6 Freelance Myths That Need Busting

As freelancing has become more and more popular, the myths surrounding the freelance lifestyle have been rife. So let’s take a moment and blow some of those myths right out of the water.

They don’t make any money – it’s all fake.

While there are likely many freelancers, who are just starting out and probably not as flush as they might like. Actually, a self-employed person's overheads are usually pretty low. Freelancers tend to have more than one income stream at any one time, as well as a massive bag of skills meaning they can pretty much take on any paid job that they like. Clients of freelancers tend to stay very loyal due to the personal service. So while they charge considerably less than a small company might, that charge works out to a pretty decent amount for a one-person show.

They never go out.

Some freelancers might choose to work this way because actually, they don’t want to go out into the world, others find it flexible to how they like to live. However, there are some fantastic co-working spaces, creative hubs, offices in Brent Cross and beyond that are all for the picking – and you’ll find them all heaving with freelancers working on new projects and collaborations. They can also work from anywhere else in the world, so it's more like – they can go where they want.

They stay in loungewear all day.

Okay, well this one might be a little true for some of them. However, with being able to work at whatever time suits them – choosing to be extra comfortable is kind of one of the best things about it. Most freelancers decide to work in co-working spaces, go to networking events, take client meetings and lunch dates – it isn’t all being tucked away behind a computer screen. The clothing is as varied as the work.

They can do what they want.

While you might not have a traditional boss, they do have to be exceptionally well disciplined to make their self-employment a success. So, they can travel, sleep, take meetings and respond to things as and when they like – but they still have to stick to deadlines, network for new clients, as well as keep all their own financial records, do the admin and have a social life. So on the outside, it might look like they are always gallivanting around, but the hard work is going on behind the Instagram photos.

They are freelance because they can’t get a proper job.

Most freelancers have had ‘proper’ jobs, and those are the exact reason you won’t catch them back in that environment any time soon. In fact, many people leap into self-employment by opening up their business while still in a ‘proper’ job to give them some stability while their client list is growing.

It is probably easy to find clients online.

Well, yes and no. While it is true that they have access to more people who are looking for freelancers for projects, it is also true that they have many people who want to pay way below average for the services too. So, they need a stand out profile, as well as a clear idea of what they want to earn to make this ‘easy.’

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