Every freelancer has his/her own reason for enjoying it, however there are some commons reasons why this is this case. If you do take the right advice, you can actually great a large reduction on the amount of tax you pay in comparison to being an employee. Let us not forget the obvious fact that you have a huge amount of freedom and choice of hours and holidays depending on the type of job you are undertaking.
It can be a refreshing feeling to be your own boss. You do not have to answer to anyone, which means you call the shots. You have the privileged of creating your own environment to suit your own needs and tastes. As an employee, you do not have any control over your environment.
Money is very important factor, and one of the main reasons why full time employees decide to make that all important step into the freelance world.
If you do it right, you can earn a lot more as a freelancer because you charge a much higher rate for your time. If your not sure about rates, then check sites like the a.o.i site for ideas on rates (if your an illustrator or graphic designer).
Confidence building is important for newcomers, so it is advisable to get out there and market your self to as many companies as possible. The more people you work with, the more versatile you will become. Communication is very important, so learn to brush up on those verbal phone skills and close deals with confidence.
Freelancing is much harder to master than full time employment, because there is so much more to consider day to day. It is a good idea to maybe write down a S.W.A.T analysis of yourself, identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Remember, you will not have the same level of protection as an employee, so make sure you have a solid business advisor.
You will only get paid when you work, so consider the idea of having to go out a get the work before you actually do it. Marketing is key, so if do not take out the time to do it, you will not get paid. This means there is always the uncertainty of getting work as opposed to a full time employee.
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