Being a freelancer in 1971: ‘Fender’ instead of a render

50 years ago, all over the world, freelancing was associated with unemployed people. Free, but not so rich. Artists, musicians, and writers who became classics did not work in offices and factories. And for those who nevertheless combined creativity and an employment contract, the latter was important only for paying bills. If you ask a tattooed Briton over 70 how he lived at 25, he will tell with a smile about the times of total happiness and freedom against the background of a not very rich life. The Russian will talk about the times of total control against the background of a not very rich life.

Half a century has passed. Freelancing has changed. Freedom has become noticeably less. Happiness comes from endless marathons from Instagram coaches. What about freelance earnings? Working 9–5 has become significantly more important (to maintain the ability to pay bills and blogger’s marathons), and freelancing has become a part-time job half the time. Sometimes during the same office hours.

Of course, most of the tasks that freelancers do are digital. And it’s important not to confuse freelancing with a hobby. Making soap or sewing toys will not bring mountains of gold, but it will help relieve stress. Freelancing is still equal to the additional sale of your core competence.

Burnout often triggers a freelance job search. Does the main employer not raise salaries and make you stand out from the rest? Perhaps your additional customer will appreciate your skills. As a Edward Nortons’ character once said, “I met you at an extraordinary moment in my life.” So, excellent specialists first help other companies, and then go there full-time, so that after a while again think about the fairness of the fee.

The other way is for those who become freelance entrepreneurs. This is one of the riskiest but interesting lines that you can choose for yourself. The basic tasks of freelancing, whatever you do, add accounting, contractors, suppliers, budget and fifty more responsibilities. Working for yourself, let’s call it self-freelancing, will show how capable you are not to go with the flow and cope with the daily challenges of entrepreneurs. It is difficult to combine this with office work without prejudice to the latter. But if you decide, and everything starts to work out, and luck (investors,) will be on your side, then very soon you will launch your own paid marathon on Instagram.