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If you’ve been a freelancer for most of your working life and are offered the opportunity to transition into a salaried position, there is a lot to consider. The possibility can be both exciting and overwhelming. You’re used to the freedoms that come with a freelance lifestyle (it literally has the word “free” built into it), but you’re also aware of some of the instability that comes with that. All of that freedom can sometimes feel like you’re just free-falling, and there’s nobody there to protect you. And the perceived limitations of being salaried may not be as limiting as you think.
There is more, of course, to consider than just your freedom when you go salaried. Just as you hope your new position will meet your needs and wants, the hiring party has needs and wants of their own. You’ll need to make some adjustments, but it could be worth it. You may not realize how many old habits you’ve picked up from your freelance lifestyle that you’ll need to kick. And there can be parts of the full-time employee lifestyle that surprise you. Here is what to expect and prepare for when you transition from freelance to full-time employee.
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Your pay is finally reliable
There’s a lot to be said for direct deposit. As a freelancer, you have to stay on top of generating invoices. Then you have to send those follow-up emails to the clients who don’t pay you on time. You have clients who don’t want to pay you in full because of some dispute over the deliverable. When you’re salaried, that direct deposit, with an amount you can count on, is coming into your bank account, in a timely manner. No fighting for it. No squabbling over amounts.
