
Once the U.S. economy started to head south a few years ago, many longtime employees were shocked to find themselves out of work (as corporations trimmed down or went entirely out-of-business). As a result, the work force environment began to completely transform in ways that weren't immediately clear at the time. Many individuals that experienced unemployment or underemployed discovered that working for themselves, as an independent contractor, might be a way to sidestep a depressed job market....