Field Notes offers free access to freelancers and job seekers | News | Research live

Field Notes announced the move in a LinkedIn post in response to industry redundancies and freelancers struggling to find work.

The move has resulted in over 50 people signing up to date, with Field Notes hosting introductory sessions, according to the company.

Speaking to Research Live, Giulia Romanò, head of customer innovation at Field Notes, said: “We have frequent conversations with our customers and, working with many agencies from around the world, we are often a good barometer for how the market is going; so we know that many people in the industry are facing job losses and struggling to find work – it’s an incredibly tough market.

“We wanted to do something practical to help. We already run pro bono projects to support students through our Field Notes Academy initiative, so expanding this to freelancers and job seekers felt like a natural step and the right thing to do.”

Making the platform freely accessible offers freelancers and job seekers the opportunity to “showcase their thinking to potential employers, explore topics they’re passionate about, sharpen their skills, and get hands-on experience with self-ethnography and AI tools,” said Romanò.

The response to Romanò’s initial LinkedIn post has been “overwhelming”, she said, with hundreds of people getting in touch. She added: “It’s been fantastic to see the research community rallying to support those in need.”

The initiative has sparked strong interest from the UK and US, as well as attracting joiners from Sydney and other locations. Researchers are also exploring using the tool to generate content for social media to help with personal branding, and testing business propositions with fellow researchers.

Romanò said: “We’ve had people joining who are coming back from maternity leave, as well as those going solo for the first time, looking to build confidence and learn new skills. The conversations happening in our sessions have been fantastic – lots of idea-sharing, collaboration, and support within the community.”

In addition to opening up its platform, Field Notes is expanding its recommendations to include freelancers and job seekers.

Romanò said: “Our customers often ask us for recommendations, and while we already maintain a database of trusted recruiters worldwide, we’re now extending this to include freelancers and job seekers. We’re gathering key information on their areas of expertise and specialisms, which we can share with potential employers when requested. We’re not aiming to replace recruiters, but we’re happy to facilitate connections within the freelancer and job seeker community.”