From standard employment to freelancing: mobilizing career capital and bonding social capital

Purpose 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. Design/methodology/approach 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. Findings 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. Originality/value 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.