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##  Career Development of Free Agent Workers. ERIC Digest No. 228.               

A number of factors have converged to create a new type of worker               known as free agent. Downsizing by corporations during the 1980s and            early 1990s signaled the end of an era where loyalty to an                      organization or corporation paid off in a lifetime guarantee of                 employment. Technology has created opportunities for work to be done            differently, including virtually. The transition to the                         knowledge-based economy has generated a demand for workers with                 certain types of skills; workers possessing such skills are in short            supply now and in the foreseeable future. These factors have served             as a catalyst for the emergence of workers who consider themselves              free agents. Like professional athletes or actors, free agent                   workers do not usually attach themselves permanently to a specific              company or organization, but tend to go where their skills and                  talents are in demand (Conlin 2000; Leonhardt 2000; Packer 2000).               Because free agent workers do not usually have long-term attachments            to one organization, their needs for career development must be met             in nontraditional ways. This Digest examines the career development             of free agent workers. It begins by defining free agent workers and             then looks at the congruence between the rise of free agent workers             and changing ideas about careers and career development.  A                     concluding section identifies strategies that free agent workers are            using to meet their career development needs. FREE AGENT                      WORKERSWho are free agent workers? According to Arnold                      Packer, "Free agents, usually young people, don't expect (or want) a            lifetime career with a single employer. They have taken                         responsibility for charting and preparing their own professional                futures. In that group, changing jobs is commonplace" (Packer 2000,             p. 41). Being a free agent worker is as much a matter of mindset as             of mobility. Free agent workers think of themselves as having talent            to sell and they shop it around for the best offer, but money alone             does not ensure their loyalty or interest (Smith et al. 2000). 
How            many free agent workers are there? Estimates of the number of free              agent workers range from a high of 25 million (Pink 1997) to a low              of 12.9 million (Leonhardt 2000), but these estimates include                   different categories of workers. The 12.9 million figure is based on            1999 Bureau of Labor Statistics data on the number of self-employed             individuals outside of agriculture; this number actually declined by            1 million between 1994 and 1999. Pink's estimate of 25 million was              calculated by adding self-employed (14 million), independent                    contractors (8.3 million), and individuals working through temporary            agencies (2.3 million). Pink refers to this combined group as                   the "free agent nation." Not all of the individuals included in                 Pink's estimate would fit the definition of free agent workers,                 however, because many have not voluntarily chosen to work in these              categories. For the most part, free agent workers are well educated             and possess high levels of skills that are in demand (Leonhardt                 2000; Packer 2000); they have chosen a free agent lifestyle because             it frees them from organizational politics, provides them                       opportunities to learn, gives them more control of their time, and              provides 30% to 200% more income than their counterparts in                     traditional jobs earn (Conlin 2000). 
The following examples                   demonstrate that free agent workers vary widely in how they approach            their careers: 
* Andy Abramson, a 40-year-old sports marketing                consultant, estimates he makes 75% more as a free agent than he                 would in a traditional marketing position. He finds that the                    constant flow of new projects keeps work interesting; furthermore,              he has equity stakes in a variety of companies for which he does                projects. In addition to the higher income, perks include a month in            Europe each year (Conlin 2000). 
* Rich Preziotti represents an                example of how one can be a free agent without changing companies.              After graduating from business school in 1991, he began work at                 Honeywell as a financial analyst. Nine years and seven jobs later,              he is a vice president and general manager of a $450 million per                year speciality wax division. He says that he has learned by being              challenged and figuring out what to do, not necessarily by knowing              in advance how to get the job done. He appreciates the career                   development he has received at Honeywell but does not want to be                called a company man. "The employer-employee contract that used to              exist 25 years ago doesn't exist today.  It's too competitive a work            environment," he says (Smith et al. 2000, online, n.p.). 
* Edie               Schillings is a free agent in training. A 56-year old registered                nurse, Schillings is looking for ways to be challenged                          intellectually as well as increase her skills so she is studying                online to become a legal nurse consultant. After completing the 12-             to 18-month course and  passing a board exam, she will be able to               work for lawyers on product liability or medical malpractice cases              or for insurance companies evaluating medical risk. As a legal nurse            consultant, Schillings expects to double her income and have a more             flexible work schedule (Smith et al. 2000). 
The three individuals             profiled here exemplify many of the characteristics of free agent               workers. All have taken charge of their careers and interesting work            is a priority. Also, increasing their skills has been an important              part of their strategy. If training was not provided, they acquired             skills on their own (ibid.). CHANGING CONCEPTIONS ABOUT                       CAREERSThe model of the free agent worker has emerged during a              period when conceptions about careers and career patterns have been             changing. The career development literature, for example, contains              discussions of the boundary-less career, one that is characterized              by independence from rather than dependence on traditional                      organizational career arrangements (Arthur and Rousseau 1996). "The             typical boundaryless career is characterized by a career identity               that is independent of the employer (e.g., 'I'm a software                      engineer'); the accumulation of employment-flexible know-how (e.g.,             how to work in an innovative, efficient, and/or quality-enhancing               way); and the development of networks that are independent of the               firm (e.g., occupation or industry based), non-hierarchic (e.g.,                communities of practice), and worker enacted" (DeFillippi and Arthur            1996, pp. 123-24). 
A relational approach to careers is another                recent concept in the career development literature (Hall 1996). In             describing the relational career, Hall speaks of the external and               the internal career. Previously, the external career--the actual                jobs or positions an individual held--was more important. Today, the            internal career, which is the individual's perceptions and                      self-constructions of career events, is of greater consequence. In              the relational view, career development is seen as a mutual process,            a process of co-learning. The objective of career development is not            mastery and independence but rather interdependence. The relational             aspects of work environments can have a powerful influence on career            development because they provide opportunities for interaction, the             development of competence, and a more confident self-identity. 
The            emergence of free agent workers can be seen as a natural outgrowth              of changing concepts about careers and career development. Stroh and            Reilly (1997) used the term free agents to describe mangers who                 began systematically to manage their own careers by changing                    companies. Their research found that managers who followed a free               agent career model fared better than those who did not. Free agent              workers have boundaryless careers; their career identity is                     independent of an employer and it is their know-how that allows them            to function as free agents. Networks are also important to free                 agent workers. These networks allow free agent workers to take a                relational approach to career development. CAREER DEVELOPMENT                 STRATEGIESSince free agents workers have nontraditional careers,            they do not have access to traditional career development                       opportunities that are available to workers who follow more                     traditional career paths.  That does not mean, however, that free               agent workers do not continue to develop their careers. Two career              development strategies in which free agent workers engage are                   learning and networking. 
Learning 
The skills and knowledge that             free agent workers possess are what makes them valuable and they                engage in learning on a regular basis to keep up to date. Knowing               how to learn and adapt are skills that most of them possess (Packer             2000). Free agent workers find that, in many situations, the ability            to acquire the required skill rapidly may be just as essential as               having a specific expertise: mastering "hot new technology in a snap            is a hot skill--not knowing last year's hot new software" (Smith et             al. 2000, online, n.p.). 
The term free agent learning has been                coined to describe the type of learning in which free agent workers             engage. Free agent learning is voluntary, self-directed and, for                free agent learners, its focus is primarily on new jobs. Free agent             workers engage in self-directed learning that is career specific so             that they can develop competencies that promote their employability             and career success (Packer 2000). "With their focus on employability            through growth and learning, free agents are essentially free agent             learners-independent, highly motivated adults who take                          responsibility for their own learning and development, use their                spare time to learn, use new approaches in learning, and self-teach             using a variety of resources" (Short and Opengart 2000, p.                      60). 
Networking 
The development of networks is another career               development strategy used by free agent workers. In fact, lack of               contact with professional colleagues is one of the major downsides              to free agent work, and some have left self-employment to escape the            isolation that accompanies it (Leonhardt 2000). To fulfill the need             for contact with others, free agent workers are developing networks.            The networks, many of which are small groups, are used by free                  agents to succeed professionally and survive professionally (Pink               1997). 
The networks may be virtual (e.g.,                                     www.freeagentnation.com/, freeagent.com/Myhome.asp, www.guru.com/,              www.fastcompany. com/career/) or take more traditional forms. Some              free agent workers use regular conference telephone calls or                    meetings to solicit and receive advice, set goals, give advice, and             provide emotional support (Pink 1997). 
Several women in Skokie,               Illinois, for example, have formed the Strategy Group that meets                monthly in a living room. At their meetings, each participant is                allowed a maximum of 20 minutes to speak, with the time divided into            four periods: accomplishments, struggles and dilemmas, interactive              session, and making commitments for the next month (ibid.). 
These             networks help free agent workers take a relational approach to their            career development and continue to develop their careers through                repeated exchanges with others in significant ways (Hall                        1996). CONCLUSIONFree agent workers provide evidence of how               work and the workplace are changing. Certainly not all workers will             become free agents, but their emergence is a sign that the line                 between regular employment and self-employment is                               blurring (Leonhardt 2000). As more workers assume the                           characteristics associated with free agents (e.g., frequent job                 changes, self-direction of career), career development strategies               will need to change and expand to meet these                                    needs. REFERENCESArthur, M. B., and Rousseau, D.                          M. "Introduction: The Boundaryless Career as a New Employment                   Principle." In THE BOUNDARYLESS CAREER, edited by M. B. Arthur and              D. M. Rousseau, pp. 3-20. New York: Oxford University Press,                    1996. 
Conlin, M. "And Now, the Just-in-Time Employee." BUSINESS               WEEK, August 28, 2000, pp. 169-170. 
DeFillippi, R. J. and Arthur,             M. B. "Boundaryless Contexts and Careers: A Competency-Based                    Perspective." In THE BOUNDARYLESS CAREER, edited by M. B. Arthur and            D. M. Rousseau, pp. 116-131. New York: Oxford University Press,                 1996. 
Hall, D. T. "Long Live the Career: A Relational Approach."              In THE CAREER IS DEAD--LONG LIVE THE CAREER: A RELATIONAL APPROACH              TO CAREERS, by D. T. Hall and Associates. San Francisco:                        Jossey-Bass, 1996. 
Leonhardt, D. "Age of Free Agent Economy                   Turning Out to Be a Myth for Many Workers." PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE,            December 3, 2000. 
Packer, A. "Getting to Know the Employee of the             Future." TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 54, no. 8 (August 2000):                      39-43. 
Pink, D. H. "Free Agent Nation" FAST COMPANY 12, December              1997. www.fastcompany.com/online/12/freeagent.html 
Short, D., and             Opengart, R. "It's a Free Agent World." TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 54,            no. 9 (September 2000): 60-66. 
Smith, A. K.; Perry, J.; Dillon,               S.; and Smart, T. "Charting Your Own Course: The New Workplace Is               Risky, Rugged, and Rewarding. And Guess What? You're in Charge!"                U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT 129, no. 18 (November 6, 2000):                        56-65. 
Stroh, L. K., and Reilly, A. H. "Rekindling Organizational             Loyalty: The Role of Career Mobility." JOURNAL OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT            24, no. 1 (Fall 1997): 39-54. 
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This project has been funded            at least in part with Federal funds from the U.S. Department of                 Education under Contract No. ED-99-CO-0013. The content of this                 publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of               the U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names,               commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S.             Government. Digests may be freely reproduced and are available at               ericacve.org/fulltext.asp.                                                   **Title:** Career Development of Free Agent Workers. ERIC Digest No. 228.               **Document Type:** Information Analyses---ERIC Information Analysis Products (IAPs) (071); Information Analyses---ERIC Digests (Selected) in Full Text (073); **Available From:** For full text: http://www.ericacve.org/fulltext.asp.                         **Descriptors:** Adult Learning,  Career Development, Career Education, Consultants,             Continuing Education, Demand Occupations,  Employment Patterns,                  Employment Qualifications, Independent Study, Influences, Labor                Market,  Learning Processes,  Lifelong Learning, Literature Reviews,            Networks, Nontraditional Occupations,  Occupational Mobility, Self              Employment, Self Evaluation (Individuals), Trend Analysis,                      Vocational Adjustment                                                        **Identifiers:** ERIC Digests, Networking, Self Direction                                     
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