We tend to think about work in 9-to-5 terms, but work isn\u2019t the same as it was in the past.<\/p>\n
A report by the Freelancers Union, “Freelancing in America, a National Survey of the New Workforce<\/a>,” suggests that we have entered a new era of work, sometimes called “the gig economy<\/a>.”<\/p>\n Some people who are unemployed view freelance jobs<\/a> as a way to stay up to date while paying the bills. Others seek the independence of choosing when and where to work, including at home.<\/p>\n The articles I have been writing for Job-Hunt.org address the contracting industry, also known as freelancing. Freelancers work for an employer, but not as a direct employee<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Freelancing and contract work<\/a> are project-based, independent, exciting, potentially risky, and rich with opportunities.<\/p>\n With a laptop, a cell phone, and Wi-Fi, your office can be anywhere, and you can be just as responsive to your employer as if you were down the hall from your manager.<\/p>\n The Freelancers Union report suggests that \u201cthe economic implications of this more flexible workforce are significant.\u201d This means more versatility for businesses too because they have a unique pool of talent that they can access as needed without the obligations and expenses associated with being the direct employer.<\/p>\n As the global markets fluctuate, businesses can be more responsive without a commitment to a permanent expansion of labor.<\/p>\n The Freelancers Union report states that 57.3 million Americans are working as freelancers<\/strong>, representing approximately 38% of the U.S. workforce. It defines freelancers as “individuals who have engaged in supplemental, temporary, or project- or contract-based work in the past 12 months.”<\/p>\n This new style of work crosses many different fields and occupations<\/a>, from consulting and IT to construction and trucking, including many professions and industries.<\/p>\n Many freelancers can locate jobs online with relative ease. The report states that \u201c31% of freelancers said they can find a gig online<\/a> in less than 24 hours.\u201d Millennials represent the highest percentage of freelancers, at 38% for those under 35 and 32% for those over 35.<\/p>\n Flexibility is huge for those people who prefer the contracting life. Though some roles will require above-average hours during a project, the flexibility of when the work is done is often left up to the freelancer<\/strong>, especially if they are working virtually or remotely.<\/p>\n The concept of working in your pajamas or outside on the deck<\/a> is made possible by the ever-expanding opportunities provided by technology. The appeal of this flexibility can draw many people to jobs that are less permanent than a previous generation\u2019s concept of work.<\/p>\n Some contract workers balance another job or a business with the contract work<\/a>, which gives them flexibility to get that work done. Many workers will work very hard to reach their goals and create financial freedom for themselves or their families<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Without the office environment, some contract workers feel less stress<\/a> because they only have to produce the work needed<\/strong> without office politics concerns or potential workplace interruptions.<\/p>\n Sometimes, freelancing is the best available option for someone who is unemployed or reentering the job market<\/a>, providing an opportunity to build skills and networks while paying bills<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Other benefits certainly exist<\/a>, as, of course, do disadvantages.<\/p>\n A contract can benefit an employer in many different ways.<\/p>\n The project has a beginning and an end, which means employers can hire highly skilled contractors for a limited period<\/strong>. Many IT companies will contract for project-based skills or expertise that they can\u2019t find locally; this enables them to get the project done with top talent.<\/p>\n Work requirements can be met without the need to increase permanent staff<\/strong>. For instance, insurance companies can hire contractors to manage high volumes of claims with the intent of possibly retaining some of the workforce permanently for excellent performance.<\/p>\n The initial project can be a tryout for both sides<\/strong>. Does the freelancer like the organization, and does the organization feel the freelancer is a good fit for a “real” job? Time and experience for both determine the outcome.<\/p>\n Retailers and shipping companies add massive numbers of “seasonal workers” during the holidays when work levels spike dramatically.<\/p>\n Hospitals contract with traveling nurses and locum tenens (temporary) physicians to cover very busy times, such as high maternity levels, illness outbreaks, or simply high-volume periods.<\/p>\n Recently, I worked with a client who will be the owner\u2019s representative on a $25 million school referendum project. He was selected because of his construction management expertise to represent the owner\u2014the school district\u2014during this upcoming project.<\/p>\n I have another client who does 35 days on and 35 days off as a security director for an oil company doing exploratory work in Africa.<\/p>\n Whether or not you are a good fit for contract work is a decision best made after considering the options and consequences. The increase of freedom is balanced with uncertainty in income<\/a>. For some people, economic uncertainty is so difficult that they need the security of a \u201creal\u201d job. For those people who understand the risk and can plan ahead, the freelance world of work offers endless opportunities for personal fulfillment and work on their own terms<\/strong>.<\/p>\n About this author…<\/strong><\/p>\n Job-Hunt’s Freelancing and Contracting Expert Julie Walraven is a Certified Master Resume Writer and Certified Professional Resume Writer. She is owner of DesignResumes.com<\/a> and has been helping people with their job searching since 1983. During that time frame, she has helped job seekers find employment as contractors, and she has acted as a contractor herself for many years, so she brings experience and a depth of knowledge to this topic. Follow Julie on Twitter @JulieWalraven<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Work is changing, long-term jobs are disappearing, and freelancing \/ contracting could be your next career.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":18556,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"old-site-template.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,99],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-change","category-freelance-and-contractor-jobs"],"last_modified_at":"","edited_by":"Elly Stauffer","acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4597"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4597\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27889,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4597\/revisions\/27889"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18556"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.job-hunt.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}New World of Work<\/h2>\n
Benefits for the Freelancer<\/h2>\n
Flexibility in Work Content and Scheduling<\/h3>\n
Working From Home<\/h3>\n
Combining Different Contracts to Increase Income<\/h3>\n
Avoiding Organizational Tension<\/h3>\n
Paying Bills While Searching for a “Real” Job<\/h3>\n
Benefits for Employers<\/h2>\n
Project-Based Work<\/h3>\n
Temporary High-Volume Needs<\/h3>\n
The “Temp-to-Perm” Situation<\/h3>\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n
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