These Are The Personality Traits That The Happiest Freelancers Share

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From Fast Company:

People who wind up becoming their own bosses because they have to–after a layoff, say, or to escape a toxic work culture–may be outnumbered by those who start freelancing by choice.

According to the latest study by the Freelancers Union and Upwork, 63% of the freelance workforce (which numbers as many as 55 million strong) reported doing so voluntarily rather than out of necessity, and 79% agreed that it’s better than working a normal job. In fact, Adobe’s analysts discovered that having the second (or third) job improved the mental outlook among 78% of those moonlighting–largely because they used their gigs to advance their careers through honing skills or by expanding their network.

But it’s not necessarily high satisfaction ratings across the board. Recent research by Intuit and LinkedIn ProFinder, the platform’s freelance marketplace, suggests that personality plays a big role in how happy independent workers actually are with solo-gigging. Here’s what it takes to figure out whether freelancing is right for you–based on your values, passions, and top motivations.

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 1. THEY’RE PURPOSE-DRIVEN

Thogori Karago, LinkedIn ProFinder’s senior product manager, points out that freelancers’ motivations are usually pretty personal–which means they vary as widely as the people who choose to freelance. So while earning more money was the main reason an overwhelming majority (88%) chose to hold down a side gig, money alone isn’t enough to keep most freelancers happy. A whopping 97% of those who made the leap to full-time freelance work said they wanted to take on more purpose-driven projects.

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2. THEY LIKE TO HAVE THEIR HANDS ON THE CONTROLS

What keeps most full-time workers from taking the plunge–or even dipping a toe–into the freelance pool? The Freelancers Union/Upwork survey found “worries about income predictability” topping the list. So while you might expect business builders to be motivated by revenue, says Karago, only 5% of this group names money as their key motivation.

Finances are a bigger driver for career freelancers, who ironically depend on contract work to fill their coffers. “If you like being in control and are comfortable with risk and uncertainty, it’s also likely you’ll adapt well to freelance life,” Karago contends.

Link to the rest at Fast Company