With the growth of social media, there has never been a better time to get into freelancing. As a recent graduate, it’s probably more tempting to become a freelancer rather than go through the banal process of applying for a graduate job. I mean, who doesn’t want to work flexible hours and be their own boss? Then again, there are those uncertainties associated with freelancing. So then, what’s the better choice for a student? A graduate job or freelancing?
Finding Work
Although there are lots of freelance jobs out there, not everyone can freelance. Graduates in law, medicine or engineering would have great difficulty finding freelance roles (that’s if there are actually any). However, if you have a degree in writing, design, marketing, IT or entertainment, then freelance jobs are plentiful.
At first glance, applying for graduate jobs might seem like a chore. However, applying for freelance jobs isn’t any easier and can go through a similar recruitment process. Yup, you would still need to write those cover letters, go through grueling interviews and face disappointing rejections.
Show Me the Money
You’ve probably seen those ads along the lines of, “Here’s how you can make £200 a day working from home.” Well, don’t believe them. Earning a sustainable income via freelancing is tough work and it’s a lot harder to get the ball rolling.
With freelancing, there’s no guarantee of a steady cash flow. One week you might earn enough to buy yourself a new gadget. And the next week you might barely have enough to feed yourself.
If money is an urgent priority for you, then it’s probably best to go down the conventional road of finding a professional job first.
Gaining Skills & Experiences
Whether you’re in a graduate or freelancing job, both roles will give you the opportunity to put what you’ve learnt at school into practice. In addition, a professional position will give you a taste of office politics, while freelancing will provide you with good client management skills.
Work Stability
An office job wouldn’t give you the freedom as a freelancer. You don’t have the flexibility to choose your working hours or where you want to work. Nevertheless, freelancing means you miss out on some of the benefits of a corporate job – like paid leave, public holidays, pension or mingling with colleagues.
When you’re freelancing, you go from one project to another and sometimes there’s no guarantee that the project is sustainable in the long run. A graduate job might lack the flexibility, but it does provide you with a level of comfort and security that’s harder to obtain via freelancing.
The Optimal Solution
One of the best solutions is to get the best of both worlds. Don’t wait until you’ve graduated to start freelancing, you can easily start when you’re still at uni and take on what you can do.
Find a graduate job is that will ultimately provide you with a steady income, a great network of friends within the industry and some valuable experience that always come handy. Along side of your corporate job, continue freelancing and build up on your portfolio and clients.
If you ever do reach the point where your freelance work is booming and you’re making a stable income off it, then you can choose to ease more into it and eventually quit your corporate job.
As a student, it’s the perfect time to experiment with different working roles and find what your passion is when it comes to a career.
Have you chosen freelancing over a gradute role or vice versa? How did it work out? Please leave us a comment below, we’d love to hear from you!
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July 19th, 2011
Gunpal
I had my Engineering degree last year. Then I was struggling for a corporate job for 6 months, I didn’t get any success in that. I was rejected by many of the HR managers and companies, regardless I have a good academic qualifications.
Then i started working freelance, In freelancing I got success, yes this is right it takes time to start the ball rolling, but once it starts rolling it get accelerated over time and a time comes when it surpass the all obstructions and you enjoy the all benefits of Freelancing.