Upwork Unveils Top 10 Most In-Demand Skills for Technology, Marketing, and Customer Service Independent Talent in 2022

Web Design, Social Media Marketing, and Customer Service top the list for most in-demand skills on the Upwork platform

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Upwork (Nasdaq: UPWK), the world’s work marketplace, today announced the 10 most in-demand skills for technology, marketing, and customer service independent talent on Upwork in 2022.

Digital transformation, operations obstacles, and an ever-evolving labor market continue to fundamentally change how the U.S. works. In part due to The Great Resignation and the millions of Americans who voluntarily left full-time positions over the past year, many organizations are experiencing challenges finding and retaining highly-skilled talent.

“Every company is vying for the best talent to stay competitive. This often means looking beyond hiring traditional full-time employees to find independent talent that offer advanced skills in areas like technology, marketing, or customer service,” said Margaret Lilani, VP of Talent Solutions at Upwork. “Our data indicates that not only is there a huge demand for a broad range of professional skills, but also businesses big and small are shifting their approach to accessing talent and looking to freelancers to fill critical skills gaps.”

A recent Upwork report found that skilled remote freelancing continues to grow — 53% of all freelancers provided skilled services such as computer programming or marketing this past year, up from 50% in the year prior. Upwork’s most in-demand skills lists reveal the essential role that highly-skilled independent talent will play in filling talent gaps and solving businesses’ most pressing needs in 2022.

Upwork’s top 10 most in-demand tech skills:

1. Web Design
2. WordPress
3. Web Programming
4. JavaScript
5. CSS
6. HTML
7. PHP
8. Shopify
9. API
10. Graphic Design

Upwork’s top 10 most in-demand marketing skills:

1. Social Media Marketing
2. Lead Generation
3. Facebook
4. SEO
5. B2B Marketing
6. Instagram
7. Marketing Strategy
8. Social Media Management
9. Email Marketing
10. Marketing Research

Upwork’s top 10 most in-demand customer service skills:

1. Customer Service
2. Customer Support
3. Email Communication
4. Phone Support
5. Email Support
6. Communication Etiquette
7. Online Chat Support
8. Answering Product Questions
9. Data Entry
10. Administrative Support

Among the list of most in-demand skills, those with the highest year-over-year growth on the Upwork platform are Web Programming (43%), Web Design (31%), and Social Media Marketing (25%).

“After years of working in customer service at various brick-and-mortar businesses, I switched to working on Upwork and was immediately blown away by the demand for my services and how my skill set and client base were growing everyday, thanks to the platform,” said Chloe Bahal, a customer service expert. “I’ve been on Upwork for almost 10 years now and have worked with many interesting businesses — from electric scooter companies to bookstores — all while having the financial freedom to spend more time with my loved ones and the flexibility to work from wherever I want.”

Connect with skilled, global, and in demand talent on Upwork’s work marketplace.

About Methodology:

Skills data was sourced from the Upwork database and is based on gross services volume from January 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021. Each skill had a minimum of 500 projects posted during the period. Year-over-year growth was estimated by comparing the gross services volume in 2021 to gross services volume in the same period in 2020.

About Upwork:

Upwork is the world’s work marketplace. We serve everyone from one-person startups to 30% of the Fortune 100 with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and freelancers to work together in new ways that unlock their potential. Our talent community earned over $2.5 billion on Upwork in 2020 across more than 10,000 skills in categories including website & app development, creative & design, customer support, finance & accounting, consulting, and operations. Learn more at www.upwork.com and join us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.