Are you thinking about switching your career as a freelance illustrator? If yes, then make sure that you introduce yourself to all the good and bad things about being a freelance illustrator. That is because you will not have financial security in freelance jobs. After all, they keep on coming and going. Moreover, there will be times when you have to depend and live upon your savings.

So, before you leave your full-time job or think about becoming a full-time freelancer, make sure you are capable of handling all the things that come with it, right from managing your own freelancing business, talking to clients, organizing work to completing the tasks. In this article, we have gathered some pros and cons of being a freelance illustrator to help you make the proper decision for your future career. 

Pros Of Being A Freelance Illustrator

Flexible Routine:

As a freelance illustrator, you will be running your own business, which means you will be the boss of your work. Realistically, clients will be your boss, but it is up to your wish to work when you want and when you need it. You can do the work early in the morning, late at night, on weekends, or whenever it is convenient for you. 

What matters is that you have to submit the work on the decided date and time. So if you are a night owl who likes to work when everything is silent, then freelancing would offer you the great flexibility to work according to your schedule. If you are not looking for turning full time into freelancing, then you can take up the part time freelance illustrator jobs at Dormzi.

Freedom To Choose Your Work:

You can choose and reject the work from different clients as there are no restrictions on freelancing. If you feel that certain illustrator work will help you gain experience, you can accept it, whereas if some work does not feel suitable for your working style, you can reject it. 

Moreover, if you do not feel like working with a particular client, you can professionally and politely decline their proposal. Apart from the choice, you can also consider the workload and payment you receive from certain clients. If you feel that you will not complete the new work, then it is up to you to decline it. 

Ability To Work From Anywhere:

As a freelance illustrator, you will not have to forcefully work at the same cubicle of the same building every day. If you feel like working with a sunset view from your balcony, you are free to do so. Whenever you want to work with the café vibes, you can visit the nearby café and work there. There will be no limitations to your work locations, which is the best part about working as a freelancer.

Chances Of More Income:

If you work on full time jobs, you will probably know how much will be your annual income, including the bonus and raise. But in freelancing, there is always a chance of more income depending on your work, time, and expertise. You can even gain more clients based on the popularity of previous work and earn more money. 

Cons Of Being A Freelance Illustrator

Extra Work Time:

You may have multiple projects to complete by a specific date, which could increase your work time. Besides, you will have to take care of finances, contacts, emails, marketing, and many other things on your own. Apart from this, if the client gives you some work at the end of Friday and asks you to deliver it by Monday, you will have to work on weekends to complete the work. This process states that you will have to work sometimes more than the usual Monday to Friday 9-5 jobs, which most people do.

Infrequent Work:

When you work on full-time jobs, you are sure that there will be frequent work on your table. But with freelancing, things are different. There is no assurance that you will have a regular job, and at times, you will have to deal with the slow projects. Such infrequent works will also not help you earn any money, which can be challenging if you do not have any savings or additional income sources. This is why most of the people are afraid of switching to full time freelancing.

Payments Can Be Unpredictable:

With full time jobs, you get your payments at a particular date of every month. But in freelancing, it will be different. There is a standard billing cycle of 30 days for most freelancers. Although, you can request the clients to pay you within 14 days from the invoice date, most of them will try to reject your offer. Sometimes few clients will take even longer to pay after you have completed the work, which adds up additional issues on your plate.

No Extra Benefits:

As a freelancer, you will not get benefits that many full-time employees get. For example, you will not get paid holidays, paid sick days, health insurance benefits, paid vacations, etc. That is why most freelancers have a higher price, so that they can pay for the insurance, retirement, and health care from the freelancing work.

Conclusion

If you wish to become a freelance illustrator, you will not get all things that full-time employees get, but you can gain some good experiences and freedom of choice through your work.