is very true. As a freelancer, I believe you decide to work with whom you want. In corporate, honestly, you have little power in influencing which person sits next to you. So why spend your good time with people that may not even help you grow? Freelancing will push you to the edge as you learn new things and grow

9. Wider Horizon.
 And last but not the least, there’s a wider horizon to explore if you are a freelancer. Travel, enjoy life, and live happily.
Still doubting, rememeber that in the current job climate nothing is set in stone and nothing is guaranteed. That’s why if ever there were a time to take a chance on yourself, now would be it. Lets go freelancing.