Just about everything is changing in the 21st Century, and the economy is no exception. While manufacturing sector jobs are being lost to automation, fewer and fewer people are relying on classic means of employment to fund their lives.
The new economy is going in many different directions, but one of those notable directions is towards the gig economy.
If you haven’t heard the term, you aren’t alone. While it’s popping up all over the internet, it’s still gaining traction in mainstream knowledge. Essentially it’s a system in which people are able to employ themselves by lending their unique skills towards various gigs.
That means temporary work, no boss and a lot of different clients to work for. This kind of profession isn’t exactly new, but it is on the rise.
That means temporary work, no boss and a lot of different clients to work for. This kind of profession isn’t exactly new, but it is on the rise. Using online third-party platforms such as fiverr.com, people are able to score “gigs” doing anything from writing a song to writing someone’s name on a beach and taking a picture. But there is a more serious and senior side to this too, which is starting to be serviced by us here at InteriMarket.
It’s an exciting new trend, as it’s opening up life possibilities for people all over the planet. Here are a few ways the gig economy is changing lives and business:
Business and home life are becoming one in the same
When you’re employed through the gig economy, you have probably found a way to seamlessly blend your working life and home life. Whether or not you actually work at home depends on the nature of the gig, but your time is much more flexible. Most people who employ themselves through individual gigs don’t have an office, though they may have a space in which they like to work.
The big point here is that the gig economy is making the concepts of “work life” and “home life” not all that different – just two parts of the same life rhythm.
You can create your own profession
While people have historically (and still do) had to employ themselves in positions they hate, the gig economy in some sense allows people to come up with their own profession. As long as your skills are marketable and desirable to people with money, you can call yourself a professional! Even if your profession is something as eccentric as building candy sculptures.
If you don’t manage well, stress is through the roof
One downside of the gig economy is that it does require management skills. If a person doesn’t know how to sell and market themselves, or if they aren’t great with finance, they may find themselves struggling under the gig economy. Anyone employing themselves as a freelancer through gigs should take extra care to be organized and efficient with their work, lest they run into necessary stress.
