After reading a really misinformed article about the joys of
self-employment I felt that I really needed to respond. As I started my rant,
it quickly became apparent that there was no way I could finish this in one
blog post because the level of stupidity that greeted me was just beyond the
pale. I started the rant a couple of days ago. I was so wound up however that I
needed to take a break! Please do take the time to read the first
dose of reality before you read this one or it will not make sense.
Self-employed do not have to put up with the moods of people
higher than themselves in work.
Wow! Just plain WOW. Has this person EVER worked with a
client who was in a bad mood? Has this person ever had a client criticize their
work for no good reason? My guess is that nearly ANY person who is self-employed
can point to one client who one day went off the rails and screamed, complained
for no seemingly good reason or simply refused to pay for a piece of work that
was completed and delivered. If you haven't been a victim, you haven't been self-employed
that long and you can anticipate this will happen one day.
Self-employed people are also not earning a measly wage or salary, but making big money for themselves
This was also giggle worthy for a number of reasons. For the
most part, people who are self-employed are NOT making big money when you
consider (a) the number of hours they are working (b) the amount of taxes they
are paying and (c) all those benefits we take for granted when we really have
an employer. Keep in mind those who are self-employed are buying their own life
insurance, paying for their own medical insurance and paying 100 percent of
social security tax instead of their employer paying half of it. Not to mention
when you have a computer or other necessary tool break down in the workplace,
you are responsible, not your employer. This is delusional.
Self-employed people are also at the liberty of going to work in any dress code that they desire
This at least is MOSTLY true. Provided of course that you don't
use a video interview with a new client or have clients dropping by to meet
with you. At least ONE part of the
article was ALMOST accurate. I'm sure
that at least one self-employed person can talk about this better than I can
since for the most part, I couldn't care less what I wear when I work.
Self-employed people can be proud of what they have created
THIS THIS THIS YIKES this is such a broad statement that I
cannot even begin to think how to address it so let me say this about that. My
guess is almost everyone has had at least ONE assignment as a freelancer (yes, you're
self-employed if you are a freelancer) that made them cringe. Here are a few for instances:
A writer is asked to write an article that is STUFFED with
useless keywords that mean nothing. A website developer is asked to create a
website that is loaded with flash and other features they do not agree with
A client demands the freelancer do some task they simply
know will not work out well, but the client insists.
There are a lot of benefits to being self-employed but if
these two posts show anything they show that the person who wrote the original
article is not nor never has been self-employed.
