This study examines how knowledge- and skill-based freelancers in Taiwan transition from salaried employment into full-time freelancing. It further explains how, under conditions of high uncertainty, they mobilize and reconfigure career capital and bonding social capital to support the sustainability of their careers.
This study adopts a qualitative research approach. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews. Using purposive and snowball sampling, nine full-time freelancers were recruited. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
The results show that career transitions among knowledge- and skill-based freelancers stem from structural misfits in standard employment, which gradually generate transition motivations through prolonged job dissatisfaction (knowing-why). During the transition to freelancing, professional competencies and occupational networks (knowing-how/knowing-whom) facilitate the acquisition and maintenance of work opportunities. By contrast, bonding social capital buffers transition-related risks through emotional and practical support, thereby promoting career sustainability.
This study adopts a process perspective to address gaps in the literature on how freelancers transition from standard employment into full-time freelancing, and extends the theoretical application of career capital and bonding social capital.
