Which is better, government work or self-employment? This question has been raised a lot lately! In fact, the preference for government work or self-employment is determined according to your special circumstances, such as your attitude towards risks, your belief in your abilities, your personal relationships, your family situation, etc.
Do you want to work in an office with cramped workspaces and a uniform? Or do you want to work freely and from wherever you choose? We cannot judge specifically which is better, freelancing or government work, but we can review the advantages and disadvantages of each, and you should choose what suits you.
The pros and cons of both self-employment and government work
First: the pros of self-employment
In self-employment, you are your own boss, and you are responsible for paying taxes, etc., on costs related to your project. There are no paid vacations; in short, all the gains will be in your favor and all the expenses will be your responsibility. Here are the positives in detail:
1- Your income potential is higher (but not always).
While you are associated with government work or with the private sector with a fixed, specific, and known salary, self-employment is otherwise, and you can achieve more profits. However, this matter varies according to the state of the market, between ups and downs, and according to the type of business or service that you provide. There is no doubt that profits differ from one business to another.
For example, a content writer earns differently than an SEO specialist, a web developer, a graphic designer, etc. On average, freelancers earn 45% more than those who work traditionally.
2- Be able to expand the business if you need work or money.
One of the advantages of self-employment is that you can expand your business when you need money. If you are new to working as a freelancer, you may be surprised at this point and say that I am hardly looking for clients, but I tell you that when you provide your services professionally, you will have a large number of clients, and you can offer them work whenever you need to do more because you need the money.
3- Flexibility in your schedule
If you are self-employed, you choose the hours you work, how many hours you work per day, and whether those hours are in the morning, evening, or middle of the day, and you can change them from day to day. This, of course, is not available in government jobs or even in jobs in the private sector.
4- You are your own boss.
Some say that if you want a truly ruthless boss, you should be self-employed. One of the advantages of self-employment is the absence of a boss. The motto of self-employment is that you are your own bossd be self-employed. One of the advantages of self-employment is the absence of a boss. The motto of self-employment is that you are your own boss. You do not have a boss who sets a deadline for completing tasks and does not control the way they are accomplished.
There is no one to reward you if you do well or punish you if you do badly. From my point of view, this is a positive thing that carries with it some flaws, but in any case, it is very suitable for personalities who do not want to control managers or object to their mistreatment.
5- Spend less
You will spend less money when you choose to work as a freelancer, since you can work from home, so there is no cost of moving, transportation, etc., and there is no stressful time in preparing daily for work, going to work, and so on.
Moreover, if you are a woman and you have family burdens and children, you can perform work from home while taking good care of your children, as you will not find yourself having to place them in a private nursery or nursing home during work time, and if one of the children gets sick, you can take care of him without having to take a vacation.
6- You enjoy variety.
What distinguishes self-employment is its richness and diversity. You can perform different and varied tasks and discover your skills and abilities every time as if it is a challenge that you have to acquire, while government work is a routine job, as you perform the same tasks every day, and therefore the idea of acquiring new skills is almost non-existent.
As a freelancer, your work is constantly changing, and you are constantly expected to adapt, learn, and update your skills. With every client comes a new challenge… When you are self-employed, you are forced to think and be creative.
7- Your field of work is truly yours.
When you work as a government employee, there is a lot of frustration with job hierarchy. For example, if you need a new pack of pens or staplers, or a computer repair,… As an employee, you have to ask someone for the equipment you need.
This employee then asks another employee and another, and it may take a few hours or a few weeks to get the equipment or maintenance needed to complete your project. But if you work independently, when you need something, you have to go get it, come back to work, and it’s over.
8- You don’t need to wear a uniform.
If you work as a freelancer, you do not need to work in a uniform unless you are meeting a client in person or via video chat; otherwise, work in whatever you like.
9- You choose your customers.
When you work as an employee, you are forced to provide service to all clients who come to the employer’s place, but since you are independent, you are the one who chooses the clients, you are in control, and you choose who you provide your services to.
10- Career development
Career development is one of the long-term goals of any employee. It is understandable that you want to advance, and the employer should help you with that.
When you work for yourself, it will be a bit different, as the development of your career will depend on the experience you gain and how you benefit from it.
For example, by looking for bigger and more prestigious clients or getting more ambitious contracts, it will be up to you to market yourself more proactively and make the most of your past experience.
Otherwise, you will fall into the trap, and you will continue to work at the same level for many years, and in the end, no one will promote you unless you promote yourself.
There are many ways you can help your career develop as a self-employed person, such as by gaining additional qualifications, targeting prestigious clients to raise your profile, and branching out into new areas as your skills develop.
Second: the negatives of self-employment
1. Self-employment is never stable.
In the beginning, the growth of self-employment is usually slow. To gain clients or gain their trust is not easy; it takes a long time.
We all started self-employment and did not have clients, which is what forced him to endure lean months until clients began to come in succession, and at that time you will decide who you work with, and you may look for assistants for you to perform the tasks required of you.
And the advice that we give you in this context is to find a side job during the first period of starting your freelance work to cover your expenses and needs, and then you can gradually give it up later on.
2- Feeling afraid
Some freelancers feel fear, an endless fear that everything will be lost suddenly, that they will lose customers, or that the work will not go well. This fear, although negative, has a positive side as it encourages freelancers to take the initiative and get out of their comfort zones to get work done in a creative way.
3- It is difficult to take a vacation.
Some believe that freelancers can take a vacation at any time they want, and this is completely untrue. Most of the freelancers are semi-glued to their work, and they have a strong fear of taking a vacation so that the work does not accumulate over their heads.
The idea of taking a vacation and moving away from work as a freelancer is a difficult task that requires a lot of planning and work, and the freelancer usually stays online to follow up on his work all the time.
4- You are responsible for managing all financial aspects of running your business.
When you are a government employee someone pays taxes for you, but as a self-employed you have to handle your own taxes. And you must bear this in mind early in order not to accumulate taxes on you, and this, of course, depends on the nature of the work that you do, and the nature of the laws regulating it in your country.
Third, the advantages of government action
1- Government work is more stable.
In government work, there is no room for surprises. You go to work, do your job, and then return home, and you have never asked whether you will make profits on this day? Or will your work be admired by the customer?
2- Retirement
Of course, not all businesses are equal when it comes to retirement plans, but in any case, what distinguishes government work is that you feel secure about your retirement plan.
At the age of sixty, you will receive a good amount of money according to your job, after which you will receive a life pension, and after your death, your partner or children will also receive this pension (depending on the law of your country).
3- Health insurance
Health insurance is very important, and one of the great advantages offered by government work is that the government job will save you the costs of treatment and surgeries if you are exposed to any health symptoms. You will feel safe because your health expenses have been covered.
4- Paid vacations
In government work, there is a vacation every week that may be one or two days, and this vacation is paid. There are also holidays for special occasions, which are also paid and may come with grants and financial rewards as well. In terms of self-employment, the law is straightforward: if you work, you will make money; if you do not work, you will not make money.
Fourth: the negatives of government action
1- Your income is determined based on the industry you work in.
When you are hired by someone else who determines your wages, you can sometimes move from one job to another or negotiate a salary, but you will still be limited in many times.
2- You will be limited in your specialization.
One of the most significant disadvantages of working for the government or for private sector companies is that you are usually chosen for a specific job based on your educational qualifications and university degree. You will remain confined to this point, and you will not be able to change it. If you do not like your field of education, this will be a big problem for you.
3- Bosses can be annoying.
Some people feel disturbed by the control of their bosses and their continuous interference in the mechanism of performing tasks. They may have a different vision of performing the work, but they find themselves bound by the orders of their managers. Now that you have read the advantages and positives of both self-employment and government work, you can decide for yourself which is better according to your own circumstances.
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