People seeking employment or planning a change of profession or employer have various forms of employment to choose from. More and more often, they are choosing to work as freelancers. This decision is usually driven by financial and organizational considerations, such as the desire for flexible working hours. Wondering who a freelancer is and what freelancing is ? Be sure to learn the most important information on this topic!
Freelancer – who is it?
A freelancer is a person working as a freelancer. Freelance work, at its core, involves carrying out specific tasks assigned by collaborating companies or private clients . Freelancers typically do not have employment contracts. They perform assignments based on a contract of mandate or a contract for specific work. Freelance work can also be performed as part of running one's own business.
What does a freelancer do? The list of services provided by freelancers is long. Marketing, broadly defined, often remains their core business. A freelancer might be, for example:
- sales representative,
- programmer,
- computer graphic designer,
- SEO specialist,
- journalist,
- translator,
- accountant,
- photographer.
The scope of activities performed by freelancers on commission also includes copywriting & webwriting , as well as conducting various thematic training courses in a specific field.
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Freelance work and other similar forms of activity
When answering the question of who a freelancer is , one should also be aware of the differences between this term and other concepts that seem similar at first glance, i.e. remote work (telework) and home business.
The first term (remote work) is used to describe work performed outside a company's office on behalf of a single employer. The second term (home business), on the other hand, encompasses running one's own business from home . This could be, for example, a car repair shop, a home photography studio, or a tailoring studio located in an apartment. All such activities fall under the category of home businesses. However, they are not freelancing in the strict sense of the word.
Working as a freelancer – advantages and disadvantages
Now that we know who a freelancer is and how they generally work with clients, it's worth considering whether freelancing is actually a good idea. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Let's analyze the table below and find out if freelancing is truly a profitable option.
Table: Advantages and disadvantages of working as a freelancer
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| flexible working hours freelancer working in sectors such as marketing he decides when and how many hours he wants to work on a given day possibility of self-development freelance work is an opportunity to shape your competences and skills the ability to choose your own health insurance and the ability to use various subsidies on the part of the state or the European Union | the need to independently search for clients, the real risk of losing the source of income, the need to settle accounts independently with clients and the tax office frequently problems with payment enforcement for services provided difficulties in reconciling several orders performed at one time |
As you can see, freelancing has its pros and cons. The approach to this form of income depends on the individual's situation. Sometimes, it's a matter of conscious and voluntary choice. A freelancer working in fields such as marketing might not even consider abandoning this profession for a full-time job. For some people, however, freelancing is a necessity.
What are the earnings of a freelancer?
Freelance earnings vary. Their amount depends primarily on the nature of the business (for example, a person conducting training courses for companies generally earns more than a proofreader) and whether freelancing is their sole or supplemental source of income . Generally, however, most freelancers earn between 1000 and 5000 PLN per month. Only a few can boast a monthly income exceeding 10000 PLN.
This means that freelancing in Poland – despite the many amenities associated with this form of activity – is still not as popular as it is in the USA or Western Europe, for example.
Freelance work – desirable character traits
Let's be honest – freelance work isn't ideal for everyone. Certain personality traits are essential to pursuing this type of work. One of the most important is responsibility . You need to approach every client professionally, ensuring timely completion of orders and maintaining a collaborative relationship with the client.
Self-discipline and independence are also key to freelancing . A freelancer is largely on their own, having to independently search for and acquire clients. If they run their own business, they're also responsible for various administrative matters and bookkeeping (the latter can be outsourced to specialized accountants).
Freelancers also require courage . Sometimes you have to take significant risks to gain another source of income. Not every investment will ultimately prove profitable. When working as a freelancer, you also have to consider the possibility of not receiving any assignments at a given time of year. This can be problematic if this is your only source of income.
We already know how freelancing works and what it's like. Before deciding to pursue this type of work, you need to consider whether it's truly for you. Finding the right clients and maintaining positive relationships with them is also crucial. Depending on individual needs and preferences, you can work for companies in a given sector or provide services to private clients. Typically, the best solution is a combination of both.
Frequently asked questions about freelancing
A freelancer is a self-employed person who completes projects and assignments for a variety of clients, rather than being permanently tied to a single employer. They operate independently, organize their own workspace, and independently decide which assignments to take on.
Freelancing dominates wherever work can be delivered digitally. The most popular areas are broadly defined online marketing and IT: copywriting, SEO, graphic design, programming, video editing, social media management, translation, and photography.
The greatest value is independence and flexibility. Freelancers decide their own working hours, rates, and location (often as digital nomads). There's also no fixed financial ceiling – earnings depend directly on the number of clients acquired and their negotiation skills.
The price of freedom is financial instability. Freelancers must expect the "one-to-one" syndrome and dry spells (seasonal nature of assignments). Furthermore, they face a multitude of unbilled tasks: independently searching for clients, marketing their own brand, handling complaints, and lacking paid vacation or sick leave.
Many experienced freelancers set up sole proprietorships (Sole Proprietorships), which allows them to issue traditional VAT invoices, a practice favored by B2B companies. Those just starting out or working part-time often use civil law contracts (for specific work, mandate contracts) or specialized intermediary platforms (e.g., Useme), which allow them to legally issue invoices without having to register a company.
A freelancer primarily sells their own time and skills – their processing capacity is limited by the time they spend working. An entrepreneur, on the other hand, builds a system, employs people (often other freelancers), and delegates tasks, allowing their business to scale regardless of how many hours they work at the computer.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- who is a freelancer, what does his job involve and what services can he provide in cooperation with clients and companies,
- comparison of freelancing with other work and business models,
- advantages and limitations of freelancing,
- how much can you earn as a freelancer,
- character traits useful in freelance work.
