Sara Horowitz breaks down union demographics.

Question: What critical skills are necessary for freelancers in this economy?

Sara Horowitz: Well, what I think is proving to be true is if you are a freelancer or you’re a somebody who has worked in this way, you understand how to maintain a network, whether you do it on Facebook or you just do it yourself.  That’s really critical, that you know how to pitch work.  So that a company may lay people off.  But there’re still certain things that are going to need to get done and you can figure out where that’s going to be and you can get… you can make your pitch and you can get that job, where you know how to manage your money during times of feast and famine.  All the things I’ve said are like freelancing… the ABCs of freelancing.  And so, it puts people who have those experiences at an advantage right now.  So we’re not seeing that our members are getting as hard hit as traditional workers right now.  Their incomes are definitely going lower.  And the ones whose work are evaporating, literally, are going to go on welfare.  You know, really, it’s scary.  But as a group, I think that’s something that is going to stand to anybody in good stead, especially now but going forward.  So… I wouldn’t say that, you know, everybody should learn to be a programmer, it’s in technology, like, I don’t… I think it’s more of the skill set of those kinds of… of that kind of work is going to become the most important thing.

Question: What critical skills are necessary for freelancers in this economy?

Sara Horowitz: Well, what I think is proving to be true is if you are a freelancer or you’re a somebody who has worked in this way, you understand how to maintain a network, whether you do it on Facebook or you just do it yourself.  That’s really critical, that you know how to pitch work.  So that a company may lay people off.  But there’re still certain things that are going to need to get done and you can figure out where that’s going to be and you can get… you can make your pitch and you can get that job, where you know how to manage your money during times of feast and famine.  All the things I’ve said are like freelancing… the ABCs of freelancing.  And so, it puts people who have those experiences at an advantage right now.  So we’re not seeing that our members are getting as hard hit as traditional workers right now.  Their incomes are definitely going lower.  And the ones whose work are evaporating, literally, are going to go on welfare.  You know, really, it’s scary.  But as a group, I think that’s something that is going to stand to anybody in good stead, especially now but going forward.  So… I wouldn’t say that, you know, everybody should learn to be a programmer, it’s in technology, like, I don’t… I think it’s more of the skill set of those kinds of… of that kind of work is going to become the most important thing.