{"id":6667,"date":"2022-10-04T09:00:22","date_gmt":"2022-10-04T09:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scallent.com\/posts\/freelancer-utopia-or-a-possible-dream-job\/"},"modified":"2022-10-04T09:00:25","modified_gmt":"2022-10-04T09:00:25","slug":"freelancer-utopia-or-a-possible-dream-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scallent.com\/en\/posts\/freelancer-utopia-or-a-possible-dream-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Freelancer: utopia or a possible dream job?"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column width=”1\/4″ column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_hidden-xs”][vc_single_image image=”6647″ alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″ column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column width=”1\/4″ column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm”][vc_single_image image=”6647″ alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Pauliny Zito [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″ column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_spacing=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]In the words of Peggy De Lange, VP of International Expansion at Fiverr, a platform that connects businesses to freelancers:<\/span><\/p>\n “The pandemic has caused people to look for alternative ways to ply their trade. For those who were used to working in a more traditional format, the forced adhesion to the home office ended up working as an experience that showed that it is possible to unite flexibility and productivity. Naturally, professionals want to keep the most positive aspects of this experience from now on, which ends up contributing for many to move towards the freelance market”.<\/span><\/p>\n The freelancer must have <\/span>good verbal and written communication<\/b>, a high capacity for<\/span> time management <\/b>and<\/span> planning<\/b>, high <\/span>commitment<\/b>, and, above all, be <\/span>very organized<\/b> and have the <\/span>discipline<\/b> to prioritize activities and meet deadlines.<\/span><\/p>\n Focusing on problem-solving<\/b> is one of the secrets to being successful in the areas of discipline and balance. To do so, the first step is to know what exactly you have to solve.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Other necessary skills are <\/span>adaptability<\/b> and <\/span>empathy<\/b> because to be able to solve the clients’ problems, first of all, it is necessary to understand them. And to understand them well, you have to put yourself in their shoes.<\/span><\/p>\n The freelancer must be able to <\/span>establish clear boundaries between professional <\/b>and personal life and be careful <\/span>not to be influenced by the many distractions present at home<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Being a freelancer implies being your boss, a challenge that requires the professional to develop <\/span>leadership<\/b>. First, of oneself. Then, in the freelancer and client relationship, leadership is present in creating trust and credibility. For freelancers working with partners, leadership should be exercised with cordiality and security, while giving them autonomy. Finally, there is also the leadership relationship with family and friends, so that they perceive the seriousness of your work and respect schedules and limits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Last but not least, the freelancer must know how to <\/span>promote their work<\/b>, building their <\/span>strong personal brand<\/b>, which will only be achieved if the professional is a <\/span>specialist in a certain niche<\/b> – and not a generalist.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How to build a strong personal brand? By having a good <\/span>Networking<\/b> strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n While freelance work is better in terms of <\/span>flexibility<\/b> and <\/span>purpose<\/b>, traditional, contract jobs, for example, offer better benefits and financial stability.<\/span><\/p>\n Working as a freelancer offers professionals the opportunity to <\/span>be in control of their careers<\/b>, which cannot be achieved through traditional employment.<\/span><\/p>\n Being able to work remotely, having the flexibility to spend more time with your family, living your desired lifestyle, looking after your physical and mental health, and also controlling your earning potential are some of the key benefits of being a freelancer.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Tip:<\/b> do some financial planning. Considering that a freelancer’s monthly salary is variable, good financial planning is to keep in mind how much money you have, how much you will receive, and how much and how you are spending it. Only then you can make assertive decisions and not spend more than you can afford.<\/span><\/p>\n The professional may even use the freelance work as an extra, but nothing prevents him from making it his main remuneration.<\/span><\/p>\n Specialists in their fields of expertise who work as freelancers no longer have their hourly rate determined by a company and set their price, usually charging above average.<\/span><\/p>\n Although it is a very attractive area for young people at the beginning of their career, who are driven by novelty and seek more freedom and flexibility, it is not an area exclusive to this public.<\/span><\/p>\n This is because, even if the freelancer does not meet the company’s team, there is always interaction and collaboration between both, from the receipt and understanding of the briefing to the execution within the predetermined deadline.<\/span><\/p>\n The number of working hours of the freelancer depends on several factors, and may sometimes even be higher than the standard workload of companies, namely: number of clients and jobs, degree of difficulty and complexity of each job, capacity, and pace of production, and concentration of the freelancer, among others. As the freelancer does not have a workload to comply with, he establishes how many hours he should work according to his needs and deadlines.<\/span><\/p>\n 6. Freelancer spends the day working in pajamas on the sofa<\/b><\/p>\n The freelancer can wear what he feels like and work wherever he wants, whether at home, in coworking spaces, or even in public places like parks, cafes, and libraries. Each person has a way of being and behaving, which doesn’t make pajamas or the sofa a rule.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 7. Always available<\/b><\/p>\n A freelance career is not synonymous with an emptier schedule. Every freelancer has a personal work dynamic and therefore organizes their demands based on the time to perform each task.<\/span><\/p>\n 8. You don’t have to prospect for clients<\/b><\/p>\n Quite the opposite. As stated earlier in this article, freelancers must disseminate their work continuously, using digital tools, to stand out in the market.<\/span><\/p>\n 9. It is not possible to live as a full-time freelancer<\/b><\/p>\n Nothing is impossible. If you have the necessary skills and competencies, focus, organization, and know how to promote your work, clients and jobs will always come your way.<\/span><\/p>\n 10. Anyone can be a freelancer<\/b><\/p>\n Not everyone can be a freelancer pure and simple because not everyone adapts to freelance work. Some people prefer to work for a single company, doing their job eight hours a day, 40 hours a week, getting a fixed salary with a contract, and that’s fine. That’s because to be a freelancer is to have no fixed income, it’s to have to do your bookkeeping and be responsible for your taxes and social contributions. And also to have no periodic paid holidays or Christmas bonuses.<\/span><\/p>\n The freelance market is hotter than ever. In the last two years, especially with the pandemic of COVID-19, we have experienced a revolution in the global labor market, with mass layoffs and consequently the rise of freelance or independent work, temporary, remote, digital nomads, and autonomous.<\/span><\/p>\n It is indeed a growing career, which was already a working trend as published in a <\/span>Forbes article from August 2018<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n In Portugal, in the last two quarters of 2021, according to the National Institute of Statistics, the number of self-employed (freelancers) and the professionals known as ENI – Entrepreneur in Individual Name <\/span>reached 733,000<\/span><\/a>, the highest figure ever in Portugal, and which is equivalent to about 15% of the active population in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n Most common types of jobs for Freelancers in Portugal<\/span><\/p>\n The most common types of work for freelancers in Portugal are freelance and service-related jobs, namely:<\/span><\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n To work as a freelancer in Portugal, it is necessary to open an individual activity, in person at the Finance counter or through the <\/span>Portal das Finan\u00e7a<\/span><\/a> and have:<\/span><\/p>\n In the form, you should select the CAE of your professional activity (classified according to the Portuguese Classification of Economic Activities by Branches of Activity) or CIRS (which consists of activities of service providers) and fill in a forecast of your annual income for IRS purposes (if it is more than 12.500\u20ac such income will be subject to withholding).<\/span><\/p>\n Please note:<\/strong> if the activity starts in July, for example, you should calculate the forecast based on 6 months, that is, from July to December, because the system will then automatically calculate the value for 12 months.<\/span><\/p>\n Once the declaration of the beginning of activity is submitted and approved, the freelancer can start issuing Invoices, Receipts, or Invoice-Receipts (Green Receipts) through the Portal das Finan\u00e7as.<\/span><\/p>\n Freedom of choice\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Freelancing intensifies and proves that intellectual capital can be available anywhere on the planet.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n IVA<\/b>: if the annual calculation is greater than 12,500 euros, it is compulsory to be included in the normal IVA regime, with the corresponding payment and deduction of IVA and submission of the periodic IVA declaration.<\/span><\/p>\n If the annual calculation is less than 12,500 euros, the framework is in the exemption regime, without the need to pay VAT or submit the periodic VAT declaration.<\/span><\/p>\n Social Security:<\/b> in the first year the freelancer is exempt from payment. After 12 months, the contribution is calculated based on the income of the 3 months before the declaration and made in January, April, July, and October (i.e. the freelancer must submit a declaration 4 times a year, in addition to the annual declaration).<\/span><\/p>\n IRS <\/b>–<\/span> withholding: <\/b>If you have received less than 12,500 in the previous year, you do not need to make the withholding tax, and the IRS will be settled when you make the annual declaration. However, if you received more than 12.500\u20ac, you are obliged to withhold tax at the source every month.<\/span><\/p>\n The InvoiceXpress blog provides a tool that can help you calculate the hourly rate for freelance work:\u00a0 <\/span>Calculadora Valor Hora para Freelancers | Invoicexpress<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n MeuSalario.pt provides a formula to calculate the hourly rate:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/i>Hourly rate = Living Wage \/ Working Hours<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Planner, copywriter and copydesk<\/span><\/p>\nWorking for yourself. That’s what defines freelancing, a term meaning a freelancer who provides services independently for companies or individuals for set periods.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Freelancing offers flexibility, independence, and the opportunity to pursue your passion.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Souce: Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels<\/span><\/h6>\n
Freelancer Skills<\/span><\/h1>\n
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Benefits of being a freelancer<\/span><\/h1>\n
Source: Fauxels, Pexels<\/span><\/h6>\n
10 myths of the freelance career<\/span><\/h1>\n
1. Freelancer sets the extra budget<\/b><\/h3>\n
2. The freelancer earns little<\/b><\/h3>\n
3. Freelancing is for those who are entering the job market<\/b><\/h3>\n
4. No need to work in a team<\/b><\/h3>\n
5. Few working hours per day<\/b><\/h3>\n
The freelancers Market\u00a0<\/span><\/h1>\n
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8 useful apps for Freelancers and Entrepreneurs to manage their business<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Source: Canva Studio, Pexels<\/span><\/h6>\n
Freelancer’s Tax and Social Security obligations in Portugal<\/span><\/h1>\n
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Source: Cottonbro, Pexels<\/span><\/h6>\n
How to calculate the hour value of freelancer work<\/h1>\n
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