FREELANCE OR MOBILE?

I am afraid this one has been a 'bone of contention' with me for some time. I personally hate the word 'mobile' and I do not feel it allows 'us' to break out of that cheap mould that hairdressers or hair stylists have been stuck in for some time!

When I decided to go freelance around thirty odd years ago one had to be cheaper than the salon (note the word cheap used here). Also hairdressers that worked in salons and did a bit of work after hours for cash were cheaper because they were doing it in your home. People didn't expect to pay the going rate because you were in their home; using their electricity and their shampoo. Basically as far as they were concerned you had a job and so you couldn't expect to get paid as much as the salon.

Now where does the term Freelance come from? Well as far as I can see it's root goes back to medieval times when there were mercenary's. The word comes from free lance. Basically you rented your lance to whoever paid you! You had no allegiance to one particular person. ORIGIN early 19th cent.(denoting a mercenary): originally as two words.

I have looked in a few dictionaries as well as online and this is what I have found:-

freelance |ˌfriːlɑːns| (also free-lance) adjective working for different companies at different times rather than being permanently employed by one company : a freelance journalist. • independent or uncommitted in politics or personal life. adverb earning one's living in such a way : I work freelance from home.

freelance adjective freelance writers are invited to submit articles self-employed, independent, contract.

freelancer noun a person who works freelance.

Found on Wikipedia:-

A freelancer or freelance worker is a person who pursues a profession without a long-term commitment to any one employer. The term was first coined by Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) in his well-known historical romance Ivanhoe to describe a "medieval mercenary warrior." The phrase later transitioned to a figurative noun around the 1860s and was then officially recognized as a verb in 1903 by various authorities in etymology such as the Oxford English Dictionary. Only in modern times has the term morphed from a noun (a freelance or a freelancer) into various verb forms (a journalist who freelances), and an adverb (she worked freelance).

The Internet has opened up many freelance opportunities, expanding markets and helping to build it into one of the largest economic segments for many economies. Development for freelancing has been especially high for software development, website design, information technology, and business documentation.
Freelance practice varies greatly. Some require clients to sign written contracts, while others may perform work based on verbal agreements, perhaps enforceable through the very nature of the work. Some freelancers may provide written estimates of work and request deposits from clients.
Payment for freelance work also varies greatly. Freelancers may charge by the day or hour, or on a per-project basis. Instead of a flat rate or fee, some consultants have adopted a value-based pricing method based on the perceived value of the results to the client. By custom, payment arrangements may be upfront, percentage upfront, or upon completion. For more complex projects, a contract may set a payment schedule based on milestones or outcomes.

Mobile adjective |ˌməʊbʌɪl| able to move or be moved freely or easily. Traveling; transportable. A sculpture or a toy

A mobile is a type of kinetic sculpture constructed to take advantage of the principle of equilibrium. It consists of a number of rods, from which weighted objects or further rods hang. The objects hanging from the rods balance each other, so that the rods remain more or less horizontal. Each rod hangs from only one string, which gives it freedom to rotate about the string.

A mobile telephone or cellular telephone (commonly, "mobile phone" or "cell phone") is a long-range, portable electronic device used for mobile communication.

So are we 'portable' and able to move around freely & easily or are we freelance and rent our lance to whoever will pay for it? The term seems to have a more professional connotation to it in the 21st century; obviously the type of person using this term to explain away their job description. Interesting that IT people & journalists (usually highly paid fields) have adapted it to describe their 'profession'.

Call yourself what you want - but I know what I prefer ;-)