Freelancer Over A Full-Time Employee?

Many startup companies have few questions in common, i.e., should we hire a freelancer or a full-time employee? And/or why should we hire a freelancer over a full-time employee.

Coming across some websites working on this very concept, RozgaarIndia, Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, Toptal, Truelancer, etc., to name a few, I understood the difference vividly.

Before we get into detail about the why’s and how’s of the above-asked questions, let’s understand the basic difference between the two.

A freelancer is a self-employed person, who’s primarily working for himself/herself, at his/her own timings, with their own limitations and expertise. They could take up multiple freelance assignments at the same time. They could be multi-tasking.

Whereas a full-time employee would be time-bound, expertise bound, working under company’s compliance, and would be working for an organization full time. However, both type of employments has their pros and cons.

Now a freelancer might compromise on the cost you offer for a particular task assigned, but a full-time worker won’t compromise on the salary. And might often lose motivation to work longer in the same organization, might experience a career stagnation.

Career stagnation is a problem that many full-time employees and employers must’ve come across. It’s like a blockade in the thinking pattern, creativity, and cognition. Life seems fatigued, boredom and there’s lack of motivation.

However, a freelancer, might not face too much stagnation. Since they’ll be working for multiple organizations at a time and might be working on different assignments and projects at the same time.

I agree that a fixed salary is what a middle man seeks. But I’d also argue on the fact that we should not be fixated to fixed happenings in our lives.

“Change is the only constant”

Change is something that has to happen, to maintain life’s equilibrium. We often get conditioned to our daily routine and get engrossed in our comfort zone to an extent that when a new idea approaches us, we find it difficult to break the ice and create something new.

Well, through RozgaarIndia, Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, Toptal, Truelancer, etc., I did come across a variety of work possibilities and work domains.

Our mind tricks us into an auto-pilot mode and takes us into a dreamlike episodic sequence very often. Our mind switches into auto-pilot mode when we repeat our daily routine, follow a similar pattern every day, and function like a machine. This often causes a missed link between our mind and brain. Which often leads to the blockade of ideas. Most common is a ‘writer's block’, i.e. circling around the same idea again and again like a loop, instead of breaking the loop and inviting new ideas.

A freelancer might experience this blockade at times, but they’re quick in coming out of the loop and working on something more intriguing. The reason being, the variety of work they’re accustomed to. A full-time employee wouldn’t find too much time for exploration, whereas a freelancer has all the time in the world to explore.

At times, a freelancer might have lesser income in their bank account as compared to the full-time employee, but they would have more work-related satisfaction in the end than the full-time employee would have. Because, as we mentioned earlier, a freelancer works primarily for himself.

RozgaarIndia, Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, Toptal, Truelancer, etc., offers a variety of these opportunities to people who are open to exploring the new realms of work opportunities.

A freelancer will not be time-bound and will have more time and energy to explore their social lives as well. Whereas a full-time employee would be able to socialize only over the weekends.

Both employments have their merits and demerits, depending on the individual’s demands and needs.

How motivated are you to work as a full-time employee or as a freelancer?

Yes, at times a freelancer might find full-time employment more stable, but if he/she has been working on their terms for too long, it will be difficult for them to work under an employer in a full-time work setup, in an office space, with 9 to 5 timings. They might call it quits sooner.

Working as a freelancer takes time to kick-off, indeed. But if one it does, there’s no turning back. The amount of satisfaction one gets in being their own boss is much greater than working under someone else’s nose, listening to their set of ideas, and letting them take the credit for work. This is both demotivating and frustrating.

A happy freelancer is far happier and better than a frustrated full-time employee. It’s like owning your business and nurturing it. In full-time employment, you would be expected to work for the organization’s needs and glory, rather than enhancing and working on your skill sets.

Being your own decision-maker and profit taker is satisfying and can be greatly experienced by a freelancer. RozgaarIndia, Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, Toptal, Truelancer, etc., has so many options you can explore and enhance your skillset as per your expertise.

You have to choose your own way of living. It’s either your way or their way. You either sleep and wake up as per your own will, or you manage your schedule according to the organization. If you’re a full-time employee, you definitely are aware of the concept called ‘Monday blues. I don’t mean to demotivate you, but I rather want to motivate you to start exploring your options.

An option where waking up early on a Monday won’t hurt your being, rather you find each day interesting and worth waking up. Enjoying what you do, is a fulfilling experience.

I would recommend all the readers to visit RozgaarIndia, Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, Toptal, Truelancer, etc., at least ones, to have an understanding of the idea of working on your own terms, at your own timing, being your own boss and earning at your own terms.

Coming towards the end of this article, I would like to say or rather suggest, that maybe freelance work and full-time employment can be done together. But what is more fulfilling, is the choice you make. Because you need to be your own decision maker!