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Submitted URL: http://link.email.upwork.com/ls/click?upn=VqS90m2f8fx8n-2F1K6AZcGbPcv3ag7rzlW2nWQBZhjU5kP-2BcqRsm4gHUYDLc7swCO9ErhNh-2BxlnFwQ...
Effective URL: https://www.upwork.com/research/freelance-forward-2021?utm_source=Braze&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=202112_AH_CL_NL_N...
Submission: On December 23 via api from US — Scanned from DE
Effective URL: https://www.upwork.com/research/freelance-forward-2021?utm_source=Braze&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=202112_AH_CL_NL_N...
Submission: On December 23 via api from US — Scanned from DE
Form analysis 6 forms found in the DOM
GET /search/profiles/
<form action="/search/profiles/" method="GET" role="search" aria-label="Form"><input type="hidden" name="nbs" value="1" autocomplete="off"> <input autocomplete="off" type="search" name="q" data-cy="search-input" placeholder="Search"
aria-label="Search" class="nav-search-catalog-input is-clear">
<div class="nav-dropdown nav-search-catalog-btns nav-d-flex"><button data-cy="search-clear-button" aria-label="Reset Input" type="reset" class="nav-btn-icon nav-search-catalog-clear" style="display: none;"><span icon-name="close-circle" size=""
aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" aria-hidden="true" role="img">
<path d="M11.207 9.793l-1.414 1.414L7 8.414l-2.793 2.793-1.414-1.414L5.586 7 2.793 4.207l1.414-1.414L7 5.586l2.793-2.793 1.414 1.414L8.414 7l2.793 2.793zM7 0a7 7 0 100 14A7 7 0 007 0z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="submit" aria-label="Search" class="nav-btn-icon"><span icon-name="search" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14"
role="img">
<path d="M13.65 12L10.4 8.75A5.64 5.64 0 0 0 5.66 0a5.67 5.67 0 1 0 3.1 10.4L12 13.66a1.15 1.15 0 0 0 1.64 0 1.16 1.16 0 0 0 0-1.65zM5.66 9.55a3.89 3.89 0 1 1 .01-7.78 3.89 3.89 0 0 1 0 7.78z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="button" data-cy="search-switch-button" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Switch search source" class="nav-btn-icon"><span icon-name="dropdown-caret" size="xs" aria-hidden="true"
class="up-s-nav-icon nav-caret nav-caret-sm"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img">
<path d="M.37,5l5.75,5.92a1.23,1.23,0,0,0,1.78,0L13.64,5a1.31,1.31,0,0,0,0-1.83,1.27,1.27,0,0,0-.86-.37H1.25A1.27,1.27,0,0,0,0,4v0A1.28,1.28,0,0,0,.37,5Z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="button" data-cy="search-close" aria-label="Close Search" class="nav-btn-icon nav-search-catalog-close align-items-center nav-d-lg-none is-alone"><span class="nav-close-icon"></span></button>
<div aria-live="polite" class="sr-only"><!----></div>
<ul role="listbox" tabindex="-1" data-cy="search-options" aria-label="Search Options" class="nav-dropdown-menu nav-dropdown-search">
<li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-freelancers-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="true"><span icon-name="user" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" aria-hidden="true" role="img"><path d="M7 8c-3.314 0-6 1.85-6 3.297v2.027c0 .373.358.676.8.676h10.4c.442 0 .8-.303.8-.676v-2.027C13 9.85 10.314 8 7 8zm3-5a3 3 0 11-6 0 3 3 0 016 0z"></path></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Talent
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Hire professionals and agencies
</span></a></li>
<li role="presentation" class=""><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-projects-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="false"><span icon-name="project" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img"><path d="M11.667 1.273h-2.8C8.6.509 7.867 0 7 0S5.4.51 5.133 1.273h-2.8C1.6 1.273 1 1.845 1 2.545v10.182c0 .7.6 1.273 1.333 1.273h9.334C12.4 14 13 13.427 13 12.727V2.545c0-.7-.6-1.272-1.333-1.272zM7 1.273c.4 0 .667.254.667.636S7.4 2.545 7 2.545s-.667-.254-.667-.636.267-.636.667-.636zM3 12V3h1v1.824h6V3h1v9H3z"></path> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="6"></rect> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="8"></rect> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="10"></rect></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Projects
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Buy pre-defined projects
</span></a></li>
<li role="presentation" class=""><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-jobs-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="false"><span icon-name="briefcase-hire" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img"><path d="M13.51 3a.5.5 0 01.491.51v8.98c0 .282-.22.51-.498.51H.499a.504.504 0 01-.498-.51V3.51c0-.282.215-.51.49-.51H4V1.45s.067-.451.407-.449c1.748.006 3.496.007 5.245-.001.34-.002.348.45.348.45V3h3.51zM5 3h4V2H5v1zm4.253 2L6.067 9.357l-1.63-1.21L3.5 9.265l2.899 2.152 4.101-5.61L9.253 5z"></path></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Jobs
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Apply to jobs posted by clients
</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</form>Name: wf-form-Talent-Form — POST https://null
<form id="wf-form-Talent-Form" name="wf-form-Talent-Form" data-name="Talent Form" action="https://null" method="post" class="search-form-3-0">
<div class="form-label-3-0">Upwork Component</div>
</form>GET /search/profiles/
<form action="/search/profiles/" method="GET" role="search" aria-label="Form"><input type="hidden" name="nbs" value="1" autocomplete="off"> <input autocomplete="off" type="search" name="q" data-cy="search-input" placeholder="Search"
aria-label="Search" class="nav-search-catalog-input is-clear">
<div class="nav-dropdown nav-search-catalog-btns nav-d-flex"><button data-cy="search-clear-button" aria-label="Reset Input" type="reset" class="nav-btn-icon nav-search-catalog-clear" style="display: none;"><span icon-name="close-circle" size=""
aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" aria-hidden="true" role="img">
<path d="M11.207 9.793l-1.414 1.414L7 8.414l-2.793 2.793-1.414-1.414L5.586 7 2.793 4.207l1.414-1.414L7 5.586l2.793-2.793 1.414 1.414L8.414 7l2.793 2.793zM7 0a7 7 0 100 14A7 7 0 007 0z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="submit" aria-label="Search" class="nav-btn-icon"><span icon-name="search" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14"
role="img">
<path d="M13.65 12L10.4 8.75A5.64 5.64 0 0 0 5.66 0a5.67 5.67 0 1 0 3.1 10.4L12 13.66a1.15 1.15 0 0 0 1.64 0 1.16 1.16 0 0 0 0-1.65zM5.66 9.55a3.89 3.89 0 1 1 .01-7.78 3.89 3.89 0 0 1 0 7.78z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="button" data-cy="search-switch-button" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Switch search source" class="nav-btn-icon"><span icon-name="dropdown-caret" size="xs" aria-hidden="true"
class="up-s-nav-icon nav-caret nav-caret-sm"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img">
<path d="M.37,5l5.75,5.92a1.23,1.23,0,0,0,1.78,0L13.64,5a1.31,1.31,0,0,0,0-1.83,1.27,1.27,0,0,0-.86-.37H1.25A1.27,1.27,0,0,0,0,4v0A1.28,1.28,0,0,0,.37,5Z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="button" data-cy="search-close" aria-label="Close Search" class="nav-btn-icon nav-search-catalog-close align-items-center nav-d-lg-none is-alone"><span class="nav-close-icon"></span></button>
<div aria-live="polite" class="sr-only"><!----></div>
<ul role="listbox" tabindex="-1" data-cy="search-options" aria-label="Search Options" class="nav-dropdown-menu nav-dropdown-search">
<li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-freelancers-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="true"><span icon-name="user" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" aria-hidden="true" role="img"><path d="M7 8c-3.314 0-6 1.85-6 3.297v2.027c0 .373.358.676.8.676h10.4c.442 0 .8-.303.8-.676v-2.027C13 9.85 10.314 8 7 8zm3-5a3 3 0 11-6 0 3 3 0 016 0z"></path></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Talent
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Hire professionals and agencies
</span></a></li>
<li role="presentation" class=""><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-projects-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="false"><span icon-name="project" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img"><path d="M11.667 1.273h-2.8C8.6.509 7.867 0 7 0S5.4.51 5.133 1.273h-2.8C1.6 1.273 1 1.845 1 2.545v10.182c0 .7.6 1.273 1.333 1.273h9.334C12.4 14 13 13.427 13 12.727V2.545c0-.7-.6-1.272-1.333-1.272zM7 1.273c.4 0 .667.254.667.636S7.4 2.545 7 2.545s-.667-.254-.667-.636.267-.636.667-.636zM3 12V3h1v1.824h6V3h1v9H3z"></path> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="6"></rect> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="8"></rect> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="10"></rect></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Projects
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Buy pre-defined projects
</span></a></li>
<li role="presentation" class=""><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-jobs-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="false"><span icon-name="briefcase-hire" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img"><path d="M13.51 3a.5.5 0 01.491.51v8.98c0 .282-.22.51-.498.51H.499a.504.504 0 01-.498-.51V3.51c0-.282.215-.51.49-.51H4V1.45s.067-.451.407-.449c1.748.006 3.496.007 5.245-.001.34-.002.348.45.348.45V3h3.51zM5 3h4V2H5v1zm4.253 2L6.067 9.357l-1.63-1.21L3.5 9.265l2.899 2.152 4.101-5.61L9.253 5z"></path></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Jobs
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Apply to jobs posted by clients
</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</form>Name: wf-form-Talent-Form — POST https://null
<form id="wf-form-Talent-Form" name="wf-form-Talent-Form" data-name="Talent Form" action="https://null" method="post" class="search-form-3-0">
<div class="form-label-3-0">Upwork Component</div>
</form>GET /search/profiles/
<form action="/search/profiles/" method="GET" role="search" aria-label="Form"><input type="hidden" name="nbs" value="1" autocomplete="off"> <input autocomplete="off" type="search" name="q" data-cy="search-input" placeholder="Search"
aria-label="Search" class="nav-search-catalog-input is-clear">
<div class="nav-dropdown nav-search-catalog-btns nav-d-flex"><button data-cy="search-clear-button" aria-label="Reset Input" type="reset" class="nav-btn-icon nav-search-catalog-clear" style="display: none;"><span icon-name="close-circle" size=""
aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" aria-hidden="true" role="img">
<path d="M11.207 9.793l-1.414 1.414L7 8.414l-2.793 2.793-1.414-1.414L5.586 7 2.793 4.207l1.414-1.414L7 5.586l2.793-2.793 1.414 1.414L8.414 7l2.793 2.793zM7 0a7 7 0 100 14A7 7 0 007 0z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="submit" aria-label="Search" class="nav-btn-icon"><span icon-name="search" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14"
role="img">
<path d="M13.65 12L10.4 8.75A5.64 5.64 0 0 0 5.66 0a5.67 5.67 0 1 0 3.1 10.4L12 13.66a1.15 1.15 0 0 0 1.64 0 1.16 1.16 0 0 0 0-1.65zM5.66 9.55a3.89 3.89 0 1 1 .01-7.78 3.89 3.89 0 0 1 0 7.78z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="button" data-cy="search-switch-button" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Switch search source" class="nav-btn-icon"><span icon-name="dropdown-caret" size="xs" aria-hidden="true"
class="up-s-nav-icon nav-caret nav-caret-sm"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img">
<path d="M.37,5l5.75,5.92a1.23,1.23,0,0,0,1.78,0L13.64,5a1.31,1.31,0,0,0,0-1.83,1.27,1.27,0,0,0-.86-.37H1.25A1.27,1.27,0,0,0,0,4v0A1.28,1.28,0,0,0,.37,5Z"></path>
</svg></span></button> <button type="button" data-cy="search-close" aria-label="Close Search" class="nav-btn-icon nav-search-catalog-close align-items-center nav-d-lg-none is-alone"><span class="nav-close-icon"></span></button>
<div aria-live="polite" class="sr-only"><!----></div>
<ul role="listbox" tabindex="-1" data-cy="search-options" aria-label="Search Options" class="nav-dropdown-menu nav-dropdown-search">
<li role="presentation" class="active"><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-freelancers-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="true"><span icon-name="user" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" aria-hidden="true" role="img"><path d="M7 8c-3.314 0-6 1.85-6 3.297v2.027c0 .373.358.676.8.676h10.4c.442 0 .8-.303.8-.676v-2.027C13 9.85 10.314 8 7 8zm3-5a3 3 0 11-6 0 3 3 0 016 0z"></path></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Talent
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Hire professionals and agencies
</span></a></li>
<li role="presentation" class=""><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-projects-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="false"><span icon-name="project" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img"><path d="M11.667 1.273h-2.8C8.6.509 7.867 0 7 0S5.4.51 5.133 1.273h-2.8C1.6 1.273 1 1.845 1 2.545v10.182c0 .7.6 1.273 1.333 1.273h9.334C12.4 14 13 13.427 13 12.727V2.545c0-.7-.6-1.272-1.333-1.272zM7 1.273c.4 0 .667.254.667.636S7.4 2.545 7 2.545s-.667-.254-.667-.636.267-.636.667-.636zM3 12V3h1v1.824h6V3h1v9H3z"></path> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="6"></rect> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="8"></rect> <rect width="6" height="1" x="4" y="10"></rect></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Projects
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Buy pre-defined projects
</span></a></li>
<li role="presentation" class=""><a role="option" tabindex="0" data-cy="menuitem-jobs-button" data-is-menu-item="" target="_self" aria-selected="false"><span icon-name="briefcase-hire" size="" aria-hidden="true" class="up-s-nav-icon"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 14 14" width="14" height="14" role="img"><path d="M13.51 3a.5.5 0 01.491.51v8.98c0 .282-.22.51-.498.51H.499a.504.504 0 01-.498-.51V3.51c0-.282.215-.51.49-.51H4V1.45s.067-.451.407-.449c1.748.006 3.496.007 5.245-.001.34-.002.348.45.348.45V3h3.51zM5 3h4V2H5v1zm4.253 2L6.067 9.357l-1.63-1.21L3.5 9.265l2.899 2.152 4.101-5.61L9.253 5z"></path></svg></span> <span class="nav-search-catalog-option">
Jobs
</span> <!----> <span class="nav-search-catalog-query-type">
Apply to jobs posted by clients
</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</form>Name: wf-form-Talent-Form — POST https://null
<form id="wf-form-Talent-Form" name="wf-form-Talent-Form" data-name="Talent Form" action="https://null" method="post" class="search-form-3-0">
<div class="form-label-3-0">Upwork Component</div>
</form>Text Content
Find Talent
Post a job and hire a pro
Talent Marketplace
Browse and buy projects
Project Catalog
Let us find you the right talent
Talent Scout
Talent Marketplace™
Learn about working with talent or explore your specific hiring needs.
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Learn more
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Project Catalog™
Browse and buy projects that have a clear scope and price.
See all categories
This will lead you to link mentioned above
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SEO
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Learn how our recruiters find you expert developers, designers, and marketers.
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Find Work
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Find work for your skills
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Ways to earn
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of expertise.
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Guides
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Guides
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* Jobs Apply to jobs posted by clients
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Log In
* Talent Hire professionals and agencies
* Projects Buy pre-defined projects
* Jobs Apply to jobs posted by clients
Upwork Component
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Find Talent
Post a job and hire a pro
Talent Marketplace
Talent Marketplace™
Learn about working with talent or explore your specific hiring needs. Learn
more Click here to learn more about talent marketplace
Development & IT
Design & Creative
Sales & Marketing
Writing & Translation
Admin & Customer Support
Finance & Accounting
Engineering & Architecture
HR & Training
Legal
See all specializations
Browse and buy projects
Project Catalog
Project Catalog ™
Browse and buy projects that have a clear scope and price. See all categories.
Logo Design
Social Media Marketing
Articles & Blog Posts
Video Editing
WordPress
SEO
See all categories
Let us find you the right talent
Talent Scout
Talent Scout™
Learn how our recruiters find you expert developers, designers, and marketers.
Learn more Click here to learn more about talent scout.
Development & IT
Design & Creative
Marketing
Find Work
Ways to earn
Learn how to get started as an independent professional.
Find work for your skills
Explore the kind of work available in your field.
Ways to earn
Learn how to get started as an independent professional or dive into your field
of expertise. Learn more
Development & IT
Admin & Customer Support
Design & Creative
Finance & Accounting
Sales & Marketing
See all specializations
Writing & Translation
Why Upwork
Success Stories
Reviews
How to hire
How to find work
Where work gets done
Guides
Getting Started as a Freelancer
Guides
Growing Your Freelance Career
Guides
Hiring & Working with Independent Talent
See More
Enterprise
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FREELANCE FORWARD ECONOMIST REPORT
ResourcesResearch & Trends
Freelance Forward Economist Report
By: Dr. Adam Ozimek
INTRODUCTION
The past two years have ushered in monumental change for the labor market, but a
constant remains: freelancing. We’ve seen evidence of this over the past year,
with a surge in new business registrations and self-employment reaching its
highest point in over a decade. Upwork’s 2021 Freelance Forward survey confirms
the finding. In fact, excluding temporary workers, freelancing increased to the
highest share of the labor force in the eight years that we have been surveying.
Overall, the percent freelancing in 2021 remained constant at 36% of the U.S.
workforce, but the past year ushered in a shift in the type of freelance work
being done. This year, we found that there was a drop in temporary workers, but
an increase in skilled freelancing. That freelancing overall has not grown is
due to a decline among temp work and less freelancing among the least educated.
Skilled freelancing, in contrast, continues to grow, and as a result those with
the most education are freelancing more than ever.
But what is driving the growth of this specific type of freelancing that we see
in both this survey and other data sources? Why do people freelance, and how is
it working for them? This report explains the unique value that freelancing
provides and why it is so important, particularly for remote skilled
freelancers.
Key Findings Include:
* Amid a turbulent year, freelancing remains an important part of the U.S labor
market and economy: Freelancers contributed $1.3 trillion to the U.S. economy
in annual earnings, up $100 million from 2020
* The share of non-temporary freelancers grew to a new high: The share of
workers who are non-temporary freelancers rose from 33.8% to 35.0% from 2020
to 2021.
* Freelancing is growing among the most educated, shrinking among the least
educated: The higher skilled nature of freelancing is clear in 51% of
post-grad workers doing freelancing, up 6% since 2020, while the share of
high school graduates or less freelancing has declined from 37% in 2020 to
31% this year.
* Skilled remote freelancing continued to grow in 2021:
* 53% of all freelancers provided skilled services such as computer
programming, marketing, IT, and business consulting in 2021, up from 50%
in 2020
* 51% of workers with postgraduate degrees are freelancers, up 6% since 2020
* Flexibility and freedom are key motivators for new and existing freelancers:
* 68% of new freelancers say that ‘Career Ownership’ is a top draw, followed
by the ability to work remotely at 54%
* 78% of skilled remote freelancers cite ‘schedule flexibility’ as a key
reason for freelancing, 73% cite location flexibility, and 73% say
freelancing allows them to pursue work they find meaningful
* Amid The Great Resignation, more professionals are considering freelance work
in the future: 56% of non-freelancers say they are likely to freelance in the
future
* The number of freelancers who earn more than in their traditional jobs
continues to grow: 44% of freelancers say they earn more freelancing than
with a traditional job in 2021, this is up from 39% in 2020 and 32% in 2019
* The future of freelance is bright: 9 in 10 freelancers believe that the “best
days are ahead” for freelancing; Two-thirds (67%) say they are optimistic
about their career in 2022, compared to 58% non-freelancers
WHAT IS A TEMPORARY WORKER?
Before looking at areas of growth, it is important to differentiate freelancing
from temporary freelancing. Freelance Forward suggests that 2 million more
people started non-temp freelancing in 2021, which is consistent with a variety
of other data sources showing a booming year for self-employment,
entrepreneurship, and freelancing. For example, BLS measures of self-employment
are up 7% compared to before the pandemic, while business payrolls are down 3%
still. According to the Census Bureau, non-wage business registrations are still
50% higher than pre-pandemic levels even in October 2021. Freelance Forward is
consistent with these results: if you look past temporary workers, independent
freelancing overall is increasing. But what exactly is a temporary worker?
A temporary worker is an individual who has an employer, but does work on a
temporary basis. What they share with freelancers, and why they are historically
included in our survey, is the temporary nature of individual work engagements.
However, temporary workers differ significantly from other freelancers because
temporary workers generally lack the independence and flexibility that exists in
freelancing. Temporary workers not only have an employer, but are generally also
seeking out a more traditional work arrangement. As a result, temporary workers
are far more likely to report they would be making more money at a traditional
employer, while non-temp freelancers are more likely to report they are making
more than they would for a traditional employer.
While still an important corner of the overall labor market, temporary workers
do not generally reflect people choosing a way of working that brings more
flexibility and independence. Temporary workers are also most at odds with the
trends we are seeing across all other types of freelancing, in particular the
growth of skilled, remote freelancers. As a result, this report largely focuses
on all other areas of freelancing and not temporary work.
GROWTH OF THE HIGHLY SKILLED, EDUCATED FREELANCER
When looking at the freelance workforce in 2021, freelancing remains incredibly
diverse in the types of the work being done. There is a range of services, which
includes everything from selling goods to food delivery, but this year’s data
suggests that freelancers are increasingly doing skilled work. There is a shift
away from ‘gig work,’ and instead, we’re seeing growth in the number of
professionals who offer skilled services and have higher levels of education.
Let’s start with looking at changes in skilled services. In 2019, 45% of
freelancers reported doing some skilled services as part of their freelancing.
This means that freelancers are doing work in fields like computer programming,
writing, design, IT, marketing, business consulting, etc. In 2021, however, we
see that the percentage of freelancing providing skilled services is up to 53%,
an 8 percentage point increase in the past two years.
Some of this increase reflects a growth in freelancers doing multiple types of
work. For example, unskilled services and goods selling have grown more common
as well. However, the increasing trend towards skilled freelancing is also
clear in the education mix: those with advanced degrees do the most freelancing,
and the share of them freelancing has increased significantly since 2019. The
higher skilled nature of freelancing is clear in 51% of post-grad workers who
are freelancing. Indeed, compared to the previous year the share of high school
graduates or less freelancing has declined from 37% to 31%. In other words,
freelancing has grown among the most educated while declining among the lowest,
which suggests there is a growing skill-bias of freelancing.
The high skill level of freelancing is also apparent in the occupations that
have the highest share of freelancers. Arts and design, marketing, and
computers/mathematical occupations have the highest share freelancing. These are
skilled, professional services jobs. Contrary to public perception that
freelancing means just lower skilled ‘gig work,’ we see that the share of
freelancing in art and design is almost double that of transportation.
WHAT IS DRIVING THE INCREASE IN SKILLED FREELANCING?
The notion of The Great Resignation is a topic that has been trending in the
media for several months. More people are quitting their jobs in search of
something else, but why? One hypothesis is that the pandemic offered many
professionals a different perspective on their careers. For some, the old
constraints of being in the office with rigid schedules and long commutes no
longer felt necessary, and as a result, professionals are making changes that
prioritize things they value more. For some professionals, this means control.
Control over where they work, when they work, and for whom they work.
Freelancing offers professionals a chance to be in control of their careers in a
way that cannot be matched by traditional employment. This is likely a reason
why more skilled professionals are flocking to freelancing in 2021. The ability
to work remotely, have flexibility, and control earning potential are just a few
of the key benefits of freelancing.
ABILITY TO WORK REMOTELY
Let’s start with control over where one works. Freelancing is and has been more
remote than traditional employment. While 36% of the workforce overall does
freelancing, 47% of those working remotely freelance. In addition, 31% of
freelancers report they are working entirely remotely compared to 21% of
non-freelancers.
Part of this is attributable to the occupation mix, with freelancing being
concentrated among work that can be done easily remotely. For example, art &
design, marketing, and mathematics/computers are the most freelanced
occupations, and also are the largest categories of work on Upwork. Another
reason that freelancing is disproportionately remote is that when you have more
than one client, and the average freelancer has six, it’s even more useful to be
able to reach out of your local labor market. On Upwork, freelancers can connect
with clients all over the world, improving their ability to specialize and find
good matches.
Regardless of why it’s more remote, it’s important to note that freelancing
gives professionals the ability to choose where they work from. If freelancers
only want to work remotely, they have the option to do so based on the clients
they choose to work with and the projects they choose to accept. Conversely,
many non-freelancers are subject to whether or not an employer will allow them
to stay remote. This type of guarantee is likely an appeal to professionals who
value the ability to work remotely and may be a reason for the increase in
skilled, remote freelancers.
FLEXIBILITY
Aside from the ability to work remotely, another important reason that people
choose to freelance is due to the flexibility that it provides. Freelancers
overwhelmingly show the flexibility that freelancing provides is important given
their lifestyles and needs.
When looking at the data, we see that 74% of freelancers say that freelancing
gives them flexibility to be more available as a caregiver for their family, and
67% says it gives them flexibility to address personal mental or physical health
needs. For remote skilled freelancers, this rises to 81% and 74% respectively.
Although flexibility is a broad concept, we see that people specifically like
the flexibility to select where they work and when they work.
The need for flexibility should not be underestimated, with 55% of freelancers
and 59% of skilled remote freelancers indicating that because of personal
circumstances, they would be unable to work for a traditional employer.
For many, caregiving responsibilities and personal health needs drastically
changed due to the pandemic. The flexibility that freelancing can provide may be
a draw for some and a necessity for others.
EARNING POTENTIAL
Finally, we can look at the effects of freelancing on earnings. When looking at
44% of freelancers say they make more than they would for a traditional
employer, 18% say the same, and 38% say less. Given that so many choose
freelancing for reasons of flexibility and need, when pay would not necessarily
be expected to be more, freelancers being more likely to earn more is a positive
result.
OVERALL CAREER AND LIFE SATISFACTION
The pandemic put so many aspects of life into perspective, including career
satisfaction. The increase in freelancing, specifically among highly skilled and
educated workers, tells us that many professionals elected to reprioritize some
aspects of their professional lives. Instead of being tied to an employer, many
elected to be their own bosses. They looked to freelancing to take control of
when they work, where they work, and with whom they work. Our survey shows that
those who have made the switch to freelancing feel it has paid off.
When asked about taking a traditional job, nearly half of all freelancers say
that there is no amount of money that would convince them to take a traditional
job. While one need not interpret this result literally, as surely there is some
amount for most, to see it as a strong indicator of how satisfied professionals
are with freelancing.
Furthermore, our survey contradicts the idea that freelancing is driven entirely
by business demands, and that workers would prefer a traditional job. Indeed,
when asked directly 63% of freelancers indicate if they had the choice, they
prefer freelancing over a traditional job. Given that many freelancers are doing
so on the side, this question is also somewhat misleading as moonlighting
freelancers may not wish to give up their day jobs. This number rises even
higher to 76% if we focus on full-time skilled remote freelancers, who would not
have a traditional day job, complicating their answers to this question. This is
consistent with BLS evidence that 79% of independent contractors prefer working
that way compared to only 9% who would rather have a traditional job.
Finally, we can see that on the whole, freelancers report more satisfaction with
their jobs overall, their day to day work tasks, and their work life balance.
While it is always possible to find those who are unhappy with their working
arrangements, on net freelancers believe themselves to be earning more, have the
level of flexibility they require, and overall higher satisfaction with their
work.
METHODOLOGY
To see further insights, please visit
www.upwork.com/research/freelance-forward-2021. The study is conducted by
independent research firm Edelman Data & Intelligence. 6,000 U.S. working adults
over the age of 18 were surveyed for it online between August 27, 2021 –
September 29, 2021. Of those, 2,156 were freelancers and 3,844 were
non-freelancers. Results were weighted to ensure demographic representation in
line with the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2020 Labor Force
Statistics from the Current Population Survey and the American Community Survey.
The study has an overall margin of error of ±1.2% at the 95% level of
confidence.
GLOSSARY
General
* US Workers Overall: U.S. adults 18+ who have earned income from work within
the past 12 months, including both freelancers and non-freelancers.
* Freelancers: Individuals who have engaged in supplemental, temporary,
project- or contract-based work, within the past 12 months (calculated within
the US Workers Overall sample).
* Non-freelancers: Individuals who earned income through work but have not
engaged in supplemental, temporary, project- or contract-based work, within
the past 12 months (calculated within the US Workers Overall sample).
Types of Freelancers
* Skilled freelancers: Individuals that indicate that their current freelance
work entails selling skilled services (e.g., computer programming, writing,
design, IT, marketing, business consulting, etc.).
* Remote freelancers: Individuals who do 100% of their work remotely or who are
hybrid workers, working both in-person at a physical location and remotely.
* Skilled remote freelancers: Freelancers whose work entails selling skilled
services and work remotely.
* College-educated remote freelancers: Freelancers who have a college degree
(Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, Professional school, or Doctorate degree)
and work remotely.
Freelancing Status
* Full-time freelancers: Individuals that describe their current freelance work
status as “full-time freelancer.’
* Part-time freelancers: Individuals that describe their current freelance work
status as “part-time freelancer.”
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