Why Freelancing? A Qualitative Study to Reveal the Sources of Freelancers’ Career Shocks

Workers face unexpected career events that lead them to reflect on their career paths and potential career changes. One of such changes could be to turn to the world of freelancing. But what are the sources of these career shocks that has led them to this career transition? Using the career narratives of 31 freelancers analysed through a thematic analysis, the authors highlight that individuals face a number of unexpected events related to one major disrupting event which lead to the transition. As a major contribution, the findings reveal that traditional workers deal with major career shocks of multiple sources that lead workers to the career path thinking and to their transition into freelancers: organisational, network-related, individual, market-related, family-related, environmental. The discussion section is composed of two major parts. First, the findings are discussed in light of the career shock theory, and the sustainable career theory. Second, the authors show that workers may be forced to turn to freelancing, thereby challenging the most important and agentic career theories of the 21st century: freelancers may be driven by inner volition, but also strongly pushed by contingent factors in their career transition and construction.