How to Work a Blended Desk
In 2026
–An Eleven-Part Series–
Part Nine
by
Bob Marshall
September 29th, 2026
Part Nine: Why So Many Professionals Choose Independent Contracting
For many professionals, independent contracting is no longer simply a temporary alternative to traditional employment.
It is a Career Choice.
Why?
Because independence offers something traditional employment often cannot:
- Flexibility – Greater control over when, where, and how they work.
- Autonomy – The ability to choose projects, clients, and the type of work they want to perform.
- Control – More influence over their professional direction rather than relying on one employer for their next opportunity.
- Earning Potential – Specialized professionals can often command premium rates when their expertise solves a specific business problem.
- Entrepreneurial Opportunity – Contracting can be a way to build a consulting practice, develop a specialty, or eventually create a business of their own.
And there is another important factor:
Independence also is becoming mainstream.
MBO Partners’ 2026 State of Independence study reports that 74.9 million Americans are now earning income independently, with the number of full-time independent professionals having grown 114% since 2020.
Upwork’s 2026 Future Workforce Index reports that 39% of all U.S. workers freelance, while 38% of skilled knowledge workers now work independently.
Those numbers represent a significant change in the way Americans think about work.
And it isn’t limited to technology or the traditional “gig economy.”
Independent professionals are increasingly found in:
- Technology and software development
- Engineering and technical services
- Finance and accounting
- Project and program management
- Marketing and sales
- Data and analytics
- Design and creative services
- Writing and content
- Consulting and specialized business services
In other words, independent contracting has moved well beyond the gig economy.
It increasingly includes experienced professionals who possess something companies need but don’t necessarily need to hire permanently.
The Financial Picture
The economics are changing as well.
MBO Partners reports that 5.6 million independent professionals earned more than $100,000 in 2025, nearly double the number from 2020.
That doesn’t mean every contractor earns more than a comparable employee.
It does mean that independent work has become a legitimate long-term career model for millions of professionals.
And AI is beginning to change the equation even further.
Upwork’s 2026 research found that skilled freelancers using AI in their work are not all benefiting equally. The premium is increasingly going to professionals who combine AI with specialized knowledge, judgment, and the ability to apply technology to real business problems. Freelancers doing more complex AI-augmented work saw earnings increase 45% year over year in Upwork’s marketplace data.
That distinction is important.
The value isn’t simply in knowing how to use AI.
It’s in knowing what to do with it.
What This Means for Recruiters
For recruiters working a blended desk, this creates an enormous opportunity.
Some professionals who once would have insisted on a permanent position are now willing to consider:
Direct Hire.
Contract.
Contract-to-Direct.
The professional may not be changing careers.
They may simply be changing how they want to work.
That means the question recruiters ask candidates matters.
Instead of assuming:
“Are you looking for a permanent position?”
A blended-desk recruiter can ask:
“Would you consider a contract opportunity if the work, compensation, and situation were right?”
You may be surprised by the answer.
And that is exactly why understanding why professionals choose independent contracting matters.
The opportunity isn’t just finding more contract candidates.
It’s recognizing that some of the best candidates in your database may already be open to a different way of working—you just haven’t asked.
Next week: Part 10 – The Truth About Millennials and Freelancing
My Best,
Bob
Bob Marshall began his recruiting career over 46 years ago at MR in Reno, NV. In 1986 he established The Bob Marshall Group, International, where he has trained recruiters throughout the United States and also in the United Kingdom, Malta and Cyprus. With a dedication to executive recruiting, he continues to offer his proven training systems to individuals, firms, and private corporations both domestic and in select international territories. To learn more about his activities and descriptions of his products and services, contact him directly @770-898-5550/470-456-0386(cell); bob@themarshallplan.org; or visit his website @ www.TheMarshallPlan.org.
Bob Marshall
President
TBMG, International
205 Elliott Road, Suite 100
McDonough, GA 30252-2704
770-898-5550
520-842-5550 (fax)