I Quit my Corporate job after 9 Years — Here’s what Freelancing really feels like

Aditi Chakraborty
3 min readOct 22, 2024

Ever thought about leaving the comfort of a corporate job?

I did — after 8–9 years of stability and structure. Now, here I am, two months into freelancing, and it’s been… well, a ride. If you’re wondering what it’s really like, here’s what I’ve discovered so far — The good and the bad!

1. There’s 90% uncertainty about your day

Remember the steady paycheck? Gone.

Now I run behind clients for payments, that come in at least 1 month later.

Now I don’t have 1 boss but multiple bosses.

Requirements come in throughout the day. Freelancing is full of ups and downs. Some weeks, you’re swamped; other weeks, you can take it slow.

How do you cope?

You learn to thrive in the unknown. I started seeing every day as a chance to keep learning instead of worrying about what might happen next. If you’re flexible and resourceful, you’ll start loving the unpredictability.

Also, plan for more retainers than one-off projects. That gives you more stability.

2. You Have to Be Your Own Boss

Sounds cool, right? But here’s the catch — no manager is chasing you for deadlines. No teammates to push you to stay on track. You have to motivate yourself. And you must ensure that every goal that you set for…

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Aditi Chakraborty
Aditi Chakraborty

Written by Aditi Chakraborty

Writer | Content Creator I talk about marketing, writing, AI, cinematography, editing, and a career in freelancing.

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