CNN Article Today About Freelancing

[dvduval]

Pretty interesting that nearly a quarter of the US population is freelancing
With full-time jobs scarce, workers are forced to freelance - May. 4, 2009

[TheCren]

Good to hear! Hopefully this means we're getting smarter and taking our lives into our own hands instead of trusting good karma vibes and the like to keep our standard of living sustained.

[MarkWrites]

For many of those it will work out good. The problem with a number of people that enter the world of freelancing, whether its writing or design or anything else, is that they don't understand that its two jobs in one. A freelance writer isn't just a writer, they're a writer and a business owner. Just as much attention has to be paid to running their business as has to be paid to writing. The marketing, bill paying, income tracking, and other administrative duties are just as important. Many people say "I want to be a freelance web designer, because I want to design web pages all day"... that isn't an accurate description of what they'll be doing though.

[DavirWarner]

Something that I had in mind! Regular job is not paying me enough to repay my mortgage payment.

[dvduval]

So much about the American dream is based on people starting their own business, and becomeing successful. It is great to see a quarter of Americans are doing this. It will take time, but it seems to me the individual is getting a chance once again, while large corporations are turning to the very people they were shutting out before (freelancers).

[Lindsay Brynn]

I think it is a good thing. While there are disadvantages to freelancing, I like it because I love working by the job rather than the hour.

[dvduval]

Originally Posted by linm

I think it is a good thing. While there are disadvantages to freelancing, I like it because I love working by the job rather than the hour.

For me I just have to make sure I get out of the house enough, and see the "real" world.

[Sandor Verebi]

Originally Posted by dvduval

So much about the American dream is based on people starting their own business, and becomeing successful. It is great to see a quarter of Americans are doing this. It will take time, but it seems to me the individual is getting a chance once again, while large corporations are turning to the very people they were shutting out before (freelancers).

Nice to hear this, instead of whining because of the economic crisis. Time is changing, new opportunities arise, so people doing right to start something new.

If someone take the feelance work seriously and has affinity to it then he may make solid revenue from it. Simultaneously they need to bear in mind that freelancing is also a business -- it has advantage and disadvantage.

You need to learn to manage your business, arrange your time well and working according your plan, etc. You need to pay out of your pocket for your own health insurance, fund your own retirement plan and generally don't qualify for unemployment insurance benefits.

Not to mention that your customers expect quality for their money.

Hoping the best,

Sandor

[anildewani]

Oh, it quite big amount.

Isn't that much people make the whole market saturate ?
it will increase a lot of competition, isn't it ?

correct me, if i m wrong.

[dvduval]

Originally Posted by Sandor Verebi

Nice to hear this, instead of whining because of the economic crisis. Time is changing, new opportunities arise, so people doing right to start something new.

If someone take the feelance work seriously and has affinity to it then he may make solid revenue from it. Simultaneously they need to bear in mind that freelancing is also a business -- it has advantage and disadvantage.

You need to learn to manage your business, arrange your time well and working according your plan, etc. You need to pay out of your pocket for their own health insurance, fund their own retirement plan and generally don't qualify for unemployment insurance benefits.

Not to mention that your customers expect quality for their money.

Hoping the best,

Sandor

Indeed, the age of the corporation taking care of all your needs is coming to a close. This is both scary and exciting. The quote from Charles Dickens seems appropriate here:
"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times."

[jsherloc]

Freelancing is a GREAT way to make additional or even your main income. The key, as mentioned above, is to grow your portfolio so that you can in turn grow your business. The freedom that freelancing provides is SO nice compared to everyday office life. I will be interested in checking out this statistic after a year passes.

[dvduval]

Originally Posted by InfusionsoftSteve

I just got the approval 2 months ago that i can do admin work for our company on off business hours. So i create infusionpros.com and i pay to be on the resource page for infusionsoft customers to find 3rd party help.
I now have over 13 clients and made over $3,400 in the last 1 and 1/2 months doing side work for Infusionsoft users. Its awesome supplemental income. BUT, i am very busy, and starting to recruit some help. Not a bad thing tho.

Its really helps as my wife's job is pretty slow right now.

I wish i started doing this MONTHS ago.

Steve

Wow, great story. Congratulations on your newfound success.

[MSanchez]

Nice article - thanks for sharing.

Just the motivation I needed :-)

[Business Tech Stop]

I love freelancers but on the internet it is tough to find a good one. Usually once you find someone good, you want to hang on to them or put them on the Pay Roll. I have a programmer making a lot of money for me because I didnt want to let him go. He was such a good programmer that it would have been stupid for me to not hire him.

Freelancing is Awesome.

[dvduval]

Originally Posted by Business Tech Stop

I love freelancers but on the internet it is tough to find a good one. Usually once you find someone good, you want to hang on to them or put them on the Pay Roll. I have a programmer making a lot of money for me because I didnt want to let him go. He was such a good programmer that it would have been stupid for me to not hire him.

Freelancing is Awesome.

Yes, I know the feeling. I went through many people before I finally found some good ones. Now I have a full staff of programmers, and regularly have to turn down requests for work by newer programmers. But I can't count the number of programmers I went through before I had built up a solid team. Now I rarely have to seek out new people.