journey

PHOENIX FOCUS | So long 9-to-5
So Long
9-to-5
Do you want more freedom in your career? It may
be time to think outside the cubicle.
Lori K. Baker
As employees, we’ve all been struck by wanderlust—the
feeling of being shackled to our desk when the weather
outside is gorgeous. As we curse our long commutes or
roll our eyes at the latest bureaucratic snafu, we can’t
help but think: “If I were my own boss, I wouldn’t have
these problems.” Or, “If only I could work from home and
have a more flexible schedule.”
Thinking outside the cubicle
It’s no wonder more than one in three
U.S. workers—an estimated 53.7 million
Americans—now think outside the
cubicle. That’s the number of freelance
business owners, independent contractors,
moonlighters, temporary employees
and “diversified portfolio” workers with
different income streams in the U.S. today,
according to a recent study. This study,
conducted by the independent research
firm Edelman Berland and commissioned
by the Freelancers Union and Upwork,
also reveals approximately 700,000 more
workers joined the ranks of freelancers
between 2014 and 2015. “Freelancing
is the new normal,” says Sara Horowitz,
founder and executive director of
Freelancers Union.
A greater demand for flexible work hours
drives the trend. The study shows the
majority of workers freelance by choice—
with 50 percent reporting they wouldn’t
trade freelancing for a traditional 9-to-5
job, even for better pay. In fact, 60 percent
of freelancers discovered higher earnings
after saying so long to 9-to-5. Of those
who earned more, 78 percent said they
accomplished the feat within a year or less.
The new commute
Today, several factors make becoming
your own boss a more attainable goal than
ever before. First, it’s now affordable to
tout your skills (or wares) on a website and
connect with potential clients around the
globe via social media.
“Videoconferencing in particular has been
a real game changer for people who want to
work independently because you literally
can work from anywhere,” says Katy
Tynan, professional speaker and author of
Free Agent: The Independent Professional’s
Roadmap to Self-Employment Success.
“Companies have also latched onto the idea
that they can look for talent outside the 20-
mile radius of the city they’re in,” she says.
Through low-cost, high-bandwidth
Internet access, remote team members
can collaborate on multimedia projects,
videos, documents and spreadsheets from
a variety of locations.
10 PHOENIX FOCUS | Spring 2016
alumni.phoenix.edu 11