The economic crunch has seen many a worker lose their jobs and businesses shut their doors. Our unemployment rate has skyrocketed. More people are earning less or nothing. Many more have lost homes, cars, belongings – as well as friends, family and their own self-respect. Companies abroad, especially small businesses, have had to resort to other means to get work done or important projects completed. Instead of hiring fulltime staff (which they can no longer afford), business owners have turned to the huge pool of freelance professionals, those highly skilled individuals or groups who earn a living by using their acquired skills and expertise to GET THE JOB DONE!

South Africa is no different. We have highly skilled professionals who can tackle ny project – from graphic design and pr, to business consulting and audio production. Whatever a small business needs done, freelancers can do! Not only is it cost-effective, able to save the company loads of money, but in these sad economic times, it makes more business sense to go the freelance route. Thousands of companies around the world can’t be wrong.

There are several ways of doing it. The most common is where the employer advertises a project and freelancers bid on it. The employer or representative then sifts through all bidders and select their preferred freelancer. Alternatively, employers simply sift through a database of freelancers, without advertising the project, and select the one they feel are most suited for their project needs. They agree upon a fee, payment terms and an expected delivery date of final product. The employer usually only pays once the project is completed and he/she is satisfied with the results. Many other measures are put in place, ensuring complete security, professionalism, on-time payment and satisfaction.

The verdict? Everyone benefits. The freelancer finds much needed employment, while the employer hires a skilled professional who GETS THE JOB DONE – at a fraction of the cost of hiring a fulltime employee. No hassles (usually); no strings attached (no payment of benfits, or leave pay, or maternity leave)….The one saves money while the other makes loads of it.