Source: Technology Personalized
Freelancing and self-employment are on the rise, especially for entrepreneurial Gen Y, who aren’t afraid to leave their regular jobs to start their own show. The Millennials and Future of Work Survey, conducted by oDesk and consulting firm Millennial Branding revealed that 92% of the Gen Y workforce were attracted to working freelance because they had control over when and where they worked.
If your restless spirit is drawing you towards a new freelancing career, you’ll find plenty of benefits to being your own boss – but be prepared for a lot of hard work when you start your own business. It can be overwhelming at times but once you settle into a routine and gain confidence, things will start falling into place and you’ll soon see that the benefits far outweigh the negatives. However, work won’t just fall into your lap. It will be a never ending cycle of networking and business building if you want to be a success.
Having the ability to work remotely reduces your downtime and work backlog because everything is ‘business as usual’ from wherever you are in the world, be it London, New York, or even Bangkok.
Here are just a few reasons why freelancing and the ‘gigging economy’ could be your ticket to a new and more rewarding career:
Work from Home
This is one of the biggest draw cards to working freelance. Yes it’s true; you can spend all day at work in your undies if you want to! If you’re one of those people who hate structure, you can sleep in late, work the hours you need and then head out and enjoy your busy social life. It may mean working odd hours, but you control the schedule.
You’re in Charge of Your Income
Because you can work when you want, you can do an all-nighter (if you’re up for it) or take on extra projects whenever you see fit. If you’re planning a holiday, then you can take on as much work as you want to generate the extra income. As I said, you have all the control.
More Flexibility – Work Anywhere
Many freelancers enjoy the ability to work wherever they want in the world. If you have access to a laptop and reliable internet connection, you can plonk your office anywhere you like. Having the ability to work remotely reduces your downtime and work backlog because everything is ‘business as usual’ from wherever you are in the world, be it London, New York, or even Bangkok.
You’re Responsible for Your Success
Being self-employed means the success of the business lies on your shoulders. When you work for a large corporation, it’s easy to blend in with the rest of the employees and feel like it doesn’t even matter whether you show up to work or not. While you’ll still have to work hard when you’re self-employed, you really feel like you matter because you are your business.
Get Challenged
When you work for someone else, many Gen Y employees find that they reach a point where they no longer feel challenged. When you embark on this new journey for yourself, it’ll be a risk and it will be challenging, every day. Also, as you keep gaining experience and income, the challenges will only become greater as you reach higher and higher levels.
You Can’t Get Fired
You can change your mind about business opportunities but in the self-employment world, you can’t get fired! Isn’t this just the best reason of all? No more worrying about someone suddenly taking away your income, even when you’re doing a great job.
So the next step is up to you. If you’re looking for something more and want to be challenged in your career every day, then freelancing could be the career path that’s just right for you.
Bronwen Kaspers is the CEO and Founder of Trumpet Page, a company that provides you with the tools needed to create a digitally optimised resumé with the goal of getting you noticed by employers in the hyper-competitive environment of job seeking.
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