8 November 2023

Your Guide to the Latest Freelancer Skills in Demand, Revealed by UpWork

By Ronald Smith

Imagine being able to uncover the most sought-after skills in the freelance world. Well, UpWork has done just that! In their latest quarterly index, they’ve revealed the top skills that companies are looking for when hiring freelancers.

So, what are these valuable skills that can make you stand out from the crowd? Let’s dive in!

The first skill that caught my eye is

graphic design

. Companies are constantly in need of talented designers who can create eye-catching visuals. Whether it’s designing logos, websites, or marketing materials, having strong graphic design skills is a surefire way to secure freelance gigs.

Next up, we have

content writing

. In today’s digital age, companies rely heavily on content to connect with their audience. From blog posts to social media updates, being able to write engaging and persuasive content is a prized skill. So, if you have a way with words, there’s definitely a place for you in the freelance world.

Moving on to

web development

. With the increasing demand for websites and online platforms, companies are on the lookout for skilled web developers. From building websites to enhancing user experience, having the ability to code and create functional and user-friendly websites is highly valued.

And let’s not forget about

social media management

. In today’s social media-driven world, companies recognize the importance of having a strong online presence. That’s where social media managers come in. If you have a knack for crafting engaging posts and growing online communities, this skill can open doors for you as a freelancer.

Lastly, we have

project management

. The ability to effectively manage projects and teams is crucial in the business world. Companies value freelancers who can keep things organized, meet deadlines, and ensure smooth project delivery. So, if you’re a natural leader with excellent organizational skills, project management is a skill worth honing.

These are just a few of the skills that companies are searching for when hiring freelancers. Whether you’re a designer, a writer, a developer, a social media guru, or a project manager, honing these skills can set you up for success in the freelance market.

Now that you know the top skills in demand, it’s time to polish your craft and showcase your talent. Remember, by staying up-to-date with the latest trends and constantly improving your skills, you can position yourself as a sought-after freelancer and seize exciting opportunities. Happy freelancing!

Your Guide to the Latest Freelancer Skills in Demand, Revealed by UpWork

I want to tell you about something really interesting I found. It’s called the Upwork Skills Index Q2 2018 Report. According to this report, the freelancer market is changing and businesses are embracing it more than ever before. They used to have doubts about hiring freelancers, but not anymore!

The report shows that freelancers now have a wide range of skills and they are really good at what they do. Upwork, a popular freelancing platform, has been keeping track of these skills and providing valuable insights. The managing editor of the Upwork Blog, Amy Sept, says that the Skills Index tells us about new and emerging skills in the labor market and tech industry.

It’s not just Upwork saying this. The report also reveals that a lot of HR managers have realized the benefits of hiring freelancers. In fact, more than half of them, 59% to be exact, used freelancers in 2017. And guess what? They plan on using even more freelancers in the next ten years!

Hey there, small business owners! I’ve got some exciting news for you. You know how important it is to have the right people with the right skills on your team, but sometimes it can be tough to find the right fit. That’s where hiring freelancers comes in.

Freelancers are professionals who can help you with specific projects on a temporary basis. This means you don’t have to hire someone full-time, which can save you a lot of money. Instead, you can bring in highly skilled individuals when you need them, giving you the ability to compete in the marketplace and grow your business.

Stephane Kasriel, the CEO of Upwork and co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Gender, Education, and Work, knows just how valuable freelancers can be in this rapidly changing world. He explains that as technology advances and the knowledge economy grows, more and more jobs will require specialized skills.

So, by bringing in freelancers, you’re not only getting the expertise you need, but you’re also future-proofing your business. You’ll be able to adapt to the ever-evolving landscape and stay ahead of the competition.

I have some exciting news for you! According to a recent study, the world is changing and so are the jobs available. But don’t worry, because there’s a solution to any talent shortage or skills gap that might arise. It’s called freelance talent.

Freelancers are people who work for themselves and offer their skills and services to businesses. And guess what? Freelancers are twice as likely as traditional employees to actively improve their skills!

In fact, a list of the top 20 freelance jobs in 2017 showed that 16 of them were in the field of technology. And the latest list continues to be dominated by technology.

Let’s take a look at some specific skills that are in high demand. Blockchain skills, for example, have seen a massive 2,000% growth year-over-year, making it the number one skill in the second quarter of 2018. Amazing, right?

Coming in second is Google Cloud Platform, followed closely by skills in Volusion, a website builder for ecommerce. And rounding out the top five are risk management and product photography.

So there you have it! Freelance talent is the answer to bridging the gap between the skills businesses need and the local talent pool. And with technology-related jobs on the rise, now is the perfect time to explore opportunities in this ever-changing world of work.

Guess what? I found out about some really cool skills that are in high demand right now! One of them is rapid prototyping with 3D printing. It’s number six on the list! Can you believe it?

So, here’s the deal. Rapid prototyping is all about using 3D printers to create models quickly. And the best part is, the price of these printers is going down, and you can use all kinds of different materials, like metals! Isn’t that awesome? This means that people like you and me who have these skills can take advantage of some great opportunities.

But that’s not all. There are other skills that made it onto the list too! Let me tell you about them.

There’s eCommerce, which is all about selling stuff online. Then we have Google development, which is about creating cool stuff using Google’s tools. And finally, product integration, which is all about making different things work together smoothly. Don’t you think these skills sound interesting?

According to UpWorks, these skills were at the top of the list in Q2:

  1. Blockchain
  2. Google Cloud Platform
  3. Volusion
  4. Risk management
  5. Product photography
  6. Rapid prototyping
  7. Google App Engine API
  8. SCORM
  9. GitLab
  10. Go development
  11. Apple UIKit
  12. Enterprise architecture
  13. Tensorflow
  14. Atlassian Confluence
  15. Apple Xcode
  16. eLearning
  17. Customer retention: Keeping customers coming back and ensuring their loyalty.
  18. Articulate storyline: The way in which a story is effectively expressed and communicated.
  19. Node.js: A platform that allows for the development of server-side and networking applications.
  20. Scala development: The process of creating software using the Scala programming language.

Growing and Improving Skills

As we evaluate our skills in a changing technology-driven world, online learning solutions become even more valuable.

If you’re a freelancer looking to enhance your skill set, Upwork has compiled a selection of relevant courses from various online providers that align with in-demand skill sets.

  1. Become a Blockchain Developer (Udacity)
  2. Architecting with Google Cloud Platform Specialization (Coursera)
  3. How to Create an Online Store: Volusion eCommerce Scratch (Udemy)
  4. Risk Assessment and Management (Pluralsight)
  5. Product Photography that Sells: Product Shots for Video (SkillShare)
  6. Rapid Prototyping by Google (Udacity)

I want to tell you about some really cool courses I found. They’re all about different topics that I think you’ll find interesting. Check them out:

– Open APIs: Introducing Google Cloud Platform (Coursera): Here, you’ll learn all about Google’s Cloud Platform and how it can be used to build awesome things.

– Learning SCORM and Tin Can API (Lynda.com): In this course, you’ll discover the world of SCORM and Tin Can API, which are important tools for creating and sharing e-learning content.

– Mastering Git (Pluralsight): Git is a powerful tool for managing and tracking changes in software development projects. In this course, you’ll become a Git master.

– Web Development with Google’s Go (Golang) Programming Language (Udacity): If you’re interested in web development and programming, this course will teach you all about Google’s Go language and how to build web applications.

– UIKit Fundamentals: Learn the iOS User Interface Library (Udacity): Are you curious about iOS app development? This course will teach you how to use the UIKit framework to create beautiful and user-friendly interfaces.

– Lean and Agile Enterprise Architecture: Getting Started (Pluralsight): In this course, you’ll learn about lean and agile principles and how they can be applied to enterprise architecture to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

– Machine Learning with TensorFlow on Google Cloud Platform Specialization (Coursera): Machine learning is a fascinating field, and this course will teach you how to use Google’s TensorFlow library to build and train machine learning models.

– Intro to Confluence (Server Version) (SkillShare): Confluence is a powerful collaboration and documentation tool. In this course, you’ll learn how to use Confluence to streamline your team’s work and knowledge sharing.

– Introduction to Xcode (SkillShare): Xcode is the development environment for creating iOS and macOS apps. This course will introduce you to Xcode and show you how to get started with app development.

– e-Learning Ecologies: Innovative Approaches to Teaching and Learning for the Digital Age (Coursera): This course explores new and innovative ways of teaching and learning in the digital age, focusing on e-learning and its impact on education.

– Customer Success: How to Reduce Churn and Increase Customer Retention (Udemy): If you’re interested in customer success and making customers happy, this course will teach you strategies for reducing customer churn and increasing customer retention.

– Learn to create eLearning courses using Articulate Storyline (Udemy): Articulate Storyline is a popular tool for creating interactive and engaging e-learning courses. In this course, you’ll learn how to use Storyline to create your own courses.

I hope you find these courses as interesting as I do! Happy learning!

  1. I took a course called Server-side Development with NodeJS, Express, and MongoDB on Coursera. It was all about learning how to create and manage server-side applications using these powerful tools. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot.
  2. Another course I took was Scala for Java Developers on SkillShare. This course was designed specifically for Java developers who want to learn Scala. I found it to be very informative and it helped me expand my programming skills.