not surprisingly, the u.s. is still far ahead of germany and the rest of the world in terms of entrepreneurship. this interesting chart, produced by grasshopper, compares the u.s. portion of gdp (gross domestic product) that comes from entrepreneurship against that of major european countries.

entrepreneural activity in the u.s. (as a percentage of gdp) lies at 11.3%, compared to 6.3% in germany for example. also worth mentioning is how “would-be” entrepreneurs perceive starting a new business in the current economy: according to the data provided, entrepreneurs in the u.s. feel far more optimistic about starting a new business in the near future and foster much less fear of failure.

in addition, the graphic depicts the percentage of enterprises by size, native vs. foreign-born self-employed and the overall difficulty entrepreneurs face when starting a new business.

image by theeducatedentrepreneur.com

check out the full size infographic here.

image by fastcompany

this neat video by fastcompany provides a few helpful tipps and hints freelancers may use to make the challenges and difficulties that self-employment entails a little less troublesome. gina trapani (author) suggests time management, money, and expectations to be the biggest struggles. what do you think? what do you find demanding about freelancing?

video: freelance survival skills

wsj: with the increase of victims of the economic collapse, freelancing and consulting has taken on an entrepreneurial air. nearly 25 percent of US workers are either part time or full time freelancers, consultants, free agents or contractors.

to be successful in this self starting and competitive career there are rules that help create a successful freelancing occupation:

• freelancers can no longer think short term. to be prosperous, they have to be aggressive about staying up to date in their field.

• joining networks can also be an advantage in acquiring referrals and creating more opportunities.

• an air of professionalism is required to be accomplished in the freelancing world. one way of doing this is by having a private space (home office).

• freelancing can no longer be seen as a job but as a business. the mind-set of an entrepreneur is neccessary.

anybody can become a consultant or freelancer. but not everybody does it well. here’s what you need to know to thrive:

read full post on wsj: How to Succeed in the Age of Going Solo

the wsj reports that employers remain reluctant to hiring. many companies state meager consumer spending as the main cause for their despondence. according to a blue chip ceo, “hiring is a chicken and egg dilemma” indicating that new jobs have to be created to spur consumption and encourage companies to employ new staff. however, the announced us government’s assistance has provided a little spurt of hope. temporary staffing firms are continuously experiencing good growth in the us, suggesting that job hunters are increasingly considering alternatives.

With online technologies getting better from day to day and more and more people seeing advantages in it, virtual teamwork is becoming more desirable.

Therefore US business magazine Inc. is starting an experiment: The editorial staff will be working out of office for the next month. Trying to find out how a virtual workplace influences a company’s culture and the quality and efficiency of its output.

Beforehand they’ve been talking to entrepreneurs and experts in the field of virtual work and of course preparing their computers and smartphones. In the progress the editors will keep everyone updated on their blog.

No matter how this experiment turns out, the question bothering me most:
Do people actually gain or loose something from being absolutely independent from their offices?
Do final borders between work and life vanish?

Feel free to share your opinions!

this post by the daily beast presents a somewhat more critical view of todays flexible working environment:

welcome to the age of gigocracy

“no one i know has a job anymore. they’ve got gigs. gigs: a bunch of free-floating projects, consultancies, and part-time bits and pieces they try and stitch together to make what they refer to wryly as “the nut”—the sum that allows them to hang on to the apartment, the health-care policy, the baby sitter, and the school fees…”

this is an interesting post by the wsj about what experts predict the requirements for professionals will be for landing jobs of the future. inspiring read.

image by jason schneider

visual economics presents a neat infographic about the state of the 40 hour work week. technology has increased work efficiency and decreased working hours around the world. here’s a look at the average number of hours people are working each week:

click image to view full size

based on a report by research company “fast future” and the u.k. department of business, innovation and skills – fast company casts a glimpse into the future job market. in behalf of fast company, fast future asked a network of futurists to imagine how advancements in science and technology will shape the job market in 2030. while their findings sound somewhat futuristic, fast future ended up with a wide array of “future jobs” – some of which might surprise you:

future jobs: what might you be doing?

Does your visibility in social media influence your professional life?
People are debating on whether your online appearance does more harm or more good to you – regarding work life.

One side is arguing:
The stronger the social web gets integrated into our daily life the better it is for your career to actively participate in it. In some professions your visibility in social media is essential for getting hired. In others it is not requisite but still an asset. You can use social media for purposes of self portrayal. All in all appearance in social media is inevitably growing more important.

The other side saying:
Letting the online world participate in your daily life can’t be helpful for your career. If your future employer is able to find your last holiday pictures online it can only influence your professional life in a disadvantageous way. Even if you wouldn’t be sharing information which is all too private you are still leaving more and more digital footprints through social media. In the end this will leave you traceable and therefore transparent digital user.

Is there a way to strike the balance between those two opposing views?
What are your opinions on this matter?