Should freelancers call themselves consultants?

Freelance, consultants, freelance consultants, temp workers, contractors, etc are just interchangeable words that are a bit vague and undefined in the industry.

Consultants might argue in favor of consultants and freelancers might argue in favor of freelancers. I understand that the meaning of these words is also largely driven by industry and culture context. For example in New York, it is perfectly acceptable to call yourself a ‘freelancer’ in the advertising agencies. The information technology industry does use the term ‘consultant’. Other countries and industries may have different preferences. Both words, however, indicate the temporary nature of the job. There might be a perception that consultants might be paid a lot of money to deliver a small amount of work, while freelancers are the real underdogs who get paid low despite doing the real work.

Problem with the word ‘freelance’

The word freelance feels temporary, unattached, inexpensive, hired to do something as instructed. Freelance as a term also creates a perception that the professional is desperate, poor, struggling, and is willing to accept whatever work at whatever pay rate they can get. Typically freelancing could be a…