Self-employed vs. Corporate World

[disneysteve]

is being self-employed over-glamorized and working for someone over-vilified?

I think it depends a lot on the individual. Some people have that entrepreneurial, free-spirit gene that makes them happiest when they go it alone. Others prefer to show up, do their job and go home at night without the administrative duties or concerns of being the boss. I don't think there is a right or wrong, or best and worst choice. The former would be unhappy in a corporate environment. The latter would probably fail miserably in the self-employed environment.

Personally, I'm the 2nd type. As you know, I'm a physician. Certainly, many physicians own their own practices. I do not. Never have. Don't ever plan to. I have always been an employee of someone else. I've been in my current job since April 2000 so about as stable as it gets. I am absolutely positive I could make more money on my own but I have zero desire to make that change and take on the extra work and responsibility that it would bring. I am much happier letting someone else handle the business end of things. There are things in my practice that drive me nuts, but I can't change them. Such is life. I'm willing to accept those things in exchange for everything else.

[susie michelle]

Such a great question, and it definitely depends on the individual. I would, without a doubt, take the self-employed option. I love the self-employed lifestyle, primarily because it means I have flexibility during the day in case I need to be there for my kids.

[MonkeyMama]

It definitely comes down to personality, but type of employment is also important. A majority of the things my friends really like about being self-employed are perks I experience as an employee. I have never related to the sterotypes of employment.

What's funny to me is working for a small employer is a heck of a lot like being self-employed. (Working for someone who values self-employment, but small businesses can't offer the same kinds of benefits that bigger corporations do - so the good and the bad).

Anyway, since my clients are all small businesses, I am tickled by their perceptions. I have one closely-held family business client - I went out to their office the other day and they were asking me if I get lunch breaks and weekend off, like they felt really sorry for me. I thought it was funny. I might not be related to my employer, but we are a very small office as well with a similar feel. So I was kind of sitting there bewildered, saying our office was a lot like theirs. They just didn't see it - they had over-glorified their own working arrangements.

I do get the impression that many of my friends had very *horrible* working experiences, just like this client seemed to have. & then the tendency is to apply that one experience to all "employment." So I try to keep that in mind and being understanding, but it gets really really really old hearing how barbaric my working experience must be because I am an employee. (Most the people I know are self-employed and VERY proud of it). Meanwhile, I have been self-employed (hated it) and I work with very small businesses on a daily business. I know what it takes, what it is like, and that it is not for me.

Anyway, the organization I work at is so small that I get a lot of say into things I want to have a say in, and we all kind of work to our strengths on the administrative side (so no one does too much of what they do not want to do). But, that said, I do get to primarily get to focus on what I am good at, and that is what I rather do than marketing, billing, sales, and all that jazz. All of my employers have always been extraordinarily family friendly and very flexible with me. To be clear, I have turned down a LOT of jobs where that was not the feel of the office. I definitely seek out more laid back, life balance, non-micro-managing type employers. Employers tend to be pretty open in interview settings with what they expect.

[Bryan Cranston]

In this environment, being employed is just as much of a risk. I guess the difference of opinion between the two women has to do in part with their awareness of the economic crisis.

Personally I'd go with being self-employed.

[DebtAssistance]

I love what I heard Mark Cuban say, "Being self employed means you work for everyone!" And it is so true! I think the risk factor depends on each person. In fact it may not even be about risk. I know someone who had a temporary government job that they took while cutting back to part time hours on their own business, and although it was great financially, they were not motivated at this job. They missed the feeling of being able to work harder, to make more, and seeing the fruit of their labor in the same month. Some times it is the personal preference of owning your own business.

[SavingSweetOneL]

As a CNA, I have worked for people privately. I now currently work for two agencies, and a family owned residential home. (14 beds).

With the agencies, I feel I have arranged my own time, and even so with the family owned home. Now, 5 years ago, with the home, I started with week-ends, and with the first agency, I had to be at somone's home at 7:00 AM, but, they then relitavily soon, gave me a very easy, priovate pay client for them, that is flexible as to when I arive to do the caregiving work for them.

So, even within a "corporate" setting, you can make your own agreements, depending on your skills, and what you are offering them.

Important to mention, I work part-time.

sweetOneL

[amarowsky]

All I ever wanted growing up was to own my own business, preferably bar restaurant/music venue. So I could always have fun and work in the same mind frame.

But I have been at my job with steady checks and benefits for six years now. It is such a good feeling to know that with the exception of a huge freak occurrence, I'll be receiving my paycheck. Not really having to fight and hunt for work does have a relaxing feeling. Plus at my work I can take off almost anytime with the only cost being missing that day of pay and no discipline.
Kind of funny you post this though because a friend and I just looked at a property him,I, and my three other best friend s are going to research to see if we can open our dream bar/venue together. But we would all keep our regular jobs and share hours at the bar.

[SnoopyCool]

DH and I have one foot in each world: he's self-employed and I work for a corporation. He enjoys working with his clients, setting his own schedule, and marketing his business. The two biggest pains are dealing with the headaches that come along with maintenance issues (thus having to reschedule everything to get work done on time), and clients that are late with payment or decide not to pay at all.

Overall, I like working where I do. The only thing I don't enjoy about my particular experience with working for a corporation is the intensity of the drive to make numbers/goals. Don't get me wrong - I understand what this means (and I did make all my goals), but the daily shove-it-in-your-face makes me anxious.

[Gailete]

My husband for most of his working career has been self-employed. He hasn't made much over the years and at times even with numerous income streams we barely get by, but he knew himself. He has had health problems all his life and he knew he needed a job where he was in control of his schedule, so that when he needs to he can sleep in and work late. It works for him and I doubt he could have ever kept a regular job all these years unless possibly he worked 2nd shift.

I always worked punching time clocks and got so sick of the 'office politics' over the years, the giving up so many holidays to work (as an RN), the having to drive through blizzards to even get to work, and many other factors. I always was looking for a way to find a way to be self-employed. I didn't have a family that encouraged that concept at all while my husband's whole family including uncles had always been self-employed so it wasn't frowned on. I started a small part time business when I was too sick to go to work full time any more. Actually I thought I was dying, I was so sick, so started selling my sewing and craft books on line so my husband wouldn't have to deal with them after I was gone. I found that forcing myself out of bed everyday to see if something had sold was therapeutic, and we started buying stock to continue and grow the business. It is still part time and as much as I can handle, but it is nice that when I take my daily nap like yesterday, I can get up and find I'd sold $45 worth of inventory. It is my occupational therapy. I doubt I would or could ever go back to punching timeclocks again. I would just ramp up my business to somehow make it full time. Even after almost 11 years of not working out, I get nightmares about being at a hospital working again and the awful politics that went with it.