Qasim Mughal
Are you an employee at a traditional job from 9–5 and want to shift to freelance? There are some things to compare between employee vs freelance before you make that decision for your betterment.
In my first article of this series, I have discussed the ultimate guide to freelancing, how to set up yourself to start working as a freelance. In this article, I will do an easy comparison of employee vs freelance and how traditional jobs are different from freelance and which one is better for you.
Being Employee at Traditional Job
In this kind of job, you work for a company as an employee.
- Fixed duty timings.
- Fixed salary.
- Start earning from a very start.
- Extra perks besides your salary such as bonuses, health insurance, getting a loan, etc.
- You are just an employee working under an organization.
- You will get promotions.
- Work in a group of people.
Freelance at Home
- Working online as an individual.
- You are the boss.
- You can schedule your work timings.
- Flexible income.
- You can work from anywhere.
- Versatility in work.
Employee vs Freelance
-
EARNING IS PREDICTABLE
You start earning from the very first month of your office job as an employee. But, in freelance, you might not earn on your first day or might not starting earning till 2–3 months or even a year.
-
A SET ROUTINE
If you are an office going, employee, you mostly go to the office 9–5. You have fix routine and organized a week ahead. In freelance, you lack that routine but can develop one.
-
WORKING IN GROUP OF PEOPLE
As an office job employee, you have a team of professionals working on a project so it is done smoothly most of the time. In freelance, you are in charge of everything you might be good at one thing and not the other due to this reason some of the time you struggle and stuck at some point during the project.
-
THERE IS A FIXED SALARY
If you an employee at a firm even if you take off can have rest and get paid for it, some days workload is low other days higher but at the end of the month, you get paid a fixed decent monthly salary. In freelance you will get what you have done and till you have done.
-
HAVING COLLEAGUES AROUND
In an office setup, employees get to interact with a lot of people daily, laugh, talk, and eat with them. In freelance, you work alone and you are lonely, which can be exhausting.
Freelance vs Employee
-
FLEXIBLE LIFESTYLE
In freelance, you have flexible timing or routine. if you are not feeling like to work in the morning, you can work at night or day or evening, take as many off as you want. You can eat or text during your work and no one will bother you for that. Dress like whatever you want and do your job on your bed lying in the most comfortable clothes of your choice.
As an employee, there are fix duty hours, specific dress codes, rules, and regulations to follow and it’s not at all flexible.
-
CAN EARN MORE IN LESS TIME
Yes, you heard it right. From freelance, even you can earn in a day more than an employee’s monthly salary. The more you work you get the more you get paid, the more good quality work you provide the higher will be your rates.
Employees get a fixed salary for days you do hectic work and for days you do light work.
-
YOU ARE THE INCHARGE
You are your own boss. No one can order you or scold you for anything. But in an office setup, most of the time Employees are advised to do the work as the organization demands.
-
WORKING ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE
The great thing about freelance is you can work from anywhere and everywhere. You can make your own setup in your home if you want for work it can be as cozy or professional as you like. You can even work from a park, a restaurant, family or friend’s house, airport or even in a car.
The in-office job employee will daily go to the same place the same chair, the same table, same environment, and they can’t change it even if they want.
-
GOOD NEWS FOR INTROVERTS
If you are an introvert you don’t like hanging out or interacting with people is not really your thing, freelancing is for you. You can work alone in peace.
In a company based job, you have to work in a group of people in a team, while interacting.
-
NO BOREDOM
Office employees sometimes get bored doing the same tasks daily over and over again. But if you are doing freelance, you can change the type of work you want you can have a variety of work to do, which will keep building your interest and you don’t get bored.
In Conclusion, I am not and can’t declare anyone employee vs freelance as a winner here. Both of them have their own for and against. Every individual is different from others. You have to predict what is better for you and your lifestyle. If freelance is for you to go ahead if not stick to being an employee.
But, remember if you are confused about employee vs freelance or want to switch towards freelance completely. I recommend to don’t leave your traditional job all of a sudden, start freelance as a side business and once you get successful you can join it as a full-time.
