Today more and more people are thinking about working independently or to go freelance due to many reasons. Even though working as a freelancer looks attractive due to freedom of time, many people do not consider in depth about this career and you need to have clear understanding of this career before you quit your job and go freelance. Many people at one point of time working in their jobs have thought about this (going freelance), especially those who are in the technology and copy writing industry. Going freelance is not as easy as said; it has both advantages and disadvantages associated with it. In this article I would like to help you in this process of deciding whether you should jump into quitting your Nine to Five job.

Here are the questions you should ask yourself before you decide to work as a freelancer:

1.Are you satisfied with your job?

One of the important points that you need to ask yourself before you take decision to work as a freelancer is how satisfied are you with your current job. Most people think about freelancing when they are not satisfied in their current job with the kind of work they are presently doing or work pressure or does not like someone to decide what they should do. You need to decide how satisfied you with your current job are. If you are satisfied with your job then you have no reason to work as a freelancer as it would be tough to work later in the new role, if you take decision in haste.

Also you need to consider that you will not have the benefits you enjoy being an employee of an organisation as a freelancer and also it is not certain that you will have work to do once you complete one assignment with a client. There will always be some uncertainty about finding another assignment after current one completes.

On the other hand, you working as a freelancer has freedom to decide when you want to work, from where you want to work (either home or any place you like), how much time you want to spend and with whom you want to work with.

2.Do you like taking decisions on your own?

Freelancing requires one to take decisions on their own with respect to the way one wants to work and time spent on the task. If you work in a job now, many of the decisions are taken by your boss or others in your team related to work. As a freelancer you will have independence and control to take decisions. Also note that you only will be responsible for the outcome of those decisions. The single big motivator for many people who decide to go freelance is this one, taking decisions on your own and not getting dictated by someone you don’t like (yes, I am referring to your Boss here). As a freelancer you can decide how much you want to work and you have flexibility to demand the amount of money you charge to your clients.

3.Do you have enough knowledge to work on your own?

Freelancer needs to have good knowledge on the technology they want to work and of that industry. Having good knowledge not only helps you to prove your calibre with your clients but also in the industry and in your network. This will help you grow your career as satisfied clients will refer you to others and you will be regarded as an expert in your network and industry. Having a certification in that technology or industry is an added advantage for a freelancer.

4.Do you have good social network in that industry?

This is not a deciding factor but is important to consider. Starting in the industry where nobody knows you is tough even though you have sound knowledge and required skills as you have to prove your expertise and skills before others can take notice and refer you and this takes sometime. If you already have a good social network you can leverage these contacts and get some work contracts, prove your ability and build upon it.

5.Do you have good communication skills?

In today’s business environment having good communication skills is very much needed to effectively present yourself and your work. Having good communication skills is a big plus as this will help you to communicate with clients and others effectively. If you are bad at these skills, it is easy to learn them if you invest some time. There are lot of resources online and offline to help you learn these skills.

6.Do you get motivated sufficiently to drive yourself towards a goal?

Freelancing requires sufficient motivation to work as there will be nobody to dictate you like a boss in a job. You need to be self-motivated to contact potential clients, network with others in your industry and in technology you are presently working on, to work efficiently towards achieving a goal and also keep track of all chores associated with freelancing like accounting, marketing, etc.

7.Do you commit yourself to meet deadlines?

As I said before, working as a freelancer is not easy as you have to work in pressure sometimes to meet the deadlines of the work of clients you have contracted with. You may be stuck somewhere in your work and may need some help from others and your contacts in your network. You need to have good discipline in organising the things and way of working otherwise this will lead to failing to meet deadlines, unable to deliver the good quality of work and in the process losing the credibility with your clients. Also you need to follow effective time management principles to succeed in this career.

After considering these points if you feel you are comfortable and positive about most of the points, then you are fit to go freelance. All the Best.

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