THE GIG ECONOMY: AN

INSIDER’S GUIDE

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

Table of contents
03 The 10 highest-paying gig economy jobs are all in tech
06 The 15 best cities for gig workers and freelancers
08 10 tips for landing freelance tech writing projects
11 The 20 most in-demand skills for freelance workers
15 Report: Why women work in the gig economy
17 4 freelance opportunities for tech professionals
22 Interim CIO jobs: The advantages (and disadvantages)
25 Flying solo: Eight things tech pros need to know before freelancing

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

THE 10 HIGHEST-PAYING GIG ECONOMY

JOBS ARE ALL IN TECH
BY ALISON DENISCO RAYOME
Freelance work via the gig economy has exploded in the last five years, offering new nontraditional work
opportunities across industries in the US. The more than 57 million Americans who work freelance jobs
contribute nearly $1.4 trillion to the economy every year, according to a study from Upwork and the
Freelancers Union.

To determine which gig economy jobs will net you the highest salary, FitSmallBusiness.com examined skills
where client billings grew by 200% from 2016 to 2017, as well as the hourly rates of hundreds of freelancers
in those skill areas from popular gig economy websites Upwork, Freelancer, People Per Hour, Hubstaff, and
Guru. Here are the 10 highest-paying gig economy jobs of 2018, according to FitSmallBusiness.com.

1. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)/DEEP LEARNING

Average salary: $115.06/hour

Freelancers in the AI/deep learning field are experts in machine learning, according to the report. They develop
algorithms using tools and programming languages, such as Tensorflow, Python, R, Java, Matlab, Perl, and C++.

2. BLOCKCHAIN ARCHITECTURE
Average salary: $87.05/hour

Freelancers with blockchain skills are typically developers or architects who design and develop blockchain
technology for a new cryptocurrency or a new cryptocurrency exchange. They may also help businesses that want
to accept bitcoin or other digital currencies as a form of payment for goods and services. Blockchain freelancers are
well-versed in various programming languages, including C++, Python, and Solidity.

3. ROBOTICS
Average salary: $77.46/hour

Robotics freelancers design the mechanical elements of robots. They also may create 3D models and animations
using computer-aided design (CAD). These freelancers often have a background in mechanical engineering and are
proficient in software such as SolidWorks Professional, Photoview 360, Simplify 3D, and eDrawings.

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

4. ETHICAL HACKING
Average salary: $66.33/hour

Ethical hackers, also known as penetration testers or white hat hackers, work to hack a client’s system to find their
security vulnerabilities. These freelancers are familiar with common attack vectors, mitigation techniques, and web
application vulnerabilities, and they also know how to fix these vulnerabilities. The best freelancers in this area are
certified information systems security professionals or certified ethical hackers.

5. CRYPTOCURRENCY
Average salary: $65.37/hour

Cryptocurrency freelancers specializing in Bitcoin or other currencies build automated tools for trading on
exchanges, market charts, and systems for integrating cryptocurrency payments on a client’s app or website. They
are often proficient in Python, JavaScript (Node.JS), Ruby, and PHP.

6. AMAZON WEB SERVICES (AWS) LAMBDA CODING

Average salary: $51.00/hour

AWS Lambda allows users to run code without servers, and more AWS clients are using this system to save on costs.
Freelancers in this area are typically developers proficient in Node.js, Python, Java, and C# who write and load code
onto Lambda.

7. VIRTUAL REALITY (VR)

Average salary: $50.18/hour

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are becoming more of a business reality, used for employee
training and other purposes in the enterprise. Freelancers seeking jobs in this area must have expertise in developing
AR algorithms and are usually fluent in C#, C, and C++. Many also have a background in 3D modeling and
3D scanning.

8. REACTJS DEVELOPERS
Average salary: $40.75/hour

React—an open source JavaScript library used by front-end software developers—makes it easier to build user
interfaces and make changes with large data sets. Many websites rely on React, including Airbnb, American Express,

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

and Yahoo, and React freelancers develop web applications that can change data with no need to reload the page.
Developers in this area are fluent in JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS.

9. FINAL CUT PRO EDITORS

Average salary: $37.12/hour

Final Cut Pro X is Apple’s professional-grade video editing software, used often by companies to create movies,
advertisements, and music videos. Freelancers skilled in Final Cut Pro can cut video clips, use transitions, integrate
background music, and edit scenes.

10. INSTAGRAM MARKETING

Average salary: $31.23/hour

An estimated 70% of US businesses have advertised their products on Instagram, the report said, and the photo-
sharing platform generates a higher average order value than its competitors Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Freelance Instagram marketers promote a client’s business on Instagram, including creating content, carrying the
voice of the brand, using relevant and popular hashtags, and engaging users to grow a following. These marketers
also analyze metrics to measure growth and performance.

“What’s interesting to note is that the number one job on our list—Deep Learning—pays over four times the
country’s median household income,” Eric Noe, editor-in-chief of FitSmallBusiness.com, said in a press release.
“The average annual income for deep learning is $239,325, while the country’s median household income is $59.039.
But even if you’re a freelancer in the lowest paying gig economy job on our list—Instagram Marketing—you can
make a good living with an average annual income of $64,958.”

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

THE 15 BEST CITIES FOR GIG WORKERS

AND FREELANCERS
BY ALISON DENISCO RAYOME
Freelance work via the gig economy has exploded in recent years, offering new nontraditional work
opportunities in cities across the US, according to a report from Fiverr.

As of 2016, there were 15 million independent workers in the US, with that number steadily growing since
2000, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics found.

Specialized freelance workers generate more than $110 billion in the 15 largest metropolitan areas for these
workers, representing between 1-2% of the GDP on average of each area, the report found. And demand for
these professionals is growing: The self-employed specialized knowledge worker population in these 15 areas
rose an average of 7% from 2013-2015. Average revenue growth during that time period was 11%, according to
the report.

While freelance workers have been around for decades, three trends have increased both the size and the
potential client base of gig economy workers. These include the rise of the internet, and platforms such as
Fiverr, Udemy, and LinkedIn that help freelancers connect with customers.

image: istock/TomasSereda

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

A rapidly changing skill set and a shortage of technology professionals in the workforce at large has led
companies to seek contract workers to fill gaps. And the nature of the full-time workforce has changed, with
the advent of the Affordable Care Act, a shift from a manufacturing-based to a service-based economy in
many areas, and the increasing outsourcing of tech jobs leaving many skilled workers with limited full-time job
options, according to the report.

“For many of these workers, self-employment or a mix of part-time employment and entrepreneurial work is
an attractive option,” the report stated.

About half of the specialized independent workforce provides professional services, while about one-third
offers technical services, the report found. Creative arts professionals make up the remainder.

Not surprisingly, San Francisco has the largest share of technical services freelancers (35%), followed by San
Diego, Seattle, and Phoenix, the report found. The 10 highest paid gig economy jobs are all in tech, another
report found.

Here are the 15 top markets for specialized freelance workers, and their total revenue for 2017.

• New York—$24.5 billion • Houston—$5.4 billion

• Los Angeles—$18.3 billion • Boston—$5.4 billion
• Chicago—$6.7 billion • Philadelphia—$4.9 billion
• Miami—$7.6 billion • Seattle—$3.2 billion
• Washington—$7.8 billion • San Diego—$3.5 billion
• San Francisco—$8.2 billion • Minneapolis—$2.7 billion
• Dallas—$6.3 billion • Phoenix—$3.2 billion
• Atlanta—$4.7 billion

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

10 TIPS FOR LANDING FREELANCE TECH

WRITING PROJECTS
BY SUSAN HARKINS
Freelance writing is a great way to share your expertise and earn a little extra money. Making a career of it, or at
least expanding to the point where writing generates a dependable source of income, requires that you publish
lots of new content every month. But there’s more to freelance writing than writing: You must aggressively
work the business side. These tips will help writers of all ilk, but they’re aimed at technical writers, who have a
bit of an edge over the creative types in this area if they can speak with authority on a specific subject.

1: ASK FOR WORK; ASK FOR MORE WORK

Freelance writing is a business and you need customers for your product. That means you must query editors
often. You can’t get new work if you don’t ask. To write queries that editors notice, keep the following in mind:

• Introduce yourself and share article ideas that match the publisher’s focus.
• Check the editorial calendar and make suggestions that fill their needs if possible. (Many technical publishers
don’t produce editorial calendars.)
• Keep your queries concise.
When you complete an assignment with a new editor, send a short thank-you note and let them know you’re
available for more work. If you have an established relationship with an editor, ask for more work—stay on
their radar.

2: BE FAMILIAR WITH THE PUBLISHER’S NEEDS

Before querying a new publisher, spend some time reading their product. If you’re familiar with it, you won’t
waste time suggesting topics they’ve recently covered and you can fine-tune your expertise to match their
audience. When possible, mention a current or previous article or author to demonstrate your familiarity with
their product. For instance, to pitch an advanced article on SQL transaction logs, you might say, “My article on
SQL transaction logs picks up where ‘SQL Logs, use them or lose them’ ends.” Of course, this won’t always be
possible, but keep your eyes open for these opportunities. Writing a great article or book isn’t enough. Fulfilling
an editor’s needs will get you published.

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

3: INNOVATE
After studying a potential publication, you might If an editor asks for an article
decide that your expertise isn’t a good match
for their audience—but you might be wrong.
that’s outside your expertise or
Try to find something in common between if you can’t meet their deadline,
their audience and your expertise and wait for don’t accept the assignment.
inspiration. You may think of a unique way to
introduce your expertise that the editors might
Tell them why, suggest a
appreciate. Innovation drives the technical compromise if you have one,
industry, why not your technical writing? and offer your future services
for other assignments.
4: KEEP EDITORS HAPPY
A one-time gig is better than no gig, but
recurring assignments are better! That means keeping editors happy. Fortunately, that it isn’t hard:

• Write the article the editor expects. If you feel the need to stray from the original scope, discuss it with the
editor first.
• Submit articles in the required format; apply their styles and template (if provided). If there’s no template,
keep formatting to a minimum.
• Submit graphics in the required format.
• Submit articles on time. If the worst happens and you can’t meet a deadline, let the editor know as soon as
possible.
• Always be ready to make editorial changes. You might have the technical expertise, but the editor knows the
audience. You do your job and let the editors do theirs.

When you fulfill your promises, editors are more inclined to assign you more work.

5: LET EDITORS KNOW YOU’RE OPEN TO THEIR IDEAS

Editors will expect you to pitch your ideas when querying them—they want you to. However, it’s a good
idea to let them know that you’re available to write about other topics. Tell them you’d be glad to consider
their ideas. Be sure potential and current editors know that you’re available to tackle subjects you haven’t
personally suggested.

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

6: DON’T MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN’T KEEP

If an editor asks for an article that’s outside your expertise or if you can’t meet their deadline, don’t accept the
assignment. Tell them why, suggest a compromise if you have one, and offer your future services for other
assignments. Never make a promise you can’t keep. If you do, you will probably never get an opportunity to
make amends.

7: HANG OUT WITH OTHER WRITERS

Writers are like restaurants—you can benefit from one another’s overflow. When you can’t accept an
assignment, recommend someone who can. They might also do the same for you. Even if they never return
the favor, the editor will probably remember your willingness to help. Editors are human beings too, and they
remember a kindness the same way you do.

8: QUERY LOW-PAYING MARKETS

We all want to make more money, but waiting for high-paying jobs might leave your bank account empty. Don’t
be too proud to fill your free hours with lower-paying assignments. Generally, they’re much shorter, so they
balance out nicely. Learn to write quickly, satisfy the specific goal of each piece, and churn out as many as you
can fit into your schedule. You won’t write Pulitzer-winning content, but you will receive payment, and lots of
small checks add up. Few writers, especially technical writers, make a reasonable living writing only a piece or
two each month.

9: ASK FOR REFERRALS

After completing an assignment, consider asking for a referral. Most technical editors work for large publishers
and have a broad network of industry coworkers. By tapping into their network, you can expand your own.
Moreover, a referral carries a recommendation, even if implicit—they won’t refer you if they’re not satisfied
with your work.

10: BE SEEN!
Join forums, user groups, lists, and other social networks that support your technical expertise. Publicly offer
free solutions and helpful advice. Give a presentation to a local user group. Create free and helpful how-to
videos. Host a recurring chat. Create a Facebook page and publish free tips or other helpful resources. Join
LinkedIn and keep your profile updated. Find something to tweet about often. Attend workshops and confer-
ences. Go a step further and submit a presentation paper to a conference; they’re always looking for new voices.
You don’t have to do all of these things, but do some of them. Get your name in front of users and editors.

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THE 20 MOST IN-DEMAND SKILLS FOR

FREELANCE WORKERS
BY ALISON DENISCO RAYOME
Freelance work has exploded in recent years, thanks to talent shortages faced by many enterprises and the
rise of the gig economy. More than half (53%) of hiring managers cite access to skills as their biggest hiring
challenge, and the majority (59%) are already tapping flexible talent, according to a recent report from
freelancing website Upwork.

“As skills become more specialized, companies either need to invest in reskilling to prepare workers for the
jobs of tomorrow or leverage freelance professionals who are nearly twice as likely as traditional employees
to proactively take reskilling upon themselves,” said Stephane Kasriel, CEO of Upwork and co-chair of the
World Economic Forum’s Council on the Future of Gender, Education and Work, in a press release. “Many of
today’s Fortune 500 companies are already doing this, and adoption of flexible workers will increase as hiring
gets harder.”

But what skills are most in demand when it comes to freelance work? Upwork’s Q1 2018 Skills Index ranked
the 20 fastest growing skills for freelancers, which experienced more than 130% year-over-year growth in
demand. Demand for the top 10 skills grew more than 400% compared to the same time last year. Here are the
top 20.

1. BLOCKCHAIN
Blockchain’s growth puts it on the path to become what the cloud was back in the mid-2000s. In Q1,
blockchain saw 6,000% year-over-year growth, making it the fastest-growing skill out of more than 5,000 skills
on Upwork.

While initially hyped up, several major enterprises including IBM and Samsung are already leveraging the
technology. “As more executives try to navigate this technology, there is soaring demand for talented experts
familiar with it who can help demystify it and explore potential uses,” the report said.

2. TENSORFLOW
Google’s Tensorflow is being used in machine learning to solve challenging problems worldwide.

3. AMAZON DYNAMODB
Companies are seeking talent who can work with Amazon’s NoSQL database service.

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

4. VOICE OVER
According to Gartner, 67% of CMOs say they are planning to increase their digital advertising spend in 2018,
and demand for voice-over talent has risen as companies shift away from traditional agencies and toward
freelance talent.

5. SUBTITLING
Similar to voice over, companies are turning to freelancers for subtitling work in marketing content.

6. ART DIRECTION
Core marketing functions like art direction were also in demand in Q1, as companies seek experts to ensure
consistency for their brand’s look and feel across all platforms.

7. CONTENT STRATEGY
As with art direction, marketing departments are seeking professionals who can plan, develop, and manage
content across all their channels.

8. COMPUTER VISION
Increasing demand for AI-related skills like computer vision, augmented reality, chatbot development, and
machine learning (all found lower in the list) suggests that companies are embracing freelancers to find
emerging skills—but also that freelancers are preparing themselves for work in a future with more automation.

9. MICROSOFT POWER BI
Companies are looking for people skilled in Microsoft’s suite of business analytics tools to better glean insights
from their data.

10. AUGMENTED REALITY

Augmented reality is beginning to infiltrate the enterprise, with some companies using the technology for
training or demonstration purposes.

11. CHATBOT DEVELOPMENT

Organizations must know how to properly implement chatbot APIs through text or voice if they want to
succeed in today’s customer service landscape.

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12. REACT NATIVE

React native is a development framework used to Instagram recently
build native apps using React. This is the second
consecutive quarter that the skill has landed on the
deployed changes to its
list, demonstrating companies’ desire to build mobile API, in efforts to better
apps that use the same UI for iOS and Android. protect people’s information
13. MEDIA BUYING after the Facebook data
Companies are looking for freelancers who can breach, leading to a spike in
help them purchase advertising from websites, freelance demand.
newspapers, magazines, and other outlets.

14. GO DEVELOPMENT
Go is a programming language created by Google in 2009. It also appeared on the list for the second
consecutive quarter. Go is the No. 1 language that developers said they plan to learn, according to HackerRank.

15. INFORMATION SECURITY

With the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in force, companies are seeking information
security specialists to provide guidance on how to retrofit privacy policies to comply.

16. SCALA DEVELOPMENT

Scala development combines object-oriented and functional programming in one high-level language. It
appears on the list for the first time this quarter. Scala developers in the US are among the highest-paid,
according to Stack Overflow.

17. INSTAGRAM API

Instagram recently deployed changes to its API, in efforts to better protect people’s information after the
Facebook data breach, leading to a spike in freelance demand.

18. ADOBE PREMIERE

Many companies are turning to Adobe’s video editing software for marketing materials, training videos, and
other purposes.

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19. MACHINE LEARNING

From Apple to Google to Toyota, companies worldwide are pouring resources into developing AI systems with
machine learning. Google is also offering a free 15-hour machine learning crash course for those interested in
picking up some skills in the area.

20. ANGULARJS DEVELOPMENT

AngularJS development has been included on the fastest growing skills list for seven consecutive quarters, more
than any other skill in the index’s history.

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REPORT: WHY WOMEN WORK IN THE

GIG ECONOMY
BY HOPE REESE
The Future of Gig Work is Female, a report by Hyperwallet, looks at how women have been impacted by
the rise of the gig economy, which allows many to land jobs (like taxi driving or freelance coding) that have
traditionally been monopolized by men. The report, which surveyed 2,000 female gig workers in the US,
explores the reasons why women have taken gig jobs, the income they make, which jobs are the most popular
for women, and the drawbacks of gig work for women, among other issues.

Here are the main findings.

1. MOST POPULAR TYPES OF GIG WORK

Female gig workers were most drawn to professional freelance work (such as work offered on platforms like
Upwork), direct selling (selling makeup for Mary Kay, for instance), and service work (through websites such as
Rover.com or TaskRabbit).

2. DEMOGRAPHICS
Some 58% of female gig
workers surveyed were
between 18-35 years old, 30%
were 35-50, and 12% were
51-70. Most were educated,
with 88% of female gig
workers reporting that they
had completed at least some
college. And 70% said they
were the primary caregivers for
their family.

IMAGE: HYPERWALLET

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 THE GIG ECONOMY: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE

3. REASONS FOR TAKING A third of female gig workers

GIG JOBS (33%) reported that they have
Women are underrepresented and paid less
than their male peers in the tech sphere. Not used a username that is gender-
only that, but work in that field can often be neutral in an effort to ensure
stressful—in fact, 48% of former tech workers equal treatment.
included in the survey said they left their jobs
because of stress and lack of flexibility and
turned instead to gig work. For female legal workers, that figure is 42%. Out of the total number of female
gig workers, 32% said they took on the work because they wanted to leave more stressful jobs. Twenty-eight
percent needed time to care for a family member. Wanting a career change was the reason cited by 23% of
female gig workers. And 14% turned to gig work after being laid off.

4. PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL INCOME

63 percent of female gig workers said they relied on gig work as their primary source of income. And more
than half of female gig workers, 61%, reported that they wanted their gig work to be fulltime. For freelance
workers, that number was 68%. For ride-sharing workers, the figure dropped to 52%. But despite these figures,
62% of female gig workers made under $10,000 per year before taxes.

5. GENDER EQUALITY
The report shows that 82% of female gig workers see their jobs as providing an opportunity for equal pay,
whereas only half of that number, 41%, see their potential for making equal pay in traditional jobs. A third of
female gig workers (33%) reported that they have used a username that is gender-neutral in an effort to ensure
equal treatment.

6. RECOMMENDING GIG WORK

While almost all female gig workers (90%) said they would recommend gig work to a female friend, 57% said
they don’t want their children to take gig work, which highlights that these jobs are still far from ideal.

While there are many benefits of gig work over traditional jobs for women, including increased flexibility
(reported as a benefit by 96% of respondents) and perceived equal treatment, there are also some major
drawbacks. 92 percent of women surveyed reported inconsistent income, and 88% reported a lack of benefits
as big problems with the work.

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4 FREELANCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR

TECH PROFESSIONALS
BY SCOTT MATTESON
If you’re sick of the nine-to-five corporate lifestyle, or just looking for a side gig, there are plenty of open
doors for tech professionals. Turning entrepreneur and going into business for yourself can lead to profit and
adventure. Depending upon your abilities and personality, there are opportunities to make more money, meet
new people, and make a positive difference. Many independent careers can be performed from home or a
remote location.

It’s not all swashbuckling treasure-hunting, however. Keep in mind that you’ll be in charge of your own
benefits and paying taxes. Furthermore, the buck stops with you, so you’ll also be responsible for correcting
any mishaps or dealing with any crises. Being completely independent isn’t for the faint of heart, but it can yield
greater rewards than traditional corporate employment.

Here are four opportunities for IT professionals to strike out on their own. The advantage to these options
is that they can be conducted on a part-time basis, which can allow you to get your feet wet and see if the
self-employment waters are to your liking.

1. CONSULTANT
This is the most traditional of the opportunities listed here. Being a consultant means selling your knowledge
and skills to the right buyers. It can apply to an array of fields, and it can involve working with different
individuals or companies each day or week. It could also entail a temporary contract job.

According to PayScale, the average salary of an IT consultant in the United States is about $76K per year; the
earnings scale ranges between $42K and $131K. Actual income will vary based on skill set and geographic
location.

Mark Pollack, an IT consultant in New York, enjoys his work because of the variability. He’s worked at a lot
of interesting companies, such as Johnson & Johnson and White & Case. He enjoys the fact that sometimes
his work positively affects his client operations. However, Pollack listed cons such as uncertain health benefits,
the potential for a quick and unexpected termination of a job, and the challenges of finding new clients. “It’s
gotten harder as I’ve gotten older,” he said. “I’m 59 now, and have lost gigs because I didn’t fit the rest of the
company’s ‘profile.’”

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As far as skill sets go, Pollack said the ability to understand what they do. Performing the work
learn software quickly is important. “Microsoft is the easiest part, Pollack said, since the work
Office is a given, but you should at least be familiar lies in his area of professional expertise. But he
with Jira, SolarWinds, ServiceNow, and a host of stressed, “Make sure your client is aware you are
other platforms,” he said. “Being able to pick stuff doing the work and it’s not happening through
up on the fly is a must. Also, being a contractor, some strange magic—believe me on that one!”
you need to have a method of motivating people
who have no reason to respond to your requests. SmallBizTrends.com offers a good article on
I usually spend a lot of time with the people I’m how to become a consultant. One important step
working with so that it’s harder for them to blow involves obtaining the appropriate certifications
me off when they see me all the time.” and licenses, which is especially significant since
this option relies upon your knowing as much as
A typical assignment first involves finding a client, you possibly can about your chosen niche in the
which is the hardest part, Pollack said. He puts knowledge market.
his resume on Dice and CareerBuilder, searches
job boards frequently, attends meet-ups and Most consultants have to travel to their clients,
other networking events, and carries a wallet full so don’t forget to factor in mileage and travel
of business cards since everyone is a potential expenses in your billing plans or tax deductions.
contact.

Once he is at the client site he makes sure he’s 2. PROGRAMMER

familiar with their software, finds out who he If you’re handy with Java, Python, Ruby, C,
needs to keep happy, and makes sure he gets C#, iOS/Swift, Android, or other common
to know the ones he needs to work with and programming languages, you might try your hand
at selling your application wares online. Mobile
apps are a hot commodity right now, but it’s also
possible to sell traditional desktop apps, such as
for Windows.

What you earn depends on how much you charge

for an app and how successful that app becomes.
Obviously, you won’t make much money selling
open source software, but providing it online
for free could be a good way to build a
reputation for quality work and develop a loyal
image: istock/rosshelen
customer base.

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Here are guidelines for selling apps to the Apple

“Knowing you designed and
Store, Google Play, and the Windows Store.
guided that app through the
For Jason Lowndes, a programmer who developed
a fantasy football app called Sit or Start, the process
entire cycle; the front end, the
of getting an app to market on his own was compli- back end, the cache layer, the
cated. “This is still one of the toughest aspects for API structure, the database,
me,” he said. “Marketing/advertising in traditional
senses is extremely costly. And when you are working
and whatever else goes into
a fulltime job and are working with no funding but it, then seeing it go live, is an
your own, this is a very difficult and time-consuming amazing feeling.”
task.”
—Jason Lowndes
Lowndes said the biggest challenge of his freelance
work is wearing so many hats. “You don’t necessarily
think of this when you have an idea for an app or even when you are starting to code,” he said. “But essentially
you need to be every part of the business. Product, development, testing/QA, support, finance, marketing,
legal, etc. You need to wear all the hats. You have to determine what users want, what it will look like, what
it will do, and how it will do it. How will you fund it, handle massive amounts of users, deal with problems,
etc. But at the same time this gives you so much insight and experience dealing with these different aspects of
things. You’re making decisions to shape not only your app, but your business and client base.”

The payoff, Lowndes said, is the feeling of accomplishment from seeing the app in use. “Knowing you
designed and guided that app through the entire cycle; the front end, the back end, the cache layer, the API
structure, the database, and whatever else goes into it, then seeing it go live, is an amazing feeling.”

3. EDUCATOR/TRAINER
Quality educators and trainers can fill some tremendous knowledge gaps. Whether teaching a company
workforce how to use a new time-tracking system, serving as a temporary instructor to help train students
in a technological trend, or even working with the elderly at a senior center, education has many diverse and
fulfilling opportunities.

According to Glassdoor, the average IT trainer salary in the US is about $61K. It’s a similar occupation to
consulting, so some of the same skills will apply, such as being flexible and adaptable to change.

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John Rosky, a trainer who’s worked as a technical product advocate for IBM, said a typical teaching
arrangement for him is presenting at developer or user conferences. “Usually it involved teaching anywhere
from 20 to 400 people. I covered new and updated technology to help them learn the topic or perform their
jobs more effectively. The tools I used involved a mixture of traditional slideshows containing information
about the concept or product, then I would engage in a demo to illustrate the look and feel and provide people
with a hands-on experience where possible. I would always conclude with a live Q & A session to ensure that
all their questions were answered successfully.”

Rosky said that to be an educator, knowing your topic is obviously critical, but so is your ability to commu-
nicate, entertain, and inform people. “You want to be more than just a talking manual, or someone who reads
slides to people for a living,” he said. “You must also have a clearly defined goal for the training to correctly
set the expectations in advance. Lastly, make sure to get feedback from the audience in the form of surveys or
evaluations so you can adjust your presentation or style accordingly.”

The most satisfying part of being an educator, for Rosky, is the feeling of accomplishment from seeing others
learn. “It’s rewarding when people leave the session having gained something from the experience that benefit
their careers,” he said. The downside? “I found a topic could become tedious if I had to repeat the same
subject matter numerous times in a short period of time. It’s important to have an array of concepts you can
train others on to keep the job versatile and interesting,” said Rosky.

Besides knowing your material, as Rosky stated,

keeping up with updates or changes in your
curriculum is important. Being able to anticipate
problem areas or situations in which you might be
questioned or asked to elaborate on certain topics
also helps. Finally, be sure to do the research about
credentials or licenses you might need.

4. TECHNICAL WRITING image: istock/Deagreez

This one may seem obvious given the fact that this
article is being presented on a technical website, but writing about technology can be a great way to build an
income based on your knowledge base or what you can research and learn about. Many freelance writing sites
exist and are just a Google search away.

Besides needing the technological knowledge to write about (or be able to research) a topic, good writing and
communication skills are essential for this role. Pitching ideas that will resonate is another critical skill. You

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have to understand your target audience and what they’re eager to read about, then sell the idea to your editor
or business contact. New trends or advisories to provide relevant “need to know” details that will bring value to
readers are always wise to pitch.

Just make sure that your billing rates are in accordance with the time spent researching and writing content
and that you’re receiving a fair compensation for your work. Some freelance sites pay by the word or pay a flat
fee for your material, and while many are on the level some do attempt to lowball writers or endlessly nitpick
over changes and make difficult or impossible demands. For example, one such site once asked me to get an
interview on a financial topic with company executives who flatly refused to talk, meanwhile offering $35 for
the piece. This can drag the value of your work way down, perhaps even to minimum wage levels or less. That’s
no way to make a living. I would estimate a fair market rate you can live on boils down to about $50 per hour,
including time spent researching, interviewing, and performing the actual writing.

CONCLUSION
If you do decide to hang out your shingle, good luck to you with your endeavors. When starting out, keep a few
fulltime opportunities in mind so you can return to traditional employment just in case things don’t work out as
planned.

Finally, one question you may have (especially if seeking a career in consulting or education) is “How do I
find or build these opportunities?” It’s the same as with any regular fulltime jobs: Search online, network with
peers, check job listings, and utilize recruiters as necessary. Detective skills and understanding the needs of your
community and your chosen area of expertise will be invaluable as you proceed.

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INTERIM CIO JOBS: THE ADVANTAGES

(AND DISADVANTAGES)
BY MARK SAMUELS
IT professionals are often told to prepare for the rise of the gig economy and a future workplace of flexible
and short-term contracts. While this is generally seen as a development directed at less senior employees, CIOs
are also seeing a change in their working terms.

Some experts believe there has been as much as a 25 percent rise in demand for interim CIOs during the past
five years. Here are some of the potential plus-points and challenges associated with the interim position for
CIOs who are looking for a change in career direction.

1. YOU GET A CHANCE TO BECOME A WELL-ROUNDED

EXECUTIVE
After a range of permanent IT leadership positions, Omid Shiraji became interim CIO at Camden Council in
London. It is a position he relishes.

“There’s something interesting about the interim role,” he said. “People take more notice of the external voice.
Your ability to influence others appears to be greater when you’re freelance. There’s also something positive
about taking your experience to other sectors—it makes you a more well-rounded individual.”

Some might question whether an interim CIO boasts the degree of loyalty of a permanent IT leader who
is committed to the business on a long-term basis. However, Shiraji says it is short-sighted to suggest that
interims lack the ambition of their permanent peers.

“The most successful interim CIOs think about sustainability,” he said. “There’s a negative reputation
associated with the interim role and that’s related to short-term delivery targets. Actually, the more successful
interim IT leaders focus on what’s right for the organisation both now and into the future.”

2. YOU CAN USE YOUR EXPERIENCES TO IMPROVE

OTHER LEADERS
Jonathan Mitchell, non-executive director at Harvey Nash and former CIO at Rolls Royce, said that—whether
permanent or not—most technology chief roles involve a limited lifespan. He points to research by Harvey
Nash and KPMG that suggests that in more than half of cases (59 percent) the tenure of an CIO position is
five years or less.

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Most of Mitchell’s work today involves advising next-generation CIOs about best practice techniques for
IT leadership. Some of these clients are embarking on major transformation projects and benefit from the
experiences of a battle-hardened IT leader. Interims, he says, fulfill a similar need.

“The interims I meet are often people who have done the CIO role, got bored, and liked the opportunity
of moving around, seeing different organisations and operations,” he said. “Interims are often asked to help
recruit a CIO while they’re in the position. Offering support like this means you can have a much more
varied role.”

3. YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO BECOME A TRUE

CHANGE AGENT
It is a sentiment that resonates with Liberty technology director Martin Draper, who initially joined the luxury
retailer on an interim basis. He also held an interim role at Harrods before being appointed fulltime.

Draper said the temporary technology chief role gives IT leaders an opportunity to act as true change agents.

“It’s easy for a fulltime CIO to not get the balance right because of demands relating to keeping the lights on
and a range of operational concerns. IT leaders should be transformation officers as well—and interim CIOs,
who may have a specific set of objectives to achieve, are often not encumbered with managing the operation.”

Draper says this freedom and flexibility means CIOs should embrace interim opportunities. “You can come
in and use your experience, without having to worry about sticking around long-term and the maintenance of
day-to-day operations,” he says. “And when the work is done, you can move to the next opportunity and drive a
similar amount of change. I think that’s quite a tempting proposition.”

4. YOU’LL DISCOVER NEW WAYS OF WORKING

AND COLLABORATING
Mark Ridley, group technology officer at venture builder Blenheim Chalcot Accelerate, says the greatest benefit
for IT leaders in interim positions is accelerated learning. “By embedding ourselves in different cultures and
industries we can rapidly expand the breadth, if not the depth, of our experience,” he said.

However, Ridley recognises there are also potential downsides to the role of an interim. Some employers might
typecast serial interims when considering candidates for permanent roles. Taking a non-permanent position
also means CIOs can sometimes lack the opportunity to get their teeth stuck into long-term projects, for better
and worse.

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“Sometimes it can take years for the impact of strategic decisions to work through, and—as an interim—you
might miss out due to this slow feedback loop,” Ridley said.

Yet as the nature of work in the modern age continues to change, Ridley expects that there will be more call
for specialists to take on shorter term roles and perhaps for senior executives to work with several businesses
simultaneously on long-term planning. “What I call ‘the challenge economy’ will hopefully bring more
opportunity for all IT leaders to learn quickly and think strategically,” he said.

5. THE INTERIM ROLE IS NOT THE EASY OPTION

The key point, said Lisa Heneghan, global head of KPMG’s CIO advisory practice, is that CIOs have many
choices. Interim IT leadership forms one of these career options but it must not be viewed as the easier
route. The lack of permanence, she said, can mean temporary post-holders fail to properly engage with
executive peers.

“The interim role is tough. I feel CIO roles need to be intrinsically linked to, and intertwined with, the business.
As an IT leader, you need to feel a sense of ownership for that business. I think CIOs can do that best when
they’re a fulltime part of the business, where they have a long-term commitment to growth and development.”

Heneghan said that an added layer of complexity comes when interims move between different industries.
While the transition can be rewarding, it’s difficult to translate experiences from local or central government to
an industry like finance.

“I think the key discussion for CIOs is about how technology can enable the business,” Heneghan said. “I can
understand the benefits of flexibility and I’ve seen interims that have come in and done a great job.”

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FLYING SOLO: EIGHT THINGS TECH

PROS NEED TO KNOW BEFORE
FREELANCING
BY OLIVIA KRAUTH
When Phil Scarfi was a freelance iOS developer, he signed on to perform some contract work on a company’s
app. The feature updates were slated to take about 10 hours of work. Around 25 hours of work later, he had
perfected the feature. Then, after 15 hours of going back and forth with the picky client and not getting paid
hourly, the experienced iOS developer ended up making about $2 an hour—illustrating some of the common
issues that plague those who make the leap to freelance.

With a strong tech job market, tech professionals have more flexibility in where and how they work—including
freelancing.

“There is such high demand for niche or specialized resources right now and a very low supply,” said Stephen
Zafarino, senior director of recruiting for Mondo. “As a result, freelancers today can set higher rates and
experience more stability with less time off between projects given the increase of available freelance projects
in recent years.”

Tech professionals have several motivations to work solo: more control, a wider range of clients and tasks,
more flexible hours, and a potentially larger paycheck.

However, current and former freelancers say there are several things to consider before jumping ship and going
independent. Here are eight things tech professionals should know before freelancing, according to the people
who have been there.

1. INSURANCE IS NOW ON YOU

Freelancers leave behind the security of being at a company—including health and liability insurance. You are
responsible for covering risks yourself, according to Andy Wood, executive vice president of retail operations at
Insureon.

The good news is that many types of insurance are relatively inexpensive, Wood said. Freelancers will most
likely need general liability and health insurance. If they’re dealing with sensitive data, they may also need
cyber insurance.

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Insurance should extend past a contract term in case an issue arises after the contract ends. Sometimes new
freelancers don’t understand this, accidentally leaving themselves vulnerable, Wood said.

In addition, look into incorporating your business into your plan and having a lawyer on hand. Both can poten-
tially save you money and time.

2. YOU’LL NEED TO TRACK YOUR MONEY

Can you support your current lifestyle with the up-and-down income of freelancing? Since your income will
not be on a set schedule like a company’s payroll, budgeting is even more important to ensure that the bills
are paid.

Housekeeping extends into accounting. Tech professionals may need to invest in some form of an accounting
system, which may bring along new expenses. Connect with an accountant and make sure you’re following all
state reporting laws.

3. EXPECT TO PUT IN MORE HOURS

Freelancing is not a cakewalk, Wood said, and often requires more hours than a typical fulltime job.

But you can make those hours count. Liam Pedley, a freelance website designer, said he wished he’d organized
his daily schedule to maximize productivity. Having a home office ready to go is vital to get work done.

A freelance developer said they wished they knew how to choose the right clients for their business. Some
clients may not perfectly align with what your business does, potentially causing more trouble than they’re
worth.

4. FINDING WORK CAN BE TOUGH

The more specialized your skill set is, the easier finding that work may be.

Some skills, like presentation creation, can be outsourced to other countries for much cheaper, according to
Naresh Vissa, CEO of Krish Media & Marketing. Other skills, like computer programming and copywriting,
are harder to outsource, which means freelancers are more likely to find jobs in those fields, Vissa said.

“You can find projects through referrals, through agencies like Mondo, or through job boards,” Zafarino said.
“Typically, the best bet is to go through an agency because they have connections with hiring managers at a
wide array of organizations and have experience working directly with them, so they know what they are going
to be looking for.”

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5. KEEPING THAT WORK CAN BE TOUGH

Contractors can help companies cut costs, but as soon as the contract for that work ends, that relationship can
end as well.

Compared to firing an employee, companies have fewer hoops to jump through when ending a relationship
with a contractor.

“Failure is a part of any business,” Vissa said. “As an independent, you will get fired. Contracts won’t be
renewed. Bridges will be burnt. That’s all human nature. So get used to it.”

6. YOU’LL HAVE TO CHASE OUTSTANDING PAYMENTS

You’ll most likely have to track down clients for payments, tech PR consultant Monika Hathaway said.

“I had one month where every single client paid late and I had to scramble to figure out how to pay my vendors
on time,” Hathaway said.

Between attorney fees and the cost of possibly losing a relationship, there’s little legal cover for freelancers
when they aren’t paid according to the terms of their contract, Hathaway said, so be prepared for a payment
fight in some cases.

7. YOU HAVE TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN AN ONLINE

PRESENCE
Having a respectable online presence can make the difference in a client trusting you and not hiring you,
according to some freelancers.

“The first thing that most employers are going to do before hiring you is Google your name to do some light
research and get a feel for your professional tech history,” said Nate Masterson, digital marketing manager for
Maple Holistics. “In this day and age, if the employer comes up dry when Googling your name, you’re probably
not going to get the job due to your competition in the freelance market.”

Masterson recommends creating a business website, making professional contacts, and working towards several
solid hits when someone searches your name.

8. KNOW YOUR WORTH

Some clients won’t pay, regardless of how low your pricing is, Accelerated Growth Marketing founder Stacy
Caprio warned.

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But for the cases where you don’t want to work pro bono, knowing how to research rates and charge clients
based on your skill set and experience is important.

“When I first began freelance writing, I worked for super low wages simply because I thought that freelancers
were expected to do a ton of work with very little pay,” said Stephanie Caudle, owner and founder of online
freelance platform Black Girl Group. It’s key to know your worth in your field compared to others.

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