If you’ve been reading things online lately, you’ll see a lot of “Freelancing is the greatest” or “Freelancers are getting rich”. Something along those lines anyways. Freelance is the new buzzword for marketers to try and sell you stuff. With the recession here in the US, I find it only fitting to share some of the draw backs of full time freelancing. Yes, it can be a great gig, but I feel it’s right to let potential freelancers know the opposite side of the fence as well.

Here are some tips on how to be a successful freelance graphic designer for a long time. Below is a list of 15 draw backs to working as a full time freelancer that were compiled by myself as well as some great people on twitter. Thank you to everyone on twitter who sent their replies in – and for those of you reading this now who have something to add to the list, feel free to drop a comment and let me know.

15 draw backs to working as a full time freelancer

1. Freelancing doesn’t give you any dependable income. You could make a thousand dollars today and none for the next month. (submitted by @RS_Designs and @AliciaMae)
2. Less time with family because you are busy doing 10 different jobs (accounting, designing, sales, ect)
3. Spending more time finding work than actually doing the work. (submitted by @kevincrafts)
4. You lose the ability to bounce ideas off your co-workers because, well, you’re (9 times out of 10) working alone in your home office.
5. The distraction level in your house can be tremendous (family, television, sleeping in, ect)
6. People don’t take you as seriously as someone with a 9-5 job (yes, they’re close minded, but it does happen – a lot)
7. You have to be your own taskmaster, even if you “just don’t feel like it” – and if you don’t, you fall behind work and a whole mess of trouble starts
8. Health insurance is not a given – and obtaining it can be a struggle. (I’d suggest checking out this article for information on it)
9. If you get sick – you’re screwed. There’s noone there to take over your job while you’re out with the flu.
10. There are a lot of freelancers out there right now so u had better have work lined up first and great connections that yield referrals. (submitted by @rachelakay)
11. Marketing yourself against the “big guns” in your industry can be extremely hard as you will generally not have the same budgets as they do
12. I’m not paid for all of the hours I work. It takes a lot more of my time and energy to be a freelancer than to work for “the man.” (submitted by @RS_Designs)
13. Doing everything on your own will generally make your stress levels a lot higher than a normal 9-5
14. Sitting in your computer chair for multiple hours at a time working, prospecting and notekeeping will put massive strain on your back
15. big drawback: admin tasks (invoicing, time tracking, emails, etc). too easy to put off but real pain in ass to catch up on. (submitted by @freelancerant)

Source: Guerrilla Freelancing