The Freelance vs. Full-Time Dilemma: It's Not What You Think

Choosing between working for yourself and working for someone else is one of the most common crossroads creatives face. It feels like a practical question, but dig a little deeper and you'll find it's really about who you are, what you can handle, and where you are in life right now.

This question was answered by Ash King, Psychologist, Writer and Cyberpsychology Researcher at the University of Sydney, and Tarra van Amerongen, Head of Design, Jira Platform at Atlassian and Innovation Design Lecturer at UTS, in conversation with host Andy on Never Not Creative's "Asking For A Friend" series. Both bring a rare blend of creative industry experience and strategic thinking to a question that trips up so many people.

It's a Nervous System Question, Not a Practical One

Ash reframes the whole debate from the start. If you truly wanted security above all else, you probably wouldn't be in a creative field at all. So the real question isn't "which option is safer?" It's: what kind of stress can you tolerate?

Right now, you're weighing up autonomy versus predictability. Neither is better than the other. It's about fit, not a universal right answer.

Two Flavours of Stress

Here's the honest truth Ash puts on the table: both paths come with stress. You're not choosing between stress and no stress. You're choosing which kind of stress you can handle better.

• If uncertainty (not knowing where the next job or paycheck is coming from) keeps you in a state of chronic, heightened anxiety, then employment might stabilise you.
• If constraint drains your motivation and kills your creative energy, then self-employment might be what actually energises you.

Knowing yourself here is everything.

You Don't Have to Choose One Thing Entirely

Ash points out that portfolio careers are a completely reasonable option. A mix of self-employed work alongside part-time or casual employment is a real path, not a compromise. It lets you test what works for your nervous system without going all-in on one side.

What Season of Life Are You In?

This is one of the most grounding questions Ash raises. Your needs, identity and responsibilities are always shifting, and your work should be allowed to shift with them.

In your early twenties, with fewer obligations, you might be in a season of experimentation. Ash reflects on her own early career moving through film and TV, radio, music and visual arts: "I just wanted like the buffet of everything that I could try out."

Later in life, with a partner, a family, a mortgage, or other commitments, you might need something that facilitates stability. That's not being a traitor to a previous version of yourself. It's recognising that identity, needs and responsibilities are always in flux.

The Business Cycle Matters Too

Tarra adds a practical layer that's easy to overlook: the economic climate matters. Freelancers are often the first to feel the squeeze when times get tough. In a strong economy, freelancing is more viable. When things contract, being in-house offers more protection.

It's worth factoring in not just your personal temperament, but the broader environment you're stepping into.

Growth Looks Different Depending on the Path

Tarra also raises the question of growth trajectory. There are two broad ways to grow: going deep in one place over a long time, or moving around and collecting a wide range of experiences.

For creatives, especially early in their careers, Tarra encourages taking as many risks and gathering as many experiences as possible: "It really pays back in the future." Being a one-trick pony who's only ever done one thing for a decade is a harder position to be in than someone who's moved around and built a broad foundation.

A Note on Identity

Host Andy draws out one final thread worth sitting with: your identity cannot be your work, because work is something you can lose. If your job disappears and your whole sense of self goes with it, that's a fragile place to be. Filling up your identity with more than just your career, whatever season you're in, is worth the investment.

Whether you go freelance, take a job, or build something in between, the most important thing is knowing yourself well enough to make the choice that fits your life right now. Not forever. Just right now.

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