The Pitfalls Of Freelancing (Infographic)

It’s becoming increasingly common to meet full-time travelers and nomads who seem to get by without spending 40 hours a week in an office cubicle. These so-called lucky freelancers make up 1/3 of the American workforce, and seem to be much happier than their slave-to-the-man counterparts. Bear in mind, freelancing comes with plenty of pitfalls, and some may not think that the pros truly outweigh the cons. The Infographic after the jump is full of more details.

You may be surprised to learn that the majority of freelancers are women, who account for 60% of the freelance community. It’s almost as if they’ve found their own way to climb the never-ending career ladder. This isn’t the career of choice for high school dropouts; compared to the general population, freelancers are generally highly educated. About 20% of them have Master’s Degrees.

It may seem all fine and dandy, but there are definitely pitfalls. Nearly half of freelancers say their number one concern is not having affordable health insurance, and 40% cut back on health care because it became unaffordable. Half of 2009’s unemployed freelancers dug into their savings that year, and 12% were forced to go on food stamps.

This glorious and sometimes nomadic career isn’t always a walk in the park, but at least 80% have high hopes for their careers, and 60% are happier working independently than as employees. Is freelancing right for you?

Created by: MastersDegree.net