New York Times Article on Freelancing (Warning: Depressing!)
Tuesday June 16, 2009
On 6/6 I wrote this brief blog post on freelance writing and health insurance, and Nan, a regular commenter and reader mentioned a New York Times article on the state of freelancers today. Just thought I'd link to that NYT article on freelancing, in case you missed it.
As for the larger problem of health insurance and the free agent, I'm gathering more resources and experiences now for an in depth article. In the meantime, my original research on health insurance and the freelance writer can be found here.
I read that article and it was depressing. It also made me very grateful that I have a husband with a job that has health insurance so I don’t have to worry about it.
My advice for people who need it, though, is to seek out organizations that they are or were members of and see if it’s possible to get insurance through them. For example, your college sorority or fraternity might offer something through the alumni association.
I’d point out, however, that there is a difference between freelancing and running a business like a yoga studio (1st example in the article). Once again, you’re dealing with supply and demand. Freelancers – in the pure sense of the word – offer a service to companies who need it, ie. writers, graphic designers, etc. Small business may suffer, for any number of reasons, but that doesn’t mean freelancing is tough. In fact, freelancing as a writer in this economy is EASIER and HIGHER PAYING than in a so-called up economy.
Point is – are you a freelancer or a small business owner? This article talks more about small business owners but calls them freelancers. That creates an erroneous impression. Freelancing is a GREAT business to be in and much more stable than having a single job (afterall, if you lose that one job you’re screwed…freelancers lose and client and keep on truckin’).
Good point, Rich.
I look forward to whatever else Allena can uncover and offer us regarding health insurance — especially those seriously considering freelancing fulltime.
The New York Times article picked freelancers whose services can be easily jettisoned.
No one must have Yoga instruction, a tutor or a personal chef. It figures that these freelancers would be the first to feel the pinch in a recession.
Most of the people I have known who have gone the freelance route don’t make very much money (under $50,000 a year.)
Those contemplating being service-for-hire need to have a well-employed spouse, an inheritance, or lots of savings for the slow times which will happen along the way.
If you check the rants about the situation for freelance writers and editors today on provider sites like oDesk and eLance, you will find that pay rates have sunk to ridiculously low levels. I’m talking about $1 an hour and even lower (no, that is not a typo). Even worse, some people offer a job that leaves them the option of not paying even a cent if they feel that it did not bring them the business results they wished for. See the discussion on the Magazine group at http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=125214&discussionID=4448431&sik=1246459022608&trk=ug_qa_q&goback=.ana_125214_1246459022608_3_3
and
http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers=&gid=125214&discussionID=4522009&sik=1246459022608&trk=ug_qa_q&goback=.ana_125214_1246459022608_3_2
Linda, that’s some solid advice, although I wouldn’t want to discourage anyone, either.