[stevage]

Speaking for myself, almost everything about freelancing is better than being an employee.

It's like a job...but with only the good bits. You just do the bit you're really good at. And they pay you really well for it, treat you well, and you have much more flexibility where and how you work.

Only real downside for me has been not having colleagues around.

[mhitza]

> It's like a job...but with only the good bits.

Such as no job security, or severance packages, feast and famine cycles?

I freelance, I get what you're hinting at, benefits aee great when you can make your own schedule and be appreciated for the value you deliver and not merely presence.

But on the other hand you got to be clear about the fact that it's a numbers game, where you lose some win some, unless you can always aquire new work through your network, and can temper times of economical uncertainty (anyone that started only during the 2020's till today knows how fluctuating the market has been). I've had a couple multi-month downtimes when the markets where uncertain, 2020 first 6 months, 2022 during the EU energy crisis, and 2023 when companies where shedding the extra pandemic hires in drowes.

[stevage]

>Such as no job security, or severance packages, feast and famine cycles?

80% of my career before that was fixed term contracts anyway. "Job security" never really appealed as I didn't like working at one place for more than 2 years anyway.

>But on the other hand you got to be clear about the fact that it's a numbers game, where you lose some win some,

Honestly, there hasn't really been any lose. My first year I worked much less than when I had a full-time job, but earnt the same. After that, it just went up a lot.

> unless you can always aquire new work through your network, and can temper times of economical uncertainty (anyone that started only during the 2020's till today knows how fluctuating the market has been). I've had a couple multi-month downtimes when the markets where uncertain, 2020 first 6 months, 2022 during the EU energy crisis, and 2023 when companies where shedding the extra pandemic hires in drowes.

I guess. I was super busy all through 2020. Since then I've actually wound back a bit to have more free time so maybe it has just worked out well.

[billy99k]

"Such as no job security, or severance packages, feast and famine cycles?"

I've never had job security or severance package beyond a few weeks. The best job security I have is always having multiple clients, so if one drops me (or if it's not working for me), I'm not scrambling to find new work.

"But on the other hand you got to be clear about the fact that it's a numbers game, where you lose some win some, unless you can always aquire new work through your network, and can temper times of economical uncertainty (anyone that started only during the 2020's till today knows how fluctuating the market has been). I've had a couple multi-month downtimes when the markets where uncertain, 2020 first 6 months, 2022 during the EU energy crisis, and 2023 when companies where shedding the extra pandemic hires in drowes."

Are you getting all short-term contracts? I freelance and always have a long-term contract (6-months+) along with short-term work.

[A4ET8a8uTh0_v2]

<< Such as no job security, or severance packages, feast and famine cycles?

FWIW, there is no real security in corporate either and I work in a relatively insulated industry. That said, I can't call myself a freelancer with less than a few gigs under my belt so it is possible my perspective is skewed as I eye 'greener' fields.

[fy20]

There is no job security. I live in an EU country which has very strict rules about layoffs (you need to give notice + severance).

Well here I am 6 months after being told I'll be laid off, and my previous employer hasn't paid me anything yet :-)

I was contracting for a few years before that, and I liked that better because at least it's honest. The contract clearly says the company can terminate the contract at any time without recourse.