What will 2001 bring for free agents in such key disciplines as information technology, interactive design and management consulting? According to people who should know, the independent professionals to get the gigs will be those who ride the curve of high technology while keeping a finger to the macroeconomic wind.
"It will largely depend on what happens with the economy," says Jerry Savin, chairman of the board of the Institute of Management Consultants, which is based in Washington, DC. "To survive as a consultant, you have to adapt your skills and knowledge to reflect the changing market conditions," continues Savin, who is also CEO of IT consulting firm Sitka Systems in Santa Monica, California.
Savin believes that his theory has already been proven by the events of 2000. "Consultants doing business with Net pure plays have had to find other things to do, because the market constricted quickly," he says. Looking forward, financial consultants who specialized in implementing new systems through the prosperous 1990s, for example, might consider shifting their emphasis to cost control, if an economic slowdown materializes in 2001.
Dana Powers is more bullish about demand for free agents who do business in the Internet economy. "People with hard-core e-commerce programming skills will be in demand," says Powers, manager of the Providence, Rhode Island office of recruiter eMedia Staffing. Specifically, Java, Visual Basic and Active Server will continue to be sought after. Contract Web programmers can expect to earn $35 to $100 per hour, depending on experience level and local market conditions, Powers says.
Usability engineers, interface designers and human factors specialists (those who account for the physical and psychological requirements of human beings that must be considered when designing computer systems and programs) should also drive growth in the market for freelance multimedia skills. "As Web sites become more complex, great site architecture and user interface become increasingly important," says Powers. John Chuang, CEO of Aquent, agrees that these skill sets are enjoying greater demand. For a brief window in 2001, Chuang says, professionals such as librarians and industrial designers may be able to find work as usability consultants, even if their Web experience is very limited. Chuang estimates the pay for these specialists to between $50 and $100 per hour.
Companies that need designers for the Web and CD-ROMs are looking for more sophisticated services, according to Lara Kisielewska, president of the New York City chapter of the the Graphic Artists Guild. Many firms are looking to move beyond static "brochureware" to include multimedia elements such as audio and video clips. Chuang says that designers who are skilled with Flash animations are particularly sought after, earning $30 to $80 per hour.
Increasingly, designers are called to do more than render images and master technology. "It's now the role of the Web designer to coach clients on what's reasonable and what's not, given the technology out there," says Kisielewska, who is also the founder of Optimum Design & Consulting of New York. "A lot of coaching and education are the burden of the designer," she says. The ability to add value that way may be the factor that wins contracts for free agents in the uncertain economy of 2001.
More from Monster
Hot Career Trends for the 21st Century
IT Consultants Forge Robust Careers
Keeping Ahead of the Graphical Curve
How Much Should Free Agents Charge?
