How Freelance Software Can Help You Adapt to the Changing Freelance Marketplace

How Freelance Software Can Help You Adapt to the Changing Freelance Marketplace It is the year 2020, and it is highly unlikely that you have not heard of the term freelance economy. If you do not know what it is, here is a short explanation. The freelance economy is also known as the gig market. It is a labor market in which the number of short-term contracts is growing at a rapid rate. In this market, various companies hire self-employed workers to undertake jobs that require a particular skill, in return for a predetermined payment. Rather than being offered permanent positions, freelancers are hired for temporary work. Therefore, the freelance marketplace is an excellent platform for companies, entrepreneurs, and talented individual contractors. An online freelance marketplace makes money by charging both the freelancer and the employer in return for acting as the platform that facilitates the transaction between the two. The freelance economy is booming and makes up over 35% of the US workforce ( CNBC ). By the year 2027, the number is projected to reach 50.9% (We Forum). Online freelance marketplaces such as Upwork, Toptal, Fiverr, 99designs, and Freelancer are some of the industry’s key players that have reshaped the freelance economy. To build your own freelance software, you must first find a niche market for your product. A niche market is the subset of the market that is characterized by specific needs, interests, and requirements. This will help your organization reduce the competition it faces by clearly targeting and focusing all your marketing efforts on a small but well-defined audience. By establishing a niche market, your freelancing software will serve population groups that other freelance software have previously overlooked. This is the best way to validate your business idea because you are the only one who addresses your customer’s requests. Therefore, you will be the one gaining all the profits. How to Build Your Own Freelancing Software? If you want to build a thriving freelance marketplace like Upwork or Fiverr, you will need a coordinated team of experts to help you achieve your goal. Here are some vital aspects of your freelance software that you must focus on: App Architecture – Your software architecture deals with the back end of your app, which is a crucial part of the development process. It will determine how your app works, how its components will interact with each other, and, most importantly, how it will bring value to the users. User Interface – In order to have a fantastic design that your users will love, you will have to perform some market research. An interactive and intuitive user interface is critical to allow your users to meet their needs effectively. API Integration – Hire an engineer with API development and integration experience to integrate payment gateways and other external tools to your freelance marketplace. Database Development – As a freelance marketplace, you must store the data of all your existing and future users in a safe and well-organized manner. […]

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How to Make Money in a Crisis

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. In times like these, full of unknowns, it can be scary for entrepreneurs and freelancers who’ve lost business opportunities , as well as workers who’ve lost their jobs or had their hours cut. However, there are still ways to make money during a crisis, even one like this with both significant health and economic concerns. Personally, I’ve had around a dozen public speaking opportunities get canceled or postponed, which has been hard, but having gone through the Great Recession, I’ve learned some lessons and know I’ll make it through to the other side. You can too, and in some cases, you may find that this crisis creates an opportunity to take your career or business in a new direction that benefits you more in the long run. Some ideas to earn money safely from home include: 1. Charging for content or content support During this period, with so many of us staying at home, with more time on our hands, you’ll likely see a lot more content creation , such as with launches of new podcasts, YouTube series, courses, etc. Some creators may be able to monetize this content by finding advertising — if, for example, you have a sizable social media following or can get enough podcast listeners. Or you could put your content behind a paywall and charge for access. Others, however, need to be realistic about how much, if anything, they can earn from content creation. That said, you may still have the skills to support content creators, such as helping with writing, editing, graphic design, etc. Make sure you charge for your time. You can look at project and hourly rates on sites like Upwork to get a sense of what your fee should be based on your experience and the type of work you can do. 2. Monetize your knowledge Related to creating content is jumping into the growing online education space for all ages. You may have the skills and experience to teach on sites geared toward young students, or you might have business knowledge that you can teach to other professionals, especially those at companies that have budget that would have gone toward attending conferences. You can monetize your knowledge by creating a course on sites like Kajabi and marketing to professionals, or you can try to get paid directly by working part-time for an online learning platform. If you have an idea for your own course, see if it exists already on a platform like LinkedIn Learning. If it doesn’t, you could have a good opportunity to create something unique that others might be willing to pay for. 3. Find freelance work Whether you’re a creative, a coder, an administrative assistant, or many other occupations that can be done online, there’s a good chance you can still find freelance opportunities through platforms like Upwork and LinkedIn. Many businesses are still operating at full speed, such as in the technology sector and some food […]

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Working as a freelancer? Here’s how you need to file ITR

New Delhi: Even if you are not working a 9 to 5 job and are not a regular salaried employee, you need to file an income tax return if your income from other sources is above the income tax exemption limit. As per the income tax laws, freelancers are liable to pay taxes for the income they earn just like other salaried or business taxpayers. Freelancing income: Any income that an individual earns by displaying intellectual or manual skills is the income from a profession according to income tax laws. Such income will be taxable as “Profits and Gains from Business or Profession”. The gross income will be the aggregate of all receipts one gets in the course of carrying out their profession. The bank account statement is a document which a freelancer can rely on to cull out this information, provided that they have received all their professional income through banking channels. Deductions allowed against income for freelancers: Freelancers can deduct expenses they incurred to do the job from their income. This could be anything from tools, supplies expenses to travel expenses for meeting client. The expenses must be directly related to the job. If you take a property on rent for carrying out your work, the rent paid can be deducted. If you have agreed to pay for repairs to the rented property, repair costs can be deducted. If you own the business property and carry out repairs, those are also allowed to be deducted. Any repairs to your laptop, printer, and other equipment are also allowed to be deducted. Expenses incurred to carry out your work such as purchasing a printer, office supplies, your monthly telephone bills, internet bills, and conveyance expenses can be claimed as a deduction. The cost of travel to meet your clients within or outside of India is allowed as a deduction. Meal, entertainment or hospitality expenses It can be claimed when you conduct client meetings, take your clients out for dinner, or some other outings and money has been solely spent with the intention of getting new business or retaining existing business. Local taxes and insurance for your own business property Domain registration and apps purchased to test your product are also allowed as expenses Taxation rule: As per the provisions of Section 44ADA under the Income-tax Act, 1961, a resident taxpayer who is engaged in a prescribed profession (including engineering, and technical consultancy) and whose total gross receipts do not exceed Rs 50 lakh in a financial year (FY) can offer the income from such professions to tax on a presumptive basis. The taxable income shall be presumed to be 50% of the total gross receipts during the FY from such profession or as the case may be, a sum higher than the aforesaid sum claimed to have been earned by the taxpayer. As per the provisions of Section 44AA, every person carrying on prescribed profession is required to maintain books of accounts. If the income from business (other than […]

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11 Hacks to Double Your Productivity

This article has been contributed by Mark Quadros. Whether you’re new to freelancing , haven’t started, or you’ve been around the freelancing block a time or two, staying productive in a unique work environment isn’t always easy. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. If you’re looking for easy ways to boost your productivity as a freelancer, you’re in the right place. Keep reading to learn about some of my favorite work-at-home productivity hacks so you can start owning the day instead of letting it own you. Your brain, clients and bottom line will be glad you did! 1. Start Your Day With a Productive Morning Choosing your own hours is one of the biggest advantages of working as a freelancer. While it’s important to work within your productivity window, it’s also important to start your day on the right foot. Whether you wake up at 4 am or 10 am, a productive morning routine sets the foundation for a productive day and leaves you feeling energized and ready to roll. This is especially helpful if you find yourself dragging your feet or you feel unmotivated to get to work. So, stop setting that second (or third… or fourth) alarm and use that extra time to create a healthy morning routine that works for you, your schedule and your lifestyle. Because when you know exactly what to do every morning, you save precious brainpower for what matters most. 2. Set a Daily Schedule and Stick to It Flexibility is a common reason people leave their full-time jobs for the freelancing hustle. That said, setting a daily schedule makes it easier to: Cross everything off your to-do list Ensure you have enough time to get everything done Focus on one activity at a time Move things around if you have to Set priorities Example: If you hate responding to client emails or other customer-service related tasks , prioritize these first so you don’t agonize over them. Or if you know it’s a beautiful day, you can schedule time off to take the dogs for a walk. Ultimately, setting a schedule and sticking to it means you can schedule blocks of time to focus on similar tasks (since this is scientifically easier on your brain ). Which… results in a higher level of productivity throughout the day. 3. Create a Designated Working Space According to work from home statistics, around 80% of remote workers work from their homes (as opposed to public spots). So, whether you’re working from home, a hotel room, or freelancing abroad , designating an area for work helps your brain kick into work mode. It’s like grabbing the leash and watching your dog start spinning in circles and jumping for joy. Okay, maybe it isn’t that simple. But it IS a similar concept. When you regularly work in your designated area, your brain starts to associate the space and objects in it with getting things done. Just like your dog’s brain associates his (or her) leash with going […]

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9 things you should do to step up from a freelancer to an agency

Most freelancers would not like to end their careers as a freelancer. A natural transition generally observed is going from a freelancer to an agency. Freelancing comes with a lot of freedom. Freedom about working on your own terms, choosing your schedule, your office, etc. A freelancer is largely on his or her own. However, a lot of freelancers feel the absence of career growth in the longer run. In all likelihood, most freelancers would not like to end their careers as a freelancer. They would want to step it up at some other level. A natural transition generally observed is going from a freelancer to an agency. However, not all freelancers can handle it since building an agency requires a whole lot of different skills as compared to being an independent freelancer. Let’s discuss how one can step up from being a freelancer to an agency: 1. Change the mindset Running an agency is equivalent to running a business. While some skills which you acquired as a freelancer will come in handy, a lot of new skills will be required. Hiring people, managing them, their career progression, resource allocation to projects, managing offices, generating work for all the team members, it is way more than what you used to do as an individual. Not all freelancers are cut out to run businesses. That’s okay. There are other alternatives as well. So, before getting all excited about this, just sit and think whether you really want to do this and are you ready for all this. 2. Do a pilot Having decided that you can do it, take one more step before you actually jump into setting up an agency. Do a pilot. It is always good to test waters first before entering into them. The way to do it is by creating a virtual team. Find skillful people who can offload you in case you take more work than you can individually do. If you are able to run through this virtual team experience, you are ready to take the next step. Another option is to hire an intern. You can help the intern learn and offload some of your repetitive tasks. You will also have a company at the workplace. It’s a low commitment way to start. 3. Register an LLP or Private Limited Company You now have experience of running a small team. The pilot has been largely successful. Clients would want to work with a registered firm. Having a registered firm is not only professional but also increases your credibility leading to high chances of landing a client. 4. Decide the workspace Once you have a basic team in place, and a registered company, you need to decide the workspace from where you would want to operate. COVID-19 has forced remote working experience on companies, many have uncovered untapped productivity levels. So, you can decide if that option works well for you. 5. Make the virtual team ‘Real’ The next step is to release legally […]

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Tried-and-Tested Tips to Establish Your Work-Life Balance as a Freelancer

Generally, freelancers enjoy the benefit of living a more flexible life than employees do. They can decide when and where they work, making their work experience more pleasant. The caveat, however, is that your work-life balance often falls out of kilter. You end up losing count of the number of hours you put in at work, not realizing that you have very little time left to spend with your family, recreation, social circles, and hobbies. To keep your work-life balance in order, here are a few tried-and-tested strategies that I’ve found to be especially effective. 1. Maintain a Defined Yet Flexible Schedule Without defining your work hours, you run the risk of overworking. Go with the times of day when you are most productive and focused. It can be the usual 9-to-5, from sunset into the wee hours of the night, or whatever works best for you. Then structure your working hours into blocks. For the most part, it’s best to put the “deep work” tasks that you find most demanding of focus at the top of your list, rather than putting it on the latter part. Remember that your attention and willpower are exhaustible resources. By working on your most difficult tasks first, you budget the energy and mental alertness to work on them. But as your own boss, you’re also able to make exceptions to these time blocks. You can rearrange your schedule on the fly, as needed, to accommodate emergencies, special events, and client availability, among others. Also, be sure to communicate your days on and off to your clients, so they know when to expect to hear from you. 2. Minimize Context Switches How many different devices and apps do you use for your freelance work? How many push notifications do you get on each device per day? How many different clients and projects are you juggling at once? Do you find yourself multitasking too much, hopping from one to-do to the next, without completing any of them? What other distractions keep you from delving into deep work and actually getting things done? Context switching is a bona fide productivity killer. The thinner you spread yourself, the less you’ll get done. Source: RescueTime Handling several apps for different tasks will make you feel inefficient and all over the place. You have to remember where to go next, migrate information from silo to silo, log in and out of accounts, and switch interfaces. This makes it impossible to maintain a consolidated view of your projects, issues, and to-dos. Simplify your workflow by using business platforms with all-inclusive functionalities. One especially powerful platform in this sense is vcita, an app lets you take care of everything relating to client marketing, collaboration correspondence, documents, appointments, and billing in one place. Your contacts can also schedule appointments with you or perform any other action through a user-friendly self-service portal . Using business management “suites” like vcita, you can take care of business with fewer distractions, allowing you to be […]

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Alternative ways to boost in-house digital with out of house resources

Sometimes, all organisations have to admit they can’t do everything themselves and need a helping hand . This is particularly the case for charities in improving their digital capabilities. Luckily for charities, there are a number of out of house experts that can be brought on board. This includes hiring freelancers or tapping into the free support on offer from pro-bono specialists and partnerships. There is also a range of tools and platforms to help, offering access to outside support to assist charities to be more efficient and improve their operations. Tapping into the skills of expert freelancers can be particularly advantageous as charities look to cut costs due to a loss of income amid the Covid-19 pandemic. This means operating on a shoestring budget for some and, sadly, widespread in-house redundancies for others. To ensure charities are still innovating, particularly with digital, hiring freelancers can be an effective solution to the financial challenges ahead. For example, they don’t require holiday pay, sick leave or pension contributions compared to in-house staff. Cancer Research is among those to consider turning to out of house resources more frequently amid the pandemic. In July 2020 the charity announced plans to cut its workforce by 500 to meet a £300m drop in income caused by the outbreak. It says there will be a greater focus on “investing strategically for the future while contracting in other areas amidst continued financial uncertainty”. Here we will take a look at some of the best resources and tools for supporting charities using out of house resources. Media Trust’s volunteer platform The Media Trust has created a useful volunteer platform that connects media and creative industry professionals looking to volunteer their skills and charities looking for communications, media and digital support . This is already proving popular with charities. At the time of writing, there were 132 opportunities posted by charities looking for outside help. This includes youth gambling charity GamCare-Big Deal , which is looking for support to help it create content for TikTok. This is a specialist area of social media and digital marketing that the charity has noted that it needs extra support in. Another is the Galapagos Conservative Trust , which is looking for outside help to create its first impact report, having previously produced annual reviews. Data Kind pro-bono partnerships The charity DataKind links up charities and good causes with data science and social sector experts to help develop data projects that address humanitarian problems and advance data science. The charities involved get access to data and artificial intelligence skills outside their organisation. Meanwhile, the specialists involved benefit from supporting good causes and helping their own professional growth. This has seen 250 projects completed globally, including in the UK, involving more than 18,000 volunteers. Among those to be supported is Citizen’s Advice . Through the partnership, a Civic Dashboard tool was created which mines data from Citizen’s Advice consultations to help it understand emerging social issues in the UK. This helps the charity […]

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CareerGig Offers Freelancers Health Insurance and Benefits

CareerGig Offers Traditional Benefits for Freelancers As the U.S. unemployment rate remains high, CareerGig, an online SaaS-based platform launched today offering affordable insurance for freelancers. The platform also provides access to available freelance gigs and contract projects at top companies looking for candidates. On the hiring end, companies that sign up for the service will have access to state of the art verification services and immediate access to ready talent, reducing valuable internal time and resources, and can provide their 1099 workers with benefits through the platform. Tailored especially for freelancers and contractors, CareerGig’s robust menu of offerings include health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, and health service accounts (HSAs). CareerGig also offers supplemental benefits such as accident, critical illness, and pet insurance. All offerings are outlined and available through the company website at careergig.com. Human resource professionals within companies are able to access CareerGig’s streamlined and secure verification process allowing for multiple assessments and background checks, saving time and internal resources. Built with blockchain, artificial intelligence, and other technologies, CareerGig provides companies the security and peace of mind when hiring candidates. In addition to verification services, companies that hire through the platform would also be able to offer their 1099 workers insurance and benefits through CareerGig. “Research shows that 36% of Americans are already part of the gig economy and 90% are open to joining; but the biggest concerns being the lack of access to health and financial safety nets. At CareerGig, we understand those concerns and are building a company committed to offering the flexibility of self-employment with the stability of insurance and benefits,” said Greg Kihlström, CEO and Co-Founder of CareerGig. “What’s more, our core philosophy of trust and validation using the best available technologies means that our platform is built with our customer’s data privacy and best interests in mind from the start.” ### ABOUT CAREERGIG Career benefits. Gig lifestyle. Choose both. CareerGig is a SaaS technology platform and ecosystem that matches freelance and contract workers to top employers, and with independent access to health and financial benefits exclusively tailored for those in the gig economy. Powered by blockchain and AI technology, CareerGig also provides employers the ability to hire qualified and verified talent through an accelerated and scalable state-of-the-art process. CareerGig helps individuals create freelance careers, and makes life easier and more secure for companies that hire them. Contact us at careergig.com

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When in a pandemic, begin freelancing

Narrowing in on your niche and identifying your talents can help kickstart your freelancing career The nation-wide lockdown imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19 has brought all of our lives to a complete standstill. Due to the ensuing economic recession, there has been a reduction in salaries and some have even lost their jobs. Because of this, freelance jobs have been on the rise in India. Freelancing gives you the freedom to pursue your passion on your own time within your homes. It can either act as a supplementary income or a primary source of income, depending upon how much time you want to spend on building your craft. Here are some of the most popular options if you are looking to kickstart your freelancing career. Writing If you have a knack for weaving words, you should consider a career as a freelance writer. Brands are always on the lookout for something creative and fun to add to their blogs, website and social media posts. You should grab this opportunity to market your services as a writer. You can explore writing either long-form content like blogs and website pages or short-form content like ad copies, based on what you’re comfortable with. Graphic designing If you have a good knowledge of design tools and a creative mind, you can become a freelance graphic designer. Make sure you create a good portfolio that showcases your design talent. Brands will decide to partner with you based on the quality of your work. This is definitely a freelance job that pays the bills while also being a lot of fun! SEO analyst Today every website requires a strong SEO strategy in order to rank on Google. If you have a strong technical understanding of SEO, then you can easily provide SEO audits and fixes for clients on a freelance basis. You can check out other freelancers in your category to see how much they’re charging and price your services at around the same level. Campaign manager Many brands understand the importance of maintaining a good social media presence, but not all of them are aware of what is the best way to do so. If you have experience handling social media accounts, then you can freelance as a social media campaign manager. You will handle a brand’s social presence, schedule posts and run ads. This isn’t just a great way to earn money, but is also extremely interesting to work on. If you want to brush up on your digital marketing skills, you can always sign up for an online digital marketing course. Video editor Most brands are realising the importance of using good quality video content on their platforms. Videos can engage and inform audiences better than most other forms of content can. If you are proficient in video editing tools, then you can get a freelance job as a video editor. Your clients could be anything from small businesses, to ad agencies to even social media influencers. The freelance jobs […]

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New website connects independent specialists directly with businesses in response to evolving PR/comms needs

A new freelancer platform specifically designed to offer businesses access to a more flexible communications workforce, has launched today. Founded by London-based freelance PR professional Sarah Paterson, CommsPeople was established after Sarah posted on social media that she was working on an idea that might help other freelancers who found themselves struggling to find work during lockdown. Following the post, which has since received nearly 8,000 views, Sarah was immediately inundated with hundreds of requests to join. Now, CommsPeople has secured over 200 sign ups from PR professionals of all levels from across the globe, as well as a strong client base who are keen to build relationships with trusted professionals. Sarah Paterson, PR Consultant and Founder of CommsPeople commented, “As a freelancer myself, it struck me that the existing freelancer marketplaces out there need to drive work to their talent pools in a more strategic way. In addition, some businesses need help in deciphering what they need in the first place – the ability to talk to someone before asking them to respond to a brief is vital to the success of any project. On top of that, not every business needs to work with an agency to achieve the results they need – in some cases they are better off working with independent professionals who can offer a degree of flexibility alongside the expertise they bring. CommsPeople is a platform that as well as helping freelancers to find work, allows businesses access to a more flexible workforce where required.“ For a while I have wanted to create something that would allow businesses to access PR professionals in a more cost-effective way and now it seems that service is needed more than ever. PR and comms is a tool that can add a huge amount of value to businesses, especially at the moment.“ CommsPeople distinguishes itself from existing freelance platforms by enabling businesses to easily search for available workers who possess the skill-set, knowledge and experience within each sector, delivering the exact match for their business needs. This was posted in Bdaily’s Members’ News section by Graham Sharp .

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Tips on Starting a Freelance Career While Studying in College

College life is exciting and hectic for students since there is so much to do with a tight budget. Being broke in college can be frustrating since you are independently managing your finances. Holding a full-time job might also be tricky because of long class hours. Fortunately, freelancing can help you kick start your career while still in college. Freelancing as a college student is the best way to have an extra source of income while juggling your studies. If you have tight deadlines on assignments, you can delegate the academic work to the essay writer while you concentrate on your freelance work. Depending on your passion and skills, there are numerous services you can offer at a nominal fee. Read on to find out all you need to know about freelancing, how to start, and tips to help you in the freelance world while studying. What is Freelancing? Freelance, also known as gig work, is when you sell a type of service as an independent worker. It is usually a one-person show where you set up your business, market it, and do it yourself. Unlike the usual 9-5 job, freelancing comes with freedom. You can manage your working hours as a student to avoid compromising your study time. Also, you can work for a particular agency or part-time sub-contracted work. Typically, freelancers have a flexible schedule in terms of service delivery and payment. If you have a client, you can discuss the best time to execute the work and delivery time with ease and convenience. The work is usually on a short-term basis, and the client pays upfront without any complication of tax remittance. Types of Freelance Work Most college students have different types of hands-on skills that can be turned into a money-making venture. You can also incorporate your passion and offer a particular service to students or people in the college community. Below are some of the types of services you can offer as a freelancer: Graphic and web design Tutoring Catering Photography and videography Content writer Cleaning services Sales and marketing Events planner Data entry jobs Translation and transcription How To Start Freelancing Juggling between work and academics can be quite overwhelming for students. As much as freelancing is an excellent opportunity to earn money, it requires effort, dedication, and resilience to start, build a network, and stay afloat. But, how do you start a freelancing career while in college? Identify your skillset Think about your strengths and what you love doing. Mostly your passion and skills will coincide. Also, you can incorporate the knowledge from the course you are studying. For instance, if you are a computer science student, you can start a web designing business. However, the freelance venture can be outside your studies. Ensure that you identify your skills first before setting up a freelance business. Target customers Find out your target market, and if there is a niche for your service. Are there competitors in the field you want to start? […]

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Call it gig, freelance, whatever — a guide to finding project work

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced entire employee populations to work from home. And as workers settle into that rhythm, it is uncertain how many will actually need to report to the office five days a week after a coronavirus vaccine is found. (Dreamstime/TNS) As the unemployment rate approaches 14%, older workers are suffering disproportionately in the coronavirus pandemic. For some, though, there might be a reprieve: freelancing. Though not traditionally an arena where Gen X and boomer workers seek employment, the growth in work from home, online jobs and the elevated rates of joblessness are drawing 55+ workers into this brave new — and sometimes terrifying — world. Upwork, one of the leading freelance websites, found in its research that nearly one-third of boomers and one-third of Gen Xers are actively freelancing, either full or part-time. And that was before the coronavirus decimated the traditional workforce. Freelance work spans as many as 8,000 skills across 70 job categories, according to Upwork research. Among the top 100 jobs, average income is nearly $44 per hour, equating to an annual salary in the $91,000 range. That’s well above the median U.S. salary of just under $49,800. (For freelancing overall, the average hourly rate is about $28.) What kind of jobs are we talking about in the top 100? As you might expect, many are in technology: database design, Amazon Web Services, search engine optimization, various programming languages and the like. But the field also includes more traditional work, such as architectural rendering, accounts payable management, project scheduling, systems administration, public accounting and such. Outside of the top 100 is a vast range of skills from corporate law to statistical analysis to internal auditing. A recent search on Upwork for the broad category of “project management” found nearly 1,400 gigs. Many are offering hourly pay in the range of $20 to $40. Others are higher. A company needing a Kronos project manager is offering an hourly rate of $75 to $100. Another for a project task manager lists wages of between $50 and $80 per hour. And a startup is seeking a product manager at up to $125 per hour. A search of individual freelancers — the sites list both employers and workers — with expertise in various types of project management and a 100% success rating across at least 10 gigs (yes, you are rated) shows per-hour fees of $38 to $125. Bridgestone, Airbnb, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Priceline and the universities of Colorado and Southern California are clients of Toptal, which markets its freelancers as the top 3% in industries ranging from software development to product management to financial modeling. As of last year’s third quarter, 38% of the freelance jobs in the top 100 categories at Upwork came from foreign companies. Among the leading countries are Canada, the U.K., Australia, India, Israel and Germany. To be sure, many older workers find themselves discombobulated by the world of freelancing. They’re accustomed to cubicles, not kitchen tables. Many are also unsure of the […]

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Discover How Freelancing For Extra Savings Is Prudent

Looking for extra earnings but less pressure? One word, freelance! The job market is always rising and falling. In a day, some people are hired, some fired, and some are still on the job hunt. That’s just the harsh reality of the working life. Don’t you agree? In fact, the income we have is mostly enough to make ends meet and occasionally to spend on the greater expense of living comfortably (unless you’re earning big bucks of course). If you are a busy mom, a student in college or even a clerk at an office, freelancing is still a great opportunity for you. Of course, it’s not only restricted to these groups of people. Anyone, literally anyone can freelance! Many people tend to ignore or overlook the idea of freelancing because it is often mis – conceptualized. What is freelancing anyway? It’s clearly not an internship and it’s definitely not doing jobs for free either. Calling it part-time? Well, it doesn’t seem to be accurate. According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary , freelance simply means ​’earning money by selling your work or services to several different organizations rather than being employed by one particular organization’. In other words, you’re sort of like your own boss. ‘Now, that’s what we want to hear!’, some of you may say. Does it mean if you have a current job you should leave it and venture into freelancing full time? Whoa, whoa…hold your horses! We don’t want to simply do something only to regret it…and we mean regret it BIG TIME. In case you missed the title, it’s freelancing for EXTRA SAVINGS and not ‘ your only savings’ . During an instability in the country’s economic state, it is wise that we think it through before we quit our full-time job and only wiser to consider an extra side income. So, freelancing becomes the better option and here’s why. 1. The Best Of Both World Firstly, this point will be directed to most work-at-home moms, and they would agree that freelancing has given them best of both worlds. They get to do what they love and get paid for it and taking care of their growing families. On another note, they also get to work around a schedule that lets them fulfil their jobs as specialists and as homemakers. Freelancing is a lifestyle that requires grit, guts, and sacrifices. Hence the reason why we call them SUPER MOMSIES! 2. Financial Security Alert Since freelancing is project or client based, the money earned is being generated from the completion of a task upon what was requested by the clients. Here’s another plus point. You are able to weigh the amount of income you will be getting from each client. That’s right you can pick and choose! As obvious as it may be that freelancing benefits a person by not confining them to one source for income, it also sets an alarm to know if you’re financially secured. So peeps, don’t waste your time and […]

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Perks Of Freelancing In Times Of Gig Economy

Image Credits: Indian Folk The past few months definitely made us realize that everything adapts itself to the changing times. We have seen new brands coming, new trends becoming a part of the industry and therefore giving rise to, and providing more chance to the gig economy. The growth has been tremendous. This has made way for a lot of freelancing opportunities as well. A ‘gig economy’ is a rather new term that defines the concept of companies hiring people for temporary, flexible jobs rather than recruiting full-time employees. The Growth of The Gig Industry A study conducted by McKinsey tells us that around 20% to 30% of professionals in developed markets are engaged in gig economy. The factors responsible for this include i ndependence, freedom to choose the kind of work they want to do and better financial prospects . Another key driving force is technology that has made all of this possible. Most importantly startups are driving the growth of this industry. In India, the freelance industry is estimated to grow to $20 to 30 billion by 2025. Freelancers are in demand because of the following reasons – they are cost-effective, they offer flexibility and domain expertise, networking & reach. The Meaning of a Freelancer Freelancers are professionals who are self-employed and work with an organization or a team for a particular time. If you are someone who plans to step into this industry, you have to be ready to market yourself and be a part of the platform. Once you step into the market, you will meet like minded people who are keen on working for smaller projects or working for different companies. It involves work in which talent is paid for a task assigned, it includes diversified workers with many sources of income, contract workers, freelancers, small business owners, and temporary workers. For more information, the government of India has also engaged gig workers for projects like Digital India, Swacch Bharat, and Smart Cities. The various Survey results show that in terms of skillset, IT(41%), Marketing(23%), and design(21%) are leading the way. Freelancing is popular and the reason is the benefits it provides like a greater job opportunity, independence, higher income, and a move in the direction of wage equality. While 83% of freelancers work from home, 17% work from other places like coworking spaces, library, and private offices. Who can Become a Freelancer? Anyone can become a Freelancer. The key to becoming one is that you need to have some kind of niche expertise; as long as you have some kind of skill, ability, or wisdom that will help in the recognition of a brand, there will be somebody willing to pay for it. I also want to elaborate on how to go about becoming a freelancer. Firstly, remember to be motivated enough and be ready to present yourself as a brand who offers expertise in the field. There is a higher demand in all sectors that allow previously full-time-only workers to seek more […]

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5 top tips when hiring freelance programmer in 2020

With these five tips, you can get the best talent for your freelance work, at the best possible rates. 0 Comments In the recent few years, freelance culture has gained popularity. There are several reasons for this from both employer and employee side . For example, freelancers get the flexibility to work on their own terms and do not need to worry about their qualifications as freelancing works on a talent basis. On the other hand, employers can avoid high and fixed costs of permanent employees, as freelancers work at moderate rates. The most benefitted domain from freelancing is startups because they can quickly get their work done without employee commitment. However, hiring freelancers can be a task in itself. If you are looking to hire freelance programmers , we have brought here a simple guide to help you out. Tip 1: Know What You Need to Look For Programming is a diverse field, and you can find talent for every skill. The first thing to take care of, while hiring freelance programmers, is what skills you want in your freelancers. For example, if you want a website for your company, then you will have to look for talents that are good in web development and related skills. The same goes for all other domains. If you do not know much about programming and are clueless about what skills to look for, then there are two options. Ask the Experts: There must be people who have already acquired what you are looking for. By taking their recommendations, you can find the most suitable talent for your work. Do Not Exaggerate: Leave the work to people who know about the domain. Do not put in information or requirements that you do not know about. Tip 2: Look for Recommendations Once you know what you want, the next step is to look for it. Your best freelance destination is recommendations from your group of friends, family, or professionals. Ask them if they know any excellent freelancer that would fit in your requirements. The benefit of this method is that it reduces the risk of hiring an unknown programmer. As your trusted source would be recommending the talent, your efforts will be diminished, and you can trust the person more with their work. Tip 3: Test Before Hiring If you cannot find any recommendations, the next step is to start looking for freelancers online. But as said in the previous step, hiring a random freelance programmer can be risky as you are not sure about their work. Platforms like DevsData can be used to find the required freelancers. However, to be certain about their skills and capabilities, you can create an assignment that they need to complete to get hired. The test assignment should be short but should cover all crucial aspects that you need to look for in a programmer. A few things you can incorporate into it are: Simple questions related to the kind of work you need them to […]

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5 Disadvantages Of Working With A Freelance PPC Specialist

With the digital revolution, every company has been trying to advertise its goods and services through various online channels. In this process, it may have considered whether to hire a PPC specialist or outsource this task to a freelancer. One of the primary reasons why companies prefer freelancers is the affordability and flexibility of the service. However, in doing so, you may also attract certain not-so-thrilling aspects of recruiting a freelancer. In this article, we will cover the main disadvantages of working with a freelance PPC specialist. Can Companies Manage PPC by Themselves? Your ad is a reflection of your business mission and vision and must highlight the best qualities of your product and service. Now, you may think that as the product owner, you are the best source of information on your product, so why shouldn’t you manage the PPC ad campaign on your own. https://cdn.searchenginejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/7-signs-your-ppc-program-is-being-mismanaged-5e7a8a5c5d561.jpeg So, before we get into the hire PPC specialist vs. freelancer debate, let us address why companies should avoid taking this responsibility. Here’s a quick overview: •When it comes to pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, there is more than meets the eye. PPC experts don’t merely create a random text-based ad and run it on the platform. Designing an ad requires a strong foundational knowledge of ad creation and management. •Since campaign management depends on a mixed bag of tools, the skills and expertise in using these tools effectively can determine the success of your campaign. •PPC bidding is an extremely complex process, and managing bids calls for a highly nuanced approach. •Ad campaigns are based on extensive market and keyword research that inexperienced individuals cannot carry out. •PPC campaigns need to be monitored continuously, and its progress and results have to be analyzed for maximum optimization. •Making beginner mistakes can result in overspending on the PPC campaigns with low ROI. Thus, it would be a wise decision to let the PPC experts work their magic in the area that they know best! 5 Disadvantages of Working With a Freelance PPC Specialist Here are the reasons why companies must hire a PPC specialist rather than working with freelancers: Less Control and Management A freelance PPC expert is not an integral part of your organization. However, all the sales and marketing activities are carried out by the dedicated in-house teams . Even though you may clearly outline your expectations, the freelancer may add their own interpretation, which may divert the campaign from its initial focus. As a result, there may be discrepancies in the overall brand statement and voice. https://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Transitoning-from-full-time-to-freelance.jpg Further, for the advertisements to align with your sales and marketing goals, there should be absolute and seamless coordination and collaboration between the respective teams. However, when you work with a freelancer in the mix, long-term relationship building may take an inordinate amount of time. Finally, companies may employ a set business process or workflow or call for the usage of specific tools and platforms, which the freelancer may not be familiarized with. The talent […]

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This Time-Tracking App Is a Must-Have Tool for Entrepreneurs and Freelancers Alike

Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. For entrepreneurs, time management is essential. You don’t have unlimited amounts of time in a day so if you have to delegate tasks or reorganize your priorities, it’s valuable to have a concrete grasp of how you’re using your time throughout the day. Looking up at the clock every few minutes isn’t exactly a foolproof practice, however. Instead, trust Timemator 2 to be the ultimate source of time and reason for your workday. Timemator 2 is designed to simply make timekeeping easier. As you work on your Mac, Timemator automatically tracks everything you do, giving you a simple breakdown at the end of the day so you can review how long it took you to work on specific tasks. You can create your own rules and set time limits on certain apps so if you’re spending more time than allocated on any task, Timemator will let you know. If you need a little more time than you expected, you can manually add timing sessions or edit existing ones. It’s everything you need to take into account how your work time is distributed, adjust your workflow, and better manage your day. If you work as a freelancer or on an hourly rate, Timemator also makes it easy to calculate revenue for tasks. Just set your hourly rate and Timemator will calculate as you go so you know how much you earned in a day. Timemator also makes it easy to organize folders and tasks like you would with files in Finder, letting you stay synced on all of your projects throughout your day. It even makes automatic backups so you never lose what you’re working on. Make better use of your time. Normally $39, you can get lifetime access to Timemator 2 for just $23.99 today . Note: Timeator 2 is only compatible with macOS devices.

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How to Handle Lost Income During COVID-19

If you are one of the millions of Americans affected by the novel coronavirus, then you’ve likely felt a large impact on your finances . The restrictions brought about by the current pandemic have made many businesses unable to operate. As a result, many people are out of work or working reduced hours. According to Console and Associates, P.C., employers are refusing to compensate their employees. Should this be the case, you may need to sue your employer for unpaid wages. However, most situations are not this drastic. Instead, you’re likely facing reduced hours. This is still incredibly challenging, especially if money was already tight. Fortunately, there re several ways to make up for lost income during COVID-19. We’ll go over a few useful suggestions for this below. Reduce Expenses A good starting point is to reduce unnecessary expenses. When it comes to fitting a budget, you must control your cash flow. This requires adjusting either where your money goes or how much goes in. The easier choice is to change how much you’re spending each month. Many things you pay for likely aren’t essential. Your necessary expenses include things like rent, utilities, and groceries. Anything else isn’t required for survival. Expenses that aren’t essential can be considered luxuries. This includes costs like cable, frequent takeout, and new clothes. Chances are, you’re likely paying for several extra things each month that can quickly add up to hundreds or even thousands. While luxuries certainly add enjoyment to your life, they are expensive and serve as a good elimination if you’re struggling to make ends meet. Take some time and look at where your funds go to see if there’s anything you can comfortably cut. File for Unemployment If you are unable to find work, you should file for unemployment. This is arguably the most important tip here because the government is an excellent source of assistance right now. Typically, filing for unemployment is fairly difficult and many are rejected. However, coronavirus has greatly shifted things and now most Americans are eligible for unemployment due to relaxed requirements. Even better, the money provided during the current pandemic may be higher than what you would’ve earned normally. If you’re eligible for unemployment, you’ll receive the standard state amount and up to $600 because of COVID-19 every week. Across a whole month, unemployment benefits are significant and can easily cover all of your expenses. One thing that’s important to note is that how much you receive will depend on how much you work. You can still receive unemployment while working reduced hours, but you will receive less in unemployment. Considering this, you should take advantage of unemployment to help you through coronavirus for as long as it lasts. Consider Freelance Work Another good choice is to consider freelance work for extra income. While your regular job may no longer be available, that doesn’t mean you can’t do other work. In particular, you can work from home by doing freelance projects. If you have […]

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Academy of Art University: How an Art & Design Degree Closes the Skills Gap and Fills the Employment Void with Freelancing

Share Tweet Share Share Freelancers are changing the course of the economy during this unpredictable time. Self-employed freelancers of all trades from photography to illustration, to graphic design, are utilizing this time to their advantage through innovation. According to a recent report shared by Upwork , freelancer income contributes to almost $1 trillion or 5% of GDP. This market continues to increase as independent workers recognize the empowering benefits of creating their own schedules, increased flexibility, and managing their own clientele as opposed to working for an agency. In addition, many companies recognize the need for skilled professionals who are independent and have already had their own training in their respective fields. For example, a publishing company can easily hire a freelance Illustrator to create a book cover. Academy of Art University offers specialized degree programs across a wide range of creative industries and fields. It works to create a space for artists and designers to thrive by giving them opportunities to gain real-world experience. A Growing Market for Freelancers Given today’s work climate where thousands of Americans are following social distancing guidelines and many companies have implemented work from home initiatives, freelancing allows for flexibility and growth. Freelancing offers a highly diverse and dynamic work environment for those who are prepared with the right skills. It offers a flexible work environment as opposed to working out of an office. Many working professionals are drawn to freelancing because it allows them to work independently on their own schedules along with handling client relationships. Companies that want animations or videos created to promote their products have the benefit of hiring someone experienced in those fields including illustration, technical writing, graphic design and so on. Freelancers can utilize the hours in the day where they perform the best to increase productivity. In addition, it allows professionals to turn their passions into careers that they’re able to manage however they choose. This can also give them the ability to work remotely from anywhere in the world or from home. Many are taking this as an opportunity to travel and live around the world for extended periods of time. COVID-19 has presented a new challenge for companies that did not already have a work from home policy in place. Many companies that already implemented work from home policies were more prepared to make the switch. Companies are beginning to recognize the value of hiring experts who are already trained as opposed to hiring someone in-house. Freelancers are well equipped to handle the changing job market as they’ve adjusted to the challenges of working independently. Challenges of Freelancing Although freelancing has its benefits, the growing market of freelance professionals face challenges such as finding access to affordable healthcare and having to continually grow their client base. Many freelancers rely heavily on routine and discipline, so this type of work could be an adjustment for those who work more productively in an office environment. Those who work remotely also face the challenge of having to […]

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Going Local: Marketing Your Design Services To Local Customers

One of the best things about working as a freelance designer is the fact that you can have clients from all over the world. Thanks to collaborative platforms, cloud services, and other resources available to us designers today, working remotely for clients in a different part of the world becomes the norm. That said, catering to local clients is an approach that more designers now use. Local wisdom, the ability to understand the client in a more contextual and cultural way, and that direct interaction are advantages that you can offer to local clients. Even better, you can still rely on the same digital marketing instruments to reach local clients and expand your business. Before you do, however, here are the top things to know about digital marketing for your design services. Work With A Local Agency Similar to the way you want to cater to local customers, there are digital marketing agencies that focus on specific markets. Working with a local digital marketing agency is the best way to gain the expertise that you need to get your design services in front of the right people. If you are looking for SEO services in Minneapolis , for instance, you will come across top names such as Snap Agency. Such agencies are famous for their deep understanding of the market and the ability to use that understanding to reach the right market segments. Be Specific With Your Tactics Targeting a specific market segment using digital marketing requires you to be meticulous with how you specify campaign requirements, select keywords, and run your marketing efforts. You have to take your knowledge of the customers into consideration when crafting these things. When choosing a keyword, for instance, use phrases that locals normally use rather than generic ones. This will help you rank better and lets you reach your target audience in a more contextual way. Incorporate those keywords across your marketing materials. Incorporate Location Information Speaking of incorporating keywords and marketing elements, you also want to make your location known. The best way to do that is by adding location information to your website as well as your social media profiles. Make sure you also register yourself as a business on Google Business, Facebook Business Page, and similar services. Once again, the goal is to let customers know where you are based and target the specific market around where you operate. Review And Refine Digital marketing is normally very broad, which means it will take some time to craft marketing efforts that successfully target local customers. Don’t worry; you are not alone. If at first you don’t succeed, review the feedback you receive from analytics tools and other sources. After all, digital marketing has always been an ongoing process rather than a one-time thing. By continuously refining your campaigns, you will end up with effective utilization of digital marketing instruments and unrivaled ability to reach local markets . Keep these key tips in mind and you will have no trouble at […]

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Three Work-From-Home Skills To Help Boost Your Career In The Post-Lockdown World

This post is a part of YKA’s dedicated coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak and aims to present factual, reliable information. Read more . COVID-19 has brought drastic changes in work culture and the learning pattern. The culture of telecommuting is rising in case of big organisations of the world who are successfully operating online. While India was gradually accepting the concept of work-from-home culture and flexible working hours, this lockdown has made organisations realise that employees can be equally, or in many cases more, productive when provided with the liberty of working remotely and with flexible working hours. Regardless of their field, work culture of most of the organisations will change after everything normalises. Organisations might partially or wholly adopt the work-from-home culture, as it helps in cost-cutting, saving resources, and is environment-friendly. The demanded skill-set, hiring trends and work practices would also change accordingly. However, not everyone has skills required to work from home, and acquiring those is not an easy task. Utilising this time to upskill and reskill would help you grow in your existing roles, or explore new opportunities with more dynamic and adaptive organisations that can guarantee job security during such difficult times. Some of the most in-demand work-from-home skills, which can help in your career advancement post lockdown include: Web Development Every organisation operating online trades with its target customers through a website. During the lockdown, many ed-tech firms, game-makers, online grocery stores, online cleaning services providers and other home delivery services have flourished. Even local supermarket chains have now come online to ensure safe deliver essentials in their respective cities or localities. The trend of choosing online services post lockdown would continue as people would avoid social gatherings. In such a situation, web development will offer great career opportunities as more organisations would want a website to operate. Learning web development would help you master the art of developing, designing and managing a website for various companies while sitting at home. Through an online web development training, you can learn HTML and CSS to build well-structured web pages — Bootstrap for developing responsive web pages, SQL for writing queries and managing information, and PHP for performing operations and building functional logic. With this skill, you can start sharing exciting inputs with your organisation’s existing web development team, find opportunities as a freelancer, build websites for different clients, or start your own online business from scratch. Content Writing Content writing involves ideating, planning, writing, editing and proofreading content for the web. Articles, blogs, homepage content, marketing campaign content and scripts for videos, radio or podcasts are broadly a few things content writers work on. This is one of the most in-demand skills, for which employers mostly hire freelancers and virtual interns. Content attracts an organisation’s target audience to its website, which ultimately helps in increasing its sales and revenue. More companies will gradually start functioning online after the lockdown, leading to an increase in the requirement of professional content creators. Enrolling in an […]

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What benefits can an accountant offer me as a freelancer?

Whether you are a self-employed freelancer or you operate through a limited company, there are many benefits to seeking professional help from an accountant to help you take care of all your tax affairs. Here are some thoughts from specialist freelancer accountant Taxevo on the benefits an accountant can bring. Meeting your filing requirements The most obvious reason to get an accountant is to ensure you are being compliant with your filing obligations. As a self-employed freelancer you’ll need to file a self-assessment tax return with HMRC each year. If you operate through a limited company your obligations go further – you’ll need help with filing the company accounts and company tax return along with a self-assessment tax return as a company director. There are strict fines for late filing and interest is charged on late tax payments, so make sure you do not miss a deadline with the support of an accountant to keep you on track. Expertise in helping freelancers As a freelancer you have skill and expertise in your area of work. So why take the risk of not leaving your business finances to an expert? An accountant who specialises in freelancers can give you specific advice and support to ensure your business finances are handled correctly. They will also be able to keep you up to date with ever changing legislation to make sure you never fall foul of HMRC. Increase your profits A good accountant will provide you with guidance to help you maximise your business profits. Identifying what expenses can be claimed is important and a specialist freelancer accountant will give you that expert knowledge on what can and can’t be claimed. It may be something as simple as claiming an allowance for using your own home as your office . Let an accountant put your mind at ease to make sure you are only claiming what is an allowable business expense. Time for you to focus on what you do best Time is precious and you want to be able to put everything into growing your business. Not everyone wants to get bogged down with accounting and tax so leave it an expert so you can focus on what you do best. Many accountants will provide you with cloud-based software to help manage your business finances, this will allow you to have sight of profit levels and plan for tax payments so that there are no nasty surprises. The information is usually real time so you can always have meaningful conversations with your accountant about your current position. Choosing the right accountant It is a big business decision choosing an accountant. As a freelancer make sure you choose one who specialises in working with freelancers. That way you’ll get that specific advice from an expert who knows how you work. More on how to choose an accountant and freelancer accountants . Latest News

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Questions People Ask About Freelancing – Before And After A Pandemic

Questions about freelancing before and after a pandemic

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, freelancers would inevitably get some of the following comments about being a member of the gig economy:

“I would never work as a freelancer because I need job security.”

“All those work from home websites are scams.”

“Only sketchy companies hire freelancers.”

“What about insurance, retirement plans, and vacation days?”

But the tides have changed. Our recent pandemic has taught us that having a back-up plan or side hustle isn’t that bad of an idea.

Those same people who doubted your career choices may be now returning to you, pumping you for information on how to get started. Why are people more open to the idea of freelancing now?

We have our theories:

1. American workers are frightened.

Before the pandemic, most American workers enjoyed a sense of job security. They quickly realized how dispensable they were when employers furloughed millions of workers across the country. Amazingly, it wasn’t just the “non-essential workers” who were sent home. Medical staff has been furloughed in some parts of the country too.

The promise of job security suddenly has gone out of the window. Those who called you crazy for not earning the same amount of money each week now realize that they had a false sense of security in their jobs.

2. More people understand the benefit of hiring freelancers.

Hiring full-time staff is a big deal for small businesses. A lot of time and money is spent on recruiting. And those new hires often are unable to hit the ground running. More time and money needs to be spent on onboarding and training. Plus, the company needs to pay for additional office space, cell phones, laptops, insurance, vacation days, etc.

As small businesses tentatively begin to make plans for the future, they may be less likely to hire full-time workers. Instead, they may see the benefit of commissioning work on an as-needed basis until the economy settles.

You can’t blame those business leaders. Even though many are optimistic that things will return to normal, no one wants to hire additional staff only to realize that the virus will return in force next winter.

3. Workers understand the importance of diversification.

Most people work in or support one specific industry. They are in banking, education, travel, agriculture, or healthcare. They take pride in their knowledge, and when they look for new jobs, they may limit their search to their current company’s competitors.

Although many freelancers specialize in certain industries, it may have taken time for them to find their niche. In the meantime, many of them found themselves supporting industries and businesses unknown to them.

The recent pandemic harmed some industries more than others. Freelancers who had a lot of pans on the fryer may not have been affected if they lost one travel-industry client as long as they still were able to work for their clients working in plumbing or personal law.

4. More Americans see the benefit of working from home.

For members of the older generation, the idea of “working from home” seems suspect. For them, “work” means getting up before daybreak to dress in work-appropriate clothes. “Work” means fighting through traffic and 30-minute lunch breaks. “Work” means taking the afternoon off for dentist appointments and getting your oil changed in your car.

But now, workers who never had the opportunity to conduct business from home realize that it can be done. They recognize the amount of time they are saving by not having to iron their clothes and drive through traffic. They see the benefits for the first time in their lives of having a flexible schedule.

And even though they may miss interacting with some of their coworkers, these older employees may feel relief at finally having a break from an annoying officemate. Even though there are staff meetings over Zoom, they find they can multitask during them.

More than anything else, they see that working from home enables them to stay safe during a pandemic.

Your aunt, who has been working in a downtown office building for thirty years? The one who would look at you with disgust when you admitted to wearing sweats every day? She gets it now. She understands that not only work can get done at home, but it is a preferable experience to going into an office every day.

What does a freelancer do when those doubters ask for advice on how to start a side hustle? Of course, that’s up to you to decide. But you may find yourself with such an abundance of projects that you don’t have time to chat.

This article was originally posted at Freelancing Buzz.

from Freelancing Buzz https://freelancingbuzz.com/questions-people-ask-about-freelancing-before-and-after-a-pandemic/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=questions-people-ask-about-freelancing-before-and-after-a-pandemic
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