With more and more of the workforce turning to self employment and contracting out their own services, it’s quite likely that any company looking to recruit will find the expertise they need in someone who’s been in charge of their own working life.
It’s no longer the accepted path for all school leavers to get straight into a job which they’ll stay in for life. For many, the desire to follow their own particular interests is too strong, and instead they choose to set up on their own. 40 years ago, this would have been an absurd concept, and those who chose to go it alone were labelled as a bit of a risk, but now we’re starting to realise that these contractors and self employed people are actually onto something.
In the UK, there are currently four and a half million people who class themselves as self employed, a contractor or a freelancer. It’s a similar picture across Europe too, with 14% of Europe’s workforce classifying themselves similarly.
So how do these people play a role in your business? It’s quite simple. They’ve got the expertise you need, and they’re not really after a permanent contract. They want to help you hit your primary goal, and they know how to do it faster and better. Even more, they probably know how to do it right now, without needing training or your investment.
Many of these contractors are more flexible, too. If you want help with something online, your employee doesn’t even need to be in the same part of the world as you. Time zones, continents and technology don’t need to be a barrier. The right person may never even need to set foot in your office building.
Don’t discount the freelancer – they could be the missing piece of your puzzle, and their expertise could well be the very thing you need.