AfriBlocks Network
The gig economy is continually growing as more professionals around the world are moving into freelancing. Companies around the globe are also hiring more freelancers as ‘gigs’ prove to provide them with more value than long-term contracts with employees. For professionals, freelance work offers a number of benefits, including control over working conditions and time.
With an ever-increasing interest in freelance work, it is important that we are informed before we make a commitment to take up freelance work. So here are some facts about freelancing and what you can do to ensure that your career works best for you.
- The majority of freelancers are satisfied with the work they get
There is a common misconception that freelancers struggle to find work. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. The world has shifted towards the gig economy which has seen companies hire more freelancers. As the digital divide closes, more professionals are available for hire from all regions of the world, and freelancing is one of the avenues through which their services are acquired.
According to a survey conducted by Forbes, 60% of freelancers reported that they are satisfied with their workload. The freelancers also reported that they have satisfying relationships with their clients and they are able to earn enough to cover their financial needs. With the changes that have been forced by the covid-19 pandemic and the closing of the digital divide, you can expect more freelance opportunities across all industries.
- Getting payments settled remains a challenge for freelancers
One of the biggest challenges that freelancers face is getting paid after they complete a job. 44% of freelancers claimed that they had been cheated out of payments before. A separate survey conducted in the United States discovered that 59% of freelancers were owed $50,000 or more by their clients. These are worrying numbers and having payments settled, and settled on time, remains a challenge.
Freelance platforms, such as our own, manage this challenge by using an escrow system to process payments. This system is designed to protect freelancers from clients that are bent on cheating them out of their hard-earned income. For freelancers that work independently, receiving payments is almost always a game of chance that needs one to be very careful when choosing their clients. If there is no escrow system in place, make sure you have a valid and binding contract that you can enforce in case a client does not settle the payment.
- Its time to learn that additional skill
While most freelancers are usually specialists in a certain field or have mastered a particular skill, the current freelance environment demands that one diversify their skills. The first reason for this is that transferable skills have become a big part of the work world. The second is that professionals that have taken to freelance work on a full-time basis quickly realize that they need another skill to sell along with their specialty.
About 61% of freelancers say that they consider themselves to be specialists across two or three skillsets. This allows these freelancers to work for more clients at a time and to gain experience across a wider variety of industries. For many freelancers, the ability to attract more clients is just as important as the ability to complete jobs and varied skillsets give you a chance at getting more clients.
- Freelancers report positive changes in their lives
More workers are becoming concerned with the quality of the lives they lead. Many people, as a result of the pandemic, realized that they prefer to work from their homes as opposed to making a daily commute to the office. Most freelance jobs are remote and this has increased the attractiveness of freelance work.
64% of full-time freelancers reported that their health had significantly improved since they made the switch from a traditional 9-5. The quality of life is also said to improve for freelancers, with 68% of independent workers reporting that the quality of their lives improved when they turned to freelance work.
There are several variables involved in freelance work and it is important to have a full appreciation before you commit to a full-time freelance career. More professionals are transitioning to freelance work in pursuit of better working conditions and improvements in quality of life. To take your first steps to become a freelancer, visit https://afriblocks.com/ today, and let’s get you started on your journey.
