Wednesday, June 5, 2013

I Foresee Terrible Trouble

Hey, hey. How's it going? Finally getting to Choose and Defend Wednesday, even though it has been Wednesday for ever so many hours already. It is my busy season at work. Do you have one of those? What is your job like? What would you like your job to be like? Let's explore a bit...you know, just one little surface thing. Because this is Choose and Defend and that is what we do!

Would you prefer to be....

A Company Employee
OR

Self-Employed

Think it over...they each have their pros and cons. Then go ahead and Choose. It is nice to explain yourself a bit...Defend yourself, man! Have you no spunk! Not that kind of spunk. Put that away. 

Choose and Defend!

12 comments:

AlienCG said...

I think the idea of owning my own business would be, on the surface, a freeing experience and a positive challenge. However, I see that prospect as being too risky even for me. I would prefer to be the man in the back (who's ready to crack...sorry) who makes a fairly set amount of money. I would rather be a COMPANY EMPLOYEE. Final Answer.

silly rabbit said...

My dad had his own business... and it zapped his time away from us.
I have to go with being an employee. I like to leave work and NOT care an iota about it once I walk out the door. Go home and enjoy my life and family.

FW said...

I have a family and interests outside of work that I value too much to give myself up to work completely, which, I think to make a success out of your business, you have to do. So Company Employee for me.

Secret Agent Woman said...

I've done both, so I can actually answer this based on experience. The positives of working for a company are a regular paycheck, benefits like health insurance and paid vacation, and colleagues. I miss all that. But what I do not miss is someone else setting my schedule, someone without clinical training making decisions that negatively affected my ability to do my work, and the feeling of being scrutinized. My practice is successful enough that I don't worry about it outside the office. When I walk out the door, I'm free. I definitely don't spend more time on it than I did when I worked for a company. I like being able to schedule my life without getting approval, I like that if I have a free block of time at work I can take a nap, read, go for a walk, or whatever, I like that things like my computer are tax deductible, and I like the utter autonomy of it all. It's not that owning a business is without frustrations but no form of work is. I started it 10 years ago and have never regretted that decision.

Secret Agent Woman said...

Oh, I guess I only implied my vote - self-employed!

Anonymous said...

I've done both and in fact we own our own company now. Like everyone said above there are pros and cons to both. I am going to settle on the own your own company for the sheer freedom of being able to do what you want when you want. Though not having to worry about clients coming and going would be nice to let go of.

Anonymous said...

When I can sustain myself 100% by writing I will be a happy boy. Everything else is a compromise :)

Anonymous said...

My parents were self-employed the entire time I knew them. It was a tremendous amount of work with no security, although it came with freedom of its own kind. As their kid, I wanted stability and parents who could spend time with me, not drag me to their meetings. As an adult, I appreciate having a retirement account. So, although I like the freedom of reporting to no one, I think I prefer working for the other guy. But, the perfect scenario would be to have a job with a high amount of autonomy -- I'm thinking college professor. This is assuming that the job of Clive Owen's wife and sex toy isn't open.

laura b. said...

Jasen: It'll turn into a ballroom blitz! I totally get where you're coming from. One for Company Employee.

Silly: An interesting perspective. Thank you! And it is great to see you here :) Two for Company Employee.

FW: Great defense. Makes a lot of sense to me. Three for Company Employee.

Secret: Nice to hear from someone who has done both. And I can definitely see that some careers would lend themselves to self-employment much more readily. It has clearly been good for you. One for Self-Employed.

Annie: Another who has done both! Sounds like the good outweighs the bad for you. Two for Self-Employed.

James: So, your ultimate goal is, essentially, to be....Three for Self-Employed.

Crash: Another great perspective on the issue, thank you. If my choice was between Clive Owen's wife and sex toy and college professor, I'd have to go with Clive :) But, yeah, the job might be taken. Four for Company Employee. (PS-Your blog is fantastic!)

Everyone: I have loved your answers. Very well thought out and compelling from both sides of the issue. So far it is 4-3, with Company Employee leading Self-Employed. Anyone else who'd like to cast in a vote, please do!

NoRegrets said...

company employee please. which is what I got. I don't have enough confidence in my way forward, and I like normal hours.

Tara said...

I'm okay with being a company employee, so that's my answer.

I have only dreamed of the basic idea of being self employed, like what the business would be called and what I would sell or make. I'd definitely need an accountant to help me with the deeper details.

laura b. said...

NoRegrets: Regularity is very, very nice. Five for Company Employee.

Tara: haha! Thinking of names is the best part! Six for Company Employee.

Everyone: It is now 6-3, and Company Employee has a rather commanding lead over Self-Employed. Comments and votes still welcome :)