After the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, about 10 million Americans are looking to switch from full-time employment to freelance work, and 73% of them cited the desire to continue working remotely and flexibly, according to a recent survey by the job network Upwork. In Vietnam, the trend of freelancing is growing as companies have "tightened their belts" with full-time employees and have more "loose" mechanisms for collaborators.
I chose to freelance in 2021, which was full of economic and life changes in general after a long period of being affected by the pandemic. Coming from a marketing position in an advertising company, it was not too difficult for me to find work-from-home jobs.
Not only me but also many other young freelancers have the habit of bringing their laptops to shops with nice spaces to work.
The initial process was difficult when I no longer received a steady monthly salary of 8 million, instead I had to do small jobs that I "hunted" on groups that provided and exchanged jobs for freelancers and independent workers like me.
The work from little to regular every week when I have accumulated enough “capital” in professional experience as well as how to take care of customers, how to convince them to use my services. As a freelancer, I play the role of a miniature department with all the positions because I know if I am not quick, I will be empty-handed with the big fish slipping out of the basket, the fishing trip “work” becomes in vain.
Late afternoon, in a small cafe on Hang Tre street, Hanoi, with just enough space for four tables and a few chairs, I met Duong Giang (25 years old). He is currently a freelance worker and is striving to become a travel blogger in the future:
- I have a dream of exploring many places. I'm working in an office and have to sit in one place, not knowing what my goal is. Especially after Covid, I have the feeling of having to explore and go everywhere.
Duong Giang - a young man with a passion for producing videos related to nature and travel.
He said he would “plan to research jobs to travel a lot and live the life he wants”. Recently, the trend of working from home and freelance work among young people has been increasing. Partly due to the impact of the pandemic, partly because the working habits and thinking of young people have changed a lot.
Before becoming a content creator on platforms like TikTok and Facebook, Duong Giang also graduated and went to work in an office like many other young people. However, the regular 8-hour office life every day like "squeezing a picture" made him bored and tired. As time went by, the decision to start his own business grew, making him decide to give up the stable office environment. I asked:
- Why did Giang choose to be a freelancer?
- I've been doing business to earn money since long ago, I'm used to freedom - Duong Giang replied.
Giang always tries to build a community where people learn, work and produce together.
Becoming a freelancer, what is gained and what is lost is a matter of each individual. Being a freelancer gives me a lot of time, at the same time pushing myself to be faster and faster in improving my skills as well as proactively looking for job opportunities. As for Duong Giang, thinking about freedom:
- Having freedom but also losing that freedom. Because you have to control discipline, always have to pursue the goal, just playing around, being careless will easily make you slip away from the goal you want.
He also emphasized:
- The goal is still freedom but prosperity. When I first started my business, I started with 7 million, not enough to buy a nice phone to film, I had to use all my abilities to learn. I worked extra to make ends meet. Anyway, it is better to have a parallel job to support my passion.
As time went on, Duong Giang became more focused on his career. He became more passionate and excited after the initial challenges. He also quit his temporary jobs to focus on building a new team. In the next three years, his team aims to produce 999 videos to post on channels.
He is particularly interested in the love of nature. Through his travel videos, he hopes that people will be more aware of common natural problems such as waste, climate, etc.
Cat Ba - the place where Duong Giang chose to produce many of his videos.
Hopefully, through the above two stories, Travellive readers can make their own comments and opinions on the trend of freelancing. Whether working full-time, working administratively or becoming a “freelancer”, being proactive in our career in particular and life in general is what helps us become truly “stable”, instead of choosing a stable job in the midst of a price storm.
