Elance.com, a website that connects companies with independent contractors, added 142,723 jobs in the second quarter, while online contractors working on jobs posted on its site earned $34.3 million in that time, up 12 percent from the previous quarter.

Demand for talent is up by more than 61 percent year over year, the company reported. Businesses hiring online and freelance professionals sparked a 23 percent increase in a single quarter in both the population of contractors and employers working online.

“Companies are gaining agility by hiring in the cloud and working with contractors anywhere at any time,” said Fabio Rosati, CEO of Elance. “At the same time, professionals who work online are finding more opportunities to follow their passion while remaining independent.”

Privately held Elance is based in Mountain View, Calif.