High demand from Australian clients for freelance Change, Risk, and Product experts: Outsized's 2025 Talent-on-Demand Report reveals hiring trends, rates, and most in-demand skills
SYDNEY, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies across Australia are increasingly building teams and capabilities by integrating independent professionals across functions and levels. Skills in high demand include product development, business analytics, transformation, product and risk management.
According to Outsized's 2025 Talent-on-Demand Report, organisations are integrating independent talent for various reasons; from execution roles to strategic project delivery, with professionals across the region earning between AUD 700 and AUD 1500 per day, depending on the type of skill and experience level.
With freelancer registrations surging by 122%, businesses are turning to independent professionals to bridge skill gaps, drive innovation, and scale efficiently. Rapid digital and technological advancements are driving enterprises to invest in infrastructure upgrades and new initiatives. As digital transformation accelerates, companies are increasingly turning to independent talent to lead critical projects.
For the first time, the 2025 edition of Outsized's report includes insights from Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), expanding its global workforce intelligence beyond Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and Africa.
Key findings at a glance:
- Most in-demand skills: Change management, risk management, product & proposition, technology, and strategy.
- Sectors leading the shift: Tech, financial services and consulting; leveraging independent talent for rapid digital and organisational transformation.
- Freelancer growth: Registrations up 122%, highlighting the appeal of independent careers.
- Day rates: Experienced professionals (11–15 years) average AUD 1,000/day; top skills exceed AUD 1,500/day.
A transforming workforce: Agile talent takes centre stage
Outsized, a leading talent-on-demand platform with over 45,000 independent consultants and professional freelancers globally, has released its fourth annual Talent-on-Demand Report, offering real-time insights into how businesses are leveraging independent professionals. Based on tens of thousands of proprietary data points from actual projects posted by enterprises, consulting firms, and private equity clients, the report provides a comprehensive breakdown of talent costs, hiring trends, and in-demand skills across APAC, MENA, and Africa.
"As AI and automation rises, the demand for human-centric skills is growing across enterprises; in ANZ, a smaller talent pool and geographic dispersion creates ongoing skill shortage in certain areas." — Sara Kahlau, Global Sales Lead & ANZ Lead at Outsized.
Why this matters for business and HR leaders
The 2025 Talent-on-Demand Report serves as a blueprint for workforce transformation, enabling leaders to:
- Benchmark talent costs and optimise external hiring budgets.
- Identify emerging workforce trends across APAC, MENA, and Africa.
- Gain exclusive day rate intelligence across a broad range of industries and skill sets.
- Understand how top firms are using independent talent to accelerate digital transformation and maintain a competitive edge.
Access the full report here
Staying ahead of workforce trends demands real-time intelligence and actionable market insights. Outsized's 2025 Talent-on-Demand Report serves as a strategic playbook, providing business leaders with essential benchmarking against industry peers. Armed with these insights, leaders can quickly identify emerging talent shifts, optimise hiring budgets, and build agile workforce strategies. Access the full report to stay ahead of the curve: https://resources.outsized.com/talent-on-demand-report-2025
Methodology
The 2025 Talent-on-Demand Report is based on original research and tens of thousands of proprietary data points from real projects on Outsized's platform.
About Outsized
Outsized is a talent-on-demand platform with over 45,000 top independent professionals, enabling large enterprise clients, consulting firms, and private equity funds in Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East to implement flexible workforce models at scale. For more information, please visit www.outsized.com.
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