Working in the gig economy

See me in action when I appeared on Chronicle earlier this year talking about the gig economy.
https://www.wcvb.com/article/race-against-the-machines-gig-economy/19626349

I’ve been successfully working in the gig economy for almost two years and started this blog to share my experience with the hope of helping others. It can be a scary place when you first get started or are contemplating a change from traditional employment.

According to a Harvard Business Review article published in March 2018. There are an estimated 150 million people working in the gig economy in the US and the number is predicted to continue growing.

The gig economy is defined as, “a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs.”

The article defines four types of connections that people working in the gig economy cultivate, “to place, routines, purpose, and people.”  That these connections, “help them endure the emotional ups and downs of their work and gain energy and inspiration from their freedom.”

I can relate to this point because in my first year I was mainly working through Taskrabbit.com. The platform provided a steady stream of gigs but I was doing many different tasks at different places, days and times. This did cause a certain amount of anxiety, distraction and made it hard to plan a schedule.

In my second year, I thankfully have built a base of clients that provide the income, routines and purpose to feel like I am in a stable place. I have connected with the people I work for and feel the same responsibility and loyalty to them as if they were a traditional employer.

The article also points out that people who are working in the gig economy are choosing this independence and they were not willing to give up the benefits that come with it and that, “they also felt they had mustered more courage and were leading richer lives than their corporate counterparts.”

I encourage anyone who is contemplating working for themselves to first make a list of the skills you have that you like doing. Even if you are not using them in your current job. Then research your options to get gigs utilizing these skills. If it looks like you can maintain a similar income, go for it.

I look at my life now and all the jobs and people I get to work with and I feel fulfilled. I can’t imagine giving up my freedom and schedule flexibility to go back into a traditional job environment.

I will create another post that lists the different sites that will help you get started in the gig economy. I welcome questions and comments.

Reference: https://hbr.org/2018/03/thriving-in-the-gig-economy