10 Advantages of Online Freelancing Jobs Over Traditional 9 to 5 Jobs

People often complain about their office job as it does not provide them ample opportunity to grow or advance their career. Most of the office workers find it difficult to deal with their bossy boss. So gradually they begin to think of starting their own business. 

But there are several barriers in owning a business, for example, most of the businesses require huge investment and human resource to manage the business. It also requires skills and expertise to run the business which is quite difficult for a naïve businessman. 

If you are really serious about quitting your job and planning to start something of your own then online freelance business is the best choice to begin with. It does not require huge investment and can be run by an individual who knows his or her work. 

I have sum-up some of the advantages and disadvantages of online freelancing jobs which might help you to make a rational decision.

Pros: Advantages of online freelancing

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1. You are your own boss. a majority of people hate working in a company because most of the times they have to work with bossy boss unless they are lucky enough to be rewarded for their effort without buttering their boss up. 
2. You can set your working hours according to your own convenience. If you have several other personal commitments during day time or simply hate working during day time you can work at night. On the other hand, if you a morning person you can start your work early in the morning. 
3. You can decide yourself how much you want to work in a week. If you are financially secure and working in a field that is your hobby then you can set your working hours according to your choice. 
4. More work more pay. You earn more than your counterpart if you are working as an online freelance worker. Your earning potential entirely depends on your skills, work hours, and capabilities.
5. Provides ample opportunities for innovation and experimentation. You can share your viewpoints and suggestions with your clients without any fear of being fired (in fact most of the clients appreciate if you could suggest good things).
6. Fast improvement in skills and knowledge. Your skills improve considerably with time if you are sincere toward your work
7.  Learn while you earn. You can join an online or offline course to improve your knowledge, skills and competencies while working on a project.
8.  Immense growth potential. If you are good at your work then the sky is the limit for growth. Online clients are increasingly looking for professionals who are good at their work and are ready to pay lucrative contract money.
9. Start your own company. Online freelancing work provides you with an opportunity to start your own company in the long run. As you know your job, therefore; you stand a better chance of success. And even if you fail you have something to fall back upon.
10. Work-life balance. And last but not the least you can spend more time with your family members. Most of the office workers find it difficult to spend some quality time with their family. Even on holidays, most of the office workers spend their time relaxing at home and hardly find time to visit their friends and relatives. 

Cons: Disadvantages of online freelancing

1.  No work no pay. If you are not able to work during a month due to illness or any other reason no one is going to pay you. 
2. You will have to invest in enhancing your skills to ensure consistent work year after year.
3. One needs more than average skills to succeed in one’s field of work as an online freelance worker. The mantra is the more the better.
4.  Being your own boss means you will have to be more disciplined in terms of commitment and work.
5. Forget about 9 to 5 routine sometimes you may have to work more than 12 hours.

How to overcome the problems associated with freelance job

1. Save for rainy days: unlike traditional 9 to 5 workers, you will have to save more for your retirement and unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies. However, it can be done easily if you know your work well. Invest in the areas where you can get high returns such as land, shares, and gold.
2.  Invest in training and development: as you know we are living in a rapidly changing business environment, and technology has revolutionized the way we operate a business. So we never know what might happen in the future including technological changes, changes in the needs and preferences of the consumers etc.
3. Maintain a disciplined work schedule: no matter how much you are earning always make sure your clients are happy with you. Don’t take your clients for granted. A slight change in your attitude, quality of work and turnaround can impact your work drastically.
4. Maintain competitive edge over your competitors: Be ready to beat the competition and never mind working more than usual working hours as it will stand you apart from your competitors.
5.  Share your workload: If you are running behind schedule or have more work than you can handle never mind sharing your workload with people you trust. It would be better if you could hire someone who can share your workload efficiently. 

There are several advantages of online freelancing. However, it is important to also take into consideration the disadvantages of freelancing while making a decision about your career. Freelancing is a challenging job and demands a high level of motivation to succeed as a freelancer.