Guide to Freelancing - PCG

“I can‟t tell you how much admiration I have for people who leave the comfort of a regular wage to
strike out on their own. It takes a lot of courage, and without that courage this country would be a
much poorer place,” said Prime Minister David Cameron on National Freelancers Day 2010.
The world is changing. Freelancers are increasingly being recognised as key drivers of wealth
creation in the country. You no longer have to belong to a large company to be credible. In fact,
big brands are fragmenting and the personal brand is emerging as the force of the future. Experts
are saying that, in the networked economy of today and tomorrow, individuals are as important as
a big company.
DIFFERENT WAYS OF FREELANCING
„Freelancer‟ is a broad term covering many different ways of working independently. Some people
work on long term contracts, doing a full week at a single client site for several months until the
contract is finished or renewed. Others work with several clients at a time or on a series of fast
turnaround projects.
Freelancers use different terms to describe what they are, e.g. freelancer, contractor, consultant,
independent professional, interim, portfolio worker, self-employed, business owner. They use a
range of legal forms to run their businesses, including limited companies, sole traderships,
partnerships, umbrella companies and others. They might brand themselves using their own
name, or else create a completely separate business brand and logo, presenting themselves as a
small business rather than an individual. Some work through agencies, others directly with their
clients. Some charge by the hour, some by day or week, and others give a fixed project fee. The
unifying factor is that freelancers are their own bosses and have commercial, business-to-business
relationships with their clients.
To go freelance, you don‟t necessarily have to work in the traditional areas associated with
freelancing such as media or IT. More and more people are finding creative ways to exploit their
skills in all sorts of areas such as business development, environmental consulting or even offering
training in niche areas, for example selling to government departments.
BUILDING YOUR OWN CAREER LADDER
Freelancing is not for everyone. There are risks. It‟s not an easy option. In fact, the survey
conducted by PCG in 2010 showed that the general population was happier with working hours,
time for themselves and time with family, than freelancers.
However, with risk comes reward. In the same survey, freelancers were shown to be happier
overall than the general population. PCG‟s annual membership surveys consistently show that
most people go into it because they want to, not because they are forced into it through
redundancy, while only three percent plan to use it as a stopgap while they find a permanent
position. Moreover, two thirds of freelancers continue to work as freelancers because of the
autonomy it gives them.
Copyright PCG September 2011 Guide to Freelancing Version 7.0 5