Remote Workers vs. Freelancers

Aren’t they the same thing? No, not quite.

Freelancers

Freelancers typically have project-based contracts with different clients. Once that project is finished, they usually have to find or move on to another client or project.
As a result, a freelancer’s cash flow and workload can be very unpredictable. You could go from handling a lot of clients and projects for months to having no clients at all for the same period of time.

However, freelancing does provide the most flexibility in terms of time and income since you’re not bound to work a specific amount of hours so long as you produce the required output. Also, if you’ve already established yourself, you can charge more for your work and earn more in a short amount of time. If you market yourself well, you can even ensure a continuous stream of clients.

Remote Workers

In contrast, remote workers work part-time or full-time for a client for the foreseeable future. Their long-term contracts entail a more secure and predictable cash flow and they’re usually paid by the hour as opposed to per output.

The trade-off is that they have less time flexibility than their freelancer counterparts. Remote workers are required to work a certain number of hours, sometimes on specific days and time of the week, and this arrangement can feel very similar to traditional office work in that sense.

Combining Both: Being a Remote Worker with Freelance Gigs

You can enjoy the stability that comes with being a remote worker while engaging in a few freelance gigs to boost your income. Just make sure you work on your side projects outside of your long-term client’s working hours.
It’s also important to be mindful of the projects you take on as your time and energy is limited.

Where Can You Get Remote Working Long-Term Clients?

If you’re new to remote working, the stability of long-term work is more appealing than having to build your reputation as a freelancer.

But where do you find long-term remote working clients? There are two common methods to go about this:

• Direct Hire Long-Term Clients – These are clients that hire you directly, that is, without going through a middleman or agency. You can find these clients on marketplaces online. Simply register and look through the various postings there.Do bear in mind that you will need to have good selling and negotiation skills when dealing with a direct client. A strong and enforceable contract is also great to have onhand.
• Remote Work Agencies – If you don’t like negotiating with clients, you can sign up at a remote work agency online. If you qualify , you can tap into their client list.The best part is that the agency will take care of all the nitty-gritty details for you. They’ll execute a legal and enforceable contract with the client on your behalf (this is important as there are a lot of online scammers out there who don’t pay their remote workers properly) and even negotiate the rates for your work based on your preferences and background.Agencies like Remote Staff can also provide you with skills training and with valuable support in the event of a dispute with a client. If your contract ends, Remote Staff can even help you find a new client for you because they’ll only succeed if you do. Finding work via an agency can get you stable and steady gigs, saving you time and effort so you can focus on the things you do best. It’s a win-win scenario!