Why Freelance Work Might Be Right For You: Some Insights From Chris Freville

Chris Freville worked as a freelancer for nearly two decades, from 1989 until 2008. Chris Freville’s work was primarily in programming and software development, along with data warehousing and business intelligence. Freelancing, while perhaps not the most reliable form of employment, can be a great choice and comes with more freedom than doing temp work, which is in some ways similar. Freelancing, or working as a contractor, gives you a lot of control over where and when you work and might be the right choice for you.

ª Are you a self-starter? People who are self-motivated make better freelancers, observes Chris Freville. Even if you are reporting to an office daily for a period of time, you need to be able to search out jobs and negotiate with bosses. Freelancers also need to be able to supervise themselves in many cases because they are brought in to fulfill a special need that the office does not already have expertise in.

ª Chris Freville believes that freelancers typically do better work than employees with more secure job positions. Because freelancers must rely on the recommendation of their most recent employers to be references for their next job, they are constantly motivated to do their best work.

ª Freelancing might also be a good choice for you if you are a skilled networker, says Chris Freville. Oftentimes, your next job is the direct result of personal connections that you have made. If you are good at chatting with people at cocktail parties and at maintaining those relationships, you might be well suited to freelancing.

ª Finally, if you want to work as a freelancer, you should be a good negotiator. As a freelancer, you have a lot more control over your salary and you will be engaging in significantly more negotiation scenarios than someone with a stable job position. Hold a strong position, says Chris Freville, and ask for what you need.