The slowdown in global trade is creating job security for at least one set of professionals.
Professionals with expertise in trade law, patents and international accounting standards are among the highest paid skills this year, according to data compiled by Upwork, a website matching freelancers with employers.
One respondent in last month’s regional survey from the Federal Reserve, the so-called Beige Book, even “complained about having to hire consultants to change computer systems to track the cost of tariffs.”
In addition to legal and accounting proficiency, tech skills were high on the list including knowledge of Bitcoin, virtual machine and programming language SQR. Independent professionals with the top twenty skills earn between $165 to $255 per hour, according to Upwork.