Freelancing is not a new notion; it was utilized in various ways prior to the internet's rise, such as speech writing for politicians, and it has long been employed in journalism. The rise of digitalization has aided the expansion of the freelance economy. Following the 2008-2009 global recession (Great Recession), the freelancing economy expanded in popularity.
A freelancer means a self-employed individual who is not necessarily committed to a certain employer on a long-term basis. At first look, gig workers and freelancers appear to be the same in the freelance economy or gig economy. While discussing the similarities between gig workers and freelancers, coverage of eCommerce jobs has clearly predominated a distinction between gig workers and freelancers.
Anyone can work as a freelancer:
Freelancing can be a simple and cost-effective option to start working as a freelancer, usually from the comfort of his/her own home. A freelancer is a self-governing proficient in a field, who comes from a variety of backgrounds and gives services to businesses or individuals on a project or short-term basis. While schooling/college is usually beneficial, there are no officially prescribed qualifications to begin freelancing. All you need is access to the internet and the necessary outfits/equipment to provide your services to your client. A method provided in an article published on WEmpower Platform, Pakistan, a (Network of professional women), is reproduced below on how to become a freelancer:
“There are no such qualifications needed to work as a freelancer. One can develop above mentioned skillsets by either taking a specialized course or training, and even by watching videos on YouTube to learn a soft skill. All it takes is some effort!”
Freelancers usually need to learn a variety of new skills as they are engaged in a range of fields. Self-learning is one of the most important talents of a freelancer; they must have the ego to learn new things and improve their skills. He or she can read books, watch videos, attend courses, and ask other freelancers for advice. Importance of communication skills, problem-solving abilities, taking initiative, and IT skills are very essential to be a freelancer.
Many people working in the freelance/gig economy only need a computer/smartphone and an internet connection to deliver their work. Video conferencing has now become a vital element of work; with this facility, one can now hold live meetings from all over the world, eliminating the need for wasteful travel. There are numerous platforms for finding freelance work, such as:
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- Freelancer.com
- Toptal
- LinkedIn and LinkedIn ProFinder
Freelancing popular jobs:
Freelancing encompasses Sales and Marketing, Audio and Video Production, Home Designing and Renovation Services, and Accounting/Financial Consultancy, but the best freelancing opportunities are in the IT/digital sphere, such as:
- Data Entry Jobs & Web Research
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) + Creative Designing
- Article and Blog Writing
- Designing Logo and Drawing/ Graphic Designer
- Game Development & App Developer
- Web Developer/Web Designer
- Content writer/Copywriter & Report writing
- Transcription and Bilingual Services – Translation
- Digital marketing consultant & Data analyst
- Virtual Assistant
Features of Freelancing:
Lack of proper education or experience is not an impediment to freelancing. Opting for Freelancing as a career allows grow and develop at your own pace. The freelancer must decide what type of work he or she wants to accomplish and how many clients to accept. This allows you to start slowly or quickly, depending on what you want to do with your freelancing job. The freelance economy is a market-based system in which dealings are task-based and people work independently with no long-term contracts with any enterprise. Working as a freelancer in the gig economy means companies hire self-employed people to perform certain tasks in exchange for an agreed-upon fee on a part-time or temporary basis, although they are not paid the same as full-time employees received from the said company.
Flexible hours are one of the advantages of working in the freelance economy. Freelancers serve as their own managers, scheduling their working hours (remotely, usually working from home), securing the task, and charging the client for the job performed. They send out invoices, receive and deposit money, and are answerable to the state for paying taxes.
Scope of freelancing:
Earning online may be slower at first, but there is a growing possibility of earning a continuous income from online work. Many people have adopted the lifestyle of working remotely seeking flexibility and freedom. A lot of websites have made it easier to get freelance tasks globally. The space of freelance work is really broad and growing steadily. It goes from the most basic to the most advanced level of online freelancing work. In the digital world, several types of writing jobs are in high demand around the world, and many organizations choose to award their work to reputed freelancers. Some in-demand jobs include copywriting, public affairs, branding, blogging, e-books, and ghost-writing.
Global statistics:
As per News released by FREELANCER.COM, published in News Direct on January 04, 2023 (also highlighted in Yahoo Finance), and based on data from 372,000 jobs posted on Freelancer.com between October 1 and December 31st, 2022 it is disclosed that programming, report writing, and research-related jobs are among the fastest-growing skills on the platform. It was also mentioned that when ranking the percentage growth of more than 2,000 abilities accessible on Freelancer.com, Report Writing (up 59.5%, from 3,374 to 5,384) takes the top spot in the index.
Many firms and companies rely on freelancers at the end of the year to help with high-volume tasks. The primary tasks for the end of 2022, according to the data, were report writing, research, and technical writing. Employers were engaging freelancers to assist them with collecting 2022 retrospective reports, making strategic plans for 2023, and writing business reports. The amount of market research and business plan projects posted to the platform has also increased as many entrepreneurs want to establish enterprises in the New Year (2023).
Distinction between Freelancing and Gig Workers:
While there are similarities between the two jobs, freelancing is fundamentally different from working a gig-style job. Freelancers are one-person service providers, whereas gig workers are more closely associated with flexible labour. Freelancers may object to being referred to as "gig workers" because the term suggests less skilled individuals, such as Uber drivers, and labour acquired, such as delivery persons, online skilled workers, contractual workers, on-demand workers, and temporary workers. Gig workers usually enter into formal agreements with on-demand organizations in order to supply services to the clients of the company. Self-employment includes freelance work. Apart from being employed by a firm, freelancers generally work as self-employed individuals, providing services on a contract or project basis.
Obstacles to Freelancing and Their Way of Life:
Hard work, solid time management skills, and the ability to hustle to find a new job are all important for a freelance profession. The majority of freelancers struggle to find clients. It is especially problematic for beginning freelancers. There is no paid time off, no motherhood/fatherhood leave, and no company-sponsored health benefits when working as a freelancer. Disadvantages of Freelancing may include:
- A sense of isolation.
- Constantly looking for new jobs.
- Inconsistent employment and unstable income
- Lack of social interaction
- Accountability for all work and business expenditures
Many freelancers make the mistake of being available seven days a week or working extremely long days. This will not be maintained. Take enough time off to stay creative and fresh.