We collaborated with Freelance Jewels to share this new series of content on opportunities for women (and employers) to rethink traditional work structures.
Employers are currently scrambling to find talent, with employees across Australia rethinking their careers, their work-life balance and what they want their future careers to look like.
Over the past 12 months, one in five Australians have quit their job and another quarter are considering changing jobs, according to a recent NAB study. The top reason given by employees for quitting was a lack of personal fulfillment, purpose or meaning at work, followed by a lack of career development opportunities.
As we navigate the uncertainty of the pandemic, it’s easy to see why so many people are trading their careers as full-time employees for the life of a freelancer. In many cases, freelancers have more options to create their own work schedule, taking on as few or as many clients as they need.
Fleur Madden, co-founder and CEO of Freelance JewelsAustralia’s only job platform and community for freelance women that connects consultants and freelancers with Australian employers, says today’s talent market means there are countless opportunities for freelancers fill talent gaps for employers.
And that creates greater demand for the unique skills that freelancers can bring, a phenomenon she sees in the Freelancing Gems community.
“As the ‘Great Resignation’ sweeps the globe, there has been a drastic reduction in the number of people seeking full-time positions, leaving a massive talent shortage globally,” says Madden. “And they’re not trading one full-time role for another, they’re leaving full-time with the intention of not going back.”
“As employers seek to fill these positions quickly, the gig economy has driven demand for freelancers more than ever before.
“With employers embracing new world ways, there are incredible job opportunities for freelancers to bring in experts for shorter periods of time on projects that may not have been available. in the past.”
One employer who hasn’t been afraid to make the most of what freelancers can offer is Rochelle Courtenay, founder and CEO of the national women’s charity, Share the Dignity.
Over the past 12 months, Courtenay has worked with Freelancing Gems to recruit sixteen freelancers and create a new division of the charity called Dress for dignityan online fashion marketplace for pre-loved clothing, where all proceeds go to charity.
“Naturally, Freelancing Gems was our first point of contact because they are a big supporter of ours and we believe in building strong bonds with our community and their values align so strongly with ours,” Courtenay said. Women’s program.
“We were able to create this powerful team of unique and knowledgeable individuals who all had a seat at the table when it came to creating this project. It has also allowed us to minimize risk as a business when we are unsure of, first, the exact roles we would need once launched, and second, the state of the market in the midst of a pandemic.
“Having skilled freelancers working on specific parts of the projects with a clear start and end made it easier to manage in terms of expectations, deliverables and minimized the time spent with each of these people.”
Looking ahead, Courtenay says there will always be a place for permanent employees at Share the Dignity, which currently has fifteen permanent employees, but there will also be plenty of opportunities for freelancers to contribute their expertise.
“Using this freelance model definitely opened our eyes to how we could do things a little differently,” Courtenay says.
“There will always be a need for key personnel for key projects. But where we see ourselves as a charity is finding opportunities for freelancers to help with things like developing strategic plans, online communication journeys with our teams, and then passing them on. our teams to support them.
Dr. Heidi Peverill, Senior Breast, Melanoma and General Surgeon, also made the decision to bring in freelancers into her medical practice, to help develop the company’s brand image, strategy and strategy. social media management.
“I have used freelancers to help me in areas where I have no expertise,” shares Dr. Peverill. “In a doctor’s office, on a daily basis, there is a lot of administration and organization, as well as the management of the immediate needs and medical problems in front of me. But there is a missing piece and that is communication.
“Ultimately, my job is to help people understand their health so they can have better health outcomes. I realized there were so many ways to communicate, I wanted to be able to reach more of people, in a way that suits them.
Dr Peverill describes how great it was to be able to access the specific skills of an experienced freelancer. She said the guidance provided by the freelancer and their approach to branding and social media was invaluable. She was also happy to be able to support someone pursuing the life of a freelancer.
“I want women to be able to live the life they choose, to be able to demonstrate their skills and to be paid their fair value,” she says.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean 60 hours a week at a company that takes away their autonomy or staying home with kids – that can be the life they build for themselves, where they are fairly rewarded for their hard work.”
Fleur Madden says it’s time for employers to embrace freelancers for the opportunity they can bring to businesses. This is something she has seen successfully take shape time and again through Freelancing Gems.
“For some employers, there was a misconception that if you hired a freelancer, they would cost more, they wouldn’t be part of the team, they wouldn’t be in your ways. That old way of thinking just isn’t the reality,” Madden says. “In 2022, independent roles are a gift for both sides of the market.”
“Freelance roles allow employers to tap into diverse talent, rethinking their approach to recruitment. It’s not about the best person in a specific place, it’s actually about the best person, period.
Freelance Jewels is a digital job platform that helps women redefine their 9 to 5 and find their next meaningful role. They match Australian employers with rare gems of female talent across a range of industries.
