Freelancers Love Their Work - and Their Boss

By Gabby Hyman
Learning & Life Columnist
July 18, 2006

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Work for someone who thoroughly understands your needs and appreciates your talent - yourself! Self-employment is on the rise, and it's easy to see why. You set your own goals, hours, and compensation. You work with clients of your own choosing and take time off when you need it. Today's top-five freelance careers are in the graphic design, photography, bookkeeping, e-commerce, and interior design fields.

You can keep your day job while training for one of these top-five professions at your own pace. And if you've already completed a degree in one of these fields or have job-related experience, you can take additional courses to bolster your credentials.

Freelance Means Freedom

The Internet has expedited schooling as well as business management and marketing for these top-five freelance careers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 50% of working photographers are self-employed. Graphic designers build resumes and contacts in the traditional workplace; then they become self-employed, web-based freelancers.

Bookkeepers are among the top-five freelance businesses for a good reason: there's a huge demand for their services and a shortage of people with college degrees and experience in the field. Many enjoy working from home via email, fax, and telephone.

The BLS reports that a third of the country's 65,000 interior designers work freelance. Architecture and construction companies are outsourcing interior design work to professionals with college degrees and strong portfolios.

E-Commerce is Simply Electric

Entrepreneur.com reports that digital, e-commerce has captured the retail marketplace that took a century for traditional brick and mortar companies to build. You'll need a solid college education with courses in marketing and business to build a successful online offering.

Once you have the knack, you can work as a freelance e-commerce consultant or build a home-based online business that markets your own products and services. And you'll simply love having a boss that always has your back.

Sources

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About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.

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