The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in our time. It has left countless companies unable to keep their doors open, putting millions of people out of work and making it hard for those who work for themselves to keep moving forward. But there is one type of work that has a better chance of getting through a crisis like this: freelancing.

Even if you already work independently, you probably know plenty of people who don’t. Here are 13 reasons why you should help your friends start freelancing today.

1. It Will Be Hard

The next few months are going to be incredibly hard for a lot of people, and having the chance to make some extra money will be a great benefit. Most people don’t know how freelancing works, though, and the people you care about may need some help to get their careers started.

2. You Know the Market

Breaking into the freelance market can be complicated, which can be a shock when people first approach this sort of work. With your existing knowledge of this market, you can help the people you care about take control of their work.

3. Rapid Work

One of the biggest challenges being faced by people during the COVID-19 outbreak is being able to get enough work. Freelance work provides the chance to get work very quickly, and this can be crucial when someone is trying to pay bills or support a family.

4. Flexible Hours

More parents are having to stay home to look after their children than ever before, and it is putting huge amounts of pressure on professionals who must work during normal hours. Freelance work gives you the chance to choose your own hours, enabling you to give both your work and your children enough of your time.

5. Variable Workloads/Income

Most normal jobs come with very few opportunities to bolster your income. Freelance work lets you pick up more work than usual in times of greater need, giving you the chance to earn enough money to cover any gaps.

6. Work From Home

People across the world are having to move their work home, but it can be a challenge for a lot of professionals. Much of the freelance market has been built around working at home.

7. No Formal Education Needed

Getting a traditional job without the right education can be very hard. Freelance work takes this barrier away, giving you an opportunity to improve your friends’ careers and raise their earning potential without the cost or time commitment of more schooling.

8. Interesting and Varied Work

Jobs often get boring when you’ve been doing them for a long time; there’s very little variety in most modern roles. Freelance work offers the chance to enjoy more varied work, as you can take on projects from different companies, making life far more satisfying in the process.

9. Your Own Gear

In times like this, being careful about the things you touch and use is very important. Offices and other shared work environments make it easy to spread viruses. If you turn your friends into freelancers, they will be able to avoid this, ensuring that they can always use their own gear to do their work.

10.  Security

While people often view freelance work as lacking the security of a normal job, a lot of traditional workers have found themselves without jobs thanks to COVID-19. While freelance work can change at any time, this flexibility can make your work more adaptable and ultimately more secure, especially during times like these.

11. Early Retirement

Freelancers don’t get a pension like traditional workers, and must save for their own retirement. However, this opens the doors to a much earlier retirement, if you choose. Or, for those with insufficient savings to retire fully, they can retire part-time and boost their income by freelancing part-time.

12. Staying Secure in the Digital Age

You can help your friends secure their working life, from using different phones for work to installing the right kind of software on their laptops and other machines. This extends to helping them become aware of the risks of working online and the need for cybersecurity, including simple things like using a password manager.

13. Moving the Economy Forward

People aren’t sure how long COVID-19 is going to last, but the impact of this outbreak is going to be felt by the world for generations. Having more people able to work is going to improve the economy for everyone, making it well worth pushing as many of your friends as possible to take up work online. The digital economy doesn’t have to suffer as much as the finances of the real world.

Getting the people you care about into freelance work can be a great way to ensure that they don’t get hurt financially by the COVID-19 outbreak. Your friends and loved ones are going to need your help.

To help your friends and family get started, I have produced the Ultimate Freelancing Library, a step-by-step set of 12 Amazon eBooks that have been discounted to $1 each to help people under financial stress.