RPB Marketing | Content Marketing & Growth Marketing
A few decades ago, everyone’s professional expectation was to get a university degree and work in the corporate world. But, that has changed. Today people’s expectations are focused on learning technical skills and working independently. That’s where freelance jobs come from.
But what exactly are freelance jobs and why do professionals (especially young people) prefer to be freelancers? We will talk a bit about the current situation.
Current market and freelance jobs
Today, due to massive layoffs, abuses by corporations and the complicated work situations workers face, more and more people are simply deciding to do freelance jobs instead of pursuing a long-term career.
The reasons for this are many. Uncertainty about a stable job and the fear of losing a job (and a poorly paid one at that) is one of the main reasons.
To give us an idea, according to a layoff tracker in 2024 confirmed situations such as more than 1,000 IBM layoffs, the disappearance of more than 100 different types of jobs at Apple or budget cuts of up to 30% in companies such as St John’s are just an example of this reality.
But, the numbers only get worse. By 2024, CitiBank lay off +20,000 employees, UPS 12,000, Unilever 11,000, Tesla 11,000, Deutsche Bank 3,500 and Telefónica Movistar 3,421.
Faced with such an unfavourable scenario for workers, they decide to look for alternatives. While freelancing retains a high degree of uncertainty, it is an alternative to working in an area of interest. It offers the possibility to better manoeuvre one’s own type of work and have a better work-life balance.
And the numbers speak for themselves. The economic impact is such that many people are migrating to this business model. According to Upwork’s 10th annual study, Freelance Forward: 2023, it is estimated that 64 million Americans freelanced in 2023. This could represent 38% of the country’s workforce.
Even, since 2014, freelancing has staked close to $1.27 trillion in the United States. And in other countries, for example in Latin America, where remote work has become a regular occurrence, such as in Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela or Brazil, these amounts can be equalled.
Big problems with the current corporate world
We have already mentioned one of the biggest problems in the corporate world today: mass layoffs. But, many other problems plague workers, making them prefer freelance jobs:
- The imposition of artificial intelligence is taking people’s jobs.
- Mass redundancies, whether in technical, production or sales areas.
- Automation and robotisation of professions, making the market smaller for workers.
- Labour abuses such as the obligation to work unpaid overtime.
- Uncompetitive wages that do not cover the cost of living.
- Reduction of benefits such as remote working or conditional holidays.
- Unclear job descriptions. As a consequence, jobs are dishonest.
- In the face of mass layoffs, workers may have double responsibility for the same pay.
What is our opinion about freelance jobs at RPB Marketing?
We are an efficient platform, offering state-of-the-art content services in a remote format. We believe that the quality of our services is measured by results. Therefore, if workers want to present new job alternatives, which are more to their liking, we listen to them carefully. So, we are very much in favour of freelance jobs.
RPB Marketing is a Latin American platform where we bet on local talent. We consider work to be just that: work. It is an opportunity to achieve professional goals, while at the same time, it is a means to earn income. But it should not be the organiser of our lives. That’s why we are very receptive to collaborating with freelancers.
Freelancers have become an excellent alternative when it comes to seeking help from a specialist in a professional area. They have made it possible to diversify and globalise the creative market, which is important to us. Our position on freelance jobs is positive and we urge all workers who want to venture into this world to earn it. Mental health and personal stability are always important.
