Corporate Versus Freelance: Details
This additional analysis breaks out freelance careerists and students/hobbyists, and partners and employees.
Fig. 13.1 Corporates in possession of needed skill
| Markup, e.g., HTML, XHTML, XML | 87.4% |
|---|---|
| CSS coding | 84.2% |
| Page layout, interface design | 76.5% |
| Front-end programming, e.g., JavaScript | 66.0% |
| Information architecture, wireframing, sitemapping | 63.0% |
| Image editing and production | 62.4% |
| Usability testing/knowledge | 59.5% |
| Back-end development, e.g., PHP, Ruby on Rails, ASP | 55.7% |
| Graphic design | 52.5% |
| Project management | 49.8% |
| Accessibility testing/knowledge | 41.5% |
| Findability/search engine optimization/search engine marketing | 40.8% |
| Writing, editing | 40.1% |
| Other | 7.7% |
With regard to markup and CSS coding skills, over 80% of corporates who need these skills have them. The notable skill gap areas for the corporates are: findability/search engine optimization and writing/editing. These findings are highly consistent with the results in 2009.
Fig. 13.2 Freelancers in possession of needed skill
| Markup, e.g., HTML, XHTML, XML | 87.2% |
|---|---|
| CSS coding | 85.7% |
| Page layout, interface design | 82.0% |
| Image editing and production | 66.8% |
| Graphic design | 62.7% |
| Information architecture, wireframing, sitemapping | 60.0% |
| Front-end programming, e.g., JavaScript | 59.1% |
| Project management | 56.1% |
| Back-end development, e.g., PHP, Ruby on Rails, ASP | 53.8% |
| Usability testing/knowledge | 52.0% |
| Writing, editing | 44.4% |
| Findability/search engine optimization/search engine marketing | 42.3% |
| Accessibility testing/knowledge | 35.9% |
| Other | 7.0% |
With regard to interface design, markup, and CSS coding skills, over 80% of career freelancers who need these skills have them. The notable skill gaps for career freelancers are: accessibility testing/knowledge and findability/search engine optimization. Again, the results are highly consistent with the results in 2009.
Fig. 13.3 Freelancers’ clients
| Careerist | Student/ hobbyist/ volunteer | |
|---|---|---|
| Self-employed head or partner in a consulting firm | 31.4% | 5.1% |
| Freelance contractor, mostly or exclusively with my own clients | 61.4% | 13.6% |
| Freelance contractor, mostly for the same company/organization | 21.7% | 4.4% |
| Part-time/side-jobber | 17.7% | 30.9% |
| Full-time student | 6.8% | 42.4% |
| Hobbyist | 5.8% | 49.5% |
| Other | 3.5% | 14.8% |
Respondents were able to check more than one answer.
As in 2008 and 2009, approximately 60% of career freelancers contract independently with their own clients, and approximately 20% contract independently mostly for one client.
Fig. 13.4 Longevity as a freelancer
| Less than a year | 12.2% |
|---|---|
| 1 year | 10.6% |
| 2 years | 14.3% |
| 3 years | 11.8% |
| 4 years | 8.0% |
| 5 years | 8.8% |
| 6 years | 5.0% |
| 7 years | 3.5% |
| 8 years | 3.6% |
| 9 years | 1.5% |
| 10 years (or more) | 14.5% |
| Not applicable | 6.2% |
Slightly less than half (48.9%) of career freelancers have been working independently for three years or less, and 14.5% have been working independently for 10 years or more. This data is consistent with the 2008 and 2009 findings.
Fig. 13.5 Freelancer hourly rates
| Independent contractor/freelancer or owner of my own small business | Student, hobbyist, volunteer, other uncompensated role | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than $25 per hour | 11.9% | 52.0% | 16.7% |
| $25 - $49 per hour | 28.5% | 26.5% | 28.2% |
| $50 - $74 per hour | 28.2% | 10.1% | 26.0% |
| $75 - $99 per hour | 19.2% | 4.9% | 17.5% |
| $100 - $124 per hour | 7.3% | 3.4% | 6.8% |
| $125 - $149 per hour | 2.2% | 1.0% | 2.1% |
| $150 - $174 per hour | 1.3% | 0.9% | 1.3% |
| $175 - $199 per hour | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| $200 - $224 per hour | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| $225 - $249 per hour | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| $250 or more per hour | 0.5% | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Two thirds (68.5%) of career freelancers charge less than $75 per hour for their services, and 87.7% charge less than $100.
Fig. 13.6 Freelancer change in rates
| Independent contractor/freelancer or owner of my own small business | Student, hobbyist, volunteer, other uncompensated role | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I’m charging higher rates than last year | 38.4% | 15.7% | 34.9% |
| I’m charging approximately or exactly the same rates as I charged last year | 44.8% | 25.4% | 41.8% |
| I’m charging lower rates than last year | 5.3% | 2.7% | 4.9% |
| Not applicable | 11.5% | 56.2% | 18.4% |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Better than a third of career freelancers raised their rates in 2010, just as in previous years.
Fig. 13.7 How freelancers find work
| Independent contractor/freelancer or owner of my own small business | Student, hobbyist, volunteer, other uncompensated role | |
|---|---|---|
| Word of mouth, referrals from existing clients | 92.8% | 70.5% |
| They contact me via my website | 50.8% | 33.4% |
| Networking via professional associations and groups | 39.6% | 19.1% |
| Networking via social institutions, groups, and associations | 30.7% | 25.1% |
| Clients e-mail me out of the blue; I’m not sure how some of them hear about me | 23.5% | 14.1% |
Respondents were able to check more than one answer.
As in 2008 and 2009, over 90% of career freelancers get business through word of mouth. No other business development practice (web site, networking, etc.) produces work for more than half the respondents.
Fig. 13.8 How freelancers manage health care
| Independent contractor/freelancer or owner of my own small business | Student, hobbyist, volunteer, other uncompensated role | |
|---|---|---|
| I have health coverage through an employer | 11.9% | 20.9% |
| I have health coverage through a relative or spouse | 14.3% | 14.7% |
| I have health coverage through a professional organization | 2.1% | 2.0% |
| I have health coverage through a nationalized system | 24.6% | 27.9% |
| I have health coverage through other means | 5.8% | 11.4% |
| I do not have health coverage | 20.2% | 16.2% |
Respondents were able to check more than one answer.
Although career freelancers are able to get health insurance through a number of means, 20.2% of them do not have health insurance. This data is largely consistent with the 2008 and 2009 findings.
Fig. 13.9 Non-profit employees
| Partner in a large company or organization | 3.5% |
|---|---|
| Partner in a small business | 2.4% |
| Employee of a company, university, library, museum, nonprofit, or other organization | 6.4% |
| Overall | 5.8% |
In 2010, of employees, 5.8% work for nonprofit organizations. In 2009, 8.8% were working for nonprofit organizations.
Fig. 13.10 How corporates keep up
| Partner in large org | Partner in small business | Employee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read relevant websites/blogs/zines | 93.3% | 96.1% | 97.0% |
| Trial and error | 70.0% | 77.9% | 79.0% |
| Work with others at my company | 76.7% | 70.4% | 75.0% |
| Read design/web design books | 62.9% | 64.9% | 63.7% |
| Attend seminars and conferences | 45.2% | 43.9% | 46.8% |
| In-house training | 35.0% | 22.4% | 22.3% |
| Participate in discussion boards | 31.4% | 33.3% | 29.0% |
| Participate in mailing lists | 21.9% | 27.1% | 25.4% |
Respondents were able to check more than one answer.
Although corporates are more likely than freelancers to get formal training, less than half (45.2%) of employees (not including the partners) attend seminars or conferences, and just over one-third (35%) receive in-house training. The in-house training figure is notably lower than it was in 2009.
Fig. 13.11 Where corporates work
| Partner in large org | Partner in small business | Employee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employer’s office | 84.8% | 31.4% | 92.9% |
| At home | 44.9% | 59.8% | 45.9% |
| Own office | 9.9% | 41.6% | 3.5% |
| Borrowed space on client’s premises | 8.1% | 5.1% | 2.2% |
| Shared offices with other freelancers | 1.4% | 10.5% | 1.6% |
| Other | 6.4% | 5.5% | 2.1% |
Respondents were able to check more than one answer.
Of corporates, 44.9% work at home, including almost 60% of partners in small firms. These findings are consistent with 2008 and 2009 results.
Fig. 13.12 Corporate perks
| Partner in large org | Partner in small business | Employee | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | 64.3% | 32.1% | 67.8% | 63.6% |
| Flex time | 42.0% | 45.3% | 45.1% | 45.1% |
| Conferences, seminars | 42.8% | 32.6% | 43.7% | 42.4% |
| 401K or other investment plan | 38.9% | 11.8% | 41.7% | 38.1% |
| Life insurance | 42.8% | 14.7% | 41.1% | 38.0% |
| Bonus | 39.9% | 27.2% | 35.1% | 34.3% |
| Professional development | 32.5% | 21.6% | 30.8% | 29.8% |
| Disability insurance | 32.9% | 10.9% | 31.4% | 29.1% |
| Professional training on the job | 38.2% | 19.1% | 29.9% | 28.8% |
| Flexible medical spending | 32.9% | 7.8% | 31.5% | 28.8% |
| Comp time | 24.7% | 18.6% | 23.5% | 23.0% |
| Pension plan | 21.9% | 9.5% | 21.2% | 19.8% |
| Video training, software training | 18.4% | 13.7% | 19.8% | 19.1% |
| Tuition reimbursement | 19.1% | 4.0% | 21.0% | 18.9% |
| Profit sharing | 18.4% | 32.5% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
| Overtime pay | 9.2% | 5.8% | 12.0% | 11.2% |
| Stock options plan | 20.8% | 6.3% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| Other | 10.2% | 7.0% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| Not applicable | 10.6% | 26.1% | 5.2% | 7.7% |
| Stock purchase plan | 13.4% | 3.4% | 6.2% | 6.0% |
| Child care | 6.0% | 1.8% | 4.3% | 4.1% |
| Union membership | 2.5% | 1.2% | 3.6% | 3.3% |
Respondents were able to check more than one answer.
As in 2009 and 2008, on employment benefits, health insurance is the only checklist item in the survey that more than half the respondents get.
Fig. 13.13 Corporate health care
| Partner in large org | Partner in small business | Employee | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I have health coverage through an employer | 60.8% | 28.3% | 63.0% | 58.9% |
| I have health coverage through a relative or spouse | 4.9% | 10.7% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| I have health coverage through a professional organization | 2.8% | 3.1% | 1.9% | 2.1% |
| I have health coverage through a nationalized system | 18.7% | 21.5% | 18.6% | 19.0% |
| I have health coverage through other means | 2.5% | 5.8% | 2.2% | 2.7% |
| I do not have health coverage | 8.5% | 16.4% | 7.6% | 8.6% |
Respondents were able to check more than one answer.
Only 8.5% of the corporates don’t have health insurance, but that includes 16.4% of the partners in small firms. These figures are slightly higher than they were in 2009.