HR9737
Northumbria University
UK
The intended occupation for this work is first freelancing. Since freelancing is often positioned between traditional employment and business ownership, articulating what sets it apart from those other two models may be challenging. The United Kingdom's official statistics do not clearly classify employees as independent contractors. The Labor Force Survey's classifications allow for an approximation of their numbers, nevertheless. Researchers classify freelancers as "knowledge workers," or professionals who specialize in managerial, technical, or creative sectors. Traditionally, the freelancer-client relationship has been governed by a contract for services. This is in contrast to the traditional employment model, in which an employment contract defines the relationship between an employer and an employee. Because they are not directly employed by a single company and enjoy more independence than ordinary workers, freelancers cannot be considered employees.
The hours worked by freelancers might range from full-time to part-time. The 2018 Labor Force Survey estimated that 1.8 million people in the United Kingdom worked independently. One and a half million individuals were working freelance full-time that year, while another 285 000 were working freelance on the side. By the end of 2019, almost 1.91 million individuals in the United Kingdom were working as freelancers on a full-time basis, and another 244,000 were freelancing on the side. Generally, businesses use freelancers to take advantage of their specific expertise and to build a variable cost in order to mitigate the expenses and risks associated with 'feast and famine' fluctuations in consumer demand (Lobashev et al. 2020). Contrast freelancing with conventional employment or running a small company. When compared to traditional work, freelancing stands out due to its temporary nature and focus on specific projects. So, finishing is a key distinction. A freelancer's contracts are often short-term, and at the end of that period, they must seek new work. What this implies is that the freelancer must actively seek for opportunities to earn money. Freelancers seem to be motivated primarily by financial survival as compared to other types of self-employed workers and owner-managers, suggesting that their aims and methods are not entrepreneurial (Enriquez, 2020). The ability to take chances and deal with uncertainty is essential for every freelancer. In addition, when the right chance presents itself, some freelancers seem to have every intention of returning to full-time work. Freelancing carries with it a number of potential drawbacks, including less job and income stability, less legal protections, and more independence. Freelancers may have more independence and flexibility in their work, but they also face a greater number of obstacles when trying to break free.
The Association of Independent Professionals is something that the majority of independent workers in the United Kingdom are members of. The mission of this organization is to encourage and facilitate the growth of independent and self-employed labor forces. A few of the ways in which it assists its members include by providing insurance coverage for tax investigations, medical bills, and other types of damages (Mofidi et al. 2019). The events and other resources provided by the organization are also beneficial to the businesses of the group's members. In addition to this benefit, it makes it easier for individual businesses to get contracts with large companies. In addition to this, they provide a platform for professionals to interact with one another and build professional relationships.
Freelancers are independent contractors who provide services in the areas of technology, the arts, management Assignment, or administration. Freelancers in many fields, but especially KIBS and marketing services, benefit from a broadened academic perspective. Freelancers with backgrounds in economics and business, for example, have a better chance of finding steady work than their counterparts in STEM fields, and a far better chance than those with degrees in the arts and humanities. In addition, freelancers' technology knowledge has been more valued as a key source of competitive advantage (FitzGibbon and Tsioulakis, 2022). Freelancers' most important learning resources are "learning on the job," tutorials, and online courses. However, one of the primary advantages of freelancing is the chance to get valuable experience in one's field of choice while on the job. Projects with customers in a variety of contexts are a great way to get valuable professional experience. Freelancing careers may be broken down into the gig economy, the project economy, and the portfolio economy. Contractors working on projects provide services for the whole or a significant chunk of a company's endeavor. Project-based contracts might span for a few weeks to many years (Riyono et al. 2022). New businesses, established companies, large-scale initiatives, the widespread adoption of cutting-edge technologies, and specialized project-based organizations are all examples of common project types. A gig job comprises doing work that may be defined by a single gig or assignment. As opposed to being paid for a whole project, freelancers in this field are paid per each assignment or task. Portfolio work entails taking on many projects and clients at once. Freelancers with more experience tend to specialize on project-based work, while those with less experience tend to focus on gig work.
Researchers have found that among the best things about freelancing are the opportunities for variety and adaptability that it offers (Gubachev et al. 2018). A freelancer's working conditions and schedule are entirely up to them; they are not subject to the dictates of their employer. Additionally, it facilitates the application of information, the actualization of potential, and the ongoing development of skills among professionals from a variety of disciplines. All types of self-employment have this perk since they foster a sense of autonomy. Despite their independence and the flexibility to do their own thing, freelancers are nonetheless subject to a number of limitations and rely on the kindness of others (Green, 2018). Freelancers are not always considered to be workers because of the independence they have from their companies. They do not have access to employee perks like paid time off or health insurance, and instead must shoulder such costs alone. They often get compensation based on output rather than hours worked. When someone decides to work independently, it's usually because they like the autonomy that comes with setting their own schedule. The global spread of COVID-19 has also led to an increase in the popularity of freelancing and the development of several online enterprises as a result of increased international communication and cooperation made possible by the Internet.
While freelancers often work independently and have more flexibility than employees, their earnings may still be impacted by the state of the market. Freelancers just starting out may have a hard time breaking into established networks and building a name for themselves that is valued by customers. Furthermore, the market may be excessively liberal, enabling an abundance of independent contractors to provide the same service (Blaising et al. 2021). Even more exacerbated are the already-adverse market circumstances brought on by the fact that many freelancers are willing to labor for very little. Freelancers often deal with difficult customers, who may be a source of unnecessary stress (Huđek et al. 2021). Freelancers, on the other hand, have the option of ending their relationship with the firm at any time, either by completing the assignment with assignment help at hand or by terminating the contract (Peters et al. 2020). Such a luxury cannot be afforded in the context of conventional employment, where workers are expected to put in time and effort regardless of whether or not they like the activities they are required to do.
Freelancers in distant regions are attractive to businesses for a number of reasons. Freelancers have the freedom to work wherever they want, whenever they like, thanks to the flexibility of remote work. Freelancers are more desirable to hire than full-time employees since they don't need the same amenities or time off (Khan et al. 2022). They never show up late for work or whine about wanting their own space. Freelancing has its own challenges, though.
Maintaining positive connections with both customers and project team members should also be emphasized. Freelancers need to understand how their customers' businesses function from the inside. Freelancers, for instance, may charge more for rush jobs depending on how much they personally contributed to the project's timely completion. The presence of regular customers is a mixed blessing. The necessity for immediate marketing and any associated short-term uncertainties are eliminated. However, it may be dangerous if you get complacent and stop looking for new customers, leading to a decline in business. Maintaining solid connections with a diverse clientele ensures a steady stream of business and minimizes downtime. Almost no freelance endeavor can be completed alone. Working as a freelancer generally requires collaborating with individuals from various groups. In order to successfully execute a particular project, it is possible that it will be required to engage the services of a graphic designer, a web developer, a freelance writer, a marketing expert, and a team leader. Therefore, productive collaboration among group members is essential to the success of any activity.
I said that I wanted to be a freelance writer in part A. The freedom to set my own hours and be responsible for my own success is a major factor in my career decision. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic increased the prevalence of freelancing as a result of the proliferation of internet enterprises due to increased connectivity and cooperation. Even though I've been doing graphic design freelance work on and off for two years, I still think it's necessary to take stock of where I'm at and where I need to be to make the most of this opportunity. I can tell whether the career path I am considering is the one I have planned for myself or if it is just an opportunity by learning about the kind of job or environment in which I am most likely to succeed. When I utilized the toolkits to evaluate myself, I gained insight into my strengths and areas for growth as a freelancer. In the first part of this article, we took a look at some of the most significant challenges that are unique to the freelancing industry. Whereas, here I'll talk about the places where I've excelled and where I've struggled in regard to the difficulties and concerns I mentioned in part A.
According to the Belbin criteria, which evaluates team members based on their roles, contributions, and acceptable shortcomings, I score as a plant. This implies that my ability to think creatively, freely, and independently is one of my greatest strengths. Given these qualities, I am inclined to seek positions that require in-depth study and creative problem-solving. If the position calls for sound judgment, I can handle it with ease since I can look at everything objectively. Additionally, I am a creative thinker who is more comfortable in a loosely organized environment. These qualities are beneficial in the freelance industry. Part A suggests that knowledge workers, freelancers who specialize in artistic, technical, or managerial professions make up the bulk of the freelancing population (Damian and Capatina, 2019). As a self-employed person, I am able to utilize my creativity and ingenuity to come up with new and useful concepts and to provide excellent work. It's a great chance to put my skills to work and grow professionally. Freelancers are not constrained by their employers' instructions when it comes to component A's choice for working in an unstructured environment. They have the freedom to set their own schedules and choose where they want to do their job (Kooij et al. 2022). In addition, the key advantages of freelancing are the opportunities for autonomy, adaptability, and variety in one's work. As with other kinds of self-employment, freelancing allows you a certain amount of autonomy.
However, the results of the survey indicate that a strong emphasis on comfort and leisure is a shortcoming that may be tolerated. Like most people, I care more about my own needs than those of my friends. Findings from part A suggest that freelancers' revenue varies and is unclear due to their reliance on completed orders or projects. In a highly competitive sector, it might be difficult for newcomers to the industry to get orders from potential customers (Barlage et al. 2019). Because I am easily tempted by convenience and ostentatious consumption rather than investing in my professional reputation and hence my earning potential, I may find it difficult to get gainful employment. Although these are my natural inclinations, I have trained myself to overcome them. Furthermore, as a freelancer, I've learned that it's not hard to attract customers so long as I know how to approach them and have the necessary combination of skills. Moreover, as mentioned in part A, freelancers may take their jobs anywhere they choose thanks to the flexibility of working remotely (Cohen et al. 2021). Since I can take my laptop with me and work almost anywhere, I can afford to do it in the opulent setting of my choosing.
However, my weaknesses lie in the fact that I am not a very risk-taking person and that I want to think things out well before acting. Therefore, the team may experience delays while I take longer to make a decision. My lack of social skills makes it difficult for me to lead individuals inside groups, and I am not very good at negotiating. The outcomes also suggest that a protagonist is more prone to be unrealistically optimistic when the odds are stacked against them (Huđek et al. 2021). This might irritate me if I find myself working on a team where I don't get along with the other members, or if the customer doesn't pay me on time as per section A. As seen in Part A, freelancers are sometimes forced to deal with difficult customers (Huđek et al. 2020). Therefore, the option to cancel the contract or cease working with the customer may lead me to do so in the case of a difficult client.
The ability to network effectively with other freelancers in the industry is also crucial. Freelancing businesses might benefit from attending industry events and conferences to network with other experts. As stated in part A, the Individual Professionals' Association is the primary public, professional organization that promotes freelancers in the United Kingdom. In order to further one's career and maybe score profitable partnerships, it is important to network with other professionals from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Forging connections in these groups calls for an understanding of the local culture. According to my scores on tests of cultural competency, I demonstrate high levels of cultural intelligence while communicating with individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds. In addition, my familiarity with many religions and ways of life has given me a social edge.
Numerous individuals nowadays lament their lack of time and the inability to live their lives as they desire. Because I am a liberated person by nature, I would want to pursue a job in freelancing as a way out of this. Comparing my exam scores to the difficulties of freelance work reveals that I will have the independence to pursue my goals without hindrance and the flexibility to do my duties at any time, from almost any location. To succeed as a freelancer, where independent contractors are valued as knowledge workers, especially in the Retail Management, artistic, and technological domains, I need to be able to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions. Curious as I am, I risk becoming sidetracked by thinking about things that aren't important. Following this, the Emotional Intelligence exam revealed that my abilities in conflict resolution and negotiating were below average. Hence, I need to be more practical so that I don't quickly lose my temper. I am able to work effectively with others, as seen by my scores on the toolkit exams; moreover, my optimistic approach, motivation, and “self-awareness†are all strengths that will serve me well in my career.
The first item I need to focus on, and something that can affect the success of my freelancing company is the amount of time that I spend studying things that interest me. This is something that I spend a disproportionate lot of time on. Research is crucial in the realm of freelancing; but, doing an excessive amount of it might result in analytical paralysis. Researchers have demonstrated that excessive pondering may have a detrimental influence on an individual's capacity to execute on increasingly complicated mental tasks, can exhaust an individual's mental resources, and can hinder creative thinking (Lee et al. 2022). In order to accomplish this objective, I want to put some of Kane's recommendations into action. It requires organizing my day and work according to what's most important to me, knowing exactly what it is I want to do, sharing that objective with others, and getting started even when I don't feel like I'm prepared. I also need to focus on my tendency toward leading a lifestyle that is less stressful and more comfortable. My ability to drum up new business may suffer if I give in to the allure of convenience, and my take-home income would suffer if I spent more than I needed to. The first thing that I need to do is spend less time studying things that interest me. This will allow me to obtain more knowledge, but it will also lead to analytical paralysis. It is important that in order to accomplish these objectives I try harder at reading Kane's suggestions and follow them.
One of the things I struggle with is studying and learning new things. As a freelancer, I need to be able to quickly grasp any new skills or knowledge that comes my way and successfully apply them, otherwise, it can negatively affect my work and make me look like an amateur, if not worse. There are several steps I need to take in order to accomplish this objective. One of them is making a list of some skills that interest me and putting them into practice over the next few weeks to see how they go. The first item I need to focus on is to stop spending too much time researching business topics that are very interesting to me. This was a problem of mine when I tried to create my own business; but, now that I'm working with people, I've learned not to make it an issue. It's bad for everyone if my colleagues can't maintain their productivity because they find everything interesting. Instead, we should talk about our favorite movies or television shows during meetings or distribute articles that we were assigned as task-based reading. In order to accomplish this objective, I want to put some of Kane's recommendations into action. I need to make an effort to learn new things, and research specific issues that interest me. This is a very important aspect of being a smart freelancer, but also something that may negatively affect a freelancer's productivity if not conducted properly. It would be best if I started out by researching one issue at a time until I hit my maximum limit. I could then employ techniques such as "serial learning", which has been tested in research studies to be highly effective for learning complex tasks (see resources below). I’ve found that taking the time to do some research is crucial in my freelancing business. I spend a disproportionate amount of time on research for many reasons, but at least my clients know that I am working hard and following up on all of their needs. The first recommendation is to take breaks between tasks. If I feel like I am becoming overwhelmed by information or analysis, then it is important for me to put down what I am doing for a few minutes and simply relax until my brain has a chance to recover. This might sound counterintuitive since we are always told that the more we multi-task, the less productive we will become, but when things get too complex and data overload can be severe, it might be time to stop what we are doing and take a break. Finally, plan ahead because keeping lists helps us stay focused on goals and future tasks as well as reduces our risk of procrastinating. Leadership and management involve both interpersonal skills and technical skills. Understanding the importance of these two factors, as well as managing your team’s performance, is essential to being a successful leader.
My development in this area requires that I often confront problems that are outside of my comfort zone. According to the findings of the studies that I have perused, the most effective way for me to advance in my career as a freelancer is to compile a list of the various things that I ought to do, arrange the items in descending order of importance, and then begin carrying out the most important tasks one at a time. I would benefit tremendously from having a mentor, whether virtually or in person since I am certain that they would keep me on my toes and assist me in maturing. Because my job as a freelancer requires me to spend the majority of the day sitting at a desk, I am aware that I need to make an effort to develop healthier routines such as going for swims, going for jogs, and taking long walks. I can do this by making an effort to go for long walks, jogs, and swims. The way I spend my money will also need to change, and some of the crucial changes include improved practices like budgeting and avoiding the inclination to make impulsive purchases.
Must Also Read: SUM304 Sustainable Development
Green, D. D. (2018). The gig economy and the future of work: A Fiverr. com case study. Manag Econ Res J, 4(2018), 6844. Retrieve on:20/12/2022, retrieve from: https://merj.scholasticahq.com/article/6844.pdf
Huđek, I., Tominc, P., & Širec, K. (2020). Entrepreneurship vs. freelancing: what’s the difference?. Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, 66(3), 56-62. Retrieve on:20/12/2022, retrieve from: http://ng-epf.si/index.php/ngoe/article/viewFile/243/215
Huđek, I., Tominc, P., & Širec, K. (2021). The human capital of the freelancers and their satisfaction with the quality of life. Sustainability, 13(20), 11490. Retrieve on:20/12/2022, retrieve from: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/20/11490/pdf
Khan, F. S., Khalid, M., Ali, A. H., Bazighifan, O., Nofal, T. A., & Nonlaopon, K. (2022). Does freelancing have a future? Mathematical analysis and modeling. Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, 19(9), 9357-9370. Retrieve on:20/12/2022, retrieve from: http://www.aimspress.com/aimspress-data/mbe/2022/9/PDF/mbe-19-09-435.pdf
Mofidi, S. S., & Pazour, J. A. (2019). When is it beneficial to provide freelance suppliers with a choice? A hierarchical approach for peer-to-peer logistics platforms. Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, 126, 1-23. Retrieve on:20/12/2022, retrieve from: https://par.nsf.gov/servlets/purl/10105804
Riyono, B., & Usman, R. F. (2022). Life fulfillment: The motivation dynamics of freelancers. Humanitas: Indonesian Psychological Journal, 31-40. Retrieve on:20/12/2022, retrieve from: http://dx.doi.org/10.26555/humanitas.v19i1.2
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