The world of work is changing. The usual office work from 9 to 5 is becoming something virtual unthought until just a few decades ago: freelance work. Different types of self-employment worker taking the lead to help businesses to get potential values and customers.

Evolution of the freelance economy

It is true that there were always brave souls who ventured to forge their own labor destiny. But in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, freelancers were few. The big corporations of that time absorbed the talent of the best creatives incorporating them into its corporate structure.

However, at the beginning of the 21st century, freelancing began to emerge. Why? Several factors made freelance work increasingly attractive to an increasing number of professionals around the world. Here are some of them:

• The emergence of new technologies and the internet, which made remote work possible.
• Uncertain economic conditions that have inspired many talented professionals to take control of their working life.
• A tendency to decrease the number of corporate staff and use temporary workers to reduce employer costs.
• Increasing frustrations about the business environment and employee dissatisfaction.
• Increased demand for proper control of working hours and a more flexible balance between work and private life.

The combination of these factors has led to a profound change in the way freelance work is perceived globally. In place of the old stereotype, which represents freelancers as workers without motivation, ambition, or talent, the common perception is that of motivated entrepreneurs, with expertise, professionalism and the ability to do the work without creating a stir.
Also read: Make Money Online As Freelance Writer in Your Free Time

The numbers of freelance work

This is a brief overview of the situation of freelance work today:

United States: Paychex reviewed a recent Freelancers Union and Up work finding which reveals that there are currently approximately 53 million freelancers in the US. UU; This means that 1 in 3 American workers is a freelancer. The Paychex report reviewed information from over 400,000 curricula posted on the job search site Indeed.com. This is what was discovered in the study:

• Between 2000 and 2014, the freelance jobs listed in the revised resumes rose by 500 percent.
• Of the American freelance workers, 14.3 million are classified as "moonlighters," which means they have other jobs and that their freelance career is a secondary activity.
• In the United States, 21.1 million freelancers are of the traditional type, which means that they work on their own in different projects, without having a formal working relationship anywhere.

Freelancers contribute about $ 715 billion in profits to the US economy.
Approximately 1 in 12 households relies on self-employment to earn more than half of their income.

United Kingdom: Freelancers are also growing in the UK. Here are some statistics that prove it:

• 1.4 million British freelancers are working in all sectors. That represents a 14 percent increase over the last decade.
• Freelancing is now seen as a very attractive and lucrative option by 87 percent of students with first or second class degrees.
• 29 percent of all graduates argue that freelancing is part of their work strategy for the next 5 years, a fact that suggests that the freelance economy will continue to grow in the UK.

European Union: There are more than 8.9 million freelancers in the EU. This figure continues to grow, making them the fastest growing group in the EU labor market. In particular, Italy has a 21 percent rate of self-employment, while Spain and Slovakia both have a rate of 13 percent.

India: There are 15 million independent workers in India, making it the second country with the largest number of these workers, surpassed only by EE. UU. India freelancers account for about 40 percent of the world's freelance jobs.

Among other countries with a significant number of freelancers are Philippines , Bangladesh, Russia, and Romania.

Up work 2014 Global Online Job Report

The best jobs for freelancers

For many, one of the most attractive things about freelancing is the diversity of career options it has. In fact, this may be one of the factors that currently influences the increase in the number of freelancers worldwide. Here are some of the most popular jobs for freelancers:

1. Graphic design
2. Content Marketing
3. Virtual Assistance
4. Electric engineering
5. Web development
6. Programming
7. Translation

FastCompany mentions that the ten best industries for freelancers are the following:

1. IT and IT
2. Administration
3. Accounting and Finance
4. Customer Service
5. Software development
6. Medicine and health
7. Project management
8. Research Analyst
9. Drafting
10. Education and training

As this list shows, there is a growing demand in many industries that previously did not have a significant number of freelancers. As technology facilitates more workers' access to freelancing, the ability to work as a freelancer in many new industries is likely to grow.
Also read: 10 Internet Business Ideas To Make Money Online

The future of freelancing

EY.com reports that 40 percent of organizations expect to increase their use of temporary workers (known as freelancers) over the next five years. Significantly, one in three employers with 100,000 or more employees expect to use 30 percent or more of temporary workers for the same term.

Tony Steadman, the Total Talent Advisor in the EY Supply Chain for America, says: "We are witnessing a convergence of cost reduction initiatives and the need for employers to be more agile, with workers looking for more flexibility. Together, these goals are bending toward a contingent workforce. "

According to SmallBizTrends.com, some researchers project that half of the US working population UU. Will enter the free labor economy in the next five years, and half of the UK's working population will be engaged in self-employment in the same amount of time.

Regarding the future of freelancing, FastCompany says: "Talent platforms and cooperative workspaces are only two major trends in a freelance economy that consolidates day-to-day. Other models and services are about to emerge to bring the gap between advisors and companies closer, in more flexible ways than ever before... It is worth remembering that the new freelance economy is not about "temporary" work. Independent workers are becoming more professional, experienced and strategic. They want more flexibility than traditional employment, and in many cases they do. "

How will freelance work be in ten years? It's hard to say. However, one thing is sure. The availability of technologies that enable freelancing, the growing need for organizations to cut their spending while leveraging the skills of the best talent, and the constant pursuit of workers to achieve a balance between their work and private life will continue to encourage the revolution Freelance for longer.

Receive payment for your freelance work

If you offer your talent globally, you will need a global payment solution to ensure you receive payments quickly and efficiently. Freelancers around the world enjoy the ease and convenience of Payoneer's payment processing solution. I would recommend you to get your US bank account to work with global companies and ensure the fastest way to grab cash from anywhere the world.