The time has come for freelancers

Through economic upheaval, we learn a lot about the state of the business world. Whether new trends emerge or decline, practices rarely digress to how they once were. This time around, we have learned that freelance positions, and even the freelance lifestyle, will be one that sticks around. It is a low-cost employment option, and for businesses who are wary about the state of the economy, it is a way to complete projects without having to dish out a hefty salary in return.

Freelance employment is a great way for businesses to conserve money while still tending to required tasks. Hiring for specific projects allows office managers to look for unique characteristics in candidates that will be the best fit for a project. Instead of bringing an individual on board, offering benefits and a guaranteed salary, freelance opportunities are a cost-effective way to get the best possible result for little investment.

Interestingly, with an unemployment rate still hovering around 9 percent, many publications have suggested that the lack of jobs has little to do with the recession. In a recent report from Kauffman Foundations, the job deficit is suggested to be a result of the decline in new employer businesses, which has decreased by 27 percent since 2006. Business on Main puts this finding into further perspective by suggesting that, in the past, new businesses required about eight employees in order to operate, but today, that number is down to five employees. This additional decline could be the result of freelance employment and the benefits associated with that low-cost option.

With freelance opportunities increasing, there have been some noticeable trends in respective industries. For example, mobile application development has been consistently skyrocketing over the past year, but in the fourth quarter, it is actually projected to slow down - a trend that has everyone wondering how HTML5 will deflect this projection.

HTML5 has created a 38 percent boost in jobs, according to Small Business Trends, which could be the result of many organizations scrambling to embrace and learn the ropes of yet another new technology language. HTML5 is expected to change mobile app development, as it makes it much easier to write a single program that can be used on multiple operating systems. Freelancers who understand the new syntax and how to use it for professional gain will be the most successful new employees across various industries.