Ally and Ben on What Makes Freelancing Rewarding

What Makes Freelancing Rewarding?

You can’t put a price on freelancing.  Whether it's the professional freedom or the flexibility, a career in freelancing is worth the investment. Here we walk you through why 1.1 billion freelancers around the world have made the best decision for their professional and personal lives. We spoke to our own community on why they love freelancing and outlined their responses below. 

Professional Freedom & Growth

The ability to make certain choices in your freelancing career is a perk that is hard to find elsewhere. 56% of respondents of a FlexJobs survey said “the general concept of having freedom to make choices that suit their lives was a huge reason to freelance”. This kind of flexibility even means that you are free of any obligation to live in a certain geographical area. More importantly, it opens you up to the projects you and work that are valuable to you. You get the ability to ask yourself: What kind of work brings me satisfaction and joy. 

We spoke to Mylance team member and founder of Wordell, Ben Wordell, on why he appreciates the freelancing lifestyle and it all came down to the ability to play to his strengths. For Ben, “strengths’ goes one level deeper than simply the deliverable or skill. I think having the self awareness of how I operate, what motivates me, and what environments I thrive in has made me happier and more effective. I have fun working because I get to do what I want and have control to optimize how I do it”.

Freelancing also allows for faster growth opportunities compared to a full-time job. The lifestyle helps nurture valuable interpersonal skills that aid in dealing with different kinds of problems. The exposure you earn while freelancing and working in a variety of fields with different people is more impactful than a stationary full-time gig.

Sometimes all you need is that click to realize what work is truly meant for you. For example, professional coach and consultant Ally Sprague shared her story of how she knew consulting was perfect for her.

“Lo and behold, it didn't take more than a few months of consulting for me to gain clarity on what I really wanted to spend my time on: coaching leaders at the intersection of personal fulfillment and professional growth. I think that's because consulting gives you so much more brain space to think about what you want to think about. It's less all-consuming than full-time work and that extra space was really clarifying for me—I finally had the distance to see that I had been slowly moving towards coaching for years.”

Dependability & Parenting Perks

Employment during an economic crisis is not easy to navigate. Recessions can be scary and can really throw everyone off from their career path. This is where being a freelancer will give you the upper hand. Freelancing when a recession hits can be a very strategic approach to save yourself from the hardships others will face. Primarily, it is the flexible lifestyle of independent work that can recession-proof your income.

For example,  they don't require the expensive benefits given to a full-time employee that include health insurance and a 401(k). In terms of working hours, freelancers will often work 10-15 hours per week, contrasting the usual 40 hour work week, and still deliver notable results. 

As a freelancer, you already need to ensure that your knowledge and skillset is irreplaceable, leverage your network, and find worthy projects to keep your business going. These skills will continue to help you stand out and avoid the downfalls of a recession. 

Apart from saving yourself from an economic crisis, freelancing as a career is a great way to save on child care and make more time for your children. Employees who work the regular nine to five usually invest in full-time child care for small children, and that cost can be extremely expensive. The flexibility you get from independent consulting gives many parents the option to invest in part-time childcare over full-time. Many parents even manage to pick their kids up from school and be there for their important events while prioritizing their career at the same time. Many mothers in the UK are transitioning to freelancing, with the need for more flexible hours being the driving force. While this lifestyle comes with its sacrifices and multitasking, saving money and having more time with your kids is a perk that rarely comes with traditional 9-5 employment.