Discover if freelancing fits your personality with our test. Learn the advantages and disadvantages and make the right career choice for your situation.
Rogier Rijnja12/03/2026
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Does freelancing suit you? Take the test
The freedom to set your own hours, work where and when you want, and have no boss above you. Freelancing sounds like the ultimate career dream to many people, especially now that platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and social media make it seem easier than ever to start for yourself. But freelancing is not a universal dream scenario. In fact: it doesn't suit everyone at all. Not because your profession or sector isn't suitable for it, but because it mainly depends on who you are as a person. freelancing curious whether freelancing suits you? Below you'll find our self-made test where we'll compare your personality and way of working with that of a freelancer together.
Freelancing is romanticized, justifiably?
On Instagram and LinkedIn, working independently sometimes seems like the ultimate career dream. You see people working remotely from Bali, serving multiple clients simultaneously and seeing their income grow. Freedom, flexibility, financial growth; it's all possible. But it's rarely the whole story. Behind those success stories are also moments of stress, uncertainty, administration and a constant search for new assignments. What you see less often are the practical challenges that freelancing brings with it. Things you don't have a colleague or employer for, but that you have to organize yourself.
Income uncertainty
There's no fixed salary. Sometimes you earn a lot, sometimes less. Especially when you're just starting out or assignments fall through, that can be nerve-wracking.
Insurance and pension
Disability insurance, pension building and liability are all your responsibility. That takes time and money to arrange properly.
Administration and taxes
Sending invoices, filing VAT returns, making quotes and tracking hours are all part of it. And you do that on top of your work for clients.
Maintaining structure yourself
With the test below you can discover if your personality is a good fit for freelancing.
How does the test work?
Answer the questions below and give yourself a score of 0 to 2 points per question.
- 0 = No, this doesn't fit me
- 1 = Sometimes / a little bit
- 2 = Yes, this fits me well
Add up all your points at the end.
Test: does freelancing fit your personality?
1. How do you deal with uncertainty?
Can you stay calm when your income can vary per month or when a client suddenly stops?
2. Can you motivate yourself without external pressure?
Do you manage to stay productive without a boss, fixed working hours or someone who checks if you're doing your work?
3. How organized are you?
Can you handle planning, administration, deadlines and financial overview well?
4. Can you work well alone?
Many freelancers work largely independently. So no friendly chat in between at the office or having lunch together every day. Can you also work well without the company of colleagues around you?
5. Do you enjoy looking for new clients?
Freelancers must regularly bring in new assignments. And you can sometimes do that online, but you will also certainly have to engage in sales conversations with (potential) clients. Are you willing to have those kinds of conversations and actively look for new clients.
6. How do you deal with responsibility?
As a freelancer everything lies with you: planning, clients, income, mistakes and making sure you have the right insurance. Can you handle that well?
7. Do you need a lot of structure?
Do you prefer to work with clear frameworks and guidance, or do you find it nicer to determine your own way of working?
8. Do you dare to take risks?
Freelancing sometimes means making choices without certainty. Do you feel comfortable with that.
Calculate your score
Maximum score: 16 points
0 – 6 points: freelancing probably doesn't suit you well
If you fall into this category, it probably means you get more energy from stability, structure and clarity. A permanent job with colleagues, a predictable income and clear expectations might suit you better. That's absolutely not a disadvantage. Many people actually function better in an environment where tasks, roles and responsibilities are clearly divided. In your case, freelancing might create more stress than freedom. The constant uncertainty, managing administration independently and searching for clients can feel heavy.
7 – 11 points: freelancing might possibly suit you
You're somewhere in the middle. Some aspects of freelancing suit you, others less so. This means freelancing could possibly work, but probably not without challenges. Perhaps you find the freedom attractive, but have doubts about the uncertainty. Or you like working independently, but find client acquisition difficult. In that case, it might be smart to first try freelancing alongside a job or to start with a few freelance assignments to discover how it feels. This way you can experience whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for you.
12 – 16 points: good chance that freelancing suits you well
If you score high on this test, there's a good chance that freelancing aligns well with your personality. You seem comfortable with independence, responsibility and uncertainty. These are precisely the qualities that freelancers often need. You get energy from:
- Autonomy
- Making your own choices
- Working flexibly
- Deciding for yourself how to organize your work
This doesn't mean freelancing is always easy, but it does mean you can probably handle the challenges that come with it better.
Don't just look at your industry, but especially at yourself
It's true that you can freelance well in many sectors nowadays. But the most important question isn't whether it's possible. The question is: does it suit you? Freelancing can be great for people who thrive on freedom, responsibility and variety. But it can also be a source of stress if you prefer clear structure, stability or guidance. And there's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone is made for freelancing, just like not everyone is happy in a permanent job. Are you interested in freelancing? Then check out our Freelance Start Coach and discover whether freelancing suits you and get a complete startup plan with niche, finances and legal matters.
About the author Rogier Rijnja
Rogier is co-founder van Findmino. Hij heeft veel internationale ervaring in senior management rollen in bedrijven als Nike, Apple, Amazon, Danone en een paar Nederlandse merken. Naast business is hij geïnteresseerd in wat Nederland nou zo mooi maakt.
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