How people work is changing, with many professionals eschewing the structural limitations of the 9-to-5 and a physical office to become independent contractors, also known as freelancers and entrepreneurs.
Freelancing offers vital benefits like freedom and autonomy but also requires hard work. You must skillfully network to land good gigs and produce excellent work to boost your reputation. Here’s a look at the freelancing landscape, including companies that are hiring and some tips for succeeding on your own.
Where to find freelance jobs: Companies hiring freelancers
A key hurdle for many new freelancers is finding companies offering consistent work in their area of expertise. Whatever your skill set, it’s vital to recognize market demand to keep your freelance business running. According to a study from FlexJobs, these are the top 15 companies for hiring freelancers:
- Robert Half International: Staffing services
- Kforce: Technology, finance and accounting professional solutions
- Kelly: Staffing services
- LHH Recruitment Solutions: Accounting and finance staffing services
- Randstad: Staffing and human resources services
- CyraCom: Language interpretation and translation services
- Collabera: Digital and information technology (IT) talent services
- Bilingual Therapies: Education staffing services
- The Planet Group: Professional staffing and consulting services
- Profit Factory: Executive assistant staffing and consulting services
- Motion Recruitment: IT staffing and consulting services
- Welocalize: Translation and content localization services
- BELAY: Virtual assistant, accounting and social media staffing
- Solomon Page: Staffing and executive search services
- Beacon Hill: Staffing and consulting services
How freelancing has changed in prevalence over time
According to an often-cited 2015 study by Upwork and Freelancers Union, 60 percent of freelancers in the United States started freelancing by choice rather than necessity — an increase of 7 percent from 2014. Additionally, 67 percent of freelancers in that study agreed that more people were choosing to work independently than three years prior.
Later data from Statista revealed that 59 million Americans freelanced in 2020, compared with 53 million in 2014. And freelancing’s popularity is showing no signs of abating. In 2023, Upwork’s 2023 Freelance Forward study found that a staggering 38 percent of the American workforce or 64 million people, performed freelance work in the prior year — an increase of four million professionals from 2022.
The study said workers were attracted to the growing freelancing sector because it offered more flexibility, autonomy and control over their careers than a traditional 9-to-5 model.
According to the 2023 Upwork study, freelancers account for $1.27 trillion in annual U.S. economic contributions.
Benefits of freelancing
Freelancing offers freedom and flexibility — two compelling reasons many professionals opt for this lifestyle over traditional full-time opportunities. Nick DiUlio, a freelance journalist and adjunct professor of journalism at Rowan University, initially assumed freelance work would be a stopgap between full-time gigs.
“It started as a way to get out of a toxic workplace where I was unhappy,” DiUlio shared. “I loved the flexibility and variety. After a year, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
Here are some of the top advantages freelancers enjoy:
- Freelancers can work from any location: Upwork’s 2023 survey respondents cited the ability to work from any location as a top reason they decided to freelance. While many businesses manage remote workforces of salaried, full-time employees, freelancers tend to score the most remote gigs. The Upwork study revealed that 60 percent of freelancers work remotely, as opposed to only 32 percent of nonfreelance workers.
- Freelancers work on their own schedules: Survey respondents cited flexibility in their work schedule as a top reason for choosing freelancing. Freelancers can choose the amount of work they take on and the hours they’ll dedicate to that work in any given period. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said that, while they work consistently, they work on a schedule that best fits their lifestyle.
- Freelancers get paid via multiple income streams: Upwork survey respondents said being in control of their financial future was a key reason they chose to freelance. Freelancers frequently have more than one income stream, providing a bigger financial safety net than a single source of income. To some extent, they control their earning potential and can diversify their income.
- Freelancers can explore opportunities: Freelancers aren’t tied to a job and have more chances to experiment with entrepreneurship and creative projects. If you want to start a business or write a book, freelancing can offer the income and flexibility you need to launch your project.
- Freelancers can continually learn: Freelancing means you’ll likely work on various projects with different clients. You have more chances to learn new in-demand career skills and gain knowledge you may not otherwise be exposed to in a traditional 9-to-5 job. Learning new skills on the job is an excellent way to stay on top of your professional development.
Tips for freelancers
Consider the following freelancing tips and advice from successful self-employed professionals.
1. Create a plan when getting started with freelancing.
DiUlio advises laying out a plan and researching thoroughly before you begin looking for freelance work. For example, you need to ensure you’re taking on jobs that pay promptly and can cover your expenses. Additionally, your payment structure, including how much and when you’ll get paid, is a crucial component of planning your freelancing career.
“You need to know and approach [freelancing] with an economic plan,” DiUlio advised. “[For example], web-based writing is a little easier because the payment turnaround is quicker, as opposed to print, which could have 30-, 60- or 90-day turnarounds.”
2. View your freelancing work as a true business.
Ryan Johnson, a recruiter at Upwork, advises freelancers to think of themselves as a business of one. He says branding yourself is a secret to career success that can distinguish you from the competition. “Budget time to build your personal brand and market yourself,” Johnson recommended.
Cultivating the right hard and soft skills is also crucial. “Allocate some of your time to refreshing your existing skills and adding new ones,” Johnson suggested. “Businesses are increasingly turning to freelance marketplaces to access skills that an in-house team doesn’t have. Keeping yourself up to date with new and emerging trends will make you more desirable.”
3. Lean on your network.
Michael Parker, chief marketing officer at ReversingLabs, says it’s critical to communicate with your contacts and network to make new ones. Building your professional network is especially important for freelancers, who must work hard to generate leads for themselves.
“Attend industry events you’re interested in,” Parker advised. “Go to other events to network with prospective clients and sources.”
4. Get your freelancing career started.
Once you’re ready, the best way to start is just to do it — perhaps even alongside your full-time position.
“Once you set up [an online] profile and land your first project, you’ll be able to showcase your work, receive client reviews and start building your online reputation,” Johnson explained. “You should view your profile as a more innovative, better version of a resume since it provides proof of your work.”
Whether you make a career out of freelancing or use it as a part-time platform, acknowledge your worth and don’t work for free. “[For] your work, whatever that may be, you deserve to be paid,” DiUlio said.
For business owners: How to find the right freelancer
Small businesses are hiring more independent contractors because they offer companies additional flexibility and reduced labor costs. Business owners typically turn to online job listings to find full- and part-time employees. However, freelancers are less likely to use these spaces to find work because they’re not interested in working a binding number of hours per week.
If you’re a business owner interested in finding freelancers, consider the following resources:
- Online freelancer markets: Specialized websites like Freelancer.com, Fiverr, Upwork and FlexJobs are excellent platforms for finding talented professionals. You can search for freelancers with specific skill sets or post freelance opportunity listings with detailed job descriptions.
- Industry-specific sites and newsletters: Many industries have job boards that feature full-time, part-time and freelance work in specific fields. Industry-specific e-mail newsletters are also excellent places to advertise for and find freelancers.
- Personal and professional networks: Word-of-mouth recommendations are an excellent way to find highly qualified, vetted candidates. Ask your personal and professional contacts if they have any suggestions for your open freelancing positions. Additionally, your social media platforms are easy, inexpensive and effective resources for posting open job positions and attracting freelancing candidates familiar with your brand.
No matter how you find your freelancers, determine exactly what you want them to do and how much you’ll pay. Transparently sharing your expectations and rates will ensure everyone is on the same page. Additionally, set a strategy for weeding through applications and resumes and consider vetting potential candidates with reference checks and even background checks if you deem it necessary.
Freelancing is a trend to watch
Freelancing brings flexibility and autonomy to professionals while providing businesses with a broad network to find skilled help at reasonable costs. As freelancing’s popularity grows, more workplaces will rely on teams with a mix of in-house and freelance talent. Whether you’re a worker or a business, freelancing is changing how we work and it’s crucial to stay on top of the trend so you can use it to your benefit.
Shannon Gausepohl and Max Freedman contributed to this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.
Source: Where to Find Freelance Jobs – businessnewsdaily.com
