Should You Consider Becoming a Freelance Developer?

The reality of the modern workforce is that freelancing is one of the biggest growing sectors, with many markets now boasting a wide freelance contingency. It removes some of the limits of modern life, while allowing for greater creative freedom and more chance to grow; both for the company doing the hiring and for the professional freelancer.

With that in mind, there are a number of both pros and cons that you need to consider if you want to potentially pursue a freelance web developer career. These include, but are not limited to, some of the following points:

Saturated Market

One of the bigger issues surrounding freelancing is the saturated nature of the market. Everyone and their grandma wants to be a freelancer and it shows. Trying to avoid and navigate this, then, can be extremely difficult when you’re just starting out as a freelance developer. 

For that reason, it’s important to understand the market and work your way to the less shark-infested waters. Keep swimming and you will find yourself taking a great journey. 

The Remote Factor 

Remote work is undoubtedly most people’s ideal states of work in the twenty-first century. In a world of so much to do and plenty to keep you busy, wasting away hours in an office or on long commutes can be very difficult to balance against other demands of modern life. For that reason, the option to work remotely can be the way forward for many people; especially those who have a family.

And being remote gives you the advantage of working across different companies without the restriction on working in their head office or the like. You can potentially work for a host of great places without the hassle of up and moving your life to do so, giving you the freedom to live and work wherever you like in the world. Remote can be a great way to gain the flexibility you desire in life without taking away from your career prospects. 

It’s a Small Kingdom 

The thing about being a freelancer is that it is a little bit like running a small kingdom. You’re the king, but without a cabinet of ministers to help you run your country, it can be difficult to keep plodding forward bit by bit every day. And you don’t want to end up as the court jester when all things are said and done.

Of course, running a kingdom isn’t always necessarily smooth sailing. There are plenty of issues and troubles that you will face whilst attempting to tame the realm. And the fact is that not everyone is suited to doing so, no matter how much they might desire or consider themselves to be a great fit for remote working. Recognising whether or not you are one or the other, then, is as much of a skill as anything else. 

Limited by Budget

The trouble with being the boss means that not only are you responsible for all of the work that gets completed, but also how it is completed. Which means that it will be your responsibility to pay for all of the technology and software you may need to complete your job. These won’t, surprisingly, be provided by any company you work with. As they will expect you to be wholly self-sufficient in this capacity. So, if you need technical due diligence, a certain type of tool or anything like that, then you will be left paying for it by yourself. 

Is It All Sunshine and Daisies? 

The fact is that working is never all sunshine and daisies, no matter where or in what capacity you are employed. There will always be good days and days where you can hardly wait for it all to be over, is it the weekend yet? That is natural and to be expected across occupations, so don’t dismiss it as only a problem you would face as a freelance developer. You could easily find yourself frustrated in any other role. 

Final Thoughts 

At the end of the day, becoming a freelance developer isn’t a walk in the park that many might make it out to be. You will have ups and downs, feast or famine, and plenty of opportunities where you might want to simply quit. But, it’s a case of being persistent and understanding that to keep moving forward you need to be determined to do so.