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In this episode, I provide the pros and cons of freelance work vs. full-time remote work, to help you decide what’s best for you or if you can even do both!

Listen below:

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Transcription:

Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of The Offbeat Life, today I will be talking about a topic that some of you may be wondering about, or maybe if it hasn’t crossed your mind, it may help you when you are deciding on which direction to take in terms of your remote work options. 

So before you start applying and trying to land remote clients there are a few things that you have to think about. 

The first is the type of lifestyle you would like to have. If you are someone who is able to work well with less direction and need more autonomy, then having a freelance job may be right for you. 

If you are someone who likes structure and stability in terms of payments, having a 401k, and health insurance then having a full-time remote position could be the best for you. 

Or if you want both stability but also autonomy, then finding a flexible ft remote-first company could be right for you. 

That is why it is important to really understand what type of life you would like to live before diving in, because you also do not want to start working remotely, and still hate your life and your job. 

This means you may as well have stayed at your regular office 9-5 job. 

The next thing to keep in mind is that just because you are working remotely, does not mean you will be able to do what you want. There will still be a lot of responsibilities and you will still need to make sure that you are following deadlines and communicating with the companies and individuals you are working with. 

So make sure that you are able to create a schedule that is realistic but again fits the lifestyle that you would like to have. 

Now in terms of what to choose, either a freelance job or a full-time remote work, the answer is up to you. 

You will need to see what works best for your life. But here are a few other things to keep in mind. 

Creating income as a freelancer can be unstable in the beginning until you find clients who are long-term, or you are able to be found by the right clients to make it steady work. 

Sites like Upwork and Fiverr are some of the best companies to start offering your services since they are beginner friendly. But there will be a lot of competition and you will most likely be offering your services for very low prices in order to get enough reviews. 

Another option which I have done myself is to find ft remote work from companies and negotiate to have a contract position so you will not only have flexibility but also steady work. 

I have found this to be the best of both worlds and to find steady work that still allows you to create a lot of flexibility. 

And of course if you want to have stability, then finding a flexible online job is the way to go. I know that this can seem daunting especially if you are just beginning, but if you practice your interview skills and create a personalized resume, then it should help you land a remote job. 

The most important thing to do is to look at the job postings to see what their company culture is like. If you don’t mind working a regular 9-5, as long as the company allows you to work remotely you should be fine. But if you want more freedom, then make sure to look for companies that are remote-first or allow you to have a flexible schedule. 

You can find this either on their posting or you can ask during the interview. Or you can even negotiate it if they do offer you the position, which I have done in the past as well.

So there you have it, just a few things to think about before deciding whether you should be a freelancer or a ft remote worker. 

Either way, as long as it fits your lifestyle and it works for you, you can’t go wrong. 

Well, that’s it for now. I will see you in the next episode.