| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | The negative side of being freelance Thread poster: picko924
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Carla Guerreiro 
France
Local time: 02:17
Member (2006)
French to Portuguese
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Sonja Tomaskovic wrote:
So what you are essentially saying is that you feel guilty because others work 9-5, 5 days a week (or more), and you don't?
What I am wondering is whether there is any specific person out there that does what you describe (working 9-5), and that you are related to in any way (spouse, partner, good friend, relative, etc.), and who might be envious that you actually have that freedom.
I have been freelancing for many years now, and I can tell you that part of being a freelancer is having the freedom to choose whether or not to work (if you have a lot of job offers then you are more likely to work a lot, if you have less, well, then you work less), from where to work and when to work. For me that is the beauty of the job. I don't feel guilty about it, I am actually very happy that I have a choice.
From what you write, it seems to me that you are not so happy with the fact that you have a lot of freedom now, even to the point where you feel guilty and... well, unhappy.
What I would ask myself in your situation is why I am actually so concerned about others not having the same independence, and if there is someone special who might feel "offended" by my working conditions.
Good luck,
Sonja
Well, I wouldn't call it freedom, because you depend too much on other people: one day you don't work at all and the next day you have to cancel appointments and other things to do, because there's a client in a big big hurry and he wants a fast and quick translation...
| | | | juvera
Local time: 01:17
English to Hungarian
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| Do you translate or not? | Jul 27, 2007 |
picko924 wrote:
I have been working as a freelance interpreter for about 9 months now and so far so good. I have identified certain busy months and this is when I tend to make the bulk of my income, I am quite confident that things are going well and I am making good money.
....during the quieter months (like now for example- I feel terribly frustrated and guilty because I have very little to do).
I always consider translation/part time/voluntary work, doing a course, taking up hobbies, going on holiday etc. but this is not always possible due to circumstances, money etc.
My understanding of your post is that you are an interpreter, and you don't do translations, but you are contemplating it, along with some other possibilities.
Interpreting is always going to be like you describe, some busy days and months, and some not so busy ones. In any case, you have more freedom than in a 9-5 job, but less flexibility than translators have. Translation is an obvious choice to get into with your skills, and a lot of interpreters do both.
The flexibility of translation means no time wasted on travelling, negotiable deadlines, working early morning or late night, three hours or sixteen hours a day, as you please or feel necessary.
What I am trying to say, that you most probably have the skills, therefore it would be relatively easy to get a few clients and have a certain amount of translation work at hand when you don't have booking for interpretation, to fill in some of your excess leisure time.
| | | | | You are not alone... | Jul 29, 2007 |
I've been a freelancer for a year and a half and feel exaclty the same way you feel. I have pretty much work, but when I don't, I feel guilty if I am not doing anything "useful".
It was helpful to know that my feeling was not personal state of mind, but something that comes with the profession. By chance, yesterday I went to the children's hospital in my neighbouthood to offer as a volunteer, to do something that would split me up from my PC.
Your answers have also helped me a great ... See more I've been a freelancer for a year and a half and feel exaclty the same way you feel. I have pretty much work, but when I don't, I feel guilty if I am not doing anything "useful".
It was helpful to know that my feeling was not personal state of mind, but something that comes with the profession. By chance, yesterday I went to the children's hospital in my neighbouthood to offer as a volunteer, to do something that would split me up from my PC.
Your answers have also helped me a great deal. ¡Good luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I felt exactly like you a year ago | Jul 30, 2007 |
The first one and a half years of my freelancer career I felt very bad too when I had no work to do. Sometimes I went a couple of consecutive days without work and one summer even nearly 2 weeks in a row. Although I was generally happy with the amount of work I got, I felt deeply embarrassed when my husband came home from his work on these days and asked if I had any work. It felt like I had failed in some way or was lazing about while he had to work hard paying our mortgage etc. Although he nev... See more The first one and a half years of my freelancer career I felt very bad too when I had no work to do. Sometimes I went a couple of consecutive days without work and one summer even nearly 2 weeks in a row. Although I was generally happy with the amount of work I got, I felt deeply embarrassed when my husband came home from his work on these days and asked if I had any work. It felt like I had failed in some way or was lazing about while he had to work hard paying our mortgage etc. Although he never thought that way, I couldn't help feeling bad. I have always been a very independent person and I hated the fact that I couldn't contribute as much as my husband did to pay our joint expenses. One time even I was very close to chuck it all in and find a paid job again, especially because I hated the extreme ups and downs. One week I was working until midnight every day, other days I did just little jobs here and there. And I hated that I never knew in advance if work is coming in or not. I really missed the structure a 9-5 jobs gives you and the line it also puts between leisure and work time! And that you don't have to worry if you will have enough work or not! Your salary is there in your account every month and you know what you can afford or not.
It then got better once I had more constant work in and could also save some money to have a backup for expenses in the periods when business was low. Although I am still not a 100 % happy, I just got to accept things. The main driving factor also why I didn't chuck it in in the end was also my horror of all the energy consuming conflicts with colleagues and bosses and the office politics involved with an employee job and that I wanted to do translation and - as there are hardly any other options as going freelance - I just had to get used to the disadvantages of a freelance career.
I can therefore only say, hang on in there and try not to let quiet periods drag you down. ▲ Collapse
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