99 - Tony Buffum (VP, HR Client Strategy, Upwork) on the rise of freelance talent

Tony Buffum (VP, HR Client Strategy, Upwork) joined us on The Modern People Leader.

We talked about the biggest misconceptions that employers have about freelance talent, why the rise of freelance talent isn’t a trend, and how Fortune 100 companies are integrating independent talent into their talent strategy.

Timestamps:

(5:23) Tony’s journey and unique role at Upwork

(13:57) Why we should be jealous of his job at Upwork

(19:16) The rise in independent talent

(21:05) 39% of the US workforce performed freelance work last year

(23:36) The biggest misconceptions about doing freelance work

(25:25) The biggest misconceptions that employers have about freelance talent

(31:02) Why the rise of freelance work is not a trend

(33:44) Tony’s advice to people selecting freelance talent for the first time

(37:00) The customer service mindset of freelance workers

(39:52) Benefits of tapping into global talent

(45:15) Fortune 100 companies are integrating freelance talent into their talent strategy

(49:24) Thinking about work differently

(53:00) His definition of a Modern People Leader

(53:55) The advice he’d give to his 22-year-old self

(55:30) What he’d fix in HR with a magic wand

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