I’ve been a freelance writer for well over a decade now and have never once felt like a “second best” option. I might have fallen into freelancing, but I did so with open eyes and knew exactly what the drawbacks would be (primarily the lack of paid holiday or sick leave) and I don’t regret a thing.
This is something I’ve been trying to tell my friends and family members for years now and they have only recently (in the wake of the pandemic, perhaps) started to take the whole thing seriously. Freelancing is officially no longer the Boo Radley of the working world. Indeed, by next year (2023) the market is expected to be worth around $455 billion and the number of freelancers is set to double what it is currently by 2028.
But not all freelance roles are created equal, as new research from Hiscox has revealed. The research shows which sectors are in-demand and flourishing with freelance talent and how this has changed over recent years, with search data uncovering the top freelance roles in the UK.
Graphic designer comfortably topped the list as the most searched for role in the Hiscox report, with writer and copywriter coming in at numbers 2 and 3 respectively (yay for me). You’ll also find photographer, designer and more creative roles on the list, which confirms that creative jobs are the most popular when it comes to the online search for freelancer.
The most searched for freelance roles in the UK
1. Graphic designer
2. Writer
3. Copywriter
4. Photographer
5. Web developer
6. Designer
7. Accountant
8. Social media manager
9. SEO
10. Journalist
The majority of the most searched for roles sit within creative sectors, suggesting that there could be a clear line between professions seen as “freelance viable” and those which remain primarily office based.
Hiscox’ analysis looked at popular freelancing search terms over the past four years to understand how the UK’s behaviour has altered and revealed trends which make for sobering reading for any creatives hoping to secure a traditional office-based job in 2022.
Online search interest in social media freelancing terms has increased dramatically since 2018, with the term “freelance social media manager” seeing its search volume triple in that time. Writing related search terms are very popular with writer, copywriter and journalist all making the top ten list.
The state of UK freelancing
Freelancing is becoming more of a desirable career option, with freelance jobs platform PeoplePerHour reporting a 63% increase in registrations between 2019 and 2020. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were more than four million self-employed jobs in the UK as of June 2022.
Whilst many people choose to freelance full time, many freelance as a “side hustle” and these second jobs contribute more than £72 billion to the economy, that’s 3.6% of GDP. Although, self-employment can be lucrative, there are downsides to going it alone. Freelancers take ultimate responsibility for their taxes, the quality of their work, and do not have the same employment rights as their employed counterparts.
It is, in every conceivable way, a bit of a mixed bag. What it provides however, is a more flexible working lifestyle that’s ideal for creative individuals. And that’s perhaps, in the end, why creative roles are so ‘freelance viable’.
Yes, we need to take care to protect ourselves against legal risks and yes, we need to plan our holidays around “slow periods” and can’t afford to get sick. But that ultimate freedom makes it all worthwhile.
