Four years ago, TechCrunch published an article called “In the Future, Employees Won’t Exist.” That was their way of predicting that the future state of work will be irrevocably tied to freelance contracting instead of traditional full-time employment.

Artisan Talent has been following the state of freelancing for a decade, and publishing insights on the topic since 2016. We have come a long way since the early days of contracting: The EY Global Contingent Workforce Study says by 2020 nearly one in five global workers will be in some sort of contingent role. LinkedIn says that, by next year, 43% of American workers will be freelancers.

While the future that TechCrunch predicted isn’t quite here yet, let’s look at the current state of freelancing and how it may affect your work prospects in the coming year.

There’s no escaping it: All of us function in the economy of words.

From Instagram captions and Facebook posts to the newsletters you find in your email to the mini-magazine that comes with your Dollar Shave Club subscription, words are everywhere. And they have the power to make or break your impression of whatever you’re following—or the impression you have on whoever’s following you.

That’s where I come in. As a Freelance Editor, words are my bread and butter. And I mean that as literally as possible: the money I make editing pays for my groceries, not to mention my rent and utilities and other fun life expenses.

Everyone dreams about working from home. For the American worker still struggling with the stress of commuting and the distractions of coworkers visiting their office, working remotely sounds like cool salve on a hot sunburn.

But how many American workers could really get things done if they had the option of hanging out in their pajamas all day? It turns out, a high percentage of workers are not only more productive working remotely, but they’re also more engaged.

What are the latest statistics on the WFH craze? What trends will impact what is becoming the new normal of a distributed workforce? Is working from home a totally positive experience or are there drawbacks to consider?

The world of freelancing has caught the attention of many who wish to have a work setup that doesn’t follow any schedule, and those that want to work on projects they really care about instead of simply being assigned work. There’s a huge pool of freelancers — around 68 million, according to various studies — from web design and digital marketing, to content moderation, to fashion and beauty and even construction.

2018 has been a varied, polarizing year, and our most popular blogs certainly reflect that.

From convincing a Hiring Manager you're the right one for the job to understanding millennials and being successful as a freelancer, these 18 most popular blogs of the year will help you start 2019 on the right foot.

Freelancing contract jobs are definitely the new normal. That’s because the work world has shifted into an on-demand employment model that mirrors our on-demand digital lifestyles. We can work anywhere now, and we do. Freelancers can be found in every coffee shop and nerdy hangout space in our nation, and of course, at home on the couch.

Welcome to our Ask a Recruiter Series, where our Creative Talent Representatives answer your burning questions related to job hunting, resume submission, portfolios, and more.

This month, meet Brooks Rowlett! Brooks is a Senior Creative Recruiter based out of our New York City office.

If you’re in the workforce today, it’s likely that you’ve undergone a background check and drug screen. Most companies in the United States conduct both of these tests. Are you asking yourself what this means? What's the point? Read on!