In 2024, Gen Z workers are set to outnumber baby boomers in the American labor force for the first time. Despite their growing presence, the workforce’s youngest generation, with the oldest being just 27, is often scrutinized for everything from their email signatures to their salary expectations. CNBC Make It delves into how Gen Zers are reshaping career advice, office culture, and more.
Gen Z, defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, is rethinking traditional employment. According to a February 2024 Fiverr survey of 10,033 Gen Zers worldwide, nearly 70% are freelancing or plan to in the future.
Freelancing, where individuals work for themselves rather than a company, is popular among Gen Z. A May 2024 Upwork survey of 1,070 Gen Zers found that more than half (53%) work full-time hours on freelance projects. They are the generation most likely to choose this work style, as highlighted in Upwork’s recent Freelance Forward Report.
The motivations for freelancing vary: 44% seek financial comfort, 30% want the flexibility to travel and work from anywhere, 25% aim to own their own business, and 20% hope to retire early.
“I think a lot of people my age or graduating are entering a world, post-pandemic, where uncertainty feels more prevalent than ever,” says Kate Brunotts, a 24-year-old freelance writer and music producer based in New York.
For many, freelancing offers a sense of control over their careers and lives.
‘Passions Can Turn Into Jobs Easily’
Sophie Riegel, 23, graduated from Duke University in May 2023 with a degree in psychology. She has built a six-figure side hustle selling clothes online since college and also earns income from personal coaching and public speaking on mental health and Gen Z issues.
Riegel’s online clothing business alone brings in six figures annually.
When she graduated, “I never considered applying to a job,” she says. “It seemed like such a foreign thought to me. I don’t even have a resume.” For Riegel, and many Gen Zers, freelancing is appealing because it allows them to do something they love.
“People are starting to realize they can take control of their life in a way that they didn’t think they could before,” she says. “And passions can turn into jobs really easily.”
‘I’ve Come to Really Appreciate the Value of My Time’
For Harlan Rappaport, 25, freelancing is about building his own schedule.
Rappaport started in email marketing for a neighbor’s tattoo supply company in 2016 and soon expanded his client base. In 2020, just before graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in business administration, he began booking clients on Fiverr. That year, he also started a full-time job in asset management but continued freelancing in his free time. By May 2023, he quit his job to freelance full-time.
He now freelances on both Fiverr and Upwork, earning about $15,000 from Fiverr alone in April.
“Personally, I’ve come to really appreciate the value of my time and having control over it,” he says. His flexible schedule allows him to work for a few hours in the morning, take a long midday break, and sometimes work into the night, depending on the day. Post-pandemic, “people are starting to question the status quo of showing up to the office five days a week for eight hours a day,” he adds.
‘It Also Comes With a Lot of Freedom’
Brunotts has about eight clients for whom she creates content, ranging from audio production to writing. Her freelancing gigs grossed about $57,000 in 2023. She appreciates the variety of clients because it means she isn’t reliant on a single source of income.
“I’m not wholly dependent on one client for my livelihood,” she says. “This can come with challenges, but it also offers a lot of freedom.”
The core appeal of freelancing is the control it offers. “The idea of designing work around your life, rather than the other way around, is very attractive to many people, including myself,” Brunotts says.
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