Introduction
Every person should make a decision regarding the kind of future career at some point in their lives. On the one hand, there is a variety of supporters of the idea to start the business. For instance, according to Rhonda Abrams, an expert in small business and entrepreneurship, “The independence and flexibility of time is a great advantage of the entrepreneurial life” (USA Today). On the other hand, opponents of this idea highlight that owning a business are associated with numerous challenges. Although having a business is a tremendously popular career opportunity due to unlimited earning potential and independence, working a day job can be considered a more suitable decision for individuals seeking stability and regular cash flow.
Pay Consistency
Working for an employer is an excellent opportunity that can be used to plan the future. In fact, the individuals working a day job receive regular paychecks, whereas the earnings of entrepreneurs are inherently unpredictable. This belief is especially true in terms of new business when the owner is not aware of the principles which should be maintained on a regular basis. In turn, people having regular cash flow are more likely to cover the mortgage, education, and everyday expenses without stress than entrepreneurs. In the context of owning a business, the person does not have the opportunity to plan future investments, trips, and purchases, as monthly earnings can significantly differ. It is a widely known fact that external and internal factors can affect the success of the business, thereby, requiring the owner to pay additional money.
Freedom
Taking into consideration that the twenty-first century provides numerous opportunities for professional development, employed individuals can select many areas of work. People working a day job can do things that they would not be able to do as small business owners. For example, delivering custom solutions and products on the basis of the latest IT advancements requires a high-quality infrastructure and reputation. It is difficult to serve these functions without support from other stakeholders, which is why employed individuals tend to rely on entrepreneurs. In case the specific area of work does not satisfy the expectations and needs of employees, they can quit the job and keep looking for other job offerings. At the same time, the majority of business owners cannot develop large-scale projects due to the vast amount of resources that are required to achieve such goals. Thus, working a day job is associated with freedom of choice, while business owners should work on a specific project despite everything.
Job Benefits
In addition to regular and timely cash flow, employees have the opportunity to benefit from various bonuses, such as health insurance and paid sick leave. Simultaneously, business owners lose money for every day which is dedicated to their vacation or health treatment. In fact, they are required to plan such expenses and arrange funds on their own. Moreover, the vacation of a business owner and employed individual significantly differ. On the one hand, when the employees go on vacation, they can relax both physically and mentally. In fact, they have the opportunity to forget about the job for several weeks and enjoy their free time. On the other hand, even though business owners can go for a vacation, they are still responsible for a variety of processes in a certain organization. Most frequently, this group of individuals constantly check their smartphones in order to control the quality of services provided to their customers.
The Lack of Risk
Usually, supporters of the idea of starting a business state that entrepreneurship is strongly connected with lifestyle transformations, independence, and continuous growth. However, the main argument provided in support of having a business is a high potential for making substantial capital. This belief can be considered correct, although people frequently forget that being a businessperson is equal to living under the circumstances of risk and stress. In fact, once the financial capital is invested in a start-up, the period of stress and risk begins. In turn, when the start-up turns into a successful project, a person having business still should take into account external and internal factors affecting the business environment. For instance, the economy, politics, managers, and customers can ruin even the most successful projects. Therefore, business people work under unstable conditions on a regular basis, whereas employed individuals only take responsibility for their own scope of work.
Conclusion
Debates regarding the advantages and disadvantages of being employed have been existing for numerous decades. Opponents of the idea to work a day job tend to highlight that having regular work is associated with limited potential for financial increase and a lack of independence. However, there are numerous benefits of having a full-time job, such as timely cash flow, limited responsibility, company-provided benefits, and fixed work timings. As to the advantages of having a business, they include numerous opportunities for growth, unlimited earning potential, and personal transformations. Nevertheless, each kind of career requires specific professional skills. Therefore, every individual should make the decision regarding professional development according to personal preferences and abilities.