The pros and cons of freelancing 

First things first 

Freelancers are, by definition, self-employed. This means that they determine their exact offerings themselves and ‘rent it out’ as a service to companies that can use the expertise. As consultants, they may work on internal projects, or for clients of the company, to strengthen a team that was missing a particular skill set. Sometimes they are hired full-time, sometimes for a certain number of days per week or month. The duration of the project can vary as well. 

The biggest difference is that freelancers decide where and when they work, and how much they want to be paid for it. It can seem scary to suddenly have to make those kinds of decisions yourself, to have to learn to negotiate and be assertive, and to make sure you can keep working as much as you would like. 

Why say yes? 

While it is not for everyone, the fact is that freelancing gives you significantly more freedom and flexibility. You are the only one who decides what to include in your services. Just make sure you’ve clearly stated what you’re offering. That makes it easier for recruiters to find you and it means that both you and the company you end up with will not be unpleasantly surprised if it turns out that you are not as good at something as you had claimed. 

However, you are the one in control, so if you know what your strengths are and can present them decently, you will definitely be able to choose from several projects. Moreover, you are the one who decides on your workload, so think about that carefully before putting yourself out there. The better you know who you are, what you want and what you are good at, the better the projects recruiters will have for you. Naturally, you also have more financial freedom because you set your hourly/daily rate yourself; not an employer. Whether you want to lease a car or go on holiday is entirely up to you. 

Aside from that freedom, there is also the aspect of variety. Many consultants find that they are put on the same kinds of projects, especially when employers have found that they excel at something. Fun, but not for too long. Another reason why freelancing provides a more interesting career path. You can indicate to recruiters that you want to do something completely different, or if you want to try something new. Why not? If anything, that’s a good way to build your network, and keep growing and developing your skills. 

Finally, we come back to the financial aspect, because there is something else you maybe haven’t considered yet. Your hourly rate as a freelancer is always discussed transparently. There are no surprises for either party and you can rest assured that by the end of each month, you’ll receive the exact amount you all agreed upon, no discussions whatsoever. You can count on addon to make sure you are paid within thirty days of the end of the month. 

Why say no? 

The main reason why some are hesitant to take the plunge and work as a freelancer is the uncertainty. You are responsible for your workload and assignments, so if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. 

You’re usually not able to negotiate additional allowances, such as a phone or a company car. As a freelancer, you must arrange that yourself. The same goes for sick leave or holidays: you pay for those, as you are now your own employer. There is no bonus to be earned or a thirteenth month, and you must pay social security contributions. 

Now, we understand why you’d call those arguments reasons to say no. Us being us, we wanted to be honest and give you all the facts. Nevertheless, we’d like to refute them with some advice, perspective and help. 

About that first argument of no work, no pay: this is where addon comes in. We help match you with the best projects and hunt for a new one, long before your current one ends. That way, you can rest assured that even if don’t work for a while, it will never last long. Usually, we can guarantee a smooth transition from assignment a to assignment b without you losing anything.  

Secondly, there is still a War for Talent going on, which means the choice for companies is rather small, while you have several options to choose from. Trust us, the chances of you becoming unemployed are very slim. So no, you are not a hundred per cent sure, but let’s say a solid ninety per cent at least, if you let us help you. 

What’s the verdict? 

We really want you to feel like you can trust us. In all honesty, we’ve given you all the arguments that hesitant people have presented to us over the years. We’re here to counter those and show you why we think freelancing is still one of the best decisions you can ever make as an IT professional. There are so many companies that need a freelancer – and we don’t see the situation changing anytime soon. As your partner, we look for projects that really fit your needs and wants. You don’t have to work somewhere you don’t feel at home just because it was the only option. 

Don’t worry about how to get started, we are here to help you every step of the way. Determining your daily rate? We’ll advise you. Not sure if you have the necessary soft skills to negotiate a contract? No worries, we’ll do that for you. Not sure about your way of communicating to win a project in an interview? We will prepare you for it. Afraid of red tape and not getting paid on time? Don’t worry, we take care of all those things. Whatever you are worried about, you can knock on our door, and we will guide you through it. 

So, what do you think? Ready to go for it? Interested in more information before you get in touch? Sure thing! Why don’t you read this blog we wrote on the reasons why you could/should freelance through addon: https://addon.career/why-freelance-through-addon/ . 

We hope we’ve given you the right ammunition to get in touch and we look forward to seeing you soon!

We are Youssef – founder of addon – and Hajar and Adam – recruiters. The three of us establish the smooth sailings of our organisation. As we want to keep our personal and human values high, we welcome anyone who wants to contribute to our story and mission. Don’t be shy to contact us: we’re approachable, available and we can’t wait to meet you!