Elance.com, a website that connects companies with independent contractors online in the “cloud,” reported that buyers posted 650,000 new jobs this year and that online hiring is up more than 100 percent from 2010, according to the company’s 2011 Online Employment Review. The company also reported 550,000 active contractors in 2011 with earnings of $156 million.

“This year’s numbers suggest a structural change in traditional employment, as more businesses are adopting online and contingent work as a core business strategy,” CEO Fabio Rosati said.

Privately held Elance is based in Mountain View, Calif.