There can’t be a better time to start a work-from-home career, and there can’t be a worse time.
WHY IS IT A GOOD TIME FOR FREELANCERS?
Work-from-home and virtual teams are becoming the norm. Flexible working styles are no longer seen as a special or nut case (How can you expect so much?)
Freelancing allows interactions with different companies, teams and individuals. If you decide to get back to a normal, full-time job in future, you have built a strong network. You know the factors that suit you, and the ones you don’t.
Freelancing gives that extra income, in the days of salary cuts and small businesses almost shutting down.
Freelancing teaches you a lot more on the job, than one can in a watertight corporate job description with fixed deliverables.
Virtual work reduces the occurrence of sexual harassment or misconduct at the workplace.
WHY IS IT A BAD TIME FOR FREELANCERS?
There are no employment benefits such as PF loans, group insurance which may be needed in present times.
You have to use your own resources like devices, internet connections and workstations. In metropolitan apartments, one needs to share resources with the family as schools and offices all operate from home base. There may be a certain amount of jugglery involved.
Businesses face a tough time, and failure to pay is becoming commoner than one thinks.Work contracts are signed, but not always adhered to. Insist on a certain percentage as advance payment to get over these hurdles.
Here are some curated resources for you to help freelancing work styles.