Drawbacks of working as a freelancer
As wonderful as it is to be your own boss as a freelancer, there are downsides to running the show on your own. The biggest one is that the income isn’t steady. You can be ready and willing to work but not have any work.
Here are some, but by no means all, of the challenges that you face as a freelancer:
- You have to find work. Always needing to hustle for paying gigs can make you feel like you’re on a perpetual job search.
- Freelancers have to decide on their own rates. Some people find it very hard to price their projects. Often people undervalue the work they provide to others and struggle financially as a result.
- Once you find someone interested in your services, you need to sell them on hiring you. Again, this isn’t everyone’s strength.
- Having no co-workers can feel lonely
- You need to learn how to effectively market yourself while still leaving time to do client work
- You wear all the hats—CEO, COO, and CFO. That can be a lot to juggle.

Are you a good match for the freelancing life?
Despite the challenges of freelancing, it’s possible to make it work well for you and your situation. Before taking the plunge, think about how you enjoy working. Be honest about what you find difficult. Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you able to be self-directed, or do you need direction from other people to be productive?
- Are you confident in the skills you have? Confident enough to sell those skills to others?
- Can you create a weekly routine that allows you to 1) market your skills, 2) work on client assignments, and 3) manage the administrative tasks that come with working on your own?
- Do you feel comfortable working mostly on your own?
- Can you tolerate having an unsteady income and an unsteady workload? (Many freelancers experience “feast or famine” cycles with client work.)
Your answers will give you insight into whether freelancing is right for you.