Anyone fed up of The Fear and just want to get a job?

[CondoleezzaRiceKrispies]

I'm not sure I'm cut out for the freelance lifestyle, I like the freedom while the work is coming in but as soon as I'm not busy I get very introspective and worry like mad about money.

Anyone else do this?

No as employed, but very salutary lesson for those of us fantasising about the opposite direction! Have started a thread for would-be entrepreneurs but maybe you need to come and tell us all the pitfalls!

Hope it gets better for you...

Yes.

I don't like:

• the feast or famine nature of freelancing
• the fact you have to keep a myriad of clients happy, all of whom (understandably) think they are they most important/deserving
• that flexible working means working all hours when you are busy
• that you have to work hard to even get the chance to do paid work (ie pitches)
• missing out on a pension/sick cover etc

Every now and then I look at jobs/apply for the odd one. I did this recently after some negative feedback from a client. I got a call from the agency, and for a senior role the money wasn't that good and he basically said "It isn't 24/7, but they really need somebody to throw themselve into it" - code for working all hours. They also sounded like they had giantic expectations. Been there, done that, left and went freelancing!

I am not sure the rollercoaster that is a freelancers life even calms down...but there are upsides. I am also trying to enjoy the downtimes as it will get busy again.

A wise MN friend said "Paid jobs will always be out there", which is true - that avenue is always open...

Is this something you feel a lot or just recently?

Thanks for your thoughts.

I've been solely freelance for 6 months, prior to that I was doing some PAYE work in tandem with the freelance job. Have been in various areas of the same industry for 20 years, and have had freelance elements to my career that whole time.

The problem is, I think, that there are very few people in my industry (a sector of the arts) who earn good money, but I'm not sure I can do anything else without substantial retraining, and I don't even know what else I could do.

I've been free range for 14 years - as has DH. Neither of us can envisage working full time for anybody else ever again.
I work part time for a company and my boss there admits that my lack of financial predictability makes him shudder.

Money is not all.
Its also the flexibility - we've both taken August off to be with the kids yet again for example ....