Taking-up freelancing as a career is undoubtedly rewarding and comforting in every way. Many people are turning to freelancing because of the comfort of working from home and the freedom to work at their own pace. Freelancer demand is on the rise, resulting in a significant increase in the workforce. In the same way as every coin has a flipside, so too does freelance work come with a price.
The following are some challenges that a freelancer faces when taking-up freelancing as a career:
1. Finding the right client
Finding reliable, well-paying clients is the biggest challenge in freelancing as a career. You might come across multiple job openings on platforms like Naukri, Times, Monster, freelancer.com, upwork.com, etc., but it can be difficult to zero in on the right clients. Sometimes clients don’t live up to your expectations; Sometimes writers are not as per the requirements of the clients. Beware of content-writing scams!
2. Attracting attention
Getting noticed is the second most difficult challenge after narrowing down the freelance openings you are interested in.
The best way to get noticed is to design a compelling pitch that grabs the employer’s attention. In order to qualify for a gig among thousands of other applicants, you need an application letter and your work details. Depending on the projects or jobs that the company has put up, the application letter needs to be revised. Freelancers should highlight their skills and talents to match the job specifications of each client.
Another challenge is making your bids competitive because if your price is too high, your gig proposal is likely to get overlooked because of the upcoming competition.
3. Payment concerns
While most well-known companies are happy to pay their freelancers on time, there are some that follow a monthly salary cycle even for freelancers. Being contracted or temporary makes this a little difficult.
4. Manage multiple projects at once
Freelancing allows you to work from anywhere and at any time, but it is also quite demanding in many ways. As a professional, you have to adapt to every new situation project or work that you take up. In spite of the fact that the nature of the work may remain the same, the requirements and deliverables for each client vary drastically.
So, you must be very good at change management, and you must be able to adapt to the work commitments of multiple clients at the same time.
5. Managing time
Working with multiple clients requires managing their deliverables within the desired timeline according to their needs. At first glance, it may seem easy, but it is actually quite challenging. Keeping track of your clients’ schedules is the challenge. Additionally, you must meet the expected deadlines each time.
6. The importance of staying motivated
It is difficult to maintain discipline and motivating work atmosphere at home when working from your home office. It can sometimes be hard to stay motivated while dealing with work from home and children, family commitments, social obligations, or social media distractions.
Furthermore, lack of interaction with other professionals leads to a great deal of boredom. You need to find ways to deal with boredom and stay motivated about completing work as required.
7. Self-improvement
You are entirely responsible for developing your skills and upgrading your talent as a freelancer. Updating your skills on a regular basis is essential. To gain the monetary increments, you must also learn how to market your newly added skills well.
As part of a typical professional position, you receive on-the-job training opportunities to improve your skills and abilities.
8. Betrayal
As a freelancer, you may sometimes work with mediators or contractors. Employers and freelancers are connected by these individuals. Unfortunately, working with fake middlemen puts your money at risk. The Indian freelance industry is still at a nascent stage of development when it comes to laws and regulations. There are many cases where freelancers have been betrayed, and they are not paid for the hard work they have put in for weeks.
Thus, you need to be careful who you choose to work with. Having your profile on a well-known platform with verified and reliable employers is always beneficial. As an alternative, it is better to work with a well-known brand that pays freelancers fairly.
9. Stability in a career
Depending on the work you are assigned each month, your freelance income varies. With each project you take on, your remuneration changes according to the skill set required and the terms and conditions of payment. Sometimes, when a project ends, you have to look carefully for another. Depending on the work at hand, the income varies constantly.
10. Awards and Recognition
You can only reward and recognize your clients based on their feedback. Most freelancing assignments don’t include bonuses, raises, or perks. You can, however, negotiate with your clients for the same.
An employee’s efforts are recognized and appreciated by their boss in front of the entire company. It raises your confidence and makes you feel valued and cared for. But, this kind of scenario is usually missing in freelancing. Here, the appreciation and recognition just kept between you and your client.
These are the challenges you face by taking-up freelancing as a career while working on different assignments. But, whatever said and done, when you weigh the benefits of freelancing with its growth hacks, the former outweighs the latter. Of Course!
Also Read: How to File ITR for Freelancer: Tax Filling for Freelancers
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