Investors like Mark Cuban are pouring millions into these 9 recruiting platforms helping agencies hit by the Big Quit

• The ad and consulting industries have shed thousands of jobs in the pandemic due to layoffs and burnout.
• A host of freelancer and staffing companies have risen up to match freelancers with employers.
• Some are attracting millions in funding from investors including Mark Cuban and Endeavor.
• See more stories on Insider’s business page.

Advertising and consulting firms have lost thousands of employees this year, leaving them rushingto fill roles as clients start spending again.

The crunch has helped give rise to talent-as-a-service platforms that help companies with staffing while making it easier for employees to go independent.

They include companies like We Are Rosie, a platform that connects brands and agencies with freelance talent and has Facebook, Diageo, and the five biggest ad holding companies as clients. Founder and CEO Stephanie Nadi Olson said the platform’s freelancer members and revenue have each doubled in size over the past 18 months, to 8,500 members and revenue that’s “well into the eight figures.”

Another is freelance network Gather, whose clients include IBM, Citibank, and The Economist and which sees big consulting and advertising names like Deloitte, Havas, and Ogilvy as its main competitors, said Head of Innovation David Gaspar.

Burnout and agency work known for its long hours have fueled the rise of freelancing. We Are Rosie surveyed more than 400 marketers and found that 63% plan to change jobs in 2021.

“You work constantly, and you sacrifice your life and your sanity. But talent doesn’t have to do that anymore,” said Working Not Working CEO and former agency art director Justin Gignac.

Here are 9 recruiting platforms, listed alphabetically, whose rapid growth has attracted millions from investors like Mark Cuban, Salesforce, and Endeavor and made some acquisition targets.