Benefits And Challenges Of Digital Freelance Work For A University - 1375 Words

Benefits And Challenges Of Digital Freelance Work For A University (Essay Sample) Content: Benefits and challenges of digital freelance work for university graduates. This study is meant to provide an overview of the freelancing field by students who are university graduates as a way of self-employment. It also provides the challenges and benefits that come with digital freelancing. The research questions covered are as follows; what is freelancing and what does it entail? What are the benefits and challenges of freelancing? It also purposes to create an awareness of it for further research. In the rise of freelancing in an uncertain economy,231 freelancers were surveyed so as to uncover key insights into the freelance life which included the average working hours, daily rates and downtime up to main challenges they face and motivations should one decide to embark on a freelancing career. In 2017, Freelance Market Insights report had some key findings Key findings after doing a survey on freelancers. First it was found that 2 in 3 freelancers are likely to spend at least 10% of their year in downtime. Secondly, it was found that 1 in 2 assume that they are financially better off as freelancers than they would be in a permanent role. Again, in its finding, it was discovered that the average working week was between 31 to 40 hours and lastly the disparity in daily rates between the genders The use of internet has brought a lot of positive transformation around the globe. Social media has become a platform where different people meet as well as seeking for jobs through networking with people who have the same interests as yours. In as much as it has its benefits, the internet has also some negative impacts which some people have chosen to do evil in the society. But the good side has made people to look over the negative side and focus on what benefit it has for the greater good. We will look at freelancing whereby it has become a platform where people can earn a living especially the young people. To answer the questions raised about freelancing, we began by defining what it is. What is freelancing? Freelancing means working as a self- employed person and not being committed to one employer. Many graduates have turned to digital freelancing if employment opportunities are not there for them and most of them have built a name for themselves and are doing quite good. However, freelancing is not that easy since it has its benefits and challenges. To begin with, freelancing offers flexible hours and one can work whenever he /she wants. One gets to choose their own hours for working. This offers one the flexibility to do other things. This is the reason why graduates take up freelancing, if one wants to further his/her studies, they have all the time to juggle between freelancing and attending their classes without sacrificing one for the other. Being a freelancer, work can be done at hours that are productive, not necessarily during the regular business hours. Secondly, there is the control over jobs and clients by the freelancer. This is because if you are working for another person, therefore you cannot chose who you want to work with. One ends up with being tied to a rude and unprofessional client and nothing can be done at all. But being a freelancer, it gives you the freedom of choosing who you want to work with. Sometimes people don’t connect at all because of their personalities or a business, and because of that one can skip that chance and get another opportunity hence retaining a good relationship.   Another benefit that comes with being a freelancer is that one works wherever they want. Whether one prefers to work from the comfort of a coffee shop or a hotel while on vacation, nobody can question them. One does not need to be in an office or at home, they are no longer confined to that. One just has to choose an environment that works best for him/her. It could be an open place like a park or just in ones living room w earing pajamas. We all want to be our own boss. This is another benefit. One is not answerable to anyone else but only to people they are working with as their clients and themselves. The beauty of it all is that no one is hanging over you or micromanages you, but you do things your own way. You end up making all the tough decisions alone. You become responsible and in control over everything. Lastly, you get to keep all the profit. This is because one is no longer working to earn a flat rate even if the projects to be completed are many. It feels good to keep all that you have earned by saving the whole profit earned from your clients after working on their projects. To add to that, you can use that money for self - improvement and for your business expansion. With all the advantages that comes with freelancing, it also has its challenges. First, with freelancing, there is no steady or reliable workloads. This only means that one’s income is inconsistent or unstable. Therefore, you have to look for other jobs to do so as to supplement whatever you are earning when low season hits the freelancing field. This is because when one is employed by someone else, the pay is stable or fixed at the end of each month. Secondly, being your own boss, working from home or anywhere else sometimes makes it difficult for people to differentiate between work time and personal life. This is because some people overwork themselves thereby forgetting to create time for their hobbies. Thirdly, Work does not come very easily. Freelancing means one is tasked with the responsibility of looking for people to work for and also projects. Some online jobs come with bidding hence those who have been in the industry for long and have made the name for themselves end up getting the jobs. Therefore you have to market yourself so that y...

Role And Place Of Nature And Technology In Sustainability - 550 Words

The Role And Place Of Nature And Technology In Sustainability (Essay Sample) Content: NameTutorEngineering EthicsDateHaase Technology and nature are concepts that imply progress and preservation respectively. While technology is associated with the generation and implementation of new ideas, nature is associated with preservation of the earth. In an article by Haase (893), future engineers knowledge of the term sustainability is gauged through a survey. Consequently, the role and place of nature and technology in sustainability are determined. According to Haase (893), the term 'sustainability' presents a challenge to groups of engineers in their first year of study at Danish universities. This, the author argues, is due to the enthusiasm that students often have with technology, as well as the challenges and resultant blame the learners soon associate with technology. Thus a dilemma exists on the role of technology and nature in sustainability. There is no clearly defined action associated with the practical operationalization of the concept of 'sus tainable technology' (Haase 894). The author takes a keen interest in the way the engineering students use words to describe their understanding of the concepts of sustainability. Evidence of students dilemma regarding their fascination with technology, and the adverse aspects of technology -which destroy nature- is provided through students replies to the open-ended question in a survey administered to a group of engineering students in Denmark in September 2010 (Haase 894). One-third of the 3600 engineering students responded to the question on how to categorize sustainability. They gave a description in own words, of the meaning of the term sustainability. Drawing on Fairclough's discourse analysis, Haase analyzes student's understanding of their role as technology experts, vis--vis nature, and sustainability (as cited in Haase 895).The analysis is based on textual analysis, with grammar, metaphors, and semiotic analyses. The study found that the students used metaphors, put i nto five major groups, to describe 'sustainability': an efficient machine, balance, a cycle, profitability, and a mental condition. The author points to flows in each of the metaphors. In each of the metaphors, it is clear that where a student has utilized an aspect of nature to describe sustainability, for example defining sustainability as efficiency of machines in terms of input and output, the adverse effect of technology is apparent. The study points to two aspects that touch on engineering students' understanding of 'sustainability': the 'romanticist discourse' and 'utilitaristic discourse.' Some students' definition of 'sustainability' revolves around nature and the need to make good use of it (romanticist discourse). However, engineering students' main focus is technology, and not necessarily caring for nature or involving human beings (utilitaristic) (Haase 904-905). The two opposing views present a dilemma, as one side upholds environmental sustainability and conservation of nature as technology is viewed as destructive to nature; while another side of the argument posits that nature is within the human and cannot be destroyed. According to Haase (895-7), the engineering students perceive technology and nature to be two opposing f...