Career decisions are the toughest ones to make, especially when you’re a freelancer. You want to follow your passion and do what brings you joy—but you also want to make a decent amount of money and not have to continually worry about finding work.
Luckily for you, all signs point to 2015 and beyond as being great years for freelancers. Need proof? Just take a look at some of these surprising freelancing statistics and facts.
40 % of the U.S. Workforce Will Be Freelancers by 2020
That’s right. According to a recent study, almost half of the workers in the United States will be operating on a freelance basis in five years. That works out to be about 60 million people. When the government last counted the number of American freelancers in 2006, they made up about 30 percent of the work place (or 42.6 million workers). Needless to say, freelancing is on the rise.
79 % of Millennials Would Consider Trading Their Full-Time for Freelancing
Forbes has has taken to calling millennials “generation gig”—and who could blame them? A recent article notes that this generation will comprise 75 percent of all workers by 2030. Since they generally think differently about work and making money, chances are companies will have to adjust to their desires in order to keep them interested. That might mean fewer full-time positions and more freelance options.
The U.S. Experienced 50 Straight Months of Payrolls Growth in November 2014
Forbes notes that the economy is stronger than it’s been in years, which is another cause for celebration for freelancers. Not only are freelancers and entrepreneurs partially responsible for this growth, it’s also created a stronger economy that allows business to hire freelance employees for special projects rather than doing everything in-house.
The Sharing Economy is All Good News for Freelancers
The sharing economy encapsulates everything from people who rent out their guest house on Airbnb, to people who use their cars to give rides on Uber and Lyft. While the sharing economy is slightly different that, say, being a freelance web designer who works in his or her own office, the mere existence of such services is changing the way people think about work and making money. Experts note that the internet is a big driver to the success of the sharing economy. You could also argue that it’s changed the way we see transactions. Suddenly accepting a ride from a relative stranger, or staying in the guesthouse of someone you’ve never met is no big deal. People and business alike are realizing that their solutions may come in different, unique packages.
The post Freelancer Statistics that May Surprise You appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.