Another day, another room in our data professional haunted house. Walk the halls with me and experience the horror that is doing data labor. Today’s room is working as a freelancer.
I freelance full-time meaning I only take freelance work. I’ve been doing this for over a decade, across countries and sectors doing everything from database work, making digital museum exhibits, and writing technical assessments. So I’ve seen a lot of ways to go about freelancing and a lot of ways that others judge and assume what freelancing is all about.
For 10+ years, I’ve had multiple people tell me bizarre things like:
“So you must be busy sending in job applications?” Freelance work doesn’t have job applications.
“Just do me a favor.” Unpaid labor? No.
“We’re not looking for a “professional” so we thought of you.” What does this even mean?
Freelancing is a legitimate way to exchange your labor for money. Fullstop!
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Data work often asks us to do freelancing for free (unpaid tests, working groups, task forces). This exploits everyone.
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Generally, most people don’t understand how freelancing is different than employment. Businesses want a total control over us without the employment protections, tax breaks, or benefits.
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There’s thousands of layoffs across Big Tech, corporations, and the federal government. I’m seeing businesses transform full-time roles into contractor roles for cost savings. Freelancers bring expertise a client doesn’t have in lieu of them hiring a fulltimer.
There will always be people - peers, potential clients, organizational leaders - who want to delegitimize freelance work by positioning it as a “side hustle” or “a last resort” when not working full-time employment. Framing freelance work as less than other ways to pay bills, is bizarre and privileged.
What’s something that would make it into your version of this haunted house room? How have others treated you as a freelancer?