Graphic Designer - JourneyManDesigns We are pleased to introduce Anthony, a member of the WorkMarket community and guest blogger for our “On Demand Worker” blog series. Through this series, Anthony and others will be chronicling their experiences in today’s on demand economy while offering tools, tips & advice for being successful. Today, Anthony is sharing his thoughts on why professionals should not be afraid to go off on their own as freelancers, as well as how WorkMarket can help optimize the modern work experience.
Anthony is an independent graphic designer and works with clients worldwide through his company, JourneyManDesigns.
"This is much bigger than firms hiring more freelancers. We're in the midst of one of the biggest labor revolutions in decades."
- Stephen DeWitt | CEO, WorkMarket
In my opinion, truer words have never been spoken.
I’m a proud member of the on-demand workforce as an independent illustrator/graphic designer and small business owner. Though there are many personal and professional challenges, obstacles, fears to face and doubts to overcome, I firmly believe that starting my own business was not only a good decision for me professionally, but that workers like me who are going off on their own are good for the American economy.
Here are just a few reasons why I encourage others to take the jump and directly offer their skills, talents, and services under their own name, brand, and/or company, as a freelancer or independent contractor (of course, with the right planning, preparation and timing!)
Better Job Security
Working as an employee for a company certainly has its benefits but there is evidence that the professional security of those who do so may be diminishing and may disappear altogether.
Research from Pew and outlets like The Atlantic and Forbes are talking about how AI, robotics and technology will make many of today's secure jobs, professions and careers obsolete. Economists predict that in the future most people will have multiple careers in multiple industries utilizing multiple skills. Therefore, you can no longer rely on a single company to employ you for 10, 20, or 30 years, and it's becoming more prudent to rely upon your own skills and talents and literally offer them for sale. Modern technology like WorkMarket enables individuals to easily market themselves to anyone and to keep a consistent pipeline of new business opportunities.
Better Productivity
According to WorkMarket's 2017 Workforce Productivity Report, 69% of business leaders say their company is less productive than it should be. That statistic is staggering, considering how far workplace optimization technology and automation has come.
The following infographic from WorkMarket provides percentages concerning productivity, including barriers, benefits, and building flexible teams:
One of the ways that I’ve become more productive as an independent freelancer is that I am automatically matched by WorkMarket with companies and work based on my unique profile and skill sets. Allowing companies to find the right talent, in the right place, at the right time means I can increase productivity for any client I may collaborate with. This increased productivity makes my business more likely to succeed and remain in business as a valuable resource in the new and flexible freelance economy.
There's Never Been More Support
Still, there are plenty of forward-looking businesses hiring freelancers and independent contractors to stay nimble, competitive, and profitable; and technology like WorkMarket already exists to help connect those companies to the right workers. WorkMarket believes what matters is your skill and talent, and their services have been instrumental in helping me build and grow my business. The WorkMarket platform allows me to connect with a multitude of the right professionals that I alone may not have discovered.
It is imperative that those who wish to work and succeed today in the modern world and in the future, must learn how to participate in this new way of working. WorkMarket is at the forefront of this new paradigm and is helping thousands of people like me succeed in the modern workforce.
