The pandemic has made us realise that we can effectively work from home with minimal management and supervision. Companies have announced that “Work from Home” (WFH) will be continued in the future too. Remote work has emerged as a viable working option as productivity is at an all-time high. In India too, we have happily adapted the virtual work model. However, 2020-21 saw massive layoffs. According to the estimates shared by the International Labour Organization, around 400 million jobs were lost worldwide during the second quarter of 2020. Job security as a whole has been questioned and people are now gradually shifting towards Freelancing.
I must admit, the concept of Freelancing was an unchartered territory (still is to an extent) before the pandemic. However now with people getting comfortable with the unconventional jobs, freelancing has become a feasible option.
Freelancing aids people to work at their own timelines and work on their skillset. Specialization is the key to freelancing, as organizations may need people for contract or project-based work. It provides the advantage of moving at your own pace, with your interests and in your comfort area. Not just for beginners, freelancing is a great way for employees wanting to test the waters before making a major career shift. Thus, going freelance will give you the chance to grow, to expand your horizons and to achieve plenty of knowledge and an impressive portfolio. Working across industries also forces freelancers to diversify their skill set, which keeps them in demand. They are constantly learning the newest technologies, systems, and processes. The idiom “Jack of all trades, master of none, though often times better than master of one” truly defines the spirit of freelancing.
Apart from this, freelancing is a great option for working moms. Often, women are forced to leave their careers midway because of family responsibilities and other priorities. This can be avoided thanks to freelancing.
Covid-19 has made us realise that there is no such thing as job-security for most of us, and having a second source of income is essential now. Freelancing helps in providing this financial security. Freelancers get the option to work with various industries at the same time, thus spreading their risks. By working a broad a range of industry categories, the risk of getting adversely affected by a downturn in any particular industry decreases.
Freelancers are more suitable at adapting with change and are hence more flexible. Freelancing embraces the idea of change and as a result, makes the freelancer less vulnerable to it. It forces the freelancer to organically expand their skill set and network, and neutralizes the risk of an unexpected change, like a layoff.
Students especially can benefit with the freelancing era as they not only get to build their resume, but also get to explore plethora of options for building their careers in. As we head towards digitalization and remote work, this is the best time to start exploring and expanding.
Aishwarya Says:
I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.
If you are interested in participating in the same, do let me know.
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We also have a Facebook Group Restarter Moms for Mothers or Women who would like to rejoin their careers post a career break or women who are enterpreneurs.