One of the things that deter people from trying online freelancing is the fear that it’s “not secure”, that it’s a volatile career choice.
Heck, my parents used to frequently question its stability when I was starting out. I had to work my ass off to convince them that giving up my day job as a nurse in exchange for freelancing is worth the risk...
At some point in my freelancing career, I studied entrepreneurship, and not long after, I realized how online freelancing is way more secure than traditional employment.
Job security is also a common concern for many freelancers who operate under an employee mindset.
They think that losing a client—usually, one they were referred to by a friend or one they acquired out of sheer luck—leads to a crisis.
No worries though! If you start treating freelancing as a business, everything changes.
Here are some of the reasons why online freelancing is more secure than a traditional 9-to-5 job! Hint: 9-to-5’s don’t even come close...
1. Your business lives on the internet… and the internet is HUGE!
A common worry for current freelancers is the exponential growth of the freelancing marketplace—this means more competition, but this is a misbelief.
There is plenty of room for everyone!
You see, although more professionals are making the leap to online freelancing, more businesses are also seeking freelancers, so don’t fret!
And don't let this be the reason why you don't teach other people about online freelancing—that's a scarcity mindset.
2. Unlimited Clients
The great thing about online freelancing is that you can work with as many clients as you want. This means you can grow your business (and income) as much as you want!
It’s important to note that legally, you’re not bound to any one client… unless you sign some sort of agreement for exclusivity (e.g., they don’t want you to work with their competitors).
3. Unlimited Earning Potential
What really sucks with traditional jobs is that you have little-to-no control over how much you get paid—either your boss or the market dictates your rate.
Sure, you can ask for a raise… but if your request is denied, you don’t really have much of a choice but to suck it up and try again next time.
With online freelancing, you dictate your rates! You can set it as high as you want and make changes anytime without the need for anyone’s approval.
4. Ease of Career Shifts
With 9-to-5s, it’s easy to feel that making a career change equals professional suicide. As you climb the corporate ladder higher and higher, the harder it is to go back down and climb a new ladder.
As an online freelancer, you can freely transition to different service offerings without starting over from scratch.
What I absolutely love about online freelancing is the freedom to explore your interests and passions! I’ve personally jumped from service offering to service offering with no negative impact on my business.
I started out as a health writer and offered an array of services throughout my career like data entry, market research, admin assistance, customer service, game testing, and transcription, among other things.
All these have led me to my true north! I now serve clients as a digital marketing strategist specializing in lead generation.
5. Instant Expertise!
To build your credentials for traditional jobs, you’d have to earn a college degree, or undergo countless seminars.
But with freelancing, you can dictate your professional title however you like, as long as you can back it up with results. You really just need the bare minimum knowledge and skills!
You see, it’s backward in freelancing...
First, you decide to become someone (e.g., copywriter), then do what that someone does (e.g., copywriting), and then finally have what that someone has (e.g., copywriting skills).
Does “be, do, have” ring a bell?
6. Losing a client doesn’t affect your overall business (if you do it right)
When you’re working as an employee and your company suddenly needs to make cuts, you’re pretty much screwed. You’ll have to start revising your resume and then lining up for interviews—not fun!
With freelancing, you can build a roster of clients (see point 2) to increase the security in your business. The more clients you serve, the less impact a churn inflicts. If you set everything up right, you should get a regular stream of inquiries from potential clients.
7. Location Independence
One of the biggest perks of freelancing is being able to take your business anywhere with you! You don’t have to be tied down to an office chair at your desk job. You can literally take a vacation whenever you want.
After a full day of exploring, you can go to a nearby cafe, flip open your laptop, and you’re set!
ONLINE FREELANCING IS THE FUTURE OF WORK!!! The possibilities are endless, and I encourage you to explore it!