There are a few important questions you should ask yourself when deciding between full-time job and freelancing. This, in order to make the best choice for your professional objectives and lifestyle choices. Freelancing in UAE can be a great idea, however, it is important that you weight its pros and cons before making a decision.
In this article, we will be talking about freelancing in UAE vs full-time jobs and its pros and cons. To decide which one will be your ideal work structure, you must go above and beyond. Here, we will help you do that by highlighting the differences between freelancing in UAE and having a full-time job. Let us observe!
Concept of Freelancing: Essential Information for You
The process of executing specialized activities for clients without committing to a full-time job is known as freelancing. Freelancers typically work on multiple projects for multiple clients at the same time. Part-time or full-time contract work is available for freelancers. They also routinely sign contracts before beginning tasks.
The customer can pay a freelancer by project, by assignment, or by hour, depending on the conditions of the contract. Short-term assignments are common for freelance labor, and clients usually request additional work. Most freelancing jobs are in the service, skill-based, and creative industries, such as:
- Copywriting.
- Programming.
- Engineering.
- Marketing.
Pros and Cons of Freelancing
Due to the convenience of working from home and the ability to select the jobs they take on, many people prefer to work as freelancers in the gig economy. Since many freelance positions are outcome-based, as long as you achieve your deadlines, you can work wherever and whenever it is most comfortable. Here are a few freelancing advantages in UAE:
- Schedule your time anyway you like: Choose your ideal work schedule, taking into account your availability and desired weekly output. Students, digital nomads, and caregivers are particularly drawn to flexible schedules.
- Possess a limitless capacity for earning: You determine your own rate as a freelancer. You can choose to charge more as you develop your knowledge and expertise. Freelancers can choose what they charge according to the need for their services, the market rate, and their own availability, in contrast to employees who receive set salaries and must request raises.
- Make the most of working remotely: Since they work for themselves, freelancers can work from any location in the world and fully profit from remote working. Even while businesses are increasingly favoring remote work, many employees still need to be in the office for meetings on specific days of the week or can only work remotely in particular areas.
Disadvantages include:
- Lack of job security: Permanent staff have access to employment security that freelancers do not. Financial instability can occur from irregular projects, shifting clients, and freelancers going unpaid for protracted periods of time.
- Unpredictable and erratic income flow: The income from freelance work is unreliable. Planning and budgeting consequently become difficult.
- No compensation packages: In contrast to freelancers, who typically are in charge of their own perks, such as medical coverage, pensions, and paid time off, full-time employees typically receive full benefits packages from their employers.
Comparison of Freelancing and Full-time Jobs
Here are some of the things you must have in mind when deciding between freelancing in the UAE and having a full-time job:
Flexibility:
When in comparison to a full-time employment, freelancing offers one major advantage: the flexibility to be flexible with regard to working hours and place. A full-time employment will often have regular working hours, Monday to Friday, at an office workstation.
Freelancing seems like the ideal option for you if you like working remotely and enjoying the freedom to travel anywhere without being held to any obligations. A full-time job in an office, however, might be the preferable choice if you prefer to keep your personal and professional lives distinct.
Location:
It could be challenging to obtain an internal employment that requires no commuting if you live in a remote area or an area with few businesses with offices. When this happens, freelancing might literally save your life.
You can work wherever you are or where you intend to go because freelancing is entirely remote. Therefore, your office can be wherever you like since you do not need to work in an office location.
Also, you will be pleased to find that there are several lucrative freelance platforms in UAE, such as The Freelancer Gate. Consequently, they can assist you get started as quickly as possible if you decide to work remotely as a freelancer.
If you are in the UAE, you can find many Dubai freelancer residency options so you can live and work in the region. This will be able if you have a freelancing visa in the area. Therefore, working and living in the UAE as a freelancer can be possible for you. Especially, if you have the right type of support.
Factors to Consider in Choosing Between Freelancing and Full-time Jobs
Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing a full-time job or freelancing in the UAE
Financial stability:
Being self-employed has some serious drawbacks, including the likelihood that your earnings will change from month to month. Financial stability is crucial, especially if you have expenses and rent to pay each month. The number of hours you work each week will not always determine how much money you make each month; occasionally, there will not be enough demand from clients.
Because of this, having a full-time work provides security, at least in regards to income. You will not ever have to be concerned about the amount of money you will bring home with a full-time job. Consequently, not knowing your financial condition may be really stressful.
Working hours:
Having the freedom to set your working hours is one of the main benefits of being a freelancer. This implies that alarm clocks will not need to be set in order to wake up and leave for work on time every day. Freelancing is ideal for you if you’re not a morning person or simply like working on your own schedule.
As a freelancer, it could be challenging to establish a rigid routine, making it difficult to manage when and how long you work. This will also rely on the type and quantity of your initiatives, among many other things.
So, if you like having a defined schedule, freelancing is a great way to achieve it. On the other hand, it is simpler to adhere to a rigid schedule if there is a full-time job that necessitates your prompt arrival each morning.
Social life:
It might be challenging at times to maintain your social life while working. That is especially true if your full-time job necessitates staying late to complete extra work. You might do better with variable working hours if you believe that your social life is crucial to your health.
Fortunately, working as a freelancer provides you the flexibility to pick when you work. Subsequently, allowing you to have spare time for socializing with your friends and family. Although it is not impossible, it solely depends on the type of your employment to find time for both the job and your personal life.
Spending time with your coworkers at work may be pleasurable for you if you are a team player, which can serve as an ideal replacement for your social life. Your particular preference and the field of work you are in will determine all of this.
Employee benefits:
A great thing to consider when deciding is that a full-time job will give you benefits. This covers taxes, health insurance, as well as paid time off for vacation and sick leave. Unfortunately, when you freelance, you are responsible for paying your own taxes and medical insurance, which can be expensive depending on where you live.
If you work a full-time job, you won’t need to worry about any of this because, in most situations, your employer will pay these expenses on your behalf. Additionally, you will get a specific number of paid time off each year, according to where you live and work.
Full-time Jobs: Exploring the Traditional Career Path
A full-time job normally has a predetermined work week, with 8-hour days and forty-hour weeks. However, this might vary depending on the industry and the specifics of the position. The presumption is also a 5-day workweek, though this might vary greatly depending on the job.
People who work full-time typically have more obligations than those who work freelancing. In addition, they usually have a variety of benefits meant to keep them happy and healthy. Because the number of hours available in a position is a big problem for many job applicants, a job posting will typically state whether or not a job is full time.
Working full-time has advantages and disadvantages, much as working as a freelancer. When you choose the consistency of a set salary and commit your full workweek to an employer, you forfeit some of the control and faster career advancement that freelancing can offer.
The consistency of salaried income, knowing precisely how much money they will make every week and how many hours they must work, gives some people comfort while making other people feel certain constraint. One person may view security as restrictive, while another may view it as safe.
During the early COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, many businesses reviewed their work-from-home policy and are now continuing to provide additional flexibility. A common hybrid strategy permits staff to work from home occasionally with certain in-office days. Some employees like to be in the workplace because it offers a social environment or because using the facilities makes their jobs simpler. Workers may prefer the stability and security of having benefits, a set work salary and schedule, and regular time off as employees.
On the following point we will be reviewing some of the benefits and drawbacks of working as a full-time employee.
Pros and Cons of Full-time Jobs
Here are some of the pros:
- Job security: In general, full-time employees have more job security than those who are freelancing in UAE. Organizations are less likely to fire full-time employees than temporary contractors because they engage in onboarding and training new hires. This steadiness might offer comfort and a more stable source of income.
- Regular salary settlement: Full-time workers receive hourly or monthly wages, which simplifies budgeting and long-term planning.
- Employee perks and benefits: Many businesses offer full-time workers comprehensive benefit packages that could include medical coverage, pensions, time off, and other perks including pay and professional advancement chances.
- Structured career progression: Opportunities for progress within the organization and a stricter career path are typically present in full-time employment.
The cons of full-time employment include:
- Limited flexibility: Compared to freelancers, full-time employees typically have less control over their schedule and obligations. For people who value balance between work and life or have other duties outside of work, this may be challenging.
- Less authority over projects: Full-time workers might have less say in which projects they do. Also, they might have to complete tasks that do not align with their passions or skill sets.
Working full-time or freelancing in UAE will ultimately be your decision. However, as you can see, freelancing is the best way to reach higher grounds. Plus, take your potential to the next level. Freelancing in UAE is now the best way to approach the labor market. Therefore, to start doing so, you must obtain your freelance visa Dubai, UAE and The Freelancer Gate is here to help you.
With us, you can compare and choose the best agency that can help you obtain this permit. All you have to do is select a company, compile the freelance visa requirements in Dubai, obtain your visa, and start working.
