1. Artistic Expression

There aren’t many careers these days which allow you to express your creative side on a daily basis, to give you the satisfaction of being able to create and bring something into the world that will hopefully have a positive effect on others and could potentially be seen by hundreds maybe thousands of people. The bottom line is you get to be creative for a living and it can be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things you can do.

2. Flexible Hours

Although as a designer you can work a 9-5 for a studio or company being a freelance designer you have the freedom to control the hours you work, although sometimes this can mean never seeing the light of day. If this is the way you choose to go it can also mean the end to the dreaded daily commute and lets face it that alone is an attractive proposition.

3. Tangible Results

Good or bad you always have something to show for your hard work, and every new piece you create can become a selling point for future clients, your value is basically growing as you work. Although you could probably say this of a lot of jobs, there are not many in which you actually have physical proof to show for it at the end.

4. There is always work if you want it

Although it may not seem like it, if your good at what you do there are always people who will hire you. It may not always be the ideal brief, it may be restricive but there are always positives to every piece of work you take on. It may not be from a creative point of view, but it may be something lacking from your portfolio which will help you gain more work or more of the work that interests you.

5. Be your own boss

This is a no brainer, who doesn’t want to be their own boss. So long as you can keep yourself motivated and get the work done, being your own boss allows you all the freedom in the world to make your own decisions about what work you want to do and how you want to do it.

6. Status

Telling people your a graphic designer has a certain air to it, and I say most people would agree that it a much more interesting and attractive career than let’s say an accountant, though I’m not trying to pick on accounts someone has to do it, I’m just glad it’s not me.

7. Money

Why does anybody do anything, most careers are about the money and graphic design is no different, the bills have to be paid. I do think though that graphic design is one of the few careers were although the money is nice I would still do it if no one actually paid me (Although don’t tell them this). As a graphic designer/consultant there is plenty of money to be made for those who are willing to work for it. Where is the next job coming from, etc., is always going to be on your mind but it shouldn’t consume you. Keep the work consistently good no matter what the budget is and you’ll always find the next job or 6.

8. Low Running Costs

Being a solo designer allows you to be competitive. The big studios also have the big bills to pay which means they are always going to be the more expensive option for a client, being freelance means you have relatively low running costs which is a huge advantage when bidding on a project if you can produce the same quality of work for half the price.

What do you think? I’m sure there are lots more advantages that I’ve missed, let me know in the comments