Freelance or Employment

Here's a question for everybody out there:

"Would you rather work for yourself, choosing your work as you go along with no guarantee of a paypacket at the end of each project? Or would you rather be given your work on a platter (of which you have to do) and be guaranteed a wage?"

This is a question that I have raised with many of my friends in the past, and to be honest in my honest opinion I don't think that you are able to make this decision until you have experienced what it's like on both sides of the border.

At the moment I'm comfortable with Freelance, since I don't feel confident enough in myself to take on a full time work role in employment for a company doing website and graphic design. The advantage of freelancing is being able to pick and choose which projects that I can take on, and also being able to work from home which is a major comfort.

What are your views and opinions on this?

well untill i get on the professional side (which i guess it is since your being paid to do it in a wage) instead of freelancing i cant comment but i feel that being a professional has the reliablity but theres always a time where you might be fired then your screwed, professionals also may start to get board thats why i think many webdesigners go backpacking lol, just imagine yourself getting things into a rythem it would get teadious.

freelance the only issues i see are legal, payment and finding the jobs.
freelancing is a thrill really uve gotta explain yourself if your later deal with everything yourself even though you cant. also give you more time cause if you get your time management right you can spend time with family, work from home, go to work naked lol.

i think the best way is to just keep popping in and out of each one.
its all up to the indervidual

Top quality opinions of which I agree Trev, some good points raised.

It was only 20 minutes ago that I was having a chat with Rob from Banners2gGo.com on MSN about time management. If you can manage your time well you can do everything and then some, all in a single day

My opinion. Well at the moment I am only 16, but I have thought about this. It can go both ways.

If you have money already, and are comfortable and don't have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck, then freelance is awesome. If you don't have the financial stability, then it isn't so great. You alone must be able to compete with companys and other individuals. At times when it is hard ot find work, what are you going to do? How will you eat? How will you pay your bills? These are just some questions to ask.

I think a good scenario would eb to have a stable job which pays good and you are happy with, and do freelance on the side, make a little extra dough.

That's only my opinion.

Mark I agree.

At the moment Freelance is working kinda slow for me, but this happens - it has its quiet periods and then it just gets so busy it's hard to manage everything at once.

I myself am starting to look for a part time job to juggle inbetween freelancing and schooling. I'm 17 years old and I handle a lot of finances for myself, at the moment I have a sum to fall back onto whenever I need to, but it won't be there forever!

Which leads me onto another topic which I may post later in the general section (if somebody else doesn't do first) - Is it possible to have too much money?

Well I myself like a gaurenteed job. I would like to have a wage if I could. And to much money? Wtf kinc of question is that! Rofl.

hahahaha, good reply Hex and a statement well made - I'm going to post the topic in the general section for debate soon

I enjoy the flexibility of my freelance career. I can pick and choose who to work with. I can go to work in my boxers and I make my own prices. The money is good and I'm my own boss. How many of you freelancers actually pay taxes?

well my businness is pretty tricky as i work by myself its hard to keep track of things bad managment and memory i guess, but i have shelter and food provided and i'm a shut in with no life so i have more money in the bank than my mates at college. so freelancing is suiting me to a tee. other than management i seam to dislike working with other people i feel they may ruin my design if i make them code or may make a design i hate. im a totally differnt person at college im the backup teacher most days

I agree Trev. Sometimes working with other people (whom you don't have history working with) can be somewhat of an obstacle. Compromising isn't something I like to do when I have my reputation and money on the line.