Source: Desiree Gibbens | Dupe
Back in the day, it seemed like very few people were their own bosses. Today, I can’t doomscroll without seeing approximately 26 videos on how to earn six figures while being self-employed. Freelancers now represent up to 45 percent of the total U.S. workforce, and LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide 2026 reports that more than half of Gen Z job seekers globally have shifted their focus from landing full-time roles to freelance or contract work. Clearly, we’ve exited the era of the traditional career path, and this mass exodus has given rise to the “portfolio career.”
It seems like everyone I network with is opting for this type of career path now, but what is a portfolio career anyway? I did some digging and tapped two experts for answers. Ahead, everything to know about portfolio careers, including what they are and why they are growing so popular, and what a portfolio career really looks like, including its benefits and challenges. Plus, we’re sharing how to build a portfolio career, step-by-step, and how to determine if it’s right for you.
In this article 1 What is a portfolio career? 2 What does a portfolio career look like? 3 Benefits of a portfolio career 4 Challenges of a portfolio career 5 How to determine if a portfolio career is right for you 6 How to build a portfolio career 7 Are portfolio careers replacing traditional career models?