Are Portfolioists The New-Age Freelancers?
Several statistics point to the steady growth of freelancers globally. The world has accepted the new changes regarding work systems, and there are no signs of a downward pattern. The evolution of the work setups is on a trajectory that affords workers more control and freedom. According to a 2018 Quartz article, The career of the future looks more like a portfolio than a path.
This Quartz article birthed the concept of portfolioism as a new career path that places focus on being multi-skilled, work flexibility, and the accumulation of multiple streams of income. In simple terms, a portfolioist is a jack of all trades and a master of all. In this case, the different trades are skills. With these skills, the portfolioist renders their services in diverse fields and industries while being in total control of his time and not being restricted to working for one employer.
Similar to a freelancer, the portfolioist focus is not on being under full-time employment but on having multiple jobs for different organizations. Their versatility ensures that they are never out of work and can offer their contributions in numerous markets.
Freelancers and Portfolioists — The differences
Admittedly, the portfolioist is like a fancy name coined for freelancers. The work system is undoubtedly quite similar; however, the differences are apparent.
It is common knowledge that remote work is the new normal, and the conventional 9 to 5 is being replaced by a system of work that guarantees more freedom regarding how and where the work is done. Also, we know work is an activity that is being done anywhere and not necessarily a function of the location. These realizations are important in rationalizing that as technology advances, the evolution of work will be geared towards giving the worker more freedom of expression and more control over how he chooses to carry out his tasks.
As workplace flexibility continues to gain momentum, employers need to be prepared for the next logical workplace evolution, the portfolioist movement. While the name portfolioist is relatively new, being multi-skilled and offering various services to different organizations is not. Undoubtedly, it takes a lot of time and experience to build a portfolio that makes a worker qualified to be a portfolioist. However, the path and structure currently exist for anyone willing to ply the route.
