Many people are considering online sources of income on top of what they are earning, especially with the current pandemic. And some are clamoring for replacement income because of unfortunate circumstances. And freelancing is one option for those with the skills.
Freelancing gigs can range from simple data entry to full-fledged technical careers like engineering. But compared with a direct-hire or agency online work, there are certain pros and cons. What to choose?
To help weigh your options, here are 5 advantages and disadvantages of a freelancing career versus an agency or direct hire remote working setup.
Flexible Schedule as an Advantage, If Utilized Well
With freelancing, you can arrange your schedule whenever you want, depending on your workload and priorities. After all, you are your boss. You are accountable for all your results.
So if you maximize your time, most likely, you can reap the rewards. But if you slack off most of the time, you will have a difficult financial situation in the long run.
Not Beginner Friendly, If You Don’t Have Negotiation Skills
Negotiation is a crucial part of every business. And when you’re freelancing, you’re technically running your own show.
Most countries get their talent in the Philippines because of our reliability and skills. But how do you set your rates for specific jobs? How do you negotiate benefits and terms? It’s necessary to know this because a lot of clients lowball Filipino talent.
If you have negotiation skills, you can wing this aspect. But if you don’t, it’s best to start with an agency first or have someone more experienced help you with it.
You Can Get As Many Clients as You Can, If You Can
If you have the skills and the time for it, you can get as many clients as you can with freelancing. In an agency or direct hire setup, you can only do so much. Some companies don’t even allow you to have part-time jobs.
But it also has a downside. What if you don’t get any clients at all? Some freelancing careers are saturated with so many talents. How can you set yourself apart for the online job?
If you want to maximize your earning potential, freelancing is the way to go. But you have to work through the numbers to get the best clients.
Clients Will Come and Go
Just like in any business, clients come and go. You might experience an influx of clients for peak season. But some clients just hire momentarily because of an additional need in manpower. After that period, they might not need your services anymore.
With this, you must constantly look for clients to service. You can’t expect that you have the same level of income every month. That became a glaring truth recently as some freelancers lost their clients from the pandemic.
In contrast, if you’re with a reputable agency, you might lose some clients still. But they have your best interest in mind. Depending on your performance, they will look for clients to replace your old one. There’s a sense of security with their help.
So it’s a choice between you finding the clients and an agency finding the clients for your regardless of what happens.
You Are in Control of the Payments, But May Have Problems in Collecting and Fraud
Compared to an agency, you get to earn more income because there’s no middleman. No one gets a cut on your income. You might even earn 1st world income while staying in the Philippines. The problem is, what if your client doesn’t pay?
You can draft contracts and collect down payments. It wouldn’t be a problem when your foreign client pays anyway.
But sometimes, there will be problems in the collection. What if your client suddenly went out of business? How can you enforce your contracts when you’re in the Philippines? What if your foreign client dies? It’s a valid risk as some freelancers are facing these dilemmas during the pandemic.
Sometimes, you will lose some clients and your hard-earned receivables unless you can hire a collection agency.
On the other hand, there might be unscrupulous individuals who will take advantage of you, like these remote working scams and red flags. What is your protection?
If you’re with a reputable agency like Remote Staff, your pay is guaranteed even if your client doesn’t pay due to these complications. You are also assured that your client is not a scam because these are pre-screened and qualified.
In worst cases scenarios, they have a legal and collections team to assist you even outside the Philippines.
Conclusion
So which is better, direct-hire, freelancing, or an agency? There’s no correct choice. It will depend on your needs. Some opt for an agency or direct-hire because of the security and hassle-free work. Some choose to freelance because they want to have more control and earn more income.
And why choose if you can have both? That’s what others do to have the best of both worlds. A stable income plus a freelancing gig for extra money. Sweet!
So if you’re looking for something stable, you can check out some of our job listings available. Cheers!
