Freelancing is a type of self-employment where a person is not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Instead of being employed by a company, freelancers tend to work as self-employed, delivering their services to clients on a per-job or per-task basis. Freelancers handle contract work on a part-time or full-time basis and often sign agreements before starting projects. Freelancers have the freedom to live anywhere with a reliable internet connection and work from home or from a non-traditional workspace. Freelancing is a form of casual labor and can be precarious work. Websites, books, portals, and organizations for freelancers often feature advice on getting and keeping a steady work stream. Beside the lack of job security, many freelancers also report the ongoing hassle of dealing with employers who dont pay on time and the possibility of long periods without work.

Some key features of freelancing include:

• Self-employment: Freelancers are self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term.

• Payment: For more complex projects, a contract may set a payment schedule based on milestones or outcomes. One of the drawbacks of freelancing is that there is no guaranteed payment, and the work can be highly precarious. In order to ensure payment, many freelancers use online payment platforms to protect themselves or work with local clients that can be held accountable.

• Freedom: Freelancers have the freedom to work from home or from a non-traditional workspace, a flexible work schedule, and a better work-life balance.

• Benefits: Freelancers do not usually enjoy benefits from their employers such as health insurance or retirement plans.

Examples of freelancers include independent journalists who report on stories of their own choosing and then sell them to the highest bidder. Freelancers often take on multiple projects with different clients simultaneously. The ability to pick and choose who the freelancer works with is another benefit. The freelancer interviews a potential client and they get to pick whether or not to work with that individual or company.