The life of a freelancer often comes off as a distant dream job for full-time employees, yet it is an opportunity that many are discouraged to tap into due to the many stigmas surrounding the industry. The truth is, stigmas around freelancing, freelance work and working with freelancers are still a thing of the present. Have you ever considered taking on freelancing and have been discouraged based on things you’ve heard about it? Or are you an employer that is hesitant about hiring freelancers due to the myths surrounding them?

However, in an age post-COVID-19, we enter a new era where remote work is the new normal, it is time we debunk some of the greatest myths about freelancing and freelance work. Using data from Ureed.com, one of the biggest freelance marketplaces in the GCC, I will be tackling the four biggest misconceptions about freelancers. 

1. Freelancers don’t make enough money 

The biggest and most common misconception about freelancers is that they don’t make enough money. This myth is based on the illusion that freelancing is not a reliable source of income. While it is true that payments can vary from one project to another based on the scope of work, project size and budget, a freelancer who builds more experience and an outstanding portfolio over time can definitely charge more for their services. In fact, freelance work can often be a steady source of income, especially during uncertain times such as the post pandemic era.

Freelancers can work with multiple clients and on multiple contracts simultaneouslyWorking on multiple projects at once makes it easier to keep the work flowing and the money coming in, giving freelancers some peace of mind over their finances. For example, one of our freelance translators was  able to earn $1000 every two weeks by freelancing on Ureed.com. 

2. There aren’t enough opportunities online for freelancers

The second most popular myth is that there aren’t meaningful career opportunities for freelancers, especially since they work on short-term projects which doesn’t give them enough space to grow. 

However, due to the current pandemic and as more companies shift towards remote work and re-imagine their current business models, more opportunities are becoming available to freelancers. The fact that they can juggle more than one project at a time is an even increased benefit . Moreover, as the economic climate shows no job security for full-time employees risking to lose their jobs, working as a freelancer is the only viable and guaranteed option. Finally, many worry that there might not be freelancing opportunities for every career path or field. For example, careers such as engineering or sales can’t be performed online.

However, statistics from Ureed.com show the contrary. In fact, there are currently over 11,976 jobs created on the platform, spanning from projects for engineers to translators, content writers, graphic designers and IOS developers. Opportunities are everywhere, all it takes is one pitch from a freelancer for the employer to hire them. What’s great is that job security is guaranteed on Ureed.com, since contracts cannot be terminated mid-projects, and payments are automatically released for freelancers once they submit an assignment, even if the employer has supposedly forgot to release the payment on time. 

3. There is no work-life balance 

If you are a freelancer, it does not mean you will be working in isolation or that you will be reserved and introverted. Freelancers could still work in a virtual office setting with a team and employers. They are their own marketing team, which means they often have time to build a client base, network with potential employers, attend virtual meetings and online courses. 

The perks of being a freelancer is that they get to choose when to take a break, their working hours and preferences when it comes to availability. They are able to take ownership of their time by deciding on their own preferences and availability throughout the week. 

4. Freelancing is only for beginners

Many believe that freelance work is mainly for beginners, as no one with high qualifications and long-standing expertise will want to work online. The truth is, freelancing is an option for beginners, intermediates and experts, given the availability of all project sizes, scopes and even durations online. 

If we take Ureed.com as an example, the platform vets and tests every single freelancer before they can join the platform to ensure the quality of their work and abilities. Moreover, Ureed.com’s team tests freelancers’ ability to communicate online in order to guarantee employers a seamless experience of online collaboration. In addition, it encourages freelancers of all experiences to join the platform, then gives employers the freedom to choose while posting a project whether they require a beginner, intermediate or expert freelancer for their job. The platform also suggests the average fees per hour for each type of freelancer, again giving employers full ownership of their money, time and resources. 

All in all, just like full-time employees, freelancers are bound to learn and develop more skills over time, by working on more projects and dealing with more clients, which ultimately makes them a reliable and professional source of help. 

To sum it up… if you play the right cards, freelancing can equate to a full-time job and have its own perks.