IT freelancers turn recruiters to cope with SME demand

Freelance IT workers in the digital services sector are being forced to recruit other freelancers to help them keep up with large volumes of work.

IT services such as programming, search engine optimisation and web development are in high demand in UK SMEs, according to research carried out by website PeoplePerHour.com, which connects SMEs to freelance workers.

In the last six months the number of projects requiring these skills has increased 80%. Freelance IT workers are being forced to recruit other freelancers to help them complete projects.

"We're seeing the best freelancers effectively becoming agencies and it's happening at a phenomenal rate," said PeoplePerHour.com founder and CEO Xenios Thrasyvoulou. "Skilled individuals are building fantastic reputations, winning more and more work and ultimately deciding to bring in support to help meet the demand for their services."

"Small and medium-sized businesses have suffered a tough couple of years, but from what we're seeing they're beginning to invest again," he said. "Eighteen months ago SMEs were desperately trying to recruit sales staff to quickly win new business and compensate for lost revenue in the height of the downturn. They're now building for the future by investing heavily in their web presence and digital marketing."