Is freelance work "free"?

Freelance work and content creation are gaining attention in the labor market, but is it easy to succeed without discipline and hard work?

The wave of "job hopping" is increasing

In the early days of 2025, the Vietnamese labor market is witnessing a "wave" of job resignations and job hopping stronger than ever. According to the forecast from the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, after the Tet holiday, some industries may face a local shortage of human resources as many workers seek better opportunities.

In particular, the information technology (IT) industry is at the center of this trend. A clear example is a recent report from the recruitment platform JobsGO, which shows that 54.5% of IT employees expressed their intention to change jobs in 2025 – a significant increase compared to 40% last year. With the rapid pace of technological development, IT workers are forced to constantly upgrade their skills and look for new, more suitable environments.

Labor market changes in early 2025

Not only in the IT field, many young people also decide to give up office jobs to try their hand at new fields. The increasingly popular remote working model, along with the strong development of the digital economy, has led many people to choose the path of online business or become content creators on YouTube, TikTok in the hope of more "freedom".

With the desire for freedom and better income, Mr. Vu Thai Bao (25 years old, Hanoi) is one of the young people who dare to change direction. He used to work in an office with a salary of 8 million VND/month, but the pressure of KPI and fixed time made Bao feel constrained.

Believing that freelancing would help him be more proactive, he decided to quit his job to become a fitness trainer and content creator. Bao invested all his time in developing his personal brand, persistently building a TikTok channel and attracting more than 35,000 followers in just a few months. The results were quick as his income increased to 20-25 million VND/month, many times more than his previous office job.

Freelance or double pressure?

KPI pressure, a restrictive office environment, generational gap with colleagues, etc. all make many young people believe that freelancing is a "paradise" because there is no boss, no deadline, no constraints. But the reality is not that simple.

Mr. Trinh Quoc Binh, a communications specialist in Hanoi, once intended to quit his job to become a freelancer, but quickly realized that, although the office environment is stressful, it still provides a clear support and discipline mechanism.

"Having an organization that guides work and applies KPIs helps me work more systematically. Achieving KPIs is not easy, but it is a common challenge that everyone must overcome. If the majority of employees do not meet them, the management can make adjustments, not letting everyone fail," Mr. Binh shared.

Even Vu Thai Bao, who left the office environment to pursue freelance work, realized one thing: Freedom does not mean easy. "When I first started freelancing, there was no one to supervise me, and my work results dropped significantly. After that, I had to set my own schedule, and be even stricter with myself than when I worked in an office, otherwise I would have gone downhill very quickly," Bao admitted.

With the increasing trend of "job hopping", the problem of retaining employees is becoming a big challenge for businesses. Talking to Cong Thuong Newspaper, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong, Sales Director of Liko Vietnam Joint Stock Company, commented: “The labor market is changing rapidly. In the past, employees tended to stay with a company for a long time, but now, they are willing to leave if they do not see development opportunities or worthy recognition. Therefore, retaining employees is not simply a matter of increasing salary or benefits, but requires a long-term strategy - from corporate culture, working environment to personal development roadmap”.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong also believes that choosing between a stable job and freelance work is not right or wrong, the important thing is whether each worker is sufficiently prepared or not.

“Freelance work offers flexibility, creative opportunities and unlimited income, but it also requires high discipline, good work and financial management skills. Without careful preparation, workers can fall into a state of loss of control, unstable income and even greater pressure than when working in a corporate environment,” Ms. Hong added.

Therefore, according to Ms. Hong, no matter which path you choose, the most important thing is still being ready in terms of skills, mentality and long-term career planning.

In the current economic context, boosting sales activities is a top priority for businesses. Therefore, sales positions are always on the list of most recruited positions, according to annual surveys conducted by Navigos Group. This trend does not only occur after Tet but lasts throughout the year, reflecting the continuous needs of businesses.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/thi-truong-lao-dong-2025-cong-viec-tu-do-lieu-co-tu-do-375983.html