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Stable Job vs. High-Paying Freelance: Which Is a Better Career Choice？
This time, I’m going to answer a question from a reader, Xiao Jing (pseudonym). Her letter is as follows: -- Dear Joe and Bryan, Hello! Whenever I am lost and doubtful, I always habitually search for articles from "Darencademy" . I am also a loyal listener of "JB’s Small Talk", thank you for sharing beneficial things; I have genuinely gained a lot. I have a doubt in my heart that I have been hesitating for a long time.I am an office worker and also a mother of two children. Because I have no professional skills, I have been engaged in administrative jobs for many years, receiving a fixed salary. My monthly salary is about NT$ 30,000 and overtime pay is calculated separately. Last year, by chance, I started a freelance job. This job is very similar to tutoring, where customers are introduced through a platform, and I negotiate hours with customers and go to their homes to provide teaching and guidance. Since the pay is quite good, where I can actually receive NT$ 400 to 500 per hour, I have taken cases part-time on holidays. At present, I find it very interesting and fulfilling, and customer satisfaction is also high, with many customers booking the next teaching service. However, I can only take cases on holidays, so the actual hours are not many. And usually, because I have a full-time job, I can only use the time outside of work to read books and improve the knowledge and abilities needed for freelance work. Therefore, I started to think about whether to quit my full-time job and devote myself to freelance work. I have made a preliminary evaluation myself: I like the simplicity, regularity, and content of my full-time job, and I get along well with my colleagues, but the salary will not grow, and I cannot have enough time to accumulate freelance experience. In terms of freelance work, I like its flexibility and high hourly pay, and I also have time to take care of my family. But if I devote myself to freelancing, I am very worried whether the income is stable enough to support family expenses, and whether my body can handle running around and teaching for a long time. Moreover, for such a job change, I also have to face the unpredictable risks after stepping out of my comfort zone. I like both jobs very much, but each has its pros and cons, and I don’t know how to choose. Facing such a problem, how should I set evaluation criteria? Can both teachers give me some advice? Xiao Jing -- In response to Xiao Jing’s question, that is, "Should I give up a stable, low-paying job and engage in unstable but high hourly paid freelance work?" As usual, I will not give a standard answer directly because my knowledge of some details in her life is limited. It’s difficult to directly suggest choosing A or B. However, through this article, I want to provide some of my thought processes to give everyone facing similar issues some references. First, before choosing between two jobs, the most fundamental thing is to consider the following two questions. Question One: Do You Like This Job? No matter which job is chosen, whether you like the job is a crucial prerequisite. Because if you don't like a job, even if it pays well, it will be hard for you to be fully invested and enjoy doing it well. You might ask: "Can’t I do a job that I don’t like?" Yes, you can, but there are only two situations where I think the job can still be done even if you don’t like it. First, you might not like the job, but you are very good at it and can easily complete it. This way, at least you can get economic returns and a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, the economic returns of the job are incredibly high, for example, the job allows you to feel super worthwhile and forget the parts you don’t like. Encountering these two situations, I think you should just go for it! After all, there can be significant returns in accomplishments and salary. However, for most people, there are actually few opportunities to encounter such situations. Therefore, I still recommend everyone to choose a job they like. Question Two: What Exactly Are You Pursuing in Your Work? Everyone has their own goals when going out to work. For instance, some people might not be after the salary but rather look to make friends, while some hope to achieve a balance between work and life. I think there is no right or wrong in these pursuits. However, you need to delve deep into your heart. During the work process, what is the most important thing that you gain from investing a month or a day of your time? This can help clarify what goals you want to pursue in your work. Whether you choose a stable, low-paying job or unstable, high hourly paid freelance work, or even when choosing any job, the above two questions are fundamental things we should consider to help understand what we want. When you know what you are seeking, you can move on to the next stage of consideration, evaluating whether to give up a stable job to choose freelancing. In particular, although freelancing seems to offer a high hourly wage and flexible hours, I believe two things still need to be assessed: First, the Long-Term Nature of the Work Compared to regular full-time jobs, freelancing is generally more unstable. For example, you might initially think that due to inconsistent client sources, it cannot maintain stability for a long time. But I suggest you should think further ahead what is the long-term demand for this freelance job? For instance, if you are tutoring, helping students with physics or math, and if there are no significant changes in the education system or curriculum, perhaps you can do this job for a long time. However, if the knowledge you are teaching now is a short-term trend, like many people doing Podcasts in recent years, you might think you can teach people how to record programs, purchase equipment, etc. This year, there might be people wanting to learn, but next year or the year after, Podcasts might go out of fashion, and then nobody will want to take your class. So, you still have to evaluate whether the content of this freelance job has long-term demand. Second, Financial Considerations Let's do a simple calculation. If your current full-time job pays NT$ 30,000, plus freelancing on holidays, you can earn NT$ 40,000 a month. However, suppose you fully commit to freelancing and earn an hourly wage of NT$ 500. Working 80 hours will give you NT$ 40,000. Eighty hours are equivalent to 10 working days. If your freelancing is stable and legitimate, then in about 20 working days a month, you could earn NT$ 80,000. However, many freelancing jobs, despite seeming to offer a high hourly wage, might still involve many hidden costs. For example, commuting costs might be incurred when you travel to different tutoring students' homes. Moreover, some tutoring platforms might also take a commission from your earnings, among other considerations. These are all crucial factors because they imply that even if you work full-time, there will be an upper limit to the hours you can freelance. Next, the stability of your clientele is, of course, a critical consideration in deciding whether or not to switch to full-time freelancing. So, if financial factors are crucial in your consideration, I would suggest you test it gradually. Wait until the freelancing work is stable, and the financial aspect is comparable to your full-time job or at a level you can accept before considering committing full-time to freelancing. Lastly, I would like to discuss a concern mentioned at the end of Xiao Jing's letter, which is "stepping out of the comfort zone might encounter unpredictable risks." Let’s reconsider the concept of the "comfort zone." Many people might feel that working in a company for 20 years, with familiar supervisors, colleagues, and mastering the job, is their comfort zone. But I don't think so. I believe the "comfort zone" refers to an environment that you can fully grasp and control. However, there is actually no permanent comfort zone in life; instead, you should continually strive to expand the boundaries of your comfort zone. What does this mean? Think about it. You are currently engaged in an administrative position, which seems stable, but suppose one day your boss wants to replace you with someone younger and lower-salaried, you are forced to leave the position, and it's no longer your comfort zone. Especially, the replaceability in administrative jobs is high; you can’t fully assure everlasting security in this position. If you suddenly consider freelancing when forced out without preparation, it implies instability in your situation. But if you start preparing now, embracing it with a part-time mentality, building a reputation, optimizing processes, and considering how to gain a more stable clientele, then over one or two years, as you gain more control over the freelancing work, it becomes your next comfort zone. When the comfort zone of your full-time job crumbles, you’ll still have another comfort zone to turn to. Moreover, sometimes what you consider a comfort zone is not genuinely "comfortable." For instance, in your original family home, you may be accustomed to your room, bed, etc., and unwilling to leave. However, without autonomy, where parents might storm into your room in anger, it’s not truly comfortable; it's just that you are used to it. I've always believed that "autonomy" is crucial within a comfort zone. Imagine moving out and living independently as you grow older. Although initially, there are adjustments and numerous matters to handle yourself, once you step out, the new home becomes your new comfort zone where no one can disturb you. You can play video games until midnight or do whatever you want, extending your autonomy and controlling the situation. That’s true comfort. When you continuously expand your comfort zone while maintaining autonomy, that’s when you can genuinely thrive for the long term! You can also accompany this article with our Podcast show "JB's Small Talk". -- Narrator／Joe Chang ；Editor／Amanda Chiu (This article is translated by the Digital Nomad editor group.)
December 5, 2023
English Speaking Coach Mei Exclusive Interview | How to Travel the World on a "Limited Budget" ?
Many people aspire to be digital nomads, longing to work while exploring various places, but most hesitate to take the first step due to budget concerns. Mei, 37, manages to travel the world by being a digital nomad and practicing minimalist travel. Her experience might offer some reference for those with limited budgets who also wish to try digital nomadism and travel extensively! Mei , who has traveled to 42 countries and countless cities, was an office worker five years ago, teaching English and handling digital marketing in an English school in the United States. With a passion for backpacking and a dream to travel the world, she persuaded her boss to allow her to work remotely, embarking on the journey of digital nomadism. Initially, with a monthly salary of about NT$ 30,000 , Mei started her journey. She might work four to six hours a day and spend the rest slowly exploring a city. She might get to know local wildlife in Australia or attend a friend's wedding in India, spending a month deeply immersed in Indian life. Since last year, Mei has visited places like Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, India, Chiang Mai in Thailand, and Los Angeles in the United States. More than two years ago, Mei even established her own English teaching brand, teaching English online. With a computer and internet connection, anywhere in the world could be her office. Many people yearn to be digital nomads, like Mei, working and exploring the world simultaneously, but various worries hold them back. A common concern is, 'Without a substantial budget and a stable income, how can one afford to travel?' However, Mei, an experienced traveler, said, 'People always talk about work and income, but few discuss the travel aspect. Actually, if you are already accustomed to traveling, the pressure regarding income is quite minimal.' 'Being good at traveling' doesn’t mean you have to be good at enjoying yourself, but under limited budget circumstances, it means knowing how to travel smartly and economically in terms of food, clothing, housing, transportation, entertainment, and so on. Before Starting, Set Aside Time and Budget for Travel Before embarking on digital nomadism and even discussing how to work to support one's living and travel expenses, Mei emphasized that one should clearly understand what they want to achieve by choosing digital nomadism. Everyone has different objectives for choosing digital nomadism. Some choose it to have a steady income while sustaining long-term travel, while others might be pursuing their desired work style, among other reasons. However, Mei mentioned that she met many people during her digital nomad journey. Some want to travel the world while also aiming to earn a lot of money or find it hard to let go of work, constantly postponing travel or sacrificing travel time. But when invested in work, they are always distracted, ending up with dissatisfaction in both, resulting in a not-so-good overall journey quality. 'If you want to travel the world, please be sure to allocate time for travel,' Mei emphasized. If travel is one of your goals in digital nomadism, manage it as an important aspect, incorporating it into your schedule. Regardless of how much time you give to travel, the most crucial part is to balance the weight of work and travel according to the purpose of your digital nomadism. By planning a certain proportion of time and budget for travel, you can enjoy the journey more comfortably. Break Free from Monetary Limitations, and Travel Smartly on a Budget Once you've clarified your initial intentions and budget for starting as a digital nomad, and if your purpose is to travel to various countries, you can start thinking about how to travel on a limited budget. In the beginning, Mei relied on remote work, with a monthly income of about NT$ 30,000. Even when she later started taking projects or began entrepreneurship by establishing an online English teaching brand, and her income increased, she knew that if she wanted to travel for a longer time and visit more places, she must travel in a more smart way. 'Many people think that they have to be rich to travel, but I knew early on that this was wrong because many experiences don’t cost money,' Mei said. Despite a limited budget, Mei has many money-saving tips. Typically, the most significant travel expenses might be on transportation and accommodation, but Mei has always kept these expenses to a minimum or even completely free of charge. For accommodation, Mei chooses couch surfing, staying in cheap youth hostels, and even proactively proposes to hostels to work in exchange for accommodation or meals, saving on accommodation and meal expenses. In terms of transportation, Mei also saves on fares by hitchhiking to various places. Since digital nomads are not restricted by time or work location, they can choose inexpensive long-distance buses or trains for commuting and work during the journey. When flying to different countries, she also compares flight prices on websites like Skyscanner or Google Flights, choosing to fly during off-peak times. Even concerning food, Mei has participated in 'food sharing' movements, obtaining 'soon-to-expire' or 'expired' items that are still edible from many supermarkets and bakeries. Just search online for the city name along with the keyword 'food sharing,' and you can get information about 'food sharing' in that city. Mei has many money-saving methods, and she said, 'If you dare to try new things, sometimes money really is not a problem!' If you are just starting with a limited budget, you can begin from cheaper regions, such as cities in Southeast Asia. For instance, Chiang Mai in Thailand is a top choice for many. Reducing Material Desires, Valuing Priceless Life Experiences Mei sets out on each journey carrying only a backpack, keeping material desires to a minimum and not spending money on unnecessary souvenirs and the like. Instead, she chooses to be close to nature and values interactions with people, experiences that are free yet priceless. Upon arriving in a new city, the first thing Mei does is search on Facebook for local communities involving hiking, writing, language exchange, etc., based on her interests. She meets locals or foreigners who have lived there for a long time, exploring the city’s people and things with them. Fortunately, she might also find like-minded friends in these people. Meanwhile, to break free from monetary constraints, Mei bravely tries hitchhiking and couch surfing, among others. These experiences have given Mei precious life experiences that she cherishes deeply. She said, 'If you pay money to buy a travel itinerary, it seems to create a barrier between people.' Even when we go to foreign places, it’s still quite challenging to establish deeper connections with the locals. For instance, in the United States, Mei and a traveling companion hitchhiked to their next destination, meeting a very friendly driver. Before Mei found a place to stay, the driver generously offered his camper van for Mei and her friend to stay temporarily. However, after getting to know him better, they discovered that he was a former drug addict who had become a debt collector after quitting drugs. Although it sounds a bit scary, for the driver, this wasn’t something he couldn’t share openly. His generosity and friendliness remain one of Mei’s most impressive memories from her travels. Many people worry about the dangers of hitchhiking, staying in a stranger's house, or going out with strangers in foreign places. Mei said that there are always risks in traveling, but the risks of hitchhiking, couch surfing, etc., are not as high as people imagine. 'After traveling for a long time, you actually become quite good at judging people,' Mei mentions. She would assess a person’s safety through their words and deeds, and she wouldn’t go to particularly dangerous places or do dangerous things. Often, she would also have companions with her. By staying alert and avoiding people or things that seem dangerous, the risks are actually quite low! Excitedly, Mei listed places she still wants to visit in the future. Next year, she plans to explore Central and South America, and when summer comes, she wants to visit Scotland to learn about the whiskey culture that she has always admired. Having traveled to 42 out of nearly 190 countries worldwide, Mei continues to marvel at the vastness of the world. Free from material and monetary constraints, Mei’s digital nomadic journey around the world continues. You can find more stories about Mei's digital nomad lifestyle on Super Mei Travel! -- (This article is translated by the Digital Nomad editor group.)
December 5, 2023