On the Pulse of the Times

Being a Freelancer - Characteristics of a self-employed person

Characteristics of a self-employed Person - as a Person

Independent professionals are people who

• show great courage when founding their own company
• have deliberately chosen this path and are happy to follow it
• show the highest willingness to perform and motivation
• enjoy their work
  
• have a very low disease rate
• bear the full risk for themselves and their small business
• make all business decisions themselves
• think and act in the "big picture".
• responsible for being "up-to-date".

Characteristics of a self-employed Person - as an Entrepreneur

Independent professionals are people who

• have several, also recurring clients
• often have several mainstays or want to build more
• regularly complete their advance sales tax returns
• make their tax return every year and pay their taxes to the tax office (income tax, trade tax)
• financial reserves form for additional tax payments due to higher sales and for times when incoming orders are poor
• pay their contribution to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (not freelancers without trade licence, crafts, agriculture)
• pay for their own social and professional insurance
• private or statutory health insurance
• private or statutory pension insurance
• voluntary unemployment insurance
• disability insurance
• Business/professional liability insurance
• maintain their own office and business equipment
• Notebook/PC
• smartphone
• Multifunction device (printer, scanner, fax)
• telephone landline
• office supplies
• own a company car
• have had a work room accepted by the tax office

Characteristics of a self-employed Person - as a Knowledge worker

Independent professionals are people who

• have a wide range of knowledge/experience
• have already worked in a wide variety of company shapes and sizes, industries and hierarchical levels
• Due to their "know-how", after a short briefing, they can quickly find their way into new areas of activity and work independently
• provide their services reliably, effectively and competently at a high level
• have the innovative view from the outside
• usually have a higher education, a degree or diploma, speak several languages, etc.

Characteristics of a self-employed Person - as an Advertising Professional (Self-promotion)

Characteristics of a self-employed Person - as a Market participant

Independent professionals are people who

• have a "market price" in the form of a fee determined by supply and demand
• on average 160 days a year for customers
• include the time spent for which they are "not" paid as a matter of course as part of their business (writing invoices, advance sales tax returns, etc.)
• rely on positive references and recommendations from their customers
• are in constant competition with their freelance colleagues
• are proud to exist in the market

Characteristics of a self-employed Person - as a contractual Partner

Independent professionals are people who

• are active in assignments that are usually designed for a "limited" period of time

AND / OR

• Serve several customers in parallel over a longer / possibly unlimited period of time
• are flexible in terms of working environment, time and place
• work together with their customers in an uncomplicated manner and on an equal level
• communicate directly with their client
• are not in competition with their customers' employees, because permanent employment is not their target
• do everything possible to meet the requirements of their customers
• build a relationship of trust with their customers and would like to support them again in future assignments