I was Freelance, when Freelance wasn’t Cool

A recent study reveals 34 percent of American workforce is freelance*

The digital age has completely changed the way Americans choose to earn a living. Freedom to work from virtually anywhere is a powerful draw away from the daily grind of traditional jobs. Freelancing affords people, who previously were unable to work outside of the home, a way to earn a paycheck and return to self-sustainability. The rogue movement that is freelance shows no signs of slowing any time soon. Some experts predict that by the end of 2016 the number of wage earners working from home (or where ever they want) will double.

I am a perfect example of an individual who’s taking advantage of the resources available to her. Without the internet, I would be completely penniless and relying on the government to keep a roof over my head. It’s been a long hard road, this freelancing thing.

Working From Home: Julia's Story

 

What follows is a fictional account based on interviews and comments submitted by actual people who were, or are currently working from home. Any similarities between the character, Julia, and any other living person are strictly accidental. Julia is a composite created to observe a hypothetical, work from home, scenario.

Julia is thirty-two. She graduated high school then attended a local community college. Julia finished college in 1998, with an AA in psychology, fully intending to follow a career in social work. However, finding the entry-level job market slim in her community, Julia winds up waiting tables at a local pub for tips, where she meets her current husband. After dating a few years, they are married in 2003. In early 2005, she gives birth to their first child. Julia waited tables up until three weeks of her due date before taking maternity leave. Money was tight for the growing family; dreams of being a social worker seemed to be slipping away from her.