What is a Freelancer?

When do you call someone a freelancer? Who is considered a freelancer?

A person who works or pursues a career without a long term contract with any particular employer is a freelancer. He offers services to get paid without permanent affiliation with his clients. A freelancer may perform tasks for several employers, clients or customers at any given time frame. Some freelancers work with written contracts but more often are not necessary. Others would settle for verbal agreements with their clients.

If you are a freelancer you may work part time or full time. You cannot consider yourself to be an employee because you work for an employer without benefits, health insurance, paid holidays, bonuses and other benefits that a regular employee is entitled to. There is no limit to working hours which always extend beyond the regular schedules.

Some freelancers work for the same client for an extended period likely because their works are good enough for the clients’ interests. They are called “permalancers”; with full time work as a regular employee but without the benefits of one.

Payments vary according to the settled terms of agreement between the client and the freelancer. It is possible for a client to pay per hour, per day, or per project. For example, a writer can charge a fee per page of what he writes. You can demand for a deposit from customers and sometimes provide customers with job estimates.

Areas of work: There are countless of fields and areas which can showcase a freelancer’s skill and talent. Here are some:
 

• Journalism
• Book publishing
• Writing
• Editing
• Copyediting
• Proofreading
• Indexing
• Copywriting
• Computer Programming
• Graphic design
• Business consulting
• Translating
• Language teaching and translation
• Secretarial

The common areas for freelancers are software development, website design and development, advertising and Information technology. A substantial career is waiting for designers, bloggers and social media experts. Areas that have skills shortages prefer outsourcing freelancers’ services and they benefit from their input. Freelancers often occupy media roles.

Freelancing is basically an optimistic work even in an economic downturn. Most people come to web work because they have no other choices. Somebody may have been transferred to a remote working area at his present job or an existing contract is about to finish and finding another full time job isn’t easy. One must be able to define his capabilities and weaknesses before diving into this kind of business. 

As you go along you can choose the projects and revolve around the area of your expertise. As the prefix says ‘free’ you manage your own time, type and place of work which makes freelancing a very appealing field of work.

Here are some helpful websites for both freelancers and clients:

• Freelancers.net contains details on people looking for work, as well as freelancing job opportunities.
• Smarterwork.com will help you check if your skills are marketable and pinpoint freelance opportunities.
• CWjobs.co.uk for contract IT opportunities.
• Rentacoder.com
• Odesk.com