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Black professionals are groomed to be resilient and steadfast, especially when it comes to entering the job market. When the coronavirus pandemic hit last year, the economy was sent into disarray. At its highest, the unemployment rate was up to 14.7% last April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, and 16.7% of the Black population was without work. The numbers are stark, but graduates from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have continued to find a soft spot in the economy as they enter the job market for the first time. HBCUs were created to educate Black Americans when other institutions wouldn’t. Today, roughly 85% of HBCU students are still Black. Since 2016, the hiring rate for HBCU graduates has climbed an average of 5.9% year over year, LinkedIn shared in some new research, but there was a sharp decline last year for obvious reasons. The hiring rate for HBCU alumni fell by 11.9% in 2020, compared to a decline of 16.2% for all national LinkedIn...
Here’s the thing about being a freelancer: there are a lot of gigs out there. However, many companies see the gig economy as a way to get professional services at the lowest possible prices. If you’re a full-time freelancer with expert skills, this can be incredibly frustrating. Over the past few years of freelancing, I’ve developed some of the best practices for engaging with high-paying clients. In my experience, sites like Upwork, Fiverr, or Freelancer have not been fountains of high-quality, high-paying clients. Here’s my advice on how to utilize these sites to your advantage and take your freelance game to the next level: 1. Find Your Niche Developing a unique specialty can do wonders for your income potential. As a former engineer turned writer, I knew that my bread and butter would come from the technology industry. Tech companies are always looking for writers who can understand complex topics and craft outstanding content. Whatever service you offer, dig deep into your work...