Freelance Gig
I was listening to my favorite talk radio show "Talk of the Nation" on National Public Radio. The topic was on freelance workers who wrong on a contract basis for just about every industry you can think of. There was a jazz musician who has freelanced for over twenty years in the music industry. There were stories of women who gave up their careers to raise their children but return to the work force as freelancers to earn income. According to National Public Radio, freelance workers account for one third of the work force.
The discussion on freelancers centered on people who have created an alternative to the traditional forty hour work week. This alternative was born out of necessity due to a job loss, underemployment or a change to balance work and personal responsibilities. There are many reasons for this shift in thinking about earning a living. Some people want the freedom to choose their assignments and their schedule. The other reason has to do with the economic downturn. Most of us have grown up with the notion that we would graduate from college and land a good job with a company with a set salary and those great benefits. Regardless of whether you are a college graduate there is no such thing as job security. Companies are continuing to shed jobs and benefits. Gone are the days that you worked for a company for thirty years and receive a pension.
Listening to these stories made me think about my own story. I would consider myself a freelance professional. I have to constantly rely on myself to earn income. It is up to me to go after new contracts and maintain the ones I already have. Although I don't have the steady salary and benefits, there are many advantages associated with being a freelancer. I can pick and choose the work I want to do and my schedule is very flexible. I know longer have to work my job around my family. I can work from home without having to juggle so many other priorities.
Of course there are disadvantages to freelancing. The major concerns are health insurance and retirement. Paying for healthcare out of pocket is extremely expensive. There is an organization called the Freelancers Union that represents the concerns and needs of this workforce. This organization was founded by Sara Horowitz and provides freelancers with information on health insurance, freelance gigs and other information. Check out the Freelancers Union at http://www.freelancersunion.org/
Having a full time position that pays well and comes with benefits is ideal. Unfortunately, the current global economic meltdown has changed the landscape of how we work. I don't think that the American worker will ever be able to feel a sense of security again . Whether the decision to become a freelancer was out of necessity or choice, it is an alternative to earning a living and surviving in these tough economic times.