The demand for freelancers shot up in May – June 2020, showing a two-fold increase as compared to the same time period in 2019. Freelance writers seem to be the most in demand.
Job searches were far more after March 2020 than in pre-pandemic times. Data also reveals that job postings for freelance work have always been higher than job searches for the same.
The survey by Indeed shows that freelance jobs are concentrated more in the creative, tech, sales and recruitment fields. These sectors contribute to 55 per cent of the freelance jobs posted on Indeed. As on January 2021, the demand was highest for freelance writers, followed by freelance designers, recruiters, developers and digital marketers. Amongst the top ten freelance jobs, business development executives and PhP developers were the most in demand in India.
Agewise, those in the bracket of 20 to 29 searched the most for freelance jobs. This age group was also the one that searched the maximum (73 per cent) for freelance job in January 2021.
The jump in freelance job searches and postings can be attributed to the changes that the job external environment underwent during the pandemic. The rise in the work-from-home scenario also contributed to the popularity of freelance jobs.
Freelancing offers a flexibility that no other job offers, which makes it popular. Also, many women who are unable to leave home for various reasons are able to take advantage of freelance job opportunities and contribute actively to the workforce.
