What’s Changed About Freelancing In The Past Five Years

Over the past five years, a lot has changed about freelance work. I’ve been freelancing full-time in that time frame, so these changes have affected me directly and dramatically.

As well as indirectly, by way of witnessing how other people’s careers in freelancing have evolved. In no particular order, here are some of the biggest changes.

Takeaways
Freelancing has experienced significant changes over the past five years, shaping the landscape for independent workers.
Technology advancements have played a crucial role in the growth of freelancing, enabling remote work, digital collaboration, and expanded opportunities globally.
The gig economy has expanded, offering freelancers a wide range of platforms and marketplaces to find work and connect with clients.
Freelancers now have access to a broader client base, with companies increasingly embracing remote and freelance talent to meet their project needs.
Freelancing has become more mainstream and accepted as a legitimate career choice, attracting professionals from various industries and backgrounds.
The freelance market has become more competitive, emphasizing the importance of building a strong personal brand, developing specialized skills, and providing exceptional value to clients.
Freelancers need to stay adaptable and continuously update their skills to meet evolving market demands and stay competitive in the ever-changing freelance landscape.
Freelancers should prioritize building a strong network, cultivating relationships, and leveraging referrals to secure new opportunities and long-term success.
Work-life balance and self-care have become essential considerations for freelancers, as the flexibility of freelancing comes with the need for self-discipline and maintaining boundaries.
Freelancers should stay informed about industry trends, changes in regulations, and evolving best practices to navigate the freelance world effectively.

Freelancing Has Become Mainstream

In the past five years, freelancing has gone from being a niche market to a legitimate career option for many people. With its growing popularity and acceptance in society, it’s no surprise that more and more companies are hiring independent contractors on a full-time basis. 

This means that freelancers now have access to benefits like health insurance and 401(k) plans things that were once reserved for full-time employees only. This shift in attitude toward freelancing isn’t just happening at the individual level; it’s also becoming more common for companies to hire contractors as well.

In fact, over half of businesses surveyed by Elance expect their freelance workforce to grow in the next 12 months.

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Working For Free Is Now Taboo

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of working for free, it’s a practice that was commonplace in my early days as a freelancer. You see, to get experience and build up your portfolio, you’d agree to take on any job that came your way even if it meant doing all of the work without pay.

I took on many jobs that involved working for free during my first few years as a freelancer.

However, times have changed and now the idea of working for no pay has become taboo among professionals, and rightly so! Just look at these statistics:

• 74% say they would only consider taking on unpaid internships if they were required by their university or college.
• 42% say they would flat out refuse an unpaid internship position offered by an employer.
• 21% say they would accept an unpaid internship only if there was potential for future employment at that organization after graduation (and not even then).

The Amount Of “Good Jobs” Has Increased Dramatically

Freelancing is a growing industry. There are more opportunities for freelancers than ever before, and there are more people who are willing to pay for your services. 

This means that there’s still a ton of competition, but it also means that you can find more interesting jobs and assignments than ever before. In other words: the freelance economy is booming.

Companies Now See Freelancers As A Viable Option For Their Temporary Staffing Needs

As a result of this shift, companies are now more willing to hire freelancers for temporary staffing needs. In turn, freelancers who may have previously been wary of working in this capacity are now more open-minded.

If you’re a company that’s uncertain about the length of time in which you’ll need someone’s services or if your project is too big for one person but not quite big enough for an entire department full of staff, then hiring a freelancer can be an ideal solution.

A lot has changed since 2008 when I first started as a full-time freelancer. There are many advantages associated with being able to work remotely, including:

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Finding New Clients Is Much Easier

Finding clients is much easier now than it was five years ago. There are many more freelance job boards, freelancer communities, directories, networks, and marketplaces available to find new clients. Here’s a quick overview of the top options:

• Freelance Job Boards: Upwork (formerly oDesk), Guru, and Freelancer are the three most popular choices for finding short-term work. These sites allow you to search for thousands of jobs from all over the world and apply online from anywhere with an internet connection.

• Freelancer Communities: You can also use freelance communities as another way to find work online such as [https://upworkcommunity.com/](https://upworkcommunity.com/) or [https://www.guru99.com/](https://www.guru99.com/) which allow you to post your profile so potential clients can view it when they need someone like you! 

This is another great resource if you’re just starting since many companies will hire through these platforms before contacting other agencies who charge higher rates but don’t always provide better service than freelancers themselves.

You’ll save some money while still having accessible career opportunities close by where ever you may be located.

More Tools Help You Manage Clients, Projects, And Tasks

Asana, Trello, Wrike, and Basecamp are just a few of the tools that help you manage clients and projects. They let you organize your work into different tasks, and what needs to be done when and by whom.

If you’re a solo freelancer these can be invaluable for keeping track of multiple projects at once. But even if you have a team working on an app or website together these tools can be great for keeping everyone on the same page about what’s coming next.

Competition Is Increasing At An Alarming Rate (Esp For The Work-From-Home Crowd)

The competition is growing, so you need to be more creative to stand out. I used to be able to land a project by submitting a simple proposal.

Now, I have to set up a presentation and pitch my ideas in person or via video chat. This might not sound like much of a change, but it certainly has made it harder for me to get new clients on board with my work.

Finding New Clients Is Easier, But As A Result, It’s Much Harder To Keep Them Loyal To One Freelancer/Agency

In the past five years, it’s become much easier to find new clients. More freelancers and agencies are competing for the same business, which means you have to offer more value than ever before if you want your company to stand out. 

You can’t afford to take your clients for granted and deliver subpar work. You need to make sure they’re getting what they pay for and that they’ll come back again and again because of it.

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You Can Make A Living Freelancing

It’s not uncommon to hear people complain about their careers, or the lack thereof. And while it’s true that the traditional 9-to-5 job model is on the decline, there are plenty of ways to make a living on your terms and one of them is freelancing.

But what exactly is freelancing? Well, it’s when you work for yourself as an independent contractor rather than for someone else as an employee. You’re your boss.

There are tons of benefits to being self-employed; no commute (if you can work from home), no office politics, etc., but there are also drawbacks, for instance, having no paid vacation days or sick leave means you won’t get any compensation if something unexpected comes up in life like an illness or injury prevents us from working (which just happened with our author).

There Are Tons More Resources Available To Help You Start, Manage And Grow Your Freelance Business Than There Were Five Years Ago

Google is your friend. There’s a lot of information out there and you don’t have to be an expert to get started in the freelance world.

If you’re not quite sure how to get started, try searching Google for “how to start a freelance business.” Or if there’s something specific you’re looking for, like how do I find clients or how do I keep track of my invoices? You can search Google with that as well.

You’ll find plenty of resources online (including this one) that will help guide you through building your freelance business from start to finish, managing it once it’s up and running, and growing it into something that works for YOU!

Freelancers Can Now Challenge Themselves To Be Better Everyday 

Online courses, online learning experiences, and other learning resources are available for just about anything you can think of. Whether you’re a freelancer looking to improve your business or an employee who wants to brush up on your skills, there’s an online course out there for you!

Online courses and learning experiences are especially useful for freelancers because they allow us to learn new skills without having to leave our homes or offices. 

They also give us opportunities for self-improvement that weren’t available before the advent of technology like YouTube, Udemy, and other platforms where we can find free or affordable education.

The best part is that these resources are accessible from anywhere in the world with internet access – no need to go back home after work just so that you can watch another episode of House Hunters International (although I highly recommend it).

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More People Are Investing In Themselves By Signing Up For Courses Either Online Or Offline

More people are investing in themselves by signing up for courses either online or offline…and they seem eager to share their experiences on social media (through photos and videos), which opens up a whole other area of opportunities for aspiring freelancers.

In addition to courses, platforms like Skillshare and CreativeLive offer hundreds of classes that you can take on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. And if you’re looking to learn while you travel, check out some of these websites:

Remote Work Continues To Grow In Popularity

As remote work continues to grow in popularity, freelancers need to consider the following:

• Remote work is becoming the norm. According to a 2018 report from Upwork and Freelancer.com, more than half of U.S.-based freelancers now work remotely at least some of the time.

In five years, this number will likely increase significantly as virtual offices become more common and digital tools continue to improve their usefulness for remote workers (and managers).

• Remote work is the future of business. Gone are the days when you had to live near your employer; today’s companies are hiring people all over the world who can do everything from coding or sales-related roles.

Right up to managing teams across multiple locations all while still being able to lead lives that don’t involve constant commutes or long office hours.

• If you’re looking at doing freelance work full-time but your current job isn’t what makes you happy anymore (or maybe even ever did), now would be a good time to think about whether you want out altogether or whether there might be ways within those confines that could improve things significantly enough.

So it wouldn’t feel like such a drastic change anymore either way – so if it happens then great! But if not then maybe just try something else instead?”

Monthly Retainers Are Now The Norm

If you’re freelancing, there’s a good chance that you’re getting paid to do something every week or month. You might be working on new projects, or you might be maintaining existing ones. Either way, it pays to think about what sort of structure your business needs to thrive.

It can be tempting to only work when clients come knocking but by doing this, you could miss out on a lot of opportunities for growth and income. For example: if you only work when someone hires you for a project and then go back into hibernation mode again afterward.

how will people know how good your work is? How will people know how reliable (or unreliable) they can expect from hiring someone like that again? And what happens if something comes up during their project that requires extra attention? What happens if they need help with another project after completing yours? 

These are all questions worth asking when evaluating whether or not monthly retainers are right for your freelancing business plan.

Passion Projects Are Important (And Lucrative)

It’s important to pursue your passions, because it may lead to a profitable business.

In the past five years, freelancers have become more confident about pursuing their passions and monetizing them. We no longer feel like we have to be “in the industry” to make money from our interests.

This has led many of us to start side hustles or even full-time businesses based on what we love. There are now so many options for creatives who want to turn their hobby into a source of income: You can sell your art online; you can design websites or logos for clients; you can write books or blog posts; and more!

We still need clients for our bills and lives not to fall apart (more on this later), but having passion projects is an important part of keeping us happy as well as helping grow our businesses over time.

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Final Thoughts

We hope you learned something about the state of freelancing today. As with all things, it has shifted over time to adapt to the needs of its users but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Many more people are working remotely than ever before, and the gig economy is booming. If you’re considering taking the plunge into freelancing yourself, there’s never been a better time; now let’s go make some money.

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources for further reading on freelancing:

The Future of Freelancing: Explore the evolving landscape of freelancing and gain insights into the trends, challenges, and opportunities that lie ahead.

Understanding Freelance: Definition and Scope: Dive into the definition and scope of freelancing, including its benefits, drawbacks, and how it differs from traditional employment.

Freelancing Trends and Predictions: Stay ahead of the curve with this comprehensive guide on the latest trends and predictions in the freelance industry.

People Also Ask

How Do You Get Paid?

The answer to this can vary significantly depending on the type of freelancer you are. For example, if your primary job is writing content, then it’s likely that your client will pay after they approve the final copy (and before publication).

However, if your client is another business owner who needs help with their marketing strategy and execution, then it makes sense for them to pay upfront for your services.

Keep in mind that there are different ways for people to pay their freelancers so make sure that all parties are happy with how payments are handled!

How Do I Market Myself As A Freelancer?

There are many ways to market yourself as a freelance worker; however, some methods have proven more effective than others over time due to changing technologies and social media trends.

When looking at how other successful freelancers market themselves online today vs five years ago, one thing stands out: 

They focus heavily on creating quality content for social media channels like LinkedIn where potential clients might find them through search engine optimization (SEO) techniques instead of just posting random updates about their projects every day on Facebook where only friends see these updates unless those friends also follow them on LinkedIn.”

What’s Changed About Freelancing In General?

It’s easier than ever to start your own business, thanks to tools like WordPress, Google Drive, and Upwork (formerly oDesk). You can also market yourself online using social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Plus, with all the information available online, you’re less dependent on agencies or temporary work sites for leads and feedback on your work.

How Do I Know If I’m Ready?

If you have a computer/laptop/tablet device that gets internet access anywhere (even at Starbucks), then yes! Give it a try! You might be surprised at how much money is waiting for you just by getting out there with your resume or samples from a portfolio site such as LinkedIn Pulse Pro Writing Service.

Why Should You Become A Freelancer?

• To make money and live the dream. Take control of your life and be your boss. You’ll never have to work another 9-5 or do something you don’t love (or just plain hate) ever again.

• To avoid those awkward office moments where someone brings in their pet turtle and everyone has to pretend they’re fine with it being there all day long so as not to hurt its feelings (because when you’re responsible for someone else’s feelings, who gives a rip about yours?).

• Because after years of doing the same thing over and over again at work and getting paid less than what you deserve, you’ve reached that point where no one cares if they lose their jobs because chances are good they would rather stay in bed anyway than face another day on Earth

With other people living normal lives around them who don’t get paid enough for anything but still somehow manage to smile every morning from sheer joy at being alive and able-bodied enough (and sober)