Flexibility. That’s something that a lot of workers want when looking for a job. The term means that many workers are looking for flexibility, in terms of working hours or working place. True, some companies have made some adjustments to achieve that kind of environment. But to make it clear, not all are like that. So, what’s the solution for workers who want flexibility? The answer is to try to search for self employed jobs.
Thanks to technology advancements, self employed jobs are now easier to find. You can pursue this type of work as a full-time job or a side job for additional income. So, you in? Before deciding, read this article first as there are the pros and cons of self employed jobs, also with some job recommendations.
What are self employed jobs?
As the name suggests, self employed jobs are work you do independently for yourself. Instead of working under contract to a company, this job lets you have full control to work for yourself or run your business. Even though you’re working independently, you could have a chance to collaborate with business or fellow individuals as your clients.
In this era, self employed jobs have become one of the popular career paths. Moreover, many workers decided to make it their main job. They are willing to leave their corporate job to start a self-employment job that aligns with their passions. On the other hand, there are also workers who use their skills to utilise this kind of job as a side hustle.
Pros of self employed jobs
If you’re not a fan of corporate jobs, self employed work may be the solution. You are free to do things your way, without having anyone forbid you. Plus, this also can unlock many opportunities for you to dive deep into your talent and interest. For more details, here are some key advantages of self-employed jobs:
- Full control: As stated before, this kind of job gives you full control and flexibility. You can control your workplace, working hours, and even the work environment. This control is indeed hard to get when you work in a traditional office that has many rules.
- More passionate: You can also be more passionate about whatever you do. With this job, you have the opportunity to transform your interest and hobby into a business.
- Improve skills and knowledge: Don’t get it wrong, being self employed is not a piece of cake. You have to know the marketing process, financial, and client acquisition on your own. But the good news is you can learn it along the way.
- Choose coworkers you prefer: This kind of job gives you the freedom to make decisions, which includes choosing coworkers. As business grows, you definitely need a team. Now you can choose coworkers that fit with your work environment and your values.
- Potential to earn big income: Being self employed means you receive all your profits directly. In other words, your income depends on how much effort you put in. The more you work hard, the more income you get.
Cons of self employed jobs
It wouldn’t be fair if self employed jobs are only seen on the bright side. The truth is, this kind of job has some challenges that maybe you’re not gonna like. Common challenges include managing business expenses, maintaining cash flow, client acquisition, potential burnout, and payment issues.
- Overwork: Handling too much work and multiple projects is a common challenge for self-employed individuals. It’s very hard to multitask because you do everything yourself. But that is the price that you have to pay if you decide to pursue this kind of job. You will be familiar with burnout.
- No guaranteed projects: Far different from corporate jobs that have daily tasks, self employed kind of ups and downs. You’ll experience the moment when you have many projects to handle and also when there aren’t. The scary part about that is that no project means no income.
- Payment issues: Payment issues are also common in being self employed. A lot of clients decide to delay or not complete their payment, even when you’re already finishing the project. That’s why it’s strongly recommended to request payment upfront before accepting a deal.
- Business expenses: Pursuing this kind of job means you understand that every business needs will not be covered by somebody else. You have to provide your monitor, the technology, supporting tools, or rent if you run a business by yourself.
Best self employed jobs
In this digital era, everyone is extremely lucky because access to information is very easy to get. So, take full advantage of this accessibility to find the perfect self employed job for you. If you're unsure where to start, here are some popular self employed job recommendations from recent years.
1. Digital marketer
Do you have skills and interests in the digital marketing industry? Then a digital marketer job is ideal for you. In recent years, digital marketers have been in high demand thanks to digital transformation. Important to note, that the digital marketing industry is quite broad. There are some specialisations, such as search engine optimisation (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, social media specialist, ads specialist, and many more. You can choose to focus on one specialisation or learn everything.
2. Writer
Writing has become quite a popular profession that has several specialisation fields. There are SEO content writers who focus on creating SEO-friendly articles, copywriters who write for commercial purposes, scriptwriters who are responsible for developing scripts, and lots more. Even with the rise of AI, writers are not at risk of being replaced in the near future. To become a writer, you must have writing skills, excellent grammar, impressive research, and a journalism educational background would be a plus point.
3. Photographer
If you’re not a fan of desk jobs, photography could be an excellent career choice. People interested in photography often pursue it as a side hustle. They use their cameras when they have free time from their main job. Make sure you have digital photography skills and amazing photo editing to thrive in this field. You also can choose what photographer you want to be, for example, a personal photographer, a wedding photographer, or even a wildlife photographer.
4. Web developer
Not everyone understands websites, especially how to develop websites. This is where you have to take advantage of if you have excellent knowledge in programming and coding. This job is quite promising because today almost every business in every industry needs a website as their company profile or even to sell their products and services. As a web developer, you will be responsible for building and installing software systems as well as making sure the website functionality is well.
5. Business Consultant
Do you have lots of experience in the business field? If so, you can consider working as a business consultant for a self employed career. Your knowledge and insight in the business will be very useful to help companies at certain levels to grow. As a business consultant, your role is to identify which specific areas need to improve to accelerate business growth.
Final Thoughts
Self employed jobs are one of the kinds of jobs that are in high demand, whether for full-time or a side hustle. Specific skills in some fields will be the key to success in this job. After seeing the pros and cons of self-employment, does it interest you?
If you’re interested but don’t have deeper skills in certain fields, the College of Contract Management can help. The CCM has so much knowledge in various fields that you can access in blog posts. Moreover, the CCM also provides online courses that combine theory and a practical approach in the professional world. So, enrol today and chase after self employed jobs!
