By Darren Gilbert

Yes, there is the freedom from normal work hours. But it’s not a freedom to sit and watch TV. You still have to work as if you are in the corporate world. In fact, if you want to make a success of your freelancing gig, you have to work even harder than you have before. Not everyone is prepared to do that.

You’re not willing to work

Before you even jump off the corporate world bandwagon to freelance, you need to be aware of the pressures. If you think you’re taking the easier route because you get to sleep in late, you’re wrong. There is no easy route towards success. As freelance blogger and regular contributor to Hongkiat.com, Michael Poh points out, it’s about putting in the work.

“To maintain your value and competitiveness in the freelancing market, you’ve to keep perfecting your craft and can’t afford to be complacent,” writes Poh. “Minimal efforts will work against you in the long run.”

Amber Weinberg, a freelance front-end developer agrees: “Freelancing is one of the hardest jobs out there. It’s one of the few careers where you’re truly alone, in the sense that you’re responsible for everything. This includes finding the work, doing the work, billing for it, tracking down late payments and taking care of the books and taxes.”

You’re not good with money

As much as you might want to argue against it, freelance writing is a business. It’s more than just putting words on the page; it’s about handling everything else that comes with running a business. Keeping that in mind when you set up will safeguard you against a lot of heartbreak and frustration.

“[T]he income does not come in consistently. Some times it pours, other times, you suffer from a dry spell,” writes Poh. “Either way, you need to make sure that you put aside part of what you have earned. You are your own safety net.”

It’s a scary thought but it’s necessary. Evan Tan, Regional Director for Southeast Asia at Freelancer.com, agrees: “Are you saving enough money for retirement? Do you know how to file your own taxes, or at least have an accountant who can help you? Do you understand the importance of getting health and life insurance as a safety net not just for you, but for your loved ones?”

You don’t like networking

As much as freelancing is a one-man job, it’s not. If you want to be a success, you can’t simply cut off all connections to the world and expect people to give you work. You need to go out and get it.

Weinberg explains: “[E]ven if you plan on working by yourself, you still have to work with people. You may have to work with clients, agencies or other freelancers. It [also] takes a lot of work to freelance before you even start ‘working’. Just sitting at your computer everyday and staring at your screen won’t get you clients.”

Essentially, if you don’t like to network and get the word out about your services, this is not the right career for you.

What are your thoughts? Do you know of any other reasons why one should not freelance? Tell us below.