I've been getting some great responses to my earlier post, The Lateral Freelancer. I've also heard from quite a few skeptics: "It sounds like a lot of work." "No health insurance? No benefits?" "I could earn the same amount of money working a 9 to 5 job."
Sure, you probably could. Lateral freelancing won't make you rich. But whatever your age or background, I can think of a few (very different) reasons to become a lateral freelancer:
1. You might end up freelancing anyway. Do it your way. According to the Freelancers Union, which advocates for better health benefits and job protections for freelancers, nearly 42 million Americans "are now toiling as freelancers, temps, 'permalancers', perma-temps, contractors, contingent workers, etc."
As businesses cut down on full-time employees, you may find yourself becoming a freelancer out of necessity. Don't rely on a temp agency to find you work. Instead, take ownership of your freelance career. Be your own agent. Working a variety of gigs allows you to better appreciate the value of your work, and become more confident in negotiating fair pay for fair labor.
2. You're a college student or recent college grad about to join the workforce. When I graduated from film school in 2008, I thought I had two options: find a full-time job in the industry, or work a boring retail job while l looked for a job in the industry. Instead, I picked a third, worse option: wallow in unemployment for three years.
Don't let that happen to you. If you land your dream job right after graduation, great -- if you don't, you're going to want something to fall back on. As a lateral freelancer, you can build up a resume that's diverse and appealing while taking the financial pressure off of your job search.
3. You're retired or semi-retired and looking for some extra income. You don't have to be young and tech-savvy to be a lateral freelancer. Well, maybe a little tech-savvy. But many of the Taskrabbits that I run into are well over 60. At one of the gigs I work each month, these "retired" freelancers trade job ideas, help each other out with online profiles, and discuss the latest iPhone apps.
Don't be fooled into thinking that the job market isn't hiring "older workers". With lateral freelancing, you can avoid the traditional job market altogether.
4. As a stepping stone to something new. Maybe you don't want to be a freelancer for the long haul. That's fine too. It's hard work, and not for everyone. But if you're in the middle of a major life transition, consider freelancing for a couple of years.
Maybe you were recently laid off and hoping to move into a new field. Maybe you're working full-time, but want to cut down your hours while starting your own business. Even just a few months of freelancing can give you dozens of potential new contacts and clients to draw from -- and a better understanding of what you're looking for in long-term employment.
5. You thrive on variety and adventure. For me, the best reason to become a lateral freelancer is the simplest one of all: I think work should be rewarding, and I want to end each day knowing that my time was well-spent.
Variety helps me appreciate each kind of work I do. I can spend one day working with my hands, and the next day at my computer. Even a job that would grow tiresome as a full-time employee can be a fun gig to return to every couple of weeks.
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What reasons can you think of for becoming a lateral freelancer? I'd love to hear them. Send me an e-mail or post them in the comments section below.