What it takes to ride the next decade
Photo: Brooke Lark/Unasplash
In our last article, many of our sources point to freelancing playing a significant role in the future of work. This means more are getting into the game, be it organisations seeking to fulfill a need or a freelancer gunning for a project.
If you are a freelancer thinking about how you could stay ahead of the curve, you’ve come to the right page! In this feature, we discuss the skills that are most in-demand and share how freelancers can level up their craft and be the best in class in their offerings.
Skills in Demand
A scan into CAW’s client briefs reveals the usual suspects across digital and content marketing. Jayce Tham, CAW’s Founding Chief Businesswoman opines, “Storytelling is an important aspect of consumer engagement. In this regard, we see a lot of brands seeking out freelancers that are proficient across a wide spectrum of skills such as videography and scripting, social media writing, management of social media channels, motion graphics, and digital design, amongst others.”
This trend is mirrored at a macro level based on the key findings of the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report, which investigates the jobs and skills of the future. It is also noted that apart from specialized skills in product marketing, digital marketing, and human-computer interaction, competencies that will put one ahead are those commonly known as soft skills. They include critical thinking, problem-solving, active learning, resilience, stress tolerance, and flexibility.
Indeed, by now, most of us would have come across the notion that many of the high-value jobs in the future do not exist yet. Building up soft competencies that keep you open to new ways of doing things and achieving the desired outcomes, ensures relevance and personal efficacy in a rapidly evolving world (Did anyone say VUCA?)
Upping Your Game
In steering our network of freelancers and clients toward the creator economy, CAW is optimistic about the opportunities and also mindful of the need to help our talents upskill. Jayce says, “With more than 50 million independent content creators fueling this new movement, there is immense potential when it comes to engaging audiences in innovative and impactful ways.”
On her advice to freelancers, Jayce shares,“To gear themselves up to harness this trend, freelancers should also continue to hone skills relating to personal branding, creating compelling narratives, and the ability to harness new technology platforms. This will enable them to stand out from the crowd and keep audiences fascinated.:
"Clients would do well to stay abreast of the trends in communications and develop strong collaborative partnerships to curate campaigns that cut through the clutter. Freelancers who continue to build their connections and stay visible would not only retain top-of-mind awareness but influence key decisions,” Jayce added.
It may feel like a tall order to juggle projects while upskilling and keeping in step with the latest developments. This is where we believe in the power of strength in numbers. Research has found that the most successful freelancers hunt in packs. This approach has enabled them to benefit from group learning and collective knowledge of new opportunities and market intelligence.
As we look towards our next 10 years of freelancing excellence, we will be rolling out initiatives that can help you level up, from taking Freelancer 101 classes to becoming an elite citizen of the Freelancer Nation! Watch this space!
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