What is Freelancing?

Freelancing means working as an independent contractor rather than being employed by a single company.
Freelancers are self-employed and take on projects from a variety of clients, often on a part-time or short-term basis. They typically don鈥檛 receive employee benefits like health insurance or paid leave. 鈥撀燗dapted from

Other Terms for Freelancing

  • Contract Work: Short-term or project-based jobs
  • Independent Contractor: IRS classification
  • Consultant: Short-term expert hired under a contract (often 1099)
  • Contract-to-Hire: Trial period before potential full-time hire

What is the Gig Economy?

The gig economy refers to a labor market where temporary, flexible jobs are common, and companies contract
with independent workers for short-term engagements. Gig workers may include freelancers, part-time workers,
and on-call staff. 鈥撀Adapted from

The Rise of Freelancers

(Sourced from and )

Freelancing market size and impact

  • Freelancers collectively generated $1.5 trillion USD in earnings in 2024
  • Freelancers in the U.S. earn an average of $99,230 per year
  • 29% of executives say freelancers are highly essential to their business operations and that they
    couldn鈥檛 get by without all of their freelancers (2025)

Demographic trends in freelancing

  • Gen Z is the fastest-growing segment of freelancers
  • Freelancing by generation:
    • Gen Z 鈥 52%
    • Millennials 鈥 44%
    • Gen X 鈥 30%
    • Boomers 鈥 26%
    • Silent Gen 鈥 38%
  • 53% of Gen Z freelancers work full-time hours on freelance projects, abandoning traditional nine-to-five jobs.

Outlook and opportunities for freelancers

  • 64 million Americans freelanced in 2023, representing 39% of the U.S. workforce
  • It鈥檚 projected that in 2027, 86.5 million people will be freelancing in the U.S., making up 50.9%
    of the total U.S. workforce.
  • 36% of knowledge workers who currently hold full-time jobs are considering freelancing
  • 84% of skilled freelancers say they are excited by the prospect of AI tools reshaping their services, offerings, and workflows.

鈥淔reelancing isn鈥檛 a side hustle anymore. For many, it鈥檚 a first-choice career.鈥

鈥 Hayden Brown, CEO of Upwork (2024)

What Type of Communications Work Can Be Freelanced?
(Adapted from )

Writing & Editing

  • Copywriting, Content Writing, Ghostwriting
  • Technical Writing, Business Writing, Grant Writing
  • Proofreading, Editing, Creative Writing, Blogging

Design & Creative

  • Graphic Design, UX/UI Design, Animation
  • Brand Strategy, Illustration, Photography, Videography
  • Presentation Design, Motion Graphics, Interior Design

Marketing & PR

  • Social Media Strategy, Email Marketing
  • SEO/SEM, Digital Ads, Community Management
  • Market Research, Public Relations

Audio/Video & Web

  • Podcast Editing, Voice Acting, Video Production
  • Web Design, Mobile Development, Product Management

Emerging Fields

  • AI Prompt Engineering
  • Newsletter (Substack) Writing
  • Virtual Event Production
  • TikTok/Reels Content Strategy

Other

  • Project Management, Career Coaching, Online Research

A Sample of Elon Alumni Freelancers

Title Location Major/Program
Graphic, UX & Web Designer Raleigh, NC Journalism
Producer New York, NY Strategic Communications
Writer, Editor & Proofreader Raleigh, NC English (Creative Writing)
Designer, Illustrator, & Video Producer San Francisco, CA Strategic Communication, Art (Photography)
Copywriter, Blogger, and Contributory Editor Durham, NC Professional Writing and Rhetoric
Casting Assistant Chicago, IL Acting
Graphic Designer Washington, DC Communication Design
Multimedia Specialist Charlotte, NC Interactive Media (graduate program)
Hair and Make-up/Special Effects Artist Los Angeles, CA Drama & Theatre Studies
Photographer Virginia Beach, VA Human Service Studies
Cinematographer & Editor Apex, NC Cinema & Television Arts
Music Producer, Audio Engineer and Musician New Haven, IN Music Production & Recording Arts
Multimedia Designer Raleigh, NC Interactive Media (graduate program)
Designer and Animator Los Angeles, CA Cinema & Television Arts
Brand Developer/Marketing Consultant Elon, NC Sport Management
Social Media Manager Greensboro, NC Journalism
Videographer/Editor York, ME Cinema & Television Arts
Social Media and Branding Strategist Tampa, FL Strategic Communications
Voice Actor/Director and Writer Raleigh, NC Cinema & Television Arts
Stage Manager Franklin, TN Theatrical Design & Production

Why Businesses Hire Freelancers (Adapted from )

  • Financial Efficiency: Save on training, office space, and benefits
  • Access to Top Talent: Hire experts for specific, short-term projects
  • Flexibility: Scale workforce based on demand without permanent hires
  • Specialization: Rapid onboarding of niche skills like AI, video, or UX

Pros & Cons of Freelancing (Adapted from and )

Pros

  • Flexibility: Choose your hours and clients
  • Remote Work: 70%+ of freelancers work from anywhere
  • Meaningful Work: Take on projects you’re passionate about
  • Earning Potential: Income not capped by a salary
  • Diverse Work: Explore different industries and roles

Cons

  • No Safety Net: No health insurance, paid leave, or retirement match
  • Income Instability: Irregular pay and unpredictable workload
  • Emotional Toll: Constant job hunting can be draining
  • Financial Planning: Difficulties qualifying for loans, mortgages

Essential Traits & Skills for Freelancers

(Adapted from , , , , and )

Top Traits

  • Creativity
  • Curiosity
  • Confidence
  • Strong Personal Brand
  • Independence/Autonomy

Helpful

  • , (thriving in creative and uncertain environments)
  • Less suited: , (prefer structure and predictability)

Build a ‘Holding Environment’ for Success

  • Place: Distraction-free, inspiring workspace
  • Routines: Daily habits and time-blocking
  • Purpose: Align work with personal values
  • People: Create a support system of peers, mentors, and collaborators

Freelance Business Basics

  • Create a Budget: Use a simple spreadsheet like or
    • Plan for taxes (set aside ~30% of net income)
    • Save for emergencies and retirement
  • Time Management
    • Digital calendars, task blockers (, )
    • Theme your days (e.g., Tue = Admin, Wed = Creative)
  • Contracts
    • Work with a small business lawyer
    • Use tools like or
    • Include a Scope of Work (SOW) that outlines deliverables, deadlines, and payment terms
  • Invoicing
    • Invest in an invoicing software: , , ,
    • Include itemized services, due dates, and payment instructions
  • Pricing
    • Value-Based Pricing and project-based pricing preferred over hourly rates
    • Highlight ROI or transformation your work brings

Marketing Yourself as a Freelancer

  • Messaging: Sell your work with effective targeting, messaging, and frequency
  • Elevator Pitch: Use a positioning statement like: 鈥淚 help X do Y鈥
  • Portfolio: Showcase testimonials, case studies, and visuals
  • Networking: Attend events, reach out on LinkedIn, join Slack groups
  • Cold Outreach: Email pitching with examples of your work
  • CRM: Track leads and communications using or Airtable

Free & Recommended Resources

Learning & Community

  • (free intro course and resources)
  • (free membership, legal guides, community meetups)
  • & (certifications)
  • LinkedIn Learning: ()
    • Includes a downloadable zip file with resources and sample documents (budget spreadsheet, invoices,
      testimonials, proposals, email templates, CRM spreadsheet)

Job Boards & Marketplaces

  • (0% commission)

Other Tools

  • : CRM, portfolio, project tracker
  • : Invoicing, contracts, proposals
  • : Free invoicing/accounting
  • : Salary/job function insights for freelancers
  • 鈥 Elon alumna freelance blog

Elon Resources

Try Freelancing Through Micro-Internships

Advice from the Field

鈥淐OM students and all freelancers need to be forward-thinking, creative, persistent, resilient, organized, and attuned to the needs of clients, bosses, and audiences alike.鈥

鈥 Metiette DiChristina
Dean, College of Communication, Boston University

鈥淗ustle. Sell yourself. Shake off rejection. Price yourself fairly. Send those invoices. And save those receipts.鈥

鈥 Joel Brown, BU Today

鈥 Updated November 2025