Freelancers: The New Face of the Workforce

According to Freelancing in America: A National Survey of the New Workforce, 40 percent of the workforce—21.1 million people—are independent contractors.  Another 5 percent—2.8 million people—are freelance business owners.

When faced with the prospect of underemployment or temporary employment many workers have decided to freelance and the number of freelancers is expected to grow to 65 to 70 million over the next decade.  This would mean that over half of the total workforce will be freelancers.

If you are a freelancer or considering making the switch here are the top ten skills that are in demand as reported in a surveys conducted by Freelancer.com and Elance.com:

1. IT & Programming
2. Design and Multimedia (These include: Illustration, Photoshop Design, Banner and Logo Design)
3. 3D Rendering, Modeling and Animation
4. Android and iOS Development
5. Social Media
6. Presentations (PowerPoint and Report writing)
7. Accounting
8. Writing and Translation
9. Marketing, Strategy and Public Relations
10. Business Management

Looking for freelance gigs? Here are some sites where you can find jobs just for your skill set:

https://www.freelancer.com

http://www.craigslist.org

https://www.odesk.com/

http://www.elance.com

http://www.peopleperhour.com/

Need to update or obtain new skills to launch your freelance career?  KnowledgeCity has courses in Business Management and Computer Software.  Try the first 3 lessons of any course for free!

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Getting the Job you Want!

Searching for employment can be an intimidating process.  In today's economy, when unemployment rates often seem daunting, it is important to focus on standing out among the competition.  In order to shine throughout your job search, you must understand each part of the process—from writing an enticing and informative cover letter, to knowing what types of questions  to ask in an interview and how to follow up appropriately.

In Working to Get Hired, instructor Michele Jones explains the ins and outs of finding and getting your dream job.  She will give you the tools you need in order to: pinpoint your skills, discover your ideal career path, utilize the many different job search methods available to you, write an effective cover letter and resume, pick the proper interview attire, and prepare for your future interviews. 

In Chapter 1: Discover Your Skills, Jones will lead you through several exercises that will help shape your job search.  She will help you identify skills you didn’t know you had and as a result, discover career paths you have yet to consider.  In Chapter 4: Job Interview Process, you will learn how to effectively plan for your interviews.  Jones will advise you on the different interview techniques and how to approach them appropriately.

If you are looking to improve your chances in this competitive job market, then Working to Get Hired is the perfect course for you!  Taking this course will give you the knowledge and confidence necessary to be successful in your job search.

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