What Is the Gig Economy? Experts Explain the New Frontier of Business Opportunity
If you’ve listened to the language coming out of Silicon Valley in recent years, you’ve likely noticed there’s a fixation on the idea of “disrupting” an industry. Taxis, hotels and grocers have all witnessed a significant change in the landscape of their industry due to technology-based solutions that often base themselves on the foundation of a “gig economy”.
But what is the gig economy exactly? According to the劳工统计局, “a gig describes a single project or task for which a worker is hired, often through a digital marketplace, to work on demand.” The gig economy is made up primarily of remote freelancers in a variety of markets who work on a project-by-project basis. Whether you are looking for a simple gig driving for a car service, or a more specialized project in a field like graphic design, the opportunities are vast.
From 2002–2013, the gig economy grew tremendously. The BLS reports that during that timeframe, all industry sectors experienced growth in non-employer businesses. A recentUpwork surveyfound that freelancers made an estimated $1 trillion in 2016, with 55 million workers making up 35 percent of the total American workforce.
How are all these freelancers finding work? An article inBBC.reports that contractors have the internet to thank: “Thanks to the rise of on-demand talent marketplaces, the so-called ‘gig economy’ is fast becoming a reality. Cloud-based platforms are making it easier for firms to find the people they need from a global talent pool, and for freelancers to advertise their skills.”
演出经济正在跨越几个行业的波浪。我们询问专业的自由职业者是关于他们的作品是什么样的，以及业务和自由职业者如何从这件商业安排中受益。这是他们在演出经济中取得成功的原因。
Focus on what you do well
The biggest appeal for freelancing is the ability to work remotely, on your own schedule. Rather than swiping their time card at a 9-to-5 daily gig, freelancers can work whenever and wherever they want. But these perks come with some challenges. Though you can charge more hourly as a freelancer, you will be responsible for all your own overhead. You will also have to manage administrative tasks you may not be interested or skilled in.
自由职业者和顾问Naresh Vissa建议拓展其中一些任务。
“As a contractor, you are responsible for all your housekeeping. They can be a huge pain, so get an accountant to handle it all,” Vissa says. “It's well worth the money, especially since accountants will find ways to save you money on taxes. Don’t waste time. You should be focusing your efforts on delivering value to your clients.”
Bring unique skillsets to the table
Vissa says that when it comes to freelancing, you’ll have less competition when you offer more specialized skills to clients. Some companies prefer to outsource more basic work to save money. Offering a specialized skillset like computer programming, Google AdWords or copywriting or editing will likely mean less competition for you on the front end.
Build relationships
Matt Hensler，所有者HENSLER集成营销弗里德兰班说，他提出了他与您想要与之合作的公司或客户建立关系的能力，并杂草那些没有的公司。
“[Freelancing] gives you the opportunity to test a company. I’ve worked with some not so great companies on a full-time basis and felt stuck, but as a contractor, you have a little more control of what projects and companies you want to work with,” Hensler says.
What’s the best way to get repeat business with a company you enjoyed working with? Much of it comes down to professionalism. Hensler says that being proactive and meeting deadlines is the best way to develop a long-term relationship with any company.
Embrace technology
根据Freelancer Mindi Roster的说法Mindi Rosser Marketing，技术是使Gig经济增长的是什么。
“The systems, the support and the technology have evolved to the point where it's completely normal to hop on Zoom to chat with a client and skip the face-to-face meeting altogether. Online networking and personal branding allows freelancers to connect with their target audiences, no matter where they are in the world. Social media is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ but an essential tool to attract clients and get gigs,” she says.
考虑所有选项
Writer Suzanne Delzio says spending time working a traditional 9–5 job before you dive into the freelance world can strengthen your skills and help you down the road. She says, “I think it's important for new grads to spend 5 to 10 years working for someone else. Consider it a post-graduate program.”
自从演出经济可以是不可预知的,你n use that time to set money aside. “It took me a good three years to get my feet under me in this new business,” she says.
从“侧面喧嚣”开始
If you’re already working a traditional career and want to get into the gig economy, it isn’t too late. Vissa says you can start a side project in addition to your other work to gain clients and grow your portfolio or experience.
“Keeping the rising demand for freelancing in mind, aspiring independent consultants should always start with a side business. That's what I did when I got my first client in college,” Vissa says. “By the time I was in grad school, I had nearly ten clients under my belt. When I went out on my own for good, I developed enough relationships to make my consulting business profitable from day one.”
How does the gig economy impact businesses?
The rise of short-term contract work and sharing economy-based business models can cut both ways. Some established businesses face increased competition from enterprising workers who now have easy-to-use platforms to sell their services with. This competition isn’t just for professional services like design or business consulting, entire industries can be upended or challenged as new competitors like Uber and Airbnb embrace business models that allow people to meet customer demand in a decentralized way.
But there are also some clear benefits to the gig economy for businesses. Businesses who see spikes in demand or infrequently need specialized services may find short-term contract workers as a more financially prudent option. While independent contractor positions are not at all new, workers may be more willing to accept short-term positions as gig-based work becomes more common.
人才重要
凭借这种不断增长的趋势，您可能会想知道所有这些专业人员如何找到这些演出。虽然有些人被应用和技术肯定促进，但仍有大量的演出和合同工作采购了“老式”的方式通过招聘人员。这些就业专家知道寻求有才华的人并引诱互利的业务关系所需的所需。了解有关在我们文章中成功匹配的人员所需的更多信息，“招聘人员做了什么？内部人确定了行业的特征。”
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