From DC Inno, Brian Warmoth discusses a recent survey commissioned by the Freelancers Union that shows, among other things, that freelancers make more money than when they held traditional jobs. Brian writes:
Freelancers in the survey seemed to be largely satisfied with their situations, with 60 percent saying they went freelance by choice and 60 percent of those who left full-time jobs to pursue their freelance careers earning more than they did prior to switching. Of that group, 78 percent said that they eclipsed their previous earnings within a year of going solo.
Of course, it’s important to remember that freelancers often need to make more than their full-time counterparts in order to get their incomes equal. In many situations a contractor’s income may eclipse his or her earnings doing comparable work for a large company, but the costs of doing business, along with health insurance and retirement savings can eat into earnings.
Many freelancers may not be aware of that, Vlietstra said. “I personally think those individuals running right now have no clue what its takes to run a small business,” she stated.
Vlietstra found the new survey results to be consistent with trends that her own organization has observed. She also added that the freedoms enjoyed by freelancers can contribute to an overall increase in career and lifestyle satisfactions for many people.
“I think there’s an overall likelihood that they have a sunnier outlook on life,” she asserted.
Much of that sunnier outlook probably comes from the choices and control highlighted in the new report.
“This study shows that the flexibility and opportunity associated with freelancing is increasingly appealing and that is why we’ve seen such dramatic growth in the number of people choosing to freelance,” said Sara Horowitz, the founder and executive director of the Freelancers Union.
In fact, 65 percent of freelancers surveyed cited the flexible scheduling and work locations as a motivating factor in their decision to do contract work. Women in particular favored the answer, with 73 percent of female freelancers naming it as a reason they chose their current work situations.
Source: Work From Home Jobs: Why So Many Freelance and Won’t Quit | DC Inno
