One of the reasons I moved from Barcelona to Chicago was to expand my clientele as a translator. In fact, it’s easier to be self-employed in the USA: you only need to file taxes quarterly and annually. In Spain, you do the same, but you have to pay an additional mandatory minimum rate between 250 and 300 EUR, no matter how much or little you earn. Even if you didn’t make any income one month, you’d still have to pay that amount.
Early in my career, I had to take on jobs as a customer service representative to secure a steady income. On a positive note, these jobs usually included using my translating, editing, and writing skills. Meanwhile, I looked for clients to consolidate my freelance career, which I started in 2010 after I graduated from college. Although I secured several clients, I wasn’t getting work on a regular basis. Furthermore, having a full-time job left me with little spare time. Whether I got work or not as a self-employed professional, the prospect of having to pay almost 300 EUR every month wasn’t attractive. All these facts—coupled with the high unemployment rate, the low-paying market, and the never-ending recession in Spain—prompted me to decide to emigrate in 2016. READ: Promoting Mediocrity I know it might sound like a cliché, but we certainly have just one life. Everything gets better when we choose to do what we want. I believe it’s unhealthy to spend your life not doing what you want, on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later. In the USA, I’ve had more jobs as a freelance professional in less than a year that in the previous five years in Spain. I’m fulfilling my original purpose: my clientele as a translator is growing. Additionally, I have the chance to try new avenues that I’m enjoying, such as working as a pet care professional as part of the Fetch Pet Care team. I’ve always found looking after animals very fulfilling at a personal level. My services include dog walking, cat visitation, aquarium maintenance, overnight sitting, and medicine administering. I often bond quickly with cats and dogs. That contributes to noted improvements in their behaviors.
Last, but not least, I love the benefits that come with self-employment. I love being my own boss: I decide who, when, and how. CHECK: 15 Reasons To Consider Self-Employment