Last week the Freelancers Union released How to Live the Freelance Life, a report based on a survey of more than 1,100 freelancers nationwide that asked freelancers about their work, money, lifestyle, and values.
There were a number of interesting findings, but three jumped out at me:
1. The Why Do You Freelance chart shows that freelancers are choosing to be independent to gain control over their lives and do work they love.
2. Collaboration is King
The role networks and cross freelancer collaboration is both large and growing. As the chart below shows, freelancers are actively working with other freelancers in a variety of ways. The growing use of networks is powerful freelancer trend and key to freelance success.
3. Freelancers Plan on Staying Freelancers
Nearly 9 in 10 independent workers (88%) reported they would keep freelancing even if they were offered a full-time job.
Freelancers consistently tell us in interviews they are willing to trade income and security for the autonomy, control and flexibility freelancing provides. The results of this survey echo and confirm this.
Disclosure: the Freelancers Union is an Emergent Research client and we worked on this study.
I love being a freelancer. And I agree with the idea that collaboration is key. For me, teaming up and trading is a big part of my business, referrals to a lesser extent. Networking is the most time consuming part of being a freelancer, but it is also what drives business and collaboration opportunities.
Posted by: Loraschafer | July 15, 2014 at 08:09 AM