By Lucas Franco de Siqueira, NDG special Contributor.
Millennials, the generation born from the 1980s to the 2000s, are facing far more difficulties to find jobs than previous generations according to the Pew research center. The recession of the early 2000s and the financial crisis of 2008 has changed the economy and postponed the retirement of baby boomers. Therefore, limiting the spots open to Millennials right off college.
Thus, Millennials are being forced to redefine their comprehension of work and productivity. Freelancing seems to be the answer for long waits after sending resumes to 9-to-5 corporate positions without success.
Sara Horowitz, the founder and executive director of Freelancers Union, has written to the United States Department of Labor website, “More than 53 million Americans are now earning income from work that’s not a traditional 9-to-5. That’s 1 in 3 workers.”
The rise of platforms such as Uber, Fiverr, Tispr, and Airbnb prove the increase of freelancing as a successful movement. These platforms connect the suppliers to the consumers without bureaucracies and unreasonable prices. Fiverr, an online marketplace that offers a multitude of services beginning at $5 to customers worldwide, disclosed that 76% of sellers were Millennials in 2015.
Freelancing offers flexibility of schedule, side sources of income for the ones that have full-time jobs, and a different understanding of what is possible for Millennials facing shortages of jobs.
Rumwald Le Guevel, a 28 years old staff accountant by day and Uber driver by night said, “I love being an Uber driver because I can interact with different people, make money, and listen to audiobooks when I don’t have a passenger, so I feel that I am using my time wisely.”
Being a freelancer is becoming more seductive every day as people strive to have healthier lifestyles and work with their passions. Schedules can be worked according to preferences and Millennials can be pro-active instead of waiting on the goodwill of human resource departments.
What do you think of being a freelancer? If you haven’t tried it, it seems that now is the time to take a shot at it and understand better where our economy is heading.
