Julie Babikan, 37, is a stay-at-home graphic design professional. She’s been freelancing full-time for the past year, right from her home computer in Chicago. She admits, she wasn’t convinced it was the best long-term approach to a career, mainly because she could hear her parents’ old-school advice in the back of her mind.   “I have had the idea that people must have “real jobs” engrained into my head since I was very young. Although my parents never discouraged me from being an artist, I was still told in a roundabout way that a job in a company with benefits, steady salary and a future was the way to go.” A layoff in 2008 from her corporate job was the turning point for Julie and she began to view employment in a whole new light.  “I think we are shifting toward an individual based economy,” said Julie, “turning away from corporate conglomerates that evolved after the industrial revolution, going back to our roots of individual based services.”  

She began her online job hunt on Elance, receiving the first project she bid on, a PowerPoint presentation for a Harvard professor.  “I started getting really creative with the presentations, adding animation and sound effects, turning them into educational entertainment versus your typical corporate boring PowerPoint presentations.”  She had found her niche and rapidly began winning more assignments. 

Whether as a side or full-time occupation the Internet is becoming the modern day place for work. In a conversation with Elance CEO Fabio Rosati, I learned just how much freelance work is shifting online. His company is a thriving online job community where hirers and job seekers can connect on myriad web-based project assignments.  The company’s latest data show Americans earned 45% more money online in 2009 than the previous year.  “For millions of professionals, traditional career paths and even full-time employment are becoming less attractive and viable, “ says Fabio. “At the same time, technology, competitive pressures and economic necessity are making online work increasingly attractive to businesses.”

When it comes to taking the reins of your career path, think big and leverage the web, Fabio tells me. “Those individuals who invest in keeping their skills up to date and learn how to effectively market their talent in this global online marketplace will thrive in the future.”  

For Julie, the perks of working online and from home are both professional and personal. “I love being my own boss,” she says.  ”I no longer have to be on a train at 5am for the city, and not return until 7 or 8 pm.  My rush-hour traffic is two socks and a dust bunny.  I can take a break and visit my family.  My nieces and nephews know me.”