Four Reasons To Become A Contractor
More and more people working in what one might term ‘traditional’ employment are moving into the freelance and contracting sectors.…
Are you thinking about a job change? It might be slightly better pay, but will you feel truly satisfied? If the answer is a straightforward ‘no’, then why not think about becoming a freelancer? With instant access to hundreds of thousands of jobs online, the world really is your oyster!
1. Your money becomes more meaningful
Knowing you’ve generated your own money with little to no help from anyone else is sure to give you that surge in self-belief. If you register as a sole trader, your money is your own. Whatever you make you keep – aside from taxes, of course!
2. You get the work/life balance you’ve always wanted
If you’ve got kids, or if you’re just an explorer at heart, work longer on Monday and take Tuesday morning off and go for a drive, visit the weekly fruit market you’ve always wanted to visit and, most important of all, enjoy your free time. You deserve it! If you do have children, having the flexibility of a freelance schedule is a lifesaver and, in the long run, probably a money-saver, too. Nursery fees aren’t cheap!
3. You work on projects you want to work on
No more doing what your boss tells you. If you don’t think a project or client is the best fit for your business, there’s no one saying you have to work on it or with them! Picking and choosing projects and applying for jobs you have a genuine interest in is a big advantage to being your own boss.
4 You probably have more job security
Although you have to find the work yourself, no one is ever going to make you redundant from your own business. If you’re in permanent employment now you’ll probably have at least one month’s notice – not long if they decide they can’t pay you anymore! Sure, freelancing contracts can end, too, but you’ve got your own processes and strategies to find new business – there’s always a freelance opportunity right around the corner!
5. You can pretty much work from anywhere
Although it can be a lot easier to work from a desktop computer in a dedicated office space, all you really need is a laptop and a Wi-Fi connection. This means if you’re going away abroad for a few weeks and an urgent client request comes through or you’re required to make some project revisions, you can do it easily. Just make sure you make time for yourself to relax – don’t check your emails if it’s not necessary!
6. You set your own rates
Setting your own rates gives you the freedom to apply for all kinds of jobs. Lowering and increasing them as you see fit can help you attract a wide variety of project opportunities. Once your business becomes more authoritative and attracts more business, you can increase your rates to reflect this. A great incentive for any freelancer!
7. You can work from the comfort of your own home
Working from home is great. Not only will it probably save you money if you pay for a parking space or a weekly train pass, but you get to get out of bed, have breakfast and then walk over to your computer to start the day.
It really can’t get any more relaxing than that. Just make sure you have a dedicated space for your work. You don’t want to have to keep moving your laptop every time the family sits down to eat dinner!
If you are considering becoming a freelancer, we make sure you’re covered. We offer an all-in-one insurance package with instant access. That’s one less thing for you to think about!
Read more about our freelancer insurance package here.
