Freelancing – Part-time or Fulltime

January 6, 2009 · Posted in Freelancing 

You may be interested in freelancing, but first you need to make a decision on whether you will be entering this area in a part-time or fulltime capacity. Whatever your decision may be will directly impact on the income you will generate from freelancing.

Fulltime freelancing

Being a fulltime freelancer will afford you the opportunity of building a much larger clientele basis, taking on more tasks at any specific given point in time and generate larger income.

Many people may want to leave their current employment with the aim of becoming a fulltime freelancer. Often this move is discouraged. Although there are a number of reasons by fulltime freelancing is better than part-time freelancing there are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration before this drastic step is taken. These factors are:

  1. Many people will suffer an effect, known as the culture shock, when leaving their employment permanently. Various emotions will start playing a role on an individual now realizing that he/she has no longer that security of an income. Often a feeling of desertedness and loneliness may overcome the person leaving his work and now operating alone.
  2. In starting out as a permanent freelancer you will need to have access to money. Money is needed in order to carry you through the initial stages while you build a customer base. It will also be needed initially as getting work might proof to be difficult if you come into the market as an unknown freelancer. It is commonly suggested that you should have, at least, 6 months of cash flow equaled to your current monthly income to assist you financially.
  3. You need to be highly skilled in your area of skills and knowledge before attempting freelancing on a permanent basis. If you are not confident in your skills, ability and knowledge in your area of expertise you should not attempt freelancing on a fulltime basis.

Part-time freelancing

In contrast, freelancing on a part-time basis will be the direct cause of you not able to take on specific tasks, overseeing potential clients and generating less income. In this instance your main source of income, your current employment, will at all time need to get the majority of your attention, time and energy.

Entering this market on a part-time basis does have certain advantages for newcomers though. Here are some advantages of starting freelancing on a part-time basis:

  1. In the event of failure as a freelancer you will still have your main source of income.
  2. While on leave you are at least ensured of a definite income from your current employer.
  3. You will be in a position to research the possibilities of making a success of freelancing. You will have sufficient time to explore all avenues in this venture.
  4. You will have the time and opportunity of slowly building a portfolio of clients. These clients can later be approached should you decide on taking on freelancing on a permanent basis.
  5. You will have a monthly cash flow, which may assist you in your part-time business of marketing yourself and building a client base.
  6. You will generate a great and helpful source of additional income to your monthly paycheck.

To the flip side of the coin, there are some negative aspects of freelancing on a part-time basis. Here are some negative aspects identified:

  1. You have very little time in office hours to attend to freelancing. This might just be the time that the majority of your clients would want to communicate with you.
  2. You will have less time for yourself and your family. By conducting two jobs at the same time is bound to limit time for your private life.
  3. Taking the above two factors into consideration, it is natural that you incur additional stress upon yourself, which may affect your health negatively in the long run.

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