The Demand For Freelancer

The word “freelance” was first coined by Sir Walter Scott, a renowned Scottish historical novelist and poet, in 1819 when he wrote his novel Ivanhoe, to refer to a medieval mercenary warrior. The term has then shifted into more figurative meanings. In the 1860s, freelance became a figurative noun, and in 1903, it was officially recognized as a verb by etymologists like the Oxford English Dictionary.

Today, the word “freelance” has changed into different forms: as a noun, freelance or freelancer; as a verb, a photographer who freelances; and as an adverb, he works freelance.

Working freelance has become a career and lifestyle choice. It has given more people a variety of benefits and these people feel that there is no better option than the ones they have due to the flexibility of work.

More people today choose to leave the security of their day jobs and engage in freelance work due mainly to the following factors:

* Variety of jobs. More people are drawn to go freelance for this reason alone. Freelance work offers a greater variety of assignments compared to regular employment. And with the internet offering more opportunities, freelancing becomes a mine for those who seek good opportunities and better projects, not to mention higher paying jobs. A freelancer can also take on different jobs at one time. He/She can write feature articles while designing a website.

* Fast turnaround of projects. Most freelance jobs are time bound. These jobs are usually done fast and allows freelancers to move on to new projects as soon as they finish the job.

* More freedom, more flexibility. Going freelance can give a person the freedom to choose the place, date and manner in which to do work. Though some freelancing schemes require contracts, freelance still spells a no employer-no employee relationship. Freelance work offers more freedom for someone who does not want to be confined in an 8 to 5 or 9 to 6 work scheme. The freelancer is free to choose his working hours and be his/her own boss. Because of the freedom in work schedule, freelancing gives a person more time to pursue other interests or take on more jobs. Other freelancers also consider the fact that they can even take care of their family better as soon as they start working freelance.

* Improved income and savings. Freelance workers can usually command higher income rates for their projects because they are hired for their specific talents and skills. This is a big plus because they are paid high but do not have to work full time. Though income rates for freelancers vary, most of them still benefit from the setup. They charge either by the hour, by the day, or on per-project. Others use value-based pricing methods instead of imposing a flat rate. Payments are arranged based on the agreement, and could be done upfront, percentage upfront, or paid whenever the project is completed. For others, a staggered payment scheme may be agreed upon.

Today, freelancers can easily find work through the internet. The internet has been a good facilitator of freelancers and employers around the world. These jobs can range from writing short articles to language tutors to architectural designs. The demand to complete projects through freelancing is still very high, as shown by the thousands of projects posted in the Internet on platforms like www.equan.us or www.equan.co.uk or www.equan.de or www.equan.hk or www.equan.in or www.equan.ph check it out and register to set-up your profile – it’s all for FREE for freelancer but also for project provider.

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Is Hiring a Freelancer Right for Your Business? (three Reasons Say “yes”!)

Who are they?

Freelancers work in almost every industry: construction, translation, finance, management, sales, design and many, many more. They’re your neighbor, your friend, the nice lady down the street, the man in the coffee shop always typing away on a computer. Many surveys indicate that most freelancers are male (according to Labor Statistics, by 2005 about 65% of the freelance population) and over thirty years old.

While many independent contractors work from home, just as many go to physical locations to work, either a private office or wherever the hiring company needs them. They are professionals just like you and I; a large percentage received on the job training or went to college to do what they do. Several hold degrees. Many stayed in typical work environments for over ten years before working for themselves.

In short, freelancers are business professionals who chose to, not work at home, but work for themselves. They are as trained and skilled as an employee would be, if not more so in some instances, and serious about their business.

Is hiring a freelancer right for your business?

Many business owners think hiring a freelancer just won’t work for their particular company. More than a few really do believe that independent contractors are a waste of time, money and resources. However, if this were so, if that basis of thought were true, would there really be over ten million freelancers running around? Would anyone who performed contractual jobs even have a business? For that matter, why are freelancers so in demand?

Reason #1: Cost

Monetary considerations are usually in the forefront of any business owner’s mind. Can we afford this? What are the initial costs? What’s the ROI? These thoughts come to mind in every area of business, including hiring a freelancer, but you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

How much a particular freelancer will cost you depends on several factors: length of the project, difficulty of the project, location of the freelancer and level of technology are just a few. For instance, a freelance web designer may charge US$20 an hour or US$1,000 for a project no matter how much time they put in. As in any hiring situation, you’ll find those that cost less and those that cost more.

However, the difference between employees and contracted individuals is that the individuals can afford to charge less, and often do. Freelancers usually don’t have to worry about transportation, gas, or clothing (for work) costs. Business owners will not have to pay employee benefits or wage taxes.

In addition, freelancers come from all over the world. Depending on your monetary needs, you can use offshore outsourcing (contractors from out-of-country), national outsourcing or homesourcing (contractors are in your locality).

Reason #2: No direct employees

It isn’t normal practice that a business is built with nothing but freelancers, but it does happen. More than a few Internet-based businesses use strictly freelancers, either on a by-project basis or as a loose-knit company.

One of the main reasons is the lack of direct employees. There are no reason to worry about. If a contractor doesn’t perform as expected, there are no hire/fire policies to follow; you just don’t use them again. The working “atmosphere” tends to be more relaxed, while still maintaining professionalism. You are not their boss; you’re their client. It does make a difference.

In addition, there’s no need to hire office space; the Internet is the office space. With collaborative software, VoIP capabilities, email, messenger and many other online programs, it’s extremely easy to create a working atmosphere without the need to be physically there. There are no office politics and no personal dynamics between employees to deal with; the only “requirement” is that they get along with you.

Reason #3: Broad spectrum of specializations

There is, quite literally, a freelancer out there to meet any need. Freelance web designers who offer SEO/SEM as well; copywriters who also provide logos; virtual assistants who perform sales work – the list goes on.

Specialization is an excellent tool. Someone who knows web design forwards, backwards and inside out is an excellent resource; if you have all your content, this is the person to hire. If you have the design but need copy, a specialized copywriter will fit your needs. However, if you need website design, copywriting and SEO/SEM, you need a company – or a freelancer who has decided to learn as much as they can of fields related to their chosen area.

So, are freelancers right for you? Are they right for your business? The only person who can answer that is you. However, if you’re looking for ways to tighten the budget, narrow down the issues and broaden that bottom line, look into freelancing. You never know, you may just end up hiring that nice lady down the street.

Hire your freelancer on equan platforms – us – uk – de – in – hk – ph – just register publish your project, it’s all for FREE

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