Freelance work seems like a dream for a lot of people in the creative industry, but there are definitely few drawbacks, and it’s really not for everyone.
Advantages and disadvantages of being a freelancer
The idea of being your own boss and making your hours sure does seem great but in reality you will never truly be your own boss and making your own hours can get tricky. Freelancing can become very stressful. Irregular pay checks, unreliable clients, and possible lack of work are just some of the problems you will have to deal with as a freelancer. A lot of the freelancers are forced to work odd hours in order to make themselves available and match their clients schedule. Making your own taxes and no sick days are another drawbacks. Working full-time for a company can give you certain security as well as the opportunity to learn new stuff under more experienced developers who you’ll get to work with. However theres definitely some advantages of working as a freelancer.
I think the biggest advantage of being a freelance web developer right now is the fact that the demand is pretty high and its not hard to find a job as long as you are reliable and competent web developer. You are your own boss so its you who choses what projects you want to undertake and how much you want to work which will essentially later translate to how much you earn. If you’re ambitious and well organised you can take up on multiple projects at the same time. Being a freelancer also means you get to chose where you work from. As long as you have your phone, laptop and Wi-Fi you can work from practically any location; home, office or coffee shop.
I think being a freelance is a great option as long as you are a well organised and driven person, however if you’re not willing to take your time to build a steady clientele, work on your reputation as a freelancer and possibly manage multiple projects by yourself, working full-time for a well established company might be better suited for you.