The combination of freelance work and freelance talent is one of those win-win arrangements that continue to drive the global economy.
It’s almost impossible to find a career without freelance talent. There are even freelance firefighters who travel the world fighting wildfires and work for whatever agency employs them!
But there is no doubt that the explosion of internet and computer-based businesses is driving the explosion of freelance jobs and freelance talent.
This is especially true for small Internet businesses that cannot afford to hire and retain full-time programmers, graphic artists, and copywriters. Not surprisingly, freelancers who work in these three professions see the highest number of freelance jobs today.
Advantages of using freelancers
For organizations offering freelance work, the financial benefit of not having to maintain a workforce tops the list. That’s because using a freelancer is like having “inflatable staff” that inflates to work when needed, then folds up and put back on the shelf until the next use.
But there’s more to the freelance talent equation than just the obvious labor savings. Savings on tools and technology arise when a company or organization does not need to purchase or license specialized technology to get the job done. Well-equipped freelance talent providers are usually equipped with everything they need to get the job done.
Then there is the savings on training costs. Organizations that offer freelance work not only avoid the cost of purchasing or licensing tools, but also the costs associated with training employees to use those tools.
Another cost savings that companies and organizations unfamiliar with the freelance work industry miss out on is when the organization’s managers, as well as any employees they hire, don’t have to spend time on the new project and can instead focus their time on the run a company. This allows them to continue to provide their usual level of support to their internal and external customers, while new projects continue in the background.
Finally, hidden costs can be saved by accessing highly skilled freelance talent providers who are familiar with best practices in their industry, including project management, the software development lifecycle, copywriting techniques, and many other skills that are essential for it to be second nature to people in this job to do the same job every day. These savings become visible when projects are delivered on time and within budget, when everything works as expected and when the time-to-market for new projects is cut in half.
