Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. This article was written by Kay VanAntwerpen, a member of the Entrepreneur NEXT powered by Assemble content team. Entrepreneur NEXT is our Expert solutions division leading the future of work and skills-based economy. If you’re struggling to find, vet, and hire the right Experts for your business, Entrepreneur NEXT is a platform to help you hire the experts you need, exactly when you need them. From business to marketing, sales, design, finance, and technology, we have the top 3 percent of Experts ready to work for you. The future is freelance. This mode of employment isn’t just a trend or quirky alternative to the contemporary lifestyle — it’s quickly becoming part of the mainstream. With each new generation, freelancing has become more popular. When surveyed , 29 percent of Baby Boomers said they were likely to freelance, followed by 31 percent of Gen X, 40 percent of millennials, and 53 percent of Gen Z. As of 2019, roughly 57 million Americans worked as freelancers. These not-so-unconventional workers now make up almost five percent of the U.S. GDP. That’s more than either the construction or transportation sectors—statistically closer to the information sector. Businesses looking for skilled professionals without the need to hire them as full-time employees benefit from hiring freelancers.As such, most freelancers work in skilled professions — programming, business consulting, marketing, information technology, etc. There are a number of benefits for these employees as well, including: Better pay: The average freelancer is better paid than 70 percent of regularly employed workers, making a median rate of $28 an hour. Location independence: Freelancers work on their terms, be that from home, a coffee shop, or on the road. Freedom to choose clients: Freelancers are not beholden to the corporate power structure, inconsiderate management, or controlling bosses. They choose their own clients. If a particular relationship is not working, a freelance expert can easily part ways. Ability to prioritize personal needs: Forty-six percent of freelancers say they prefer their work pattern because they are unable to work for a traditional employer due to personal conditions such as illness, injury or more. This isn’t all to say the freelance life is free of difficulty. Setting your own schedule, maintaining that schedule, and keeping deadlines are all easier said than done. If you’re used to the guardrails of a 9-5 job, the open seas of the freelance economy can take practice to navigate. Below, we’ve covered some of the best ways to make your freelance life easier. Creating your office. Location independence can be thrilling. You can work in whatever clothing you want, be it a suit and tie, pajamas, or plain old tighty-whities. Choosing to make your kitchen table, a coffee shop, or the lobby of a hotel your office is a level of freedom you may not have expected. But you’ll quickly learn that some locations are more conducive to productivity than others, and having a proper workstation can make all the difference […]
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