Recently, I’ve been approached by a few clients and recruiters looking for contract copywriters to work on-site instead of working remotely. In the three years since I left full-time cubicle world, I have done a few on-site projects, despite my initial vow to “never work in a cubicle again.” Hey, everyone has a price.
Are you considering an on-site freelance gig? Here are some pros and cons to think about.
Pros
1. More collaboration
Working from home can get lonely at times, so on-site projects offer a welcomed change of pace for some. They also allow for more collaboration and social interaction. Being able to participate in brainstorming sessions or creative briefings is often the reason why clients want contractors in the office. Emailing drafts back and forth doesn’t allow for the same level of collaboration you get from sitting in a room tand brainstorming taglines together or working with a graphic designer to adjust a headline according to the available space (if you’re not there, they’ll often adjust it for you, with varying degrees of success).
2. Steady income
Contractors who work on-site typically get paid at regular intervals, similar to full-time employees. And if there’s an issue with your paycheck, it’s much easier for an on-site person to march over to accounting and work it out rather than getting mired in email purgatory. The other nice perk of on-site work is that depending on the company and your role, it tends to pay well and you tend to accumulate more billable hours because you’re focused on one client for 35-40 hours per week instead of jumping around and spending non-billable hours on administrative tasks.
3. Short-term commitment
If your on-site project turns out to be less appealing than expected, you can take comfort in the fact that it usually has a set end point. And if it’s really bad, you may be able to get out of it early, depending on your contract. Full-time employees have a much harder time moving on from a toxic or otherwise unpleasant situation.
Cons
1. Commute
One of the reasons I chose the life as a freelance writer is that I hate squeezing on to a crowded subway train during rush hour, trying to read my book as I cling to a pole for dear life, or getting stuck next to someone with questionable hygiene. On-site gigs often require a commute, which also means getting up earlier than many freelancers otherwise would (my usual morning ritual involves throwing on yoga pants as I fire up my computer just before 9am). But hey, if they’re paying enough, I’ll brave a commute and listen to podcasts or read on my iPhone.
2. Opportunity cost
Working on-site while juggling other projects requires excellent time management (and possibly the ability to function on minimal sleep). Each time I’ve worked on-site, I’ve had to turn down other projects because I wasn’t available during the day to conduct interviews or turn around last-minute revisions. There’s always an opportunity cost when you’ll be tied up for most of the day, and typically I have to spend a few weeks after an on-site project ramping up my marketing and refocusing on other freelance clients.
3. Office hierarchy
Because many offices are based on seniority, contractors typically don’t get the most sought-after projects, the biggest office (if they get an office at all), benefits, or paid holidays. They’re often assigned overflow work and might be expected to float around to different workspaces depending on who’s out of the office each day. Flexibility is key, as is the ability to quickly observe office culture and figure out where you fit in.
