All unhappy freelance stories are the same, all happy are different... Yes, I am sure this variation of the famous phrase by Tolstoy is quite right. Besides, I just started a blog, so I need something to break the ice with!
So if you are a mature freelancer, you may skip it and move to the next posts (hope to write them soon).
I cannot talk for present-day graduates, but I do not remember any of my friends/classmates who wanted to become a freelancer. Neither did I. Some of us dreamt of prestigious professions, others – of good places to work, and very little wanted to become businessmen. It's just a result of our unenterprising educational system and collectivist past. Everyone just had to find a workplace and stick with it as long as possible.
But I quickly found out that I did not fit the system. Looking back at my previous full-time positions, I can say that at least one of two main reasons to quit them was NO DEVELOPMENT. I see that people are different, but if you are mostly conservative — you use one way to travel to work, go to one favourite cafe, order only your favourite dessert, etc. — it'll be very hard for you to get used to a freelancer's life.
Just see how many different things you should do every day:
http://www.eapmedicaltranslations.com/10-things-part-1/
Even working as secretary you have less diversity, at least most of things you do automatically (checking emails, answering calls).
Working as a freelancer requires lots of agility, determination and planning, but in return you will get diverse tasks, interesting and rewarding projects, as well as invaluable communication experience!
I am really grateful to all of my ex-jobs, ex-bosses and other people I met during my life because all this has brought me where I am now — to my comfortable home office and virtual work that help people and companies solve real tasks.
And after some “promotional” months the workload starts growing really fast. This December post was due in September as a celebration of my first anniversary as a professional freelancer, so now my main goal is to improve my time-management skills and revise my priorities to find time for development and new ventures.
For all who are just starting this exiting path and feeling uncertain or a bit disappointed with first results, I advise reading this encouraging book about the bright side of this carrier: http://www.brightxl8.com/#!download/c11m6
