We look at which freelance jobs were in highest and lowest demand in the first half of 2023 and how freelancers no matter their job, can outperform artificial intelligence by boosting one trait
The press release headline read: Relief For Writers As Data Suggests AI Can’t Replace Creativity.
There’s hope for us yet, I thought.
Despite access to freely available generative AI tools, hiring companies are still turning to on-demand freelancers. In particular, to help write creative content for their websites and blogs.
The main trend from the Freelancer.com Fast 50 Q2 2023 report shows freelance writing jobs, specifically those seeking journalists and editors, were increasing on the jobs platform over the last quarter.
Creative writing jobs were the number one fastest-growing job on Freelancer.com in Q2, growing 58%
from 1,868 to 2,961 jobs posted. Other writing-related skills, such as Writing (Microsoft Word) (up 38.6%,
3,175 to 4,401 jobs), Copy Typing (up 31.2%, 4,867 to 6,389 jobs) and Ghostwriting (up 22.8%, 5,212 to
6,404 jobs), also saw an increase over the quarter.
Interestingly, other skills which experts predict will be overtaken by AI are also increasing on the
Freelancer.com platform. Bucking the predictions include data processing which grew by 21%, from 9,076 to 11,024 in Q2. Jobs with Excel as a key skill also increased by 15.5%, from 13,246 to 15,301 jobs.
Data entry, however, recently ranked as the World’s Most Boring Job in Freelancer.com’s global survey measuring attitudes towards work. Yet, data entry is also one of the most popular jobs that employers tend to delegate to on-demand freelancers. Without it, AI doesn’t stand a chance. (See below for the top 25 fastest-growing freelance jobs and the 25 jobs that are seeing a decrease in client demand).
How to boost your creativity to beat artificial intelligence (AI)
The underlying message or career tip from the data seems to be creativity and other human traits can out beat AI. One study, published in the journal Organization Science, found that creativity is the key factor in entrepreneurial success.
But how does anyone go about boosting their creativity to be one step ahead of AI? We did some research and here’s what we found.
- Be curious. Artificial intelligence may be good at following instructions and completing tasks, but it can’t match human creativity when it comes to coming up with new ideas. So be curious about the world around you and ask questions. The more you learn, the more creative you’ll be.
- Take risks. AI is risk-averse, but humans are naturally wired to take risks. So don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things. The more you take risks, the more likely you are to come up with something truly original in your job and projects.
- Collaborate with others. AI can’t think outside the box the way humans can. So collaborate with others to get different perspectives and come up with new ideas.
- Take breaks. AI can work 24/7, but humans need breaks to recharge and be creative. So make sure to take some time for yourself each day to relax and let your mind wander.
- Have fun. AI doesn’t have the capacity to have fun. But humans do, and it’s important to have fun when you’re being creative. So don’t take yourself too seriously and enjoy the process. Be the contractor to suggest playing frisbee during a lunch break or meeting up after work. Looking at ways that your client projects can include more fun is also something to consider.
- Expose yourself to different cultures and experiences. This will help you to see the world in new ways and come up with more creative ideas for your freelance business and clients.
- Keep a journal or sketchbook. This is a great way to capture your thoughts and ideas, and it can also help you to track your progress over time. Find a time to do this when and where you won’t have distractions like first thing in the morning before the household wakes up or on your commute. There’s nothing stopping you from dictating your thoughts and ideas into transcribing software on your mobile while you are driving solo in your car.
- Set aside time each day for creative activities. This could be anything from writing to painting to playing music. The important thing is to make time for creativity on a regular basis.
- Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is a natural part of the creative process. So don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things, even if you don’t succeed at first.
- Mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation can help you to focus your attention and clear your mind, which can be helpful for creative thinking. Schedule this into your daily schedule along with journaling and brainstorming.
- Brainstorming. Brainstorming is a great way to generate new ideas. When you brainstorm, you come up with as many ideas as possible, no matter how wild or crazy they may seem. You can then refine and develop your ideas later.
- Freewriting. Freewriting is a great way to get your thoughts down on paper without worrying about grammar or spelling. Just start writing and see where your thoughts take you.
- Doodling. Doodling can be a great way to relax and let your mind wander. Sometimes, the best ideas come when you’re not even trying to be creative.
Consider some of these tips to boost your creativity, regardless of where your current career is listed on the following top 25 fastest-growing or fastest-falling jobs (source: Freelancer.com).
We welcome your comments on where you see AI impacting your area of expertise and how you plan on boosting your creativity to keep ahead.
Fastest Growing Jobs – Q1 2023 vs. Q2 2023
1 Creative Writing
2 User Interface Design
3 Twitter Marketing 1
4 Photography
5 Microsoft Word
6 Statistics
7 Local Job
8 Videography
9 Copy Typing
10 Search Engine Marketing
11 Objective C
12 Sales
13 Ghostwriting
14 Data Processing
15 Business Analysis
16 Web Search
17 Marketing
18 Video Production
19 Social Media Marketing
20 Excel
21 Research
22 Corporate Identity
23 PDF
24 Caricature & Cartoons
25 Facebook Marketing
Fastest Falling Jobs – Q1 2023 vs. Q2 2023
1 Blockchain
2 Digital Marketing
3 Metatrader
4 Arabic Translator
5 Software Development
6 API
7 iOS Development
8 .NET
9 Microsoft SQL Server
10 YouTube
11 Node.js
12 German Translator
13 ASP.NET
14 Academic Writing
15 Blog
16 Article Rewriting
17 Web Development
18 C# Programming
19 SQL
20 React.js
21 Linux
22 Amazon Web Services
23 Unity 3D
24 AngularJS
25 React Native
