FIELD ENGINEER
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Freelance
by
Gary McCauley
|
March 19, 2019
Working as a freelancer has been a growing trend in recent years, and it only continues to get more popular. According to Morgan Stanley, freelancers could soon represent more than 50% of the working population in the U.S. Freelancing numbers have grown three times as quickly as the standard workforce. In the UK, France and the Netherlands, freelance work has been growing at a faster rate than overall employment. In the EU as a whole, the number of freelancers doubled between 2000 and 2014. It's clear the freelancing is on the rise, and it's continuing to be more and more popular across a range of fields. But what does that mean for the future, and is freelancing something that you should be considering?
The "gig economy" has played a significant role in the increase of freelancers worldwide. The internet and online businesses have led to an increase in the amount of temporary work, short-term projects and freelancing opportunities that are available. It's easier to work independently or to look for freelance work when you have access to a global marketplace through the internet. The upward trend of freelance workers in the last few years doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon. In fact, some people are even predicting that it won't be long before the majority of the workforce is made up of freelancers. By 2020, freelancers in the U.S. are estimated to reach 43% of the total workforce.
One of the great appeals of freelancing is that it's available to just about anyone. No matter what industry you work in and what your skills are, you can probably find freelancing opportunities. It's possible to freelance digitally or to carry out work in person, everywhere from offices to people's homes. Whether you're a marketer, a web designer, a tutor, a plumber or an engineer, you can set up as a freelancer and be in control of your own work. While freelancing isn't practical for everyone, it's an option for almost any industry. It's especially popular for digital professions but it's certainly not limited to them.
If you're thinking about becoming a freelancer, you should consider whether you have the necessary qualities. Some people can be better candidates for freelance work than others. One of the most important things is that you need to be self-motivated if you want to be able to find and carry out your work. Although you will often have a client setting deadlines for you or pushing you to complete your work, it's up to you to find new opportunities. You need to be able to organize yourself and come up with a plan for where your freelance work will take you.
You will probably also want to consider what reasons you might have for taking up freelance work. Some people want to do it because they need a way to build their skills outside of their main job. Others want more flexibility in their lives so that they have more control over the work that they do and when they do it. Perhaps you're looking for a way to be your own boss, whether you start freelancing on the side or you decide to commit to freelancing full-time straight away.
Freelancing offers a number of benefits for anyone, and for engineers in particular. If you decide that you want to start freelancing, you could benefit from things such as:
Finding freelance opportunities isn't difficult. Online marketplaces are a great place to start, and Field Engineer offers a global marketplace for engineers looking for freelance work. We have a huge range of opportunities for different types of engineers to help you take care of all of your technical needs.
Freelancing is a great way to leverage your skills and gain autonomy over your own schedule. Grow your freelance career as an engineer with Field Engineer’s global marketplace!
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